Sample records for national literacy programme

  1. Planning and Administration of National Literacy Programmes: The Indian Experience.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bordia, Anil

    In reporting the history and status of the National Adult Education Programme of India (NAEP), a five-year literacy campaign (1979-84) that was designed to educate approximately 100 million persons, this study emphasizes the program's preparatory phase and its monitoring/evaluation systems. After a survey of the literacy needs and past literacy…

  2. Gender Equality Matters: Empowering Women through Literacy Programmes. UIL Policy Brief 3

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, 2014

    2014-01-01

    The third in UIL's current series of policy briefs, titled "Gender equality matters: Empowering women through literacy programmes," offers research-informed analysis and action-oriented recommendations for local and national governments, providers of literacy programmes and educators on how to reduce the gender gap in adult literacy.…

  3. Approaches to Costing Adult Literacy Programmes, Especially in Africa

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carr-Hill, Roy; Roberts, Fiona; Currie, Elizabeth

    2010-01-01

    Background: This study was originally prepared for the African Inter-Ministerial Conference on Literacy (September 2007) with the objective of analysing the costs of successful adult literacy programmes run both by government ministries, as well as international and national non-governmental organisations. Objectives: This study aims to increase…

  4. The Experimental World Literacy Programme: A Critical Assessment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France).

    In 1964, Unesco, the United Nations Development Programme, and the governments of 11 countries agreed to evolve an effective approach to the problem of world illiteracy, which included the implementation and testing of functional literacy activities. This report of the pilot projects and microexperiments attempts to present the lessons learned by…

  5. Family Literacy Programmes and Young Children's Language and Literacy Development: Paying Attention to Families' Home Language

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Jim; Anderson, Ann; Sadiq, Assadullah

    2017-01-01

    In this article, we review the literature on the impact of family literacy programmes on young children's language and literacy learning. After defining family literacy, we present a brief historical overview of family literacy programmes, including persistent questions regarding their effectiveness with respect to young children's language and…

  6. Improving Latino Children's Early Language and Literacy Development: Key Features of Early Childhood Education within Family Literacy Programmes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jung, Youngok; Zuniga, Stephen; Howes, Carollee; Jeon, Hyun-Joo; Parrish, Deborah; Quick, Heather; Manship, Karen; Hauser, Alison

    2016-01-01

    Noting the lack of research on how early childhood education (ECE) programmes within family literacy programmes influence Latino children's early language and literacy development, this study examined key features of ECE programmes, specifically teacher-child interactions and child engagement in language and literacy activities and how these…

  7. Characteristics of Family Literacy Programmes That Improve Child Literacy, Behaviour and Parenting Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Terlitsky, Amy Bowlin; Wilkins, Julia

    2015-01-01

    Children who struggle with reading, a critical component of literacy, may exhibit behavioural problems. Having difficulties in both literacy and behaviour increases children's risk of poor educational outcomes. We reviewed 82 studies of family literacy programmes and identified 15 empirical studies that reported positive child outcomes related to…

  8. The Professional Development Requirements of Workplace English Language and Literacy Programme Practitioners. An Adult Literacy National Project Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berghella, Tina; Molenaar, John; Wyse, Linda

    2006-01-01

    This report examines the extent and nature of professional development required to meet the current and future needs of Workplace English Language and Literacy Programme practitioners. While the working environment for such practitioners is becoming more complex, with greater demands on them to have industry knowledge and project management…

  9. Farmers Functional Literacy Programme.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ministry of Education and Social Welfare, New Delhi (India).

    The Farmers Training and Functional Literacy Programme, initiated by the government of India in 1968, was an effort to translate into practice the concept of linking education (not only vocational training) to development, particularly for increasing production. The project, a joint enterprise of three government ministries, provides participating…

  10. Creating effective and engaging information literacy programmes for the dental curriculum.

    PubMed

    Ford, P J; Hibberd, K

    2012-02-01

    In this time of rapid expansion of the scientific knowledge base, subject matter runs the risk of becoming outdated within a relatively short time. Instead of adding more content to already crowded curricula, the focus should be on equipping students to adapt to their changing world. The ability to access, evaluate and apply new knowledge for the benefit of patients has been acknowledged as an important goal for dental education. Information literacy is key to achieving this. A template for an Information Literacy programme for undergraduate students is described. This was embedded within a compulsory course for each of the first and second years of the Bachelor of Oral Health programme and consisted of a hands-on workshop (attendance voluntary), information literacy quiz, self-evaluation and a summative assessment task, with the second year of the programme building upon the learning of the previous year. Effectiveness was measured in terms of demonstration of information literacy skills and confidence in using these skills. Integration of this programme within the learning activities and assessment of first- and second-year courses resulted in enhanced information literacy skills and confidence. Self-perceived high skill levels may be a potential barrier to student engagement with information literacy programmes. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  11. Using Community Radio in a Rural Women's Post-Literacy Programme in Nepal

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nagaoka, Chizuko; Karki, Manohar

    2014-01-01

    This paper examines the literacy and post-literacy needs of rural women in Nepal, describes a pilot study in using community radio to supplement a classroom-based post-literacy programme for these women, analyses the findings of this intervention and considers the implications for similar programmes in other settings.

  12. Implementation Quality of Family Literacy Programmes: A Review of Literature

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de la Rie, S.; van Steensel, R. C. M.; van Gelderen, A. J. S.

    2017-01-01

    Raising the literacy levels of young children is a major concern in many countries for which various programmes have been suggested. One of these is family literacy programmes. In previous meta-analyses wide variability in effects has been found and it has been suggested that this is partly caused by variability in implementation quality. This…

  13. Effectiveness of alcohol media literacy programmes: a systematic literature review.

    PubMed

    Gordon, Chloe S; Hindmarsh, Chloe S; Jones, Sandra C; Kervin, Lisa

    2015-06-01

    Alcohol media literacy is an emerging field that aims to address the link between exposure to alcohol advertising and subsequent expectancies and behaviours for children and adolescents. The design, rigour and results of alcohol media literacy programmes vary considerably, resulting in a number of unanswered questions about effectiveness. To provide insight into some of these questions, a systematic literature review of alcohol media literacy studies was conducted. The review was guided by the following research question: What considerations are needed to develop an effective school-based alcohol media literacy programme? On the basis of a critical synthesis of 10 interventions (published in the period 1997 to May 2014), our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the descriptive, methodological and outcome characteristics of this small body of significant research. The review provides considerations for future alcohol media literacy programmes, including the need for an interactive pedagogical approach within the naturalistic school setting, implementation fidelity and a holistic approach to programme evaluation, a means for maintaining relevance, consideration of gender differences, relevance for an international audience and use of follow-up and longitudinal data. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. Issues in Planning and Implementing National Literacy Programmes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carron, G., Ed.; Bordia, A., Ed.

