Research Pick of the Day #2

Today’s Pick is…

The  Power of Technology to Transform Adult Learning (2009).   This study by the Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy (CAAL ) in the United States notes  that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics  predicts that “… 70% of all jobs in the U.S. will require ICT skills by 2016″ (p.iii)   Given these numbers  the study looks at the range of available  technology  for education and learning  and reviews the  findings of recent research on online and  distance learning within the context of adult literacy education.

The research findings clearly indicate that literacy learners want and can benefit from online learning and, based on this finding and the increasing  need for ICT skills in the workforce  makes a compelling case for a significant expansion of opportunities for online and  distance learning.

The study also calls for further investigation of the conditions for successful online learning,  how adults find and use technology in their learning, why and how they use technology and whether it is of benefit to them in achieving their learning goals.