Research: Bringing a research perspective into the field of adult education is crucial. Through research, practitioners should be asking questions that concern educators, policymakers, and scholars. Such questions include: Why do some adult learners persist in their studies but others do not? What constitutes effective teaching and learning? What kinds of professional development activities are best for teachers? And how can a program's impact on adult learners be measured? Research provides a structured way for those involved in adult literacy education to look at practice and learn from evidence, reducing reliance on trial and error. Connecting practitioners and researchers has a positive impact on both practitioners and practice.
National Adult Education Professional Development Consortium [http://www.naepdc.org/]
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) [http://gseweb.harvard.edu/~ncsall/]
National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) [http://www.nifl.gov/]
ABLE Resource Center www.able.state.pa.us/ableresource
Best Practices: "Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing prepackaged assignments, and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write reflectively about it, relate it to past experiences, and apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves” (Chickering & Gamson, 1987).
There are many names for strategies that apply what we know from the research. Summaries of classroom research have revealed a number of best practices that encourage active student participation in the learning process. What is more important than the names are that these strategies create an environment that engages students who might not otherwise be engaged in their own learning in meaningful ways. For best practice you should use teaching strategies that each contribute to the total picture of making learning a deeper, more engaging, meaningful, active and effective process.
The National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy http://www.ncsall.net/fileadmin/resources/research/op_comings3.pdf