    The following papers were produced by participants and resource persons on specific issues of planning, management and implementation of literacy and post-literacy strategies: "People's Participation and Mobilization: Characteristics of the Literacy Campaigns in China" (Yanwei); "Strategies for Mobilization and Participation of…

  15. National Center for Family Literacy, 1994.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    NCFL Newsletter, 1994

    1994-01-01

    These four newsletter issues provide information on family literacy and literacy education programs. Each 16-page issue includes several feature articles; descriptions of literacy conferences and seminars; updates on the National Family Literacy Project; descriptions of successful family literacy programs; coming events; a list of National Center…

  16. Effectiveness of Alcohol Media Literacy Programmes: A Systematic Literature Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hindmarsh, Chloe S.; Jones, Sandra C.; Kervin, Lisa

    2015-01-01

    Alcohol media literacy is an emerging field that aims to address the link between exposure to alcohol advertising and subsequent expectancies and behaviours for children and adolescents. The design, rigour and results of alcohol media literacy programmes vary considerably, resulting in a number of unanswered questions about effectiveness. To…

  17. The Evolution and Impact of Literacy Campaigns and Programmes, 2000-2014. UIL Research Series: No. 1

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanemann, Ulrike

    2015-01-01

    The paper analyses the status and characteristics of adult literacy campaigns and programmes since 2000. Global trends are analysed in terms of the ten key aspects of the suggested framework for successful literacy campaigns and programmes. Four case studies on major literacy campaigns in Brazil, India, South Africa and Indonesia are used to…

  18. Narrowing the Gender Gap:Empowering Women through Literacy Programmes: Case Studies from the UNESCO Effective Literacy and Numeracy Practices Database (LitBase) http://www.unesco.org/uil/litbase/. 2nd Edition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanemann, Ulrike, Ed.

    2015-01-01

    UIL has published a second edition of a collection of case studies of promising literacy programmes that seek to empower women. "Narrowing the Gender Gap: Empowering Women through Literacy Programmes" (originally published in 2013 as "Literacy Programmes with a Focus on Women to Reduce Gender Disparities") responds to the…

  19. Australian Literacies: Informing National Policy on Literacy Education. Second Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lo Bianco, Joseph; Freebody, Peter

    This book is designed to inform national policy on literacy education in Australia. A preamble describes the general literacy crisis in Australia, which includes systematic underperformance in English literacy among some groups and many individuals (who are often seriously disadvantaged in their occupational and educational opportunities). The…

  20. Assessing Literacy: The Framework for the National Adult Literacy Survey.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, Anne; And Others

    To satisfy federal requirements, the National Center for Education Statistics and the Division of Adult Education and Literacy planned a nationally representative household sample survey to assess the literacy skills of the adult population of the United States, to be conducted by the Educational Testing Service with the assistance of Westat, Inc.…

  1. Getting Started: Preparation for the Teaching Programme. Additional Literacy Support. The National Literacy Strategy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Department for Education and Employment, London (England).

    This Getting Started guide contains material presented at a two-day Additional Literacy Support (ALS) training course in the summer of 1999. ALS is designed to help pupils in Key Stage 2 who have already fallen behind in literacy, but who would not otherwise receive any additional support in this area. Each module includes a practical, high…

  2. Health literacy among Danish university students enrolled in health-related study programmes.

    PubMed

    Elsborg, Lea; Krossdal, Fie; Kayser, Lars

    2017-12-01

    It is important to address people's health literacy when providing health care. Health professionals should be aware of, and have insight into, people's health literacy when they provide health services. Health professionals need to be health literate themselves. We examined the level of health literacy in students in Denmark attending one of four full university programmes related to health and investigated how their health literacy was associated with their sociodemographic background. The health literacy level of the students was measured using the multi-dimensional Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) supplemented with sociodemographic questions. The questionnaire was administrated through the students' Facebook groups. The students were enrolled in courses on health informatics, medicine, molecular biomedicine or public health. Out of a total of 7663 students, 630 responded to the questionnaire. No sex difference was found although female students scored higher than male students in domain 4 (social support for health). Students attending the public health programme tended to score higher and those attending molecular biomedicine tended to score lower in the HLQ. There was a positive correlation between HLQ scores and the educational level of the students' parents. If one of their parents was employed in the health care sector, the HLQ score tended to be higher in domains 1 and 4. Students who had been hospitalized also tended to score higher in domains 1, 5 and 6. Students' health literacy relates to their personal background and educational path. This may be of importance when planning curricula and educational activities, including cross-disciplinary courses.

  3. Scientific Literacy in Nigeria: The Role of Science Education Programmes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olorundare, Solomon A.

    1988-01-01

    Delineates a concept of scientific literacy as it relates to the Nigerian situation. Examines the relevance and implications of scientific literacy to the educational system and national security. Suggests how scientific literacy can be encouraged through science programs, especially in elementary science education. (YP)

  4. BookFun--"There's More to It than Reading a Book"--Implementing a Danish Early Literacy Programme That Supports Professionalism, Language Development and Social Inclusion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clasen, Line Engel; Jensen de López, Kristine

    2017-01-01

    Several early literacy programmes have documented their effectiveness in enhancing children's early literacy and language development. Despite recent interest in implementing evidence-based programmes, only a few studies have set out to capture the implementation process of early literacy programmes as seen from the programme users' perspectives.…

  5. Functional Impacts of Adult Literacy Programme on Rural Women

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mbah, Blessing Akaraka

    2015-01-01

    This study assessed the functional impacts of adult literacy programme among rural women participants in Ishielu Local Government Area (LGA) of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was used for the study. The population of the study was made up of 115 adult instructors and 2,408 adult learners giving a total of 2,623. The sample…

  6. 34 CFR 472.1 - What is the National Workplace Literacy Program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What is the National Workplace Literacy Program? 472.1... VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NATIONAL WORKPLACE LITERACY PROGRAM General § 472.1 What is the National Workplace Literacy Program? The National Workplace Literacy Program provides...

