ERIC Number: ED472749
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2002
Pages: 19
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Family Literacy: A Research Agenda to Build the Future. Report from Penn State's Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy Think Tank.
Askov, Eunice N.
A think tank on researching family literacy was held to brainstorm a national research agenda for family literacy. The think tank brought together 12 researchers, policymakers, and practitioners involved in family literacy. Key themes emerging during the think tank were as follows: (1) family literacy is difficult to research because it is essentially a "black box"; (2) integration of four components--adult education, early childhood education, parent education, and parent-and-child together (PACT) time--is a hallmark of family literacy; (3) curricula in PACT time are especially lacking; (4) the selection of appropriate assessment instruments in family literacy is limited; and (5) determination of those who are best served by family literacy programs is critical. The following were among the items identified as belonging on the research agenda: (1) good measures of the components with demonstrated validity and reliability to assess the components' impact; (2) a multidisciplinary team approach using multiple research methods; (3) longitudinal research with cross-sectional data collection and multiple time frames for data collection; (4) research focusing on the differential impact of the four components for various subpopulations; and (5) quantitative measures to track program effects over time. Lists of 12 references and the think tank attendees are appended along with the Gooding Institute's goals. (MN)
Descriptors: Adult Basic Education, Brainstorming, Educational Planning, Educational Policy, Educational Research, Family Literacy, Focus Groups, Futures (of Society), Integrated Curriculum, Intergenerational Programs, Literacy Education, National Programs, Needs Assessment, Organizational Objectives, Parent Child Relationship, Participant Characteristics, Professional Development, Research Methodology, Research Needs, Research Problems, Student Evaluation, Tests
For full text: http://www.ed.psu.edu/goodlinginstitute/images/research.pdf. Publication is available on alternative media on request.
Publication Type: Opinion Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Practitioners; Policymakers; Researchers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A