Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University, 2009. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 108-118).

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

This study draws on empirical evidence to examine theory on the critical question: "What is the impact of the English literacy curriculum on the lives of female adult learners?" I used the critical postmodernist and feminist lenses to examine the lived experiences of four Black African domestic workers and their journey through adult literacy. I used life history and autobiographical writings as the main methodological tools to uncover the biographical experiences of the learners. The postmodernist lens provided a framework to understand the changing identities and the complexities in the lived experiences of the learners. The critical and feminist theories provided the framework to understand the power relations and female oppression in a gendered society. Researching adult literacy in transforming, unstable and uncertain environments is methodologically complex and challenging. In these circumstances it is often serendipity that provides tools for discovery. Thus letter writing and 'in loco' visits into informal settlements provided me with thick description of the adult learners' life worlds, which would have otherwise been closed. In drawing up a literacy curriculum for adult learners the ‘in loco' visits became a vital source of information. A major impact of the adult literacy programme in this study is that it provided learners with a language of criticism, hope and one with which to analyse their social and material conditions. The narrative writing and class discussions gave learners the opportunity to reflect, to be critically conscious of their poverty, to act and dream of their emancipation. The autobiographies were voices for the voiceless learners, offering them a space to explore their feelings through story telling. The story telling opened up possibilities, which was not mere reflection but a complex process of making a difference in the world through diffraction. Autobiographical writing as a narrative form provided the discursive space for learners to become reflective, conscientized and intellectually emancipated. However, they were not always able to assert their empowerment, because of the dominant mediating factors such as economic power relations and socio-cultural contexts. Feminist and critical pedagogical approaches to mediating the curriculum can be emancipatory, in environments of poverty, oppression and powerlessness. Although learners attained critical consciousness and intellectual liberation, only two of the four were able to break the shackles of poverty. The English language created a triple bind for the adult female learners. The dominance of the English language in the global economy, has created demands on adult learners to acquire competency skills in English in order to function optimally in society. The hegemony of the English language led to discrimination, and created class stratification as well as social inclusion and exclusion for learners. They either felt alienated or accepted. This study showed that the dominant indigenous language within their own informal community also causes social inclusion and exclusion. The first dominant pull is that of the English language, the second is the dominant indigenous language from their own communities and finally they are caught with the need for their own language causing a threefold pull or push on the learners' identities, which I call a triple bind. The quest to acquire the dominant language also created schisms in the learners' identities. This research has shown that the chasm between policy intentions and implementation has not been bridged. The promises of equity, redress and social justice as enunciated in Adult Basic Education and Training (from here on referred to as ABET) policy documents are far from being realized. This study revealed that the Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal placed too much emphasis merely on summative tests and certification and not on the needs of the adult learner. If adult education continues in the same direction there will be no good incentive to work towards a programme that has a direct impact on the lives of marginalized females in particular. The study suggests that ABET curriculum must be situationally relevant to make an impact on learners. The adult literacy curriculum should offer programmes for critical consciousness as well as vocational training for income generation. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2004.

The study was conducted in Mwizi, Mbarara District, South Western Uganda. The major purpose was to find out if a uniform method of planning a programme fitted the unique characteristics of the people for whom it was intended, and whether the FAL programme deters or encourages participation in literacy studies. The study looked at the programme; the people's lives and the infrastructural support that was available in the community to enable people to attend the FAL Programme. The research questions focused on what encouraged or discouraged people to participate or not to participate in the FAL program. In order to achieve this, the lives of the respondents were explored to see how literacy related to their daily lives and activities. This exploration was effected using a range tools that had their roots in participatory rural appraisal and they included; interviews, focus group discussions, daily activity clock and mobility mapping. These helped me get an understanding of the lives of the people and where literacy fitted in their lives. The programme was also explored to get an insight into what it was about and this was mainly done through reviewing of literature and material. This study revealed that one size does not fit all. That is to say, learners in different areas of the sub county have unique characteristics that cannot be planned for as if they were uniform. Similarly, underlying principles of adult education were not considered when it came to planning the FAL programme. The study also revealed that illiteracy and learners were highly stigmatized. This resulted in a situation whereby very few people wanted to be associated with non-literates because of the stigma associated with illiteracy in our societies. The study concludes with a set of recommendations, some of which can be addressed by program planners directly, while others are long term issues. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

In this study a group of adults who have participated in ABE programmes as learners for two to three years is compared with a group matched for employment position and scores on literacy screening tests who have had no involvement with ABE programmes. The study inquires into peoples' work situation, including their perceptions of future prospects at their place of employment, and the degree and nature of their job satisfaction, peoples' community involvement, including awareness of current issues, the extent to which they feel they can influence what happens to them, and the extent of their engagement with community issues, and peoples' personal situations, including how they use the reading and writing skills they have developed, their involvement with their children's schooling, the sources of information they rely on, their money management, their record keeping and their degree of confidence in using technical means of communication. The study also investigates people's attitudes towards adult basic education classes, and for those who have participated in them, their own perception of changes effected, gains and sacrifices made, and whether the effort has been, for them personally, worthwhile. Differences and similarities between the groups in the areas of their work situation, their educational experience and attitudes towards education and in literacy-related practices are analysed statistically and discussed. All comparisons between the groups are explored and discussed in the contexts of the learners' own lives and experiences as described by them. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