  7. Literacy Program. National Issues Forums Special Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Issues Forums, Dayton, OH.

    In the spring of 1988, 33 representatives from 20 institutions or organizations sponsoring National Issues Forum (NIF) literacy programs attended a national conference in Washington, D.C. Throughout the conference, representatives from the organizations sponsoring NIF literacy programs made statements on the importance of NIF as a tool for…

  8. Understanding the Importance of Parent Learning in a School-Based Family Literacy Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Timmons, Kristy; Pelletier, Janette

    2015-01-01

    This study examined how parents' own learning affected their support for their children in a school-based Family Literacy Programme. Seventy-two children in junior kindergarten (4-year-olds) and senior kindergarten (5-year-olds) and their parents participated in the programme; complete data were available for 52 parents. Comparisons of pre- and…

  9. Relocalising Academic Literacy: Diversity, Writing and Collective Learning in an International Master's Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clemensen, Nana; Holm, Lars

    2017-01-01

    This article contributes to the continuing discussion about academic literacy in international higher education. Approaching international study programmes as temporary educational contact zones, marked by a broad diversity in students' educational and discursive experiences, we examine the negotiation and relocalisation of academic literacy among…

  10. Beyond Literacy: Non-Formal Education Programmes for Adults in Mozambique

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van der Linden, Josje; Manuel, Alzira Munguambe

    2011-01-01

    Thirty-five years after independence the Mozambican illiteracy rate has been reduced from 93% to just over 50% according to official statistics. Although this indicates an enormous achievement in the area of education, the challenge of today still is to design appropriate adult basic education programmes including literacy, numeracy and life…

  11. Promoting Literacy in Multilingual Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kosonen, Kimmo; Young, Catherine; Malone, Susan

    2006-01-01

    This compilation of resource papers and findings is from a regional workshop on mother-tongue/bilingual literacy programmes for ethnic and linguistic minorities in multilingual settings. It was organized by Asia-Pacific Programme of Education for All (APPEAL), United Nations Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Bangkok, 6-10 December…

  12. Literacy: A Route to Addressing Child Poverty? National Literacy Trust Research Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Literacy Trust, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This short document reviews research into the role of low literacy in poverty and disadvantage. It sets out evidence for the impact of parental engagement in home learning and the significance of attitudes, aspirations and literacy development. The National Literacy Trust hopes that this is a useful resource for those with responsibility for, and…

  13. Teaching and Fostering Information Literacy Programmes: A Survey of Five University Libraries in Africa

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baro, Emmanuel E.; Keboh, Tarela

    2012-01-01

    Information Literacy (IL) is recognized around the world as an essential skill for the information society. The aim of the paper is to examine the various information literacy practices in university libraries in Africa, to identify the barriers facing IL programmes in Africa, and to provide suggestions on how best to improve IL practices. A…

  14. Political Empowerment of Women through Literacy Education Programmes in EDO and Delta States, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olomukoro, Caroline O.; Adelore, Omobola O.

    2015-01-01

    The study examined the political empowerment of women through literacy education programmes in Edo and Delta States in the South-South Geopolitical zone of Nigeria. A sample of 1022 women was randomly drawn from the different levels of literacy classes organised by the Agency of Adult and Nonformal Education and non-governmental and private…

  15. 76 FR 19263 - National Financial Literacy Month, 2011

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-06

    ... Financial Literacy Month, 2011 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Americans... Financial Literacy Month, we recommit to improving financial literacy and ensuring all Americans have access... hereby proclaim April 2011 as National Financial Literacy Month. I call upon all Americans to observe...

  16. The 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL): Performance of African Americans in a National Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ngwudike, Benjamin C.

    2008-01-01

    The 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL): Performance of African Americans in a National Context Sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) the 2003 NAAL was America's most comprehensive assessment of adult literacy since the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS). NAAL was a nationally representative…

  17. The Great Literacy Debate: A Critical Response to the Literacy Strategy and the Framework for English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goodwyn, Andrew, Ed.; Fuller, Carol, Ed.

    2011-01-01

    The nature of literacy is an issue of global debate. When the National Literacy Strategy [NLS] was introduced into UK schools it was arguably the most ambitious educational reform programme in the world, and the controversy necessarily intensified. How can the impact of such reforms be assessed? In its ten year history the NLS affected every…

  18. Harnessing the Potential of ICTs: Literacy and Numeracy Programmes Using Radio, TV, Mobile Phones, Tablets and Computers. 2nd Edition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanemann, Ulrike, Ed.; Scarpino, Cassandra, Ed.

    2016-01-01

    The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) has published a second edition of "Harnessing the Potential of ICTs: Literacy and Numeracy Programmes Using Radio, TV, Mobile Phones, Tablets and Computers." This compilation of case studies from all world regions presents promising literacy and numeracy programmes that use information and…

  19. Lao National Literacy Survey 2001: Final Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Online Submission, 2004

    2004-01-01

    Background: Adult literacy rates are an important indicator for describing the status of education and development within a country. The Lao national literacy survey was undertaken in 2001 to provide a reliable source of literacy data which in turn will determine if the country will reach Education For All (EFA) goals agreed upon at the World…

  20. Literacy: State of the Nation--A Picture of Literacy in the UK Today

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jama, Deeqa; Dugdale, George

    2012-01-01

    Literacy is the combination of reading, writing, speaking and listening skills we all need to fulfil our potential. These life skills are essential to the happiness, health and wealth of individuals and society. "Literacy: State of the Nation" provides a coherent picture of literacy in the UK today. It reveals that: (1) One in six people…

  1. Monitoring and Evaluation of Literacy and Continuing Education Programmes. Practitioners' Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

    This manual, which is intended for practitioners involved in the Asia and the Pacific Programme of Education for All, explains the basic concepts and procedures involved in monitoring and evaluating literacy and continuing education programs. The following are among the topics discussed in the manual's eight chapters: (1) understanding monitoring…

  2. Literacy Gaps by Educational Attainment: A Cross-National Analysis.

    PubMed

    Park, Hyunjoon; Kyei, Pearl

    2011-03-01

    Existing cross-national research on educational attainment does not fully address whether the same level of educational attainment generates the same level of literacy skills in different countries. We analyze literacy skills data for young adults from 19 countries in the 1994-1998 International Adult Literacy Survey and find that in all countries, individuals with a higher level of educational attainment tend to have greater literacy skills. However, there is substantial variation across countries in the size of literacy gaps by levels of educational attainment. In particular, young adults in the United States show the largest literacy gaps. Using two-level hierarchical linear models, we find that cross-national differences in the literacy gap between more- and less-educated individuals are systematically linked to the degree of between-school inequality in school resources (instructional materials, class size, teachers' experience and certification).

