Scotland's First Adult Literacies Research Conference
Radisson Hotel, Glasgow
29th April 2008
Since the introduction of the Adult Literacy and Numeracy in Scotland report 2001, major developments have taken place in research in the adult literacies field in Scotland. A number of research projects have been sponsored by Learning Connection with varying purposes: evaluating other work, gathering evidence, supporting innovative practice, supporting the development of practitioner research, etc. The conference showcased some of the more recent adult literacies research sponsored by Scottish Government and presented this to interested parties who discussed possibilities for implementing the findings of the research.
The conference created an opportunity to
- disseminate the research findings to a wider audience
- discuss the implications of the research findings
It also
- raised interest in research into adult literacies among practitioners, managers, academic researchers and policy makers
- explored the purposes, possibilities and priorities for future research
- discussed mechanisms for putting research knowledge into practice
Presentation of the research was via workshops, keynote presentations and plenaries. There were opportunities to ask questions and to browse displays.
This page invites you to re-visit some of the inputs from the conference.
You can view the keynote speeches as video files, view the PowerPoint displays used by the different speakers and workshops, and you can download summaries and reports of the research.
Click on the links from the programme speakers below to view their presentations.
Mark Batho, Head of Group, Lifelong Learning Directorate, Scottish Government, introduced the conference. Mark is Director of Lifelong Learning within Scotland's devolved Government. Lifelong Learning Directorate is responsible for Scottish Government policy on all aspects of learning that take place post school - from basic employability training to post-doctoral research. Working for the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, the Directorate takes a close interest in the interface between the world of learning (training, skills enhancement, academic or whatever) and that of work/enterprise/economic growth.
Maureen Watt, Minister for Schools and Skills, addressed the conference. She was born in Aberdeen from a farming background and studied both at the University of Strathclyde (Honours degree in Politics) and at the University of Birmingham (PGCE Post Graduate Certificate in Education degree). She was a secondary school teacher in Social Studies in England and moved back to Scotland to work in the oil sector. She entered the Scottish Parliament in 2006 and was the first MSP to take the oath in Doric as well as English. Ms Watt is the MSP for North East Scotland.
Janet Looney, independent consultant and former OECD analyst spoke on " Improving Teaching, Learning and Assessment for Adults". Janet Looney was the project lead for the What Works in Innovation in Education programme at the OECD's Centre for Educational Research and Innovation from Autumn 2002 to Winter 2008. She led the development of two major international reports: Formative Assessment: Improving Learning in Secondary Classrooms (2005), and Teaching, Learning and Assessment for Adults: Improving Foundation Skills (2008).
Ursula Howard, Director of NRDC, spoke on " Really Useful Research: developing strategies and messages to support policy and practice". Since early 2003, Ursula has been Director of the National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy, a consortium led by the Institute of Education, University of London. The NRDC was set up in England by DfES (now DIUS) as part of the Skills for Life strategy in 2002 to create a comprehensive evidence base for policy; and to engage in research and development to support and improve practice.
Catherine Macrae and Jay Derrick reflected on the key themes from the day. Jay has worked in adult, community and further education in England since 1975, as a volunteer, teacher, outreach worker, curriculum manager, and Head of Departrment, specialising in adult literacy and numeracy. He is an independent researcher, evaluator, and development project manager, specialising in assessment, teacher training, and workplace basic skills. Catherine has worked in adult literacy and language for over 25 years in community learning programmes, and in further education. She is now a practitioner, independent advisor and researcher, also working as a Development Officer with the City of Edinburgh's ALN Partnership, CLAN.
Workshops summaries / reports
Undetected Visual Difficulties in Adult Literacy
This research project, currently in its second phase, is investigating a cohort of adults with literacy difficulties for evidence of previously undetected visual dysfunction. Around 80 percent of learning takes place through vision and difficulties with vision and visual perception can hamper reading acquisition and hinder later attempts at literacy learning in adulthood.