This study analyses adult learners' perceptions of functional adult literacy provision in six centres in Kampala city. Specifically, what is analysed is adult learners' perceptions of what motivates adults to enroll; their views on the appropriateness of the providers' strategies, approaches, methods and materials used; the venues, facilities, equipment, quantity and quality of facilitators; the extent to which the programmes address the adult learners' needs and the use of the knowledge and skills by those who complete the functional adult literacy programmes. Interviews, observation and focus group discussions were used to collect primary data from forty one adult learners from programmes of government, NGOs and the private sector in Kampala city. On the whole, findings indicate that the programmes are relevant, can improve learners' standards of living in urban areas and can help enable learners to live as useful citizens in their communities. A major de-motivator to participation was identified as shame associated with attending FAL classes. Some of the recommendations put forward are that: • Start up capital should be availed to the learners as literacy skills alone will not help them get out of poverty. • Facilitators should be well trained so as to be able to correctly use the strategies, approaches, participatory methods and adapt the rural based materials in a way that best facilitates learning. • Conditions of learning should be enhanced by improving the quality and quantity of facilities, equipment and facilitators. • The integrated functional adult literacy approach should be strengthened as it is preferred by both the learners and providing agencies. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

This research was conducted at Makerere University Uganda, in the Department of Adult Education and Communication Studies on adult students in fulltime employment who were emolled for an evening degree programme, faced with the challenge of getting time to study. The university had structured the course in such a way that lectures started at 5 : 00 P.M.,the time they left work. At times, they studied non stop for five hours, and had only 3 2% of their remaining school time residual in which to do independent study and assignments. Moreover, they were working in a neo-liberal labour market that demanded them to retrain, but in their own time and at their own cost. The focus of the study was on how these students integrated work with study in such a context. Specifically, the study looked at how these students found time to attend lectures, conduct independent study, revise, and take exams; and how they fulfilled their academic obligations. The study was qualitative and of the case study type aimed at getting an in-depth understanding of how these students coped with the multiple and conflicting demands of work and study. What emerged is that these students try to get time to attend lectures by reducing on time meant for work, but being careful to maintain the delicate balance between work and study. They needed to retrain if they were to remain employable, and they also needed the job for survival and paying for their education. They managed to fulfill their academic obligations in the little time available by adopting pragmatic behaviour. With pragmatic behaviour, the student would find out what is useful in a course and concentrate on that in order to maximize personal outcome. Given the context and the strategies these students adopted, they most likely missed out on meaningful learning as an important educational goal. The role of the socio-economic and study contexts in influencing these students' approach to studying and learning was important to note. Recommendations to change the context are made to all stakeholders in the programme. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

Since 1984, when the fourth Labour Government was elected to office, there have been major changes in the structures of society in Aoteroa/New Zealand. A wide range of reviews and reforms of economic and social policy have been undertaken, and not surprisingly the structures and policies of adult education have come under scrutiny and been subject to major changes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the politics of policy formation over a six-year period. Using official and unofficial reports and other documents, the paper seeks to identify some of the key changes in adult education policy that have taken place in recent years and to locate them within the context of the contradictory pressures operating upon and within government and the field of adult education.

There is no abstract available for this dissertation. / Department of Educational Studies

The purpose of the study was to investigate Chinese adults' motivational orientations for learning and the deterrents to participation in educational activities and compare the motivational factors and deterrents to participation between Chinese men and women. The participants in the study were 377 Chinese men and 202 women from fifteen adult education programs in Chengdu city, China southwest capital of Sichuan province.Roger Boshier's Education Participation Scale and Scanlan and Darkenwald's Deterrents to Participation Scale were used as data collection instruments. The mean scores of EPS and DPS items were calculated and used for examination of the extent to which they influenced Chinese adults' decisions to and not to participate in educational activities. The data from EPS and DPS were analyzed by using Chi-square statistics to examine the relationship between Chinese men and women in terms of motivational orientations for learning and deterrents to participation.The study found that the factor of Professional Advancement showed the strongest motivation which influenced Chinese adults on their decisions of participation in adult education. Followed by the factor of Social Welfare and the factor of Social Relationship. The factor of ExternalExpectation was found the least influential typology on decision of participation.The deterrent factor of Lack of Course Relevance showed the highest summed mean scores of all six dimensions. The reasons related to the institutional barrier appeared to have the strongest influence on Chinese adults' decisions not to participate in adult education. To a lesser extent, mean scores in the factors of Time Constraints and Cost indicated moderate influence on decisions not to participate. The Personal Problems was found with the lowest mean score in the Deterrents to Participation Scale.Significant differences were found between Chinese men and women in the factors of External Expectations, Escape/Stimulation and Cognitive Interest at .01 level (p.<.01), and factors of Social Relationship and Social Welfare at .05 level (p.<.05).In terms of deterrents to participation, significant differences were found between Chinese men and women in the factor of Time Constraints at .01 level, and the factors of Lack of Course Relevance, Cost and Personal Problems at .05 level. / Department of Educational Leadership