  3. Literacy Gaps by Educational Attainment: A Cross-National Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Park, Hyunjoon; Kyei, Pearl

    2011-01-01

    Existing cross-national research on educational attainment does not fully address whether the same level of educational attainment generates the same level of literacy skills in different countries. We analyze literacy skills data for young adults from 19 countries in the 1994–1998 International Adult Literacy Survey and find that in all countries, individuals with a higher level of educational attainment tend to have greater literacy skills. However, there is substantial variation across countries in the size of literacy gaps by levels of educational attainment. In particular, young adults in the United States show the largest literacy gaps. Using two-level hierarchical linear models, we find that cross-national differences in the literacy gap between more- and less-educated individuals are systematically linked to the degree of between-school inequality in school resources (instructional materials, class size, teachers’ experience and certification). PMID:21818163

  4. The Views of Nigerian Teachers in Public and Private Primary Schools on the Teaching of Early Literacy in English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Okebukola, Foluso

    2012-01-01

    Drawing on the bilingual policies and biliteracy programmes of African nations, this paper discusses the context of literacy education in Nigeria and examines Nigerian early literacy teachers' attitudes to teaching literacy and literacy teaching practices as informed by the National Policy on Education, Primary English Language Curriculum and the…

  5. Making a Difference: Findings from "Better Beginnings" a Family Literacy Intervention Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barratt-Pugh, Caroline; Allen, Nola

    2011-01-01

    Since 2005, "Better Beginnings", an early intervention, statewide family literacy programme developed by The State Library of Western Australia, has provided thousands of families with strategies and resources to promote and support book-sharing from birth. This paper reports on the key findings of an independent longitudinal evaluation…

  6. National Literacy Trust Survey in Partnership with Nursery World: Investigating Communication, Language and Literacy Development in the Early Years Sector

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Halden, Amanda; Clark, Christina; Lewis, Fiona

    2011-01-01

    In May 2011 "Nursery World" and the National Literacy Trust launched its language development survey to celebrate Hello; the national year of communication. The National Literacy Trust teamed up with "Nursery World" to carry out research into the sector's support for children's language and literacy development. Two hundred…

  7. Development and evaluation of a dietary self-management programme for older adults with low literacy and heart disease: pilot study of feasibility and acceptability.

    PubMed

    Shao, Jung-Hua; Chen, Su-Hui

    2016-12-01

    To develop a dietary self-management programme for salt-, fluid-, fat- and cholesterol-intake behaviours for older adults with low literacy and heart disease and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the programme. Eating behaviours such as fluid, salt, fat and cholesterol intake are an important factor related to heart disease outcomes. People with low literacy have difficulty following recommended health behaviours, but limited research has investigated intervention programmes for this population. Programme development and pilot testing its feasibility and acceptability. Recommendations were also collected from participants and the research assistant for future large-scale interventions. The study had two phases. Phase I consisted of programme development based on previous qualitative findings, a systematic review of the literature, clinical practice experience and expert opinion. In Phase II, we pilot tested the programme from January - June 2014 in a convenience sample of 10 older adults with low literacy, heart disease and recruited from a medical centre in northern Taiwan. Pilot testing showed that our programme was feasible and acceptable to older adults with low literacy and heart disease. Moreover, the final version of the programme was revised based on participants' and the research assistant's recommendations. Our study results suggest that with guidance and assistance, older adults with low literacy and heart disease can be motivated to take action for their health and are empowered by learning how to self-manage their heart-healthy eating behaviours. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. The Effects of Two Different Instructional Programmes on Literacy Skills of Kindergarten Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gahwaji, Nahla M.

    2016-01-01

    Lately, research exploring the effects of tutorial instructional programmes and educational games on literacy skills of kindergarten children has attracted large number of educational technology researchers and practitioners. Even though overwhelming research literature on the subject is available, the majority of this existing work is designed…

  9. National Standards for Financial Literacy: Rationale and Content

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bosshardt, William; Walstad, William B.

    2014-01-01

    The "National Standards for Financial Literacy" describe the knowledge, understanding, and skills that are important for students to learn about personal finance. They are designed to guide teachers, school administrators, and other educators in developing curriculum and educational materials for teaching financial literacy. In this…

  10. The Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) Programme: Parental Perceptions of Its Impact in School and at Home

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilding, Lucy; Claridge, Simon

    2016-01-01

    The Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) programme is an example of an individualised intervention to support pupils experiencing a range of social and emotional needs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore parents' constructions of several aspects of the programme: its aims and how these are achieved; its impact on children,…

  11. Sparks Fade, Knowledge Stays: The National Early Literacy Panel's Report Lacks Staying Power

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Neuman, Susan B.

    2010-01-01

    In this article, the author talks about "Developing Early Literacy," the report of the National Early Literacy Panel. The panel, which consisted of nine experts, was convened by the National Institute for Literacy to synthesize the research on the development of literacy from birth through age 5. Over the eight years of their work, only 190…

  12. Availability of Products from National Workplace Literacy Grants (1992-93).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Office of Vocational and Adult Education (ED), Washington, DC. Div. of Adult Education and Literacy.

    This publication lists some of the curriculum resources that were produced through the National Workplace Literacy Program, Section 371 of the Adult Education Act, as amended by the National Literacy Act of 1991. The curriculum resources in this publication were developed during 1992-1993 of the demonstration program. The curriculum materials are…

  13. Tracing the Impact: A Case of a Professional Development Programme in Mathematical Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bansilal, S.; Goba, B.; Webb, L.; James, A.; Khuzwayo, H.

