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Abstract:
In an increasingly interconnected world, the ability to navigate digital landscapes has become essential for flourishing as an individual and for maintaining family bonds and cultural identities. Immigrant families, particularly those with young children, face a unique set of challenges and inequities that can significantly influence their access to economic opportunity, involvement in their children’s education, and civic engagement. Through this article, we summarize available data on digital inequity, explore current digital literacy practices among immigrant families, and propose implications for family literacy programs. The aim is to bridge what is known about the barriers that immigrant families face with an asset-based approach that builds on their diverse, everyday digital literacy practices. We recognize how immigrant families’ digital literacy practices can shape family literacy programming, including several practices such as sustaining transnational connections, sharing and maintaining cultural and linguistic funds of knowledge, engaging in intergenerational learning experiences, and applying a cultural lens to navigate a complex technological landscape. Accordingly, we suggest that family literacy educators build on immigrant families’ existing digital skills, usage, and access; create opportunities to actively and critically engage with technology; and design for digital equity.
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Abstract:
This article details the implementation of a preschool family literacy program in Liberia, West Africa, which includes adult literacy classes for parents and other caregivers. It discusses how an international partnership was formed and implemented in a way that places a Liberian nongovernment organization specializing in education work (WE-CARE) at the helm, while allowing other partners to support the organization in running the program. The article discusses how the program was adapted for the Liberian context based on learners’ needs, and the benefits it yielded. It also presents elementary school outcomes for 38 Cohort 3 children who graduated from the preschool program. The data show promising student outcomes, with the majority of children performing at or above average when entering the school year and demonstrating continued improvements at the end of the school year. The article also discusses specifically how the children’s parents or other caregivers have benefited from the program.
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Abstract:
Ongoing, customized professional development (PD) is critical to developing high-quality family literacy programs, meeting enrolled families’ needs, and promoting learning among staff and participating families. However, few program evaluations on family literacy have examined the role of PD. This article discusses the regular, intensive PD that the Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy team provided to five family literacy programs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania over 5 years. The PD changed as program staff learned about and gained experience with the four-component family literacy model. PD began with understanding how to best serve families (e.g., culturally relevant lessons), continued with supporting parent education and interactive literacy activity (ILA) programming, and culminated with learning how to sustain programming. Findings from a multiyear, mixed- methods evaluation demonstrated statistically significant results from a self-reported pre/ post caregiver survey about daily literacy activities and engagement in various parent-child activities. These findings, along with prior research, support the possibility that ongoing, intentional, and customized PD helped improve program quality, which in turn created the conditions for enhanced parent-child language, literacy, and learning interactions. This study suggests that well-planned PD and regular, supportive interactions with program staff are crucial for developing and improving successful, high-quality family literacy programs.
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Abstract:
In today’s world, being literate is critical for daily functions and general survival, particularly with advancements and acceptance of digital technologies. Family literacy programs offer great benefits for adults and children to encourage intergenerational literacy development through individualized and collaborative activities and grow community partnerships that support the whole family. Ultimately, family literacy programs benefit individuals, households, and communities.
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Abstract:
Adult education has evolved from informal, oral traditions to structured programs that address the changing needs of society. This article traces its historical roots from early evening schools and trade education to modern community colleges and workforce development initiatives. It explores the relevance of adult learning through andragogical principles, emphasizing its problem-centered approach and immediate application. Finally, it highlights the profound impact of adult education, showcasing its role in personal growth, economic mobility, and community engagement.
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Abstract:
Adult education has evolved from informal, oral traditions to structured programs that address the changing needs of society. This article traces its historical roots from early evening schools and trade education to modern community colleges and workforce development initiatives. It explores the relevance of adult learning through andragogical principles, emphasizing its problem-centered approach and immediate application. Finally, it highlights the profound impact of adult education, showcasing its role in personal growth, economic mobility, and community engagement.
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Abstract:
Adult education has evolved from informal, oral traditions to structured programs that address the changing needs of society. This article traces its historical roots from early evening schools and trade education to modern community colleges and workforce development initiatives. It explores the relevance of adult learning through andragogical principles, emphasizing its problem-centered approach and immediate application. Finally, it highlights the profound impact of adult education, showcasing its role in personal growth, economic mobility, and community engagement.
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Abstract:
Adult education has evolved from informal, oral traditions to structured programs that address the changing needs of society. This article traces its historical roots from early evening schools and trade education to modern community colleges and workforce development initiatives. It explores the relevance of adult learning through andragogical principles, emphasizing its problem-centered approach and immediate application. Finally, it highlights the profound impact of adult education, showcasing its role in personal growth, economic mobility, and community engagement.