M Cecil Smith

What Will Be the Demands of Literacy in the Workplace in the Next Millennium

In this “RRQ Snippet,” the authors discuss their ideas about the changing demands for todays—and tomorrows—literate workforce.

THE READING ABILITIES AND PRACTICES OF OLDER ADULTS

Despite increased attention to understanding reading among adults, the reading processes and activities of older (i.e., elderly) adults remain relatively unknown. There are several existing research needs regarding older adults’ reading skills and activities. These include understanding the characteristics of avid older adult readers and how changes in cognitive skills associated with aging affect reading activities. Also, assessment issues related to the development of appropriate measures of adults’ reading skills, interests, and attitudes are discussed. Finally, issues regarding the treatment effects of interventions aimed at enhancing the reading activities of older adults are discussed with regard to developing optimal learning environments. This article also discusses why it is important to understand older adults’ reading skills, examines recent relevant research, and considers implications for research and practice regarding older adults’ reading skills and everyday activities.

Reading habits and attitudes of adults at different levels of education and occupation

Abstract Eighty‐four adults, employed in a wide variety of occupations and participating in a longitudinal study of reading skills development, completed questionnaires concerning their reading attitudes, reading habits, and perceptions about reading. Both adults with more education and adults employed in higher‐status occupations were found to have more positive attitudes toward reading and to spend more time reading. Also, adults with more education rated their own reading ability higher than did those with less education. There were, however, no educational or occupational group differences In regards to reading interests. Adults with more education also employ more sophisticated “models” of reading In considering how good and poor readers differ. Implications regarding literacy education are discussed.

Academic and Behavioral Characteristics of Young Adolescents in Self-Care.

This study examines characteristics of young adolescents who experience self-care, associations between self-care and academic achievement, and whether associations of self-care with academic adjustment vary by child, family, or community characteristics. Using data from the nationally representative 1999 National Household Education Survey, hierarchical log-linear models assessed how self-care was associated with several academic and behavioral measures for 9- to 13-year-olds. Overall, more self-care was significantly associated with lower academic performance and with school behavior problems, although those associations varied by gender, parent-child communication, and whether young adolescents in self-care also participated in some supervised out-of-school activities. Findings are discussed in light of Bronfenbrenners ecological systems theory.

Literacy practices among different ethnic groups: The role of socioeconomic and cultural factors

Abstract This study investigated socioeconomic and cultural factors that interplay with racial differences in adult literacy. African‐American adults were shown to have statistically significantly higher book and periodical reading practices than European‐Americans when income was controlled, demonstrating the important relationship between socioeconomic factors and African‐Americans’ literacy. African‐Americans and other racial minorities obtained more information from television, magazines, and books than European‐Americans, but these activities were not sufficient to overcome the gap in literacy skills between minority and majority groups. Results are discussed from Ogbus (1990) cultural identity perspective.

Content Changes in Parent Education Books for Parents of Adolescents.

This study analyzed the contents of 48 parent education books, publishedfrom 1904 to 1979, to examine changes in their contents over time. Many professionals and laypersons have written booksfor parents about adolescent behavior, and generations of concerned parents have turned to these textsfor advice. Previous studies of books written for the parents of younger children suggest thatparenteducation materials havechanged over time, reflecting advances in scientific findings about childhood. We examined books writtenfor parents of adolescents to determine if the contents reflect evolving scientific understanding of adolescence. The results showed that changes in the contents and themes were subtle rather than dramatic and increasingly concerned the challengesfacing parents and adolescents. Changingfamily demographics, increased adolescent sexual experimentation, and drug use became more common topics by the 1970s. This study provides an interesting perspective on the value and nature of parent education information.

Design and usability assessment of a dialogue‐based cognitive tutoring system to model expert problem solving in research design

Technology provides the means to create useful learning and practice environments for learners. Well-designed cognitive tutor systems, for example, can provide appropriate learning environments that feature cognitive supports (ie, scaffolding) for students to increase their procedural knowledge. The purpose of this study was to conduct a series of usability tests of a dialogue-based design framework for the presentation of domain knowledge and assess how it can be used to actively engage learners in learning about research methods. Three formal usability assessments and an instructor adoption assessment were conducted during the development of the tutoring system. Each usability assessment employed diverse data collection methods to ensure broad and in-depth coverage of findings. The findings revealed that the dialogue metaphor enabled natural and participatory interactions between the system and users. The feedback prompts or hints and support resources provided opportunities for learning during the process of problem solving. Future research to extend the support of usability assessments is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Exploration of Teachers' Efforts to Understand Identity Work and Its Relevance to Science Instruction.

US educators express concern that students are turning away from the study of science and have little interest in pursuing science careers. Nationally, science achievement scores for 8th graders are unchanged since 1996, but 12th graders’ scores have significantly decreased. A shortcoming of education reform efforts is lack of attention to students’ developmental needs. Science study should enable students to learn about themselves—to develop and refine their skills, define their values, explore personal interests, and understand the importance of science to themselves and others. Effective secondary science instruction requires attention to students’ identity development—the key developmental task of adolescence. Secondary science teachers participated in an 8-week course focused on understanding adolescent identity development and methods for addressing identity. Transcripts of the teachers’ online discussions of salient issues were analyzed to determine their perceptions regarding classroom identity work. Teachers identified several assets and obstacles to identity work that were organized into two broad categories: teacher knowledge, training opportunities, and administrative support, or lack of these; and, presence of inflexible curricula, standardized testing regimes, and increased teacher accountability. Implications for student growth and science teacher professional development are discussed.

Adults' Uses of Computer Technology: Associations with Literacy Tasks

The present study examined data from a large, nationally representative sample—the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NCES, 2007)—to examine how computer use and Internet-based literacy practices (use of e-mail, searching for information on the Internet, and Internet chatting) were related to prose, document, and quantitative literacy scores. The moderating effects of gender and ethnicity with these practices were also assessed. Results indicated that, when controlling for potential confounding variables, the use of computers and engagement in Internet-based literacy practices was associated with higher scores on each of the three literacy tasks. Additionally, moderating effects were identified for gender and for ethnicity on several literacy tasks.

THE DIALECTICS OF THE WHOLE LANGUAGE VERSUS TRADITIONAL INSTRUCTION DEBATE

Abstract This paper examines the on‐going debate between traditional instruction and whole language advocates in reading from the perspective of developmental dialectics. A dialectical interpretation of this conflict views the debate as a constructive confrontation leading to qualitative advances in reading instruction. An overview of differences between the two camps is provided, followed by a brief discussion of historical conflicts in reading instruction philosophies. We next outline the reasons why whole language approaches have increasingly been incorporated into classrooms. The dialectics of the student as a literacy learner, the teacher as both an instructor and a learner, and the dialectics of instruction and research are discussed. We conclude with our speculations on how the current debate is likely to be resolved and suggest that whole language may emerge in a qualitatively different instructional form incorporating current research on strategy acquisition.