    2012-01-01

    The introduction of the subject Mathematical Literacy (ML) as part of the education reform process, led to the development of many large scale in-service programmes designed to train practising teachers to teach the new subject. The purpose of the study is to examine the challenges associated with providing in-service training for teachers of ML,…

  14. The Professional Development Requirements of Workplace English Language and Literacy Programme Practitioners: Support Document

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berghella, Tina; Molenaar, John; Wyse, Linda

    2006-01-01

    This support document was produced by the authors based on their research for the report, "The Professional Development Requirements of Workplace English Language and Literacy Programme Practitioners," [ED495200] and is an added resource for further information. The original report examines the extent and nature of professional development…

  15. Training and Supporting the "Volunteers": Revisiting Total Literacy Campaigns in India

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yagi, Rie

    2006-01-01

    Teacher effectiveness is one of the most important determinants of the success of adult literacy programmes. From the outset of the campaign movement, the National Literacy Mission (NLM) of the Government of India has emphasised the need for a training and support system for campaign personnel, who often have limited education and lack of…

  16. Literacy for the Twenty-First Century: Research, Policy, Practices, and the National Adult Literacy Survey.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, M. Cecil, Ed.

    This book focuses on results from secondary analyses of the National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS) and implications of these analyses for policy, practice, and further research on adult literacy. Part I contains an introduction and three additional chapters that provide a substantive summary of the NALS and its purposes: "Introduction: Adult…

  17. Mental health literacy in korean older adults: A cross-sectional survey.

    PubMed

    Kim, Y S; Lee, H Y; Lee, M H; Simms, T; Park, B H

    2017-09-01

    WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Mental health literacy is a fairly new concept, first introduced in 1997. It refers to what people know and believe about mental health disorders. People's knowledge and beliefs help them to recognize, manage and prevent mental disorders. Generally, older adults have lower health literacy compared to young and middle-aged adults. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This is the first study on the mental health literacy of Korean older adults. This study looks beyond peoples' ability to recognize mental health disorders and their opinions about them. It identifies factors that are associated with mental health literacy (level of education and social support, the number of people in one's social circles and how individuals rate their health). WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Older adults might get more out of mental health literacy programmes in group or social settings. Programmes that use older adult peer educators/supporters, such as the "older people's champions" of the Healthy Passport programme in England, might make the programmes more effective. Mental health campaigns, such as Australia's beyondblue, might increase mental health literacy of older adults. Introduction Korea is experiencing rapid population ageing, spurring an increased need for mental health services for the elderly. Approximately one-third of Korean older adults experience depressive symptoms, and Korea has the highest elder suicide rate among 34 developed nations. Mental health literacy is an important component of promoting mental health, yet studies on the concept have been conducted in few countries. Aim This study examines the level of mental health literacy among Korean older adults and identifies factors associated with their mental health literacy. Method A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 596 community-dwelling Korean adults aged 65 and older. Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use framed the study. Results Overall

  18. A Qualitative Study of the Development of Health Literacy Capacities of Participants Attending a Community-Based Cardiovascular Health Programme.

    PubMed

    McKenna, Verna B; Sixsmith, Jane; Barry, Margaret M

    2018-06-02

    Health literacy is a critical determinant of health, which can empower individuals and lead to engagement in collective health promotion action and is also a crucial component in the self-management of illness. The current study moves beyond a focus on functional health literacy and presents findings from a longitudinal qualitative (LQ) study consisting of three phases. This paper presents findings from the second phase of the study, which assessed the development of health literacy capacities of individuals attending a structured cardiovascular risk reduction programme in Ireland. The study objectives were to: explore perceptions of changes in interactions and information exchange within health consultations; identify the facilitators associated with changes in health literacy capacities; assess developments in engagement with broader contexts for health literacy capacities. A LQ study design was undertaken, which employed repeat interview methodology with 19 participants (aged 36⁻76 years) 12 weeks after beginning a structured cardiovascular risk reduction programme. Health literacy levels were assessed using the HLS-EU 47 item instrument in phase 1 (68% limited health literacy (HL), 32% adequate health literacy). A semi-structured interview guide, (informed by Sørensen's conceptual model of health literacy), was used to explore the development of health literacy and to identify changes in knowledge, attitudes and experiences over time. Thematic analysis was used, informed by aspects of Saldaña's framework for longitudinal qualitative data analysis. All participants reported having acquired increased understanding of issues relevant to their health and self-care. Participants described health literacy capacities that incorporate aspects of all levels of health literacy (functional, interactive and critical). Core themes were identified corresponding to changes in these levels: re-engagement with health information and increased understanding of risk and

  19. Year 5 Booster Units. The National Literacy Strategy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Department for Education and Employment, London (England).

    The eight units of work in this document are designed to complement existing literacy booster units. Each unit is based on teaching objectives from the National Literacy Strategy Framework. They have been produced with the help of Year 5 teachers and have been trialled with pupils in a range of schools. The units support teachers' work with Year 5…

  20. Daughters of the Earth: Skills-Based Literacy Programme for Women, China. Education for All: Making It Work. Innovation Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aksornkool, Namtip

    Begun in the early 1990s, The Skills-Based Literacy Programme for Women aims to improve the lives of rural Chinese women by linking literacy education with skills training in agriculture and other forms of income generation. Xuan Wei County, Yunnan Province, was chosen as the seat of the project because of high female illiteracy rates and the need…

  1. Assessing Quranic Reading Proficiency in the j-QAF Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zarif, Muhammad Mustaqim Mohd; Mohamad, Nurfadilah; Bakar, Bhasah Abu

    2014-01-01

    In its effort to provide solid religious foundation for Muslim students, the Ministry of Education Malaysia has launched a national religious literacy initiative known as the j-QAF Programme in 2004. This programme has since been implemented in public primary schools throughout the country and incorporated as a part of the curriculum of studies.…

  2. Health Literacy Impact on National Healthcare Utilization and Expenditure.

    PubMed

    Rasu, Rafia S; Bawa, Walter Agbor; Suminski, Richard; Snella, Kathleen; Warady, Bradley