Effective Learning for Adults with Learning Difficulties
This action research project was funded by Learning Connections to develop and explore the potential for enhancing literacies learning for adults with learning difficulties by engaging with their systems of care and/or support. A key aim of the project was to help carers and support workers work effectively with adult literacies tutors to establish learning opportunities in the everyday lives of people with learning difficulties. The project was led by Alastair Wilson and Katie Hunter of the Applied Educational Research Centre, University of Strathclyde in the period March 2006-April 2007.
ESOL, EU enlargement and Citizenship ( PowerPoint slides)
Examines to what extent the demand for ESOL from publicly funded provision has increased since 2004 when the A8 countries joined the EU and what impact the new UK citizenship test/ ESOL with citizenship has had on demand for ESOL. An international comparison was also carried out to produce a case study of Australia's English as a Second Language ( ESL) provision, the background and language needs of learners, the different types of provision available and the policy responses to increased migration in terms of provision (nature, scale of availability, quality, fee contribution). The aim was to gain further information on this country's experience of migration and provision of ESL compared with the Scottish system and to identify examples of good practice.
The Big Plus - Effectiveness Research
The Big Plus is Scotland's national awareness-raising campaign for adult literacy and numeracy. Launched in January 2004, the campaign was the then Scottish Executive's response to the Adult Literacy and Numeracy in Scotland (2001) report which suggested the need for a national awareness-raising campaign. The Big Plus is designed to encourage adults in Scotland who need help with reading, writing and numbers to access free local support. The campaign also looks to challenge the stigma often associated with this topic.
Greater than the sum
This action research and staff development project (2005 - 2007) explored the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the teaching of adult numeracy in a variety of settings throughout Scotland. Settings included community-based provision, Scotland's Colleges, workplaces, university outreach and a prison.
Innovations in ICT and Literacies
This research project (2004 - 2007) funded 26 projects from around Scotland to use ICT in innovative ways in their literacies practice. The workshop will look at some of the individual projects, the materials developed as a result of their work, and the overall findings on how the use of a range of ICT methods enhanced the learning activities for both learners and tutors.
Credit where credit's due
This research was commissioned to identify and evaluate how Adult Literacy and Numeracy partnerships had developed their approach to accreditation to ensure progression opportunities for all adult literacies learners. Information was also sought from some of Learning Connections networks which focus on particular aspects or context.
Motivating Adult Literacies Learners
A project team from the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh was commissioned by Learning Connections to research the key factors that either motivate or prevent 'at risk' adult literacy and numeracy learners from persisting and progressing in their learning and achieving their learning aims.
New light on ALN in Scotland
One of the first-ever studies of adult literacy and numeracy difficulties in Scotland estimated that 800,000 adults had poor literacy and numeracy skills, with just 15,000 or 2% attending courses to help them improve. These findings influenced the Adult Literacy and Numeracy in Scotland strategy, but still left large gaps in our knowledge of the lives of adults with low levels of literacy and numeracy. This research, commissioned by Learning Connections, fills some of those gaps and analyses Scottish data from the 1970 British Cohort Study ( BCS70). This study has been collecting information at regular intervals on more than 16,500 individuals born in England, Scotland and Wales in one week in April 1970.
Practitioner Led Action Research: The Individual Learning Planning Process
This research project, conducted during the Spring of 2008, provided support to adult literacies tutors to investigate their current practices around the Individual Learning Planning (ILP) process. The workshop sets out to present some initial findings from this project, both in terms of the practitioners' research on ILPs and strategies for supporting practitioners to become involved in research.
Professional Enquiry as part of Professional Development
The pilot of the 'Teaching Qualification in Adult Literacies' includes an opportunity for participants to carry out a research project into their work. This workshop explores how engaging students pursuing an adult literacies teaching qualification in researching aspects of their practice can enhance their professional development. The theory behind this, how this method of teaching teachers suits the Scottish approach to adult literacies, is explored in a paper presented to the National Research and Development Centre (NRDC) international conference in March 2008.
Please contact us if you have any comments or suggestions relating to research into adult literacies.