The Use of Online Learning to Support Literacy and Math Skill Development for Low-Skilled Adults

• In Event: 34.053 - Adult Learning in Diverse Contexts

Abstract

More than 36 million adults in the U.S. do not have the basic skills needed for many entry-level jobs and even less so for jobs expected to dominate in the future. At the same time, investments in K-12 digital learning have skyrocketed. This suggests the possibility for such changes to occur in the adult basic education (ABE) sector that serve low-skilled adults.

Our research, conducted during 2015-2016 in 12 states, seeks to understand whether instructional technology is effective for low-skilled adults and under what conditions. We seek to inform the ABE program and product development community about the human capital, infrastructure, instructional models, design features, and support practices needed to make technology effective for low-skilled adults.

Authors

• Robert F. Murphy

• Marie Bienkowski, SRI International

• Patti Constantakis, Digital Promise

• Susanne Nobles, Old Dominion University