    2015-08-17

    Health literacy presents an enormous challenge in the delivery of effective healthcare and quality outcomes. We evaluated the impact of low health literacy (LHL) on healthcare utilization and healthcare expenditure. Database analysis used Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) from 2005-2008 which provides nationally representative estimates of healthcare utilization and expenditure. Health literacy scores (HLSs) were calculated based on a validated, predictive model and were scored according to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL). HLS ranged from 0-500. Health literacy level (HLL) and categorized in 2 groups: Below basic or basic (HLS <226) and above basic (HLS ≥226). Healthcare utilization expressed as a physician, nonphysician, or emergency room (ER) visits and healthcare spending. Expenditures were adjusted to 2010 rates using the Consumer Price Index (CPI). A P value of 0.05 or less was the criterion for statistical significance in all analyses. Multivariate regression models assessed the impact of the predicted HLLs on outpatient healthcare utilization and expenditures. All analyses were performed with SAS and STATA® 11.0 statistical software. The study evaluated 22 599 samples representing 503 374 648 weighted individuals nationally from 2005-2008. The cohort had an average age of 49 years and included more females (57%). Caucasian were the predominant racial ethnic group (83%) and 37% of the cohort were from the South region of the United States of America. The proportion of the cohort with basic or below basic health literacy was 22.4%. Annual predicted values of physician visits, nonphysician visits, and ER visits were 6.6, 4.8, and 0.2, respectively, for basic or below basic compared to 4.4, 2.6, and 0.1 for above basic. Predicted values of office and ER visits expenditures were $1284 and $151, respectively, for basic or below basic and $719 and $100 for above basic (P < .05). The extrapolated national estimates show that the annual

  3. National Assessment of Adult Literacy, 2003: Public-Use Data File User's Guide. NCES 2007-464

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenberg, Elizabeth; Jin, Ying; White, Sheida

    2007-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics has updated the household and prison public-use data files for the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy and the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey. The accompanying 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy Public-Use Data File User's Guide explains how the data…

  4. Early Literacy Programme as Support for Immigrant Children and as Transfer to Early Numeracy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Korat, Ofra; Gitait, Aviva; Bergman Deitcher, Deborah; Mevarech, Zmira

    2017-01-01

    We researched the efficacy of an early literacy programme in enhancing immigrant children's phonological awareness (PA) and print knowledge, including transferring learning to numeracy. Participants were 294 Ethiopian-born immigrant children in Israel at kindergarten age and one of their parents. Parent-child dyads were randomly selected to…

  5. Web-Based New Literacies and EFL Curriculum Design in Teacher Education: A Design Study for Expanding EFL Student Teachers' Language-Related Literacy Practices in an Egyptian Pre-Service Teacher Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abdallah, Mahmoud Mohammad Sayed

    2011-01-01

    With the dominance of the Web in education and English language learning, new literacies have emerged. This thesis is motivated by the assumption that these literacies need to be integrated into the Egyptian pre-service EFL teacher education programmes so that EFL student teachers can cope with the new reality of language teaching/learning.…

  6. How to Assess Children's Virtue Literacy: Methodological Lessons Learnt from the Knightly Virtues Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davison, Ian; Harrison, Tom; Hayes, Dan; Higgins, Jenny

    2016-01-01

    Character education is of growing importance in educational discourse. The Knightly Virtues programme draws on selected classic stories to teach eight moral virtues to nine- to 11-year-olds; it has proved to be hugely popular with UK schools. A finding of the trial was the different levels of "virtue literacy" in faith and non-faith…

  7. Easter School Guidance. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Department for Education and Skills, London (England).

    This booklet explains the goals of Easter Schools, part of England's National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Easter Schools should be planned to cover four half-days and include four literacy and four mathematics lessons each covering the equivalent of at least an hour. The booklet addresses the following issues: why funding has been made…

  8. National Workplace Literacy Program. 1993 Abstracts.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Office of Vocational and Adult Education (ED), Washington, DC. National Workplace Literacy Program.

    This publication presents the abstracts of the 57 National Workplace Literacy Program 1993 projects. Each abstract provides the following information: project title; award number; project director; awardee; address; telephone and fax numbers; funds by fiscal year (federal and nonfederal); award period; federal project officer; objectives;…

  9. Action Research: Measuring Literacy Programme Participants' Learning Outcomes. Results of the Final Phase (2011-2014)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bolly, Madina; Jonas, Nicolas

    2015-01-01

    Action Research on Measuring Literacy Programme Participants' Learning Outcomes (RAMAA) aims to develop, implement and collaborate on the creation of a methodological approach to measure acquired learning and study the various factors that influence its development. This report examines how RAMAA I has been implemented over the past four years in…

  10. National Consumer and Financial Literacy Framework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (NJ1), 2011

    2011-01-01

    This document is a revised version of the National Consumer and Financial Literacy Framework (the Framework) originally developed in 2005. It articulates a rationale for consumer and financial education in Australian schools; describes essential consumer and financial capabilities that will support lifelong learning; and provides guidance on how…

  11. Factors influencing the recruitment and retention of literacy learners in Oman

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al-Barwani, Thuwayba; Kelly, Edward F.

    1985-12-01

    The study investigates factors influencing the recruitment and retention of learners in the national adult literacy programme in Oman. Personal interviews were conducted in the interior and Capital regions of Oman (N=102). Respondents included 46 randomly selected enrolled learners, 26 randomly selected dropouts and 30 unenrolled adults. Results of the interviews were content-analyzed and frequencies, cross tabulations and Chi-square were calculated. Findings indicated regional differences in the adults' motivation for enrolling, but the spiritual motive was over all the most significant. Men and women reported different patterns of conflict and obstacles in completing their literacy studies: Men indicated work demands as their biggest obstacle while women complained about family responsibilities. Programme attrition was mainly attributed to structural characteristics of the programme.

  12. The National Early Literacy Panel: A Summary of the Process and the Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shanahan, Timothy; Lonigan, Christopher J.

    2010-01-01

    This article summarizes "Developing Early Literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel," which was published in 2008.That report provides an extensive meta-analysis of approximately 300 studies showing which early literacy measures correlate with later literacy achievement. It also provides a series of meta-analyses of a comprehensive…

  13. Technical Report and Data File User's Manual: For the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy. NCES 2009-476

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baldi, Stephane, Ed.; Kutner, Mark; Greenberg, Elizabeth; Jin, Ying; Baer, Justin; Moore, Elizabeth; Dunleavy, Eric; Berlin, Martha; Mohadjer, Leyla; Binzer, Greg; Krenzke, Thomas; Hogan, Jacqueline; Amsbary, Michelle; Forsyth, Barbara; Clark, Lyn; Annis, Terri; Bernstein, Jared; White, Sheida

    2009-01-01

    The 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) assessed the English literacy skills of a nationally representative sample of more than 19,000 U.S. adults (age 16 and older) residing in households and correctional institutions. NAAL is the first national assessment of adult literacy since the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS). The…

  14. Changes in attitudes, intended behaviour, and mental health literacy in the Swedish population 2009-2014: an evaluation of a national antistigma programme.

