ERIC Number: EJ952233
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Jul
Pages: 27
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1443-1394
EISSN: N/A
Literacy Practitioners' Perspectives on Adult Learning Needs and Technology Approaches in Indigenous Communities
Eady, Michelle; Herrington, Anthony; Jones, Caroline
Australian Journal of Adult Learning, v50 n2 p260-286 Jul 2010
Current reports of literacy rates in Australia indicate an ongoing gap in literacy skills between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian adults, at a time when the literacy demands of work and life are increasing. There are many perspectives on what are the literacy needs of Indigenous adults, from the perspectives of community members themselves to the relatively under-researched perspective of literacy practitioners. This paper provides the insights, experiences and recommendations from adult literacy practitioners who work with adult Indigenous learners in communities across Australia. Focus group interviews, using an online synchronous platform, were used to elicit views about the literacy needs of Indigenous adults in communities and the successes in and barriers to meeting those needs. The practitioners also shared their views on the use of technology in literacy learning. Together, these views can inform future directions in curriculum design and teaching approaches for community-based Indigenous adult literacy education.
Descriptors: Literacy Education, Focus Groups, Adult Learning, Interviews, Foreign Countries, Adult Literacy, Teaching Methods, Technology Uses in Education, Barriers, Indigenous Populations, Adult Students, Adult Education, Reading Teachers, Student Needs, Individual Needs
Adult Learning Australia. Level 1, 32 Northbourne Avenue, Canberra, ACT 2603, Australia. Tel: +61-02-6274-9515; Fax: +61-02-6274-9513; Web site: http://www.ala.asn.au
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Adult Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A