Lorraine Dagostino

Beginning with Literacy Needs: Community College Program Development that Considers Individual Students' Contexts

As community college enrollments continue to rise, the role of the college in the community expands to keep pace. Yet, academic programs designed to meet the needs of an ever more diverse population often lag behind. Traditionally, college has been a place for students to open doors to diverse ideas; here, students bring diversity with them, along with a rich mix of cultures and experiences, to the mutual advantage of fellow students and teachers. Despite the challenge of addressing individual student needs, a focus on a strong literacy component can lead to a successful overall college experience, particularly if individual literacy needs are considered in program design.

Stimulating adult development in the workplace through critical thinking

The workplace often requires the use of critical thinking which, in turn, may stimulate certain aspects of adult development. This article proposes several characteristics of critical thinking that may contribute to adult development as it occurs in the workplace. The concepts considered apply to managers and workers in a variety of situations.

Scientific literacy: a goal of educating people in and for the health professions

Scientific literacy driven by the underlying habits of scientific thinking should be the focus of educating people in the health professions. This article identifies 23 characteristics of scientific thinking as well as other concepts relevant to scientific literacy. Examples are provided as to how these characteristics and concepts apply to the work of medical lab technicians, nurses and medical researchers.

Literacy in the health professions today

Multiple literacies are needed to be successful in the health professions today. This article outlines five general types or spheres of literacies that health care workers, professionals and clients need to possess to some degree to function effectively in the current complexities and multiple areas of modern health. Examples of each kind or sphere of literacy are given as well as suggestions for how such literacies may be promoted in the workplace.