    PubMed

    Hansson, L; Stjernswärd, S; Svensson, B

    2016-08-01

    Public stigma of mental illness is still a major problem where numerous population studies during the last decade have mainly shown no improvements. A Swedish national antistigma campaign has been running 2010-2014. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in public stigma during this period as compared to baseline in 2009. Yearly population surveys were made between 2009 and 2014 including assessments of mental health literacy, attitudes, and intended future behaviour. Two surveys were made, one including a nationally representative sample and one including a representative sample from three original campaign regions. Multiple regression analyses, also including age, gender, education, and familiarity with mental illness were made to investigate yearly changes in public stigma compared to baseline. Mental health literacy improved significantly in the campaign regions between 2009 and 2014, as did intended future behaviour. Attitudes toward mental illness also improved significantly. Improvements were also shown in the national population surveys, but the time pattern of these compared to that of the original campaign regions indicated that these changes took place mainly after the campaign had been extended to a further five Swedish regions. The results of our surveys suggest that a campaign primarily based on social contact theory and involving people with lived experience of mental illness may, even in a rather short-term perspective, have a significant positive impact on mental health literacy, attitudes, and intentions of social contact with people with mental illness. © 2016 The Authors. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Health literacy in familial hypercholesterolemia: A cross-national study.

    PubMed

    Hagger, Martin S; Hardcastle, Sarah J; Hu, Miao; Kwok, See; Lin, Jie; Nawawi, Hapizah M; Pang, Jing; Santos, Raul D; Soran, Handrean; Su, Ta-Chen; Tomlinson, Brian; Watts, Gerald F

    2018-06-01

    Background High rates of inadequate health literacy are associated with maladaptive health outcomes in chronic disease including increased mortality and morbidity rates, poor treatment adherence and poor health. Adequate health literacy may be an important factor in the effective treatment and management of familial hypercholesterolemia, and may also be implicated in genetic screening for familial hypercholesterolemia among index cases. The present study examined the prevalence and predictors of health literacy in familial hypercholesterolemia patients attending clinics in seven countries. Design Cross-sectional survey. Methods Consecutive FH patients attending clinics in Australia, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan and the UK completed measures of demographic variables (age, gender, household income and highest education level) and a brief three-item health literacy scale. Results Rates of inadequate health literacy were lowest in the UK (7.0%), Australia (10.0%), Hong Kong (15.7%) and Taiwan (18.0%) samples, with higher rates in the Brazil (22.0%), Malaysia (25.0%) and China (37.0%) samples. Income was an independent predictor of health literacy levels, accounting for effects of age. Health literacy was also independently related to China national group membership. Conclusions Findings indicate non-trivial levels of inadequate health literacy in samples of familial hypercholesterolemia patients. Consistent with previous research in chronic illness, inadequate health literacy is related to income as an index of health disparities. Chinese familial hypercholesterolemia patients are more likely to have high rates of inadequate health literacy independent of income. Current findings highlight the imperative of education interventions targeting familial hypercholesterolemia patients with inadequate health literacy.

  16. Issues in post-literacy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dave, Ravindra H.; Ouane, Adama; Sutton, Peter

    1989-12-01

    While school enrolments have been rising, the absolute number of illiterates in the world has grown too. Eradication of adult illiteracy and universalization of primary education are hindered by high drop-out in schools and relapse into illiteracy among adults. Post-literacy programmes seek to stop this reversal by ensuring retention, application and continuation of literacy skills. The Unesco Institute for Education (UIE) has been researching and promoting post-literacy strategies since 1980, but finds that most projects do not include provision for post-literacy from the outset, despite the evident need. Those programmes which have been mounted use a variety of strategies, which UIE has analysed in 12 categories. The exact delimitation of the post-literacy stage in the lifelong education continuum differs from project to project, and the emphasis on individual or societal advance depends on local perceptions of the goals of development. Examples are given of successful programmes, and the challenges of increasing participation and motivation, securing adequate funding, and making efficient and flexible use of institutional facilities are discussed.

  17. Adult literacy benefits? New opportunities for research into sustainable development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Post, David

    2016-12-01

    Understandings of "literacy" broadened after the United Nations Development Decade of the 1960s. The corresponding research into the benefits of literacy also widened its focus beyond economic growth. The effects of adult literacy and its correlates appeared diffuse with the rise of New Literacy Studies, and the scholarship on consequences seemed less essential to advocates following the rise of a human rights perspective on education. In 2016 the agenda for literacy research has returned - but at a higher level - to concern over its benefits. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have reintegrated literacy research within an agenda to understand the channels through which literacy skills might effect change. This article briefly reviews progress in adult literacy, touches on existing perspectives on literacy, and then illustrates four recent sources of information useful in the revitalised agenda offered by the SDGs. Data from the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) study conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Values Survey (WVS), and the World Bank's Skills Toward Employment and Productivity (STEP) study are now available to researchers wishing to link educational change with attitudinal and behavioural change. Another important resource are the emerging data on mobile learning. By integrating literacy into the SDGs, literacy researchers can reveal the channels through which literacy can contribute to social welfare and transformation.

  18. Developing information literacy: a key to evidence-based nursing.

    PubMed

    Shorten, A; Wallace, M C; Crookes, P A

    2001-06-01

    This report describes the evaluation of a curriculum-integrated programme designed to help students develop an awareness of the nursing literature, the skills to locate and retrieve it, and skills required in its evaluation; in other words'information literacy'. Positive changes in student performance on objective measures of information-literacy skills were revealed as well as a significant increase in the levels of confidence of the student in performing those skills. Students who had undertaken the information-literacy programme ('programme' students) performed better on a range of objective measures of information literacy, as well as reporting higher levels of confidence in these skills, than students who had not participated in the programme ('non-programme' students). Evaluation of this programme provides evidence of the potential usefulness of a curriculum-integrated approach for the development of information-literacy skills within nursing education. With these underlying skills, students will be better equipped to consolidate and extend their key information-literacy skills to include research appreciation and application. These are vital for effective lifelong learning and a prerequisite to evidence-based practice.

  19. National Conference on Family Literacy. Research Strand Conference Proceedings (22nd, Louisville, Kentucky, April, 2013)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toso, Blaire Willson, Ed.

    2013-01-01

    The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) presents, alongside the Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy at Penn State University, these proceedings from the research strand at the 22nd National Conference on Family Literacy. Through these sessions, NCFL's conference continues to provide the latest research in family education…

  20. Keeping Current. Celebrating National Literacy Month: Media Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baker, Frank

    2004-01-01

    There is reason to believe that media literacy is gaining a higher profile in schools across the United States. For the first time, most states' teaching standards include elements of media literacy and textbook publishers are beginning to include media education. The inclusion of "viewing" and media literacy presents school library…

  1. National and regional asthma programmes in Europe.

    PubMed

    Selroos, Olof; Kupczyk, Maciej; Kuna, Piotr; Łacwik, Piotr; Bousquet, Jean; Brennan, David; Palkonen, Susanna; Contreras, Javier; FitzGerald, Mark; Hedlin, Gunilla; Johnston, Sebastian L; Louis, Renaud; Metcalf, Leanne; Walker, Samantha; Moreno-Galdó, Antonio; Papadopoulos, Nikolaos G; Rosado-Pinto, José; Powell, Pippa; Haahtela, Tari

    2015-09-01

    This review presents seven national asthma programmes to support the European Asthma Research and Innovation Partnership in developing strategies to reduce asthma mortality and morbidity across Europe. From published data it appears that in order to influence asthma care, national/regional asthma programmes are more effective than conventional treatment guidelines. An asthma programme should start with the universal commitments of stakeholders at all levels and the programme has to be endorsed by political and governmental bodies. When the national problems have been identified, the goals of the programme have to be clearly defined with measures to evaluate progress. An action plan has to be developed, including defined re-allocation of patients and existing resources, if necessary, between primary care and specialised healthcare units or hospital centres. Patients should be involved in guided self-management education and structured follow-up in relation to disease severity. The three evaluated programmes show that, thanks to rigorous efforts, it is possible to improve patients' quality of life and reduce hospitalisation, asthma mortality, sick leave and disability pensions. The direct and indirect costs, both for the individual patient and for society, can be significantly reduced. The results can form the basis for development of further programme activities in Europe. Copyright ©ERS 2015.

  2. Literacy Skills for 21st Century America: A Foundation for Creating a More Literate Nation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeWitt Wallace/Reader's Digest Fund, Pleasantville, NY.

    The first meeting of the National Literacy Summit 2000 convened 150 leaders from adult education and literacy and other related fields for a 2-day intensive working meeting to begin building a national consensus on how to move adult and family literacy forward in the 21st century. Comments and suggestions offered by summit participants were…

  3. Circles in the Sand: Challenge and Reinforcement of Gender Stereotypes in a Literacy Programme in Sudan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greany, Kate

    2008-01-01

    Participatory literacy programmes in developing countries are often seen as an important tool for women's empowerment and equality. This article problematises the way in which evaluation of progress towards these goals is couched in a linear trajectory, and often fails to uncover the messy reality of women's negotiations to achieve their own aims.…

  4. Lifelong literacy: Some trends and issues in conceptualising and operationalising literacy from a lifelong learning perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hanemann, Ulrike

    2015-06-01

    In a fast-changing and highly inequitable world, lifelong learning is becoming increasingly important, not only as a key organising principle for all forms of education and learning but also as an absolute necessity for everyone. It is particularly important for disadvantaged individuals and groups who have been excluded from or failed to acquire basic competencies through formal schooling. Within a lifelong learning framework, literacy and numeracy are viewed as foundation skills which are the core of basic education and indispensable to full participation in society. This article discusses recent developments in conceptualising literacy as a foundation of lifelong learning. Starting from the evolving notions of adult literacy, the author identifies some current trends, the most important being that literacy is now perceived as a learning continuum of different proficiency levels. Dichotomous states of being either "literate" or "illiterate" no longer apply. She analyses (1) findings extracted from UNESCO Member States' national reports submitted to the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) for the 2nd Global Report on Adult Learning and Education; (2) a desk study of national literacy campaigns and programmes as well as (3) some recent developments in formal education. Her suggested three-dimensional analytical framework considers literacy as a lifelong and life-wide learning process and as part of lifelong learning systems. She draws a number of conclusions for policy and practice of literacy as a foundation of lifelong learning. These conclusions are a timely contribution to the ongoing post-2015 education debate, in particular to the challenge of how to mainstream youth and adult literacy into the implementation of the sustainable development agenda for 2015-2030.

  5. Literacy and Education: Understanding the New Literacy Studies in the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pahl, Kate; Rowsell, Jennifer

    2005-01-01

    In this book the authors note that for too long teachers have been at the mercy of government programmes, which have emphasized the acquisition of literacy as a set of skills. They suggest that an exciting new theory coming out of the New Literacy Studies actually helps students to access literacy skills. They attempt to bridge the gap between…

  6. Closing the Gender Gap: Improved Performance of U.S.-Born Females on the National Assessment of Adult Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cohen, Dale J.; White, Sheida; Cohen, Steffaney B.

    2012-01-01

    This study analyzed the current state of the gender literacy gap and the change in the gender literacy gap between 1992 and 2003, using the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS) and the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL). The results revealed that although there were significant gender literacy gaps in 1992, virtually all…

  7. A Pre-Post Evaluation of OpenMinds: a Sustainable, Peer-Led Mental Health Literacy Programme in Universities and Secondary Schools.

    PubMed

    Patalay, Praveetha; Annis, Jennifer; Sharpe, Helen; Newman, Robbie; Main, Dominic; Ragunathan, Thivvia; Parkes, Mary; Clarke, Kelly

    2017-11-01

    Engaging young people in the design and delivery of mental health education could lead to more effective interventions; however, few of these interventions have been evaluated. This study aimed to gain preliminary evidence with regards to the efficacy and acceptability of OpenMinds: a peer-designed and facilitated mental health literacy programme for university and secondary school students. The programme involves a structured programme of education and training for university medical students, who then deliver workshops in secondary schools. Pre- and post-surveys were completed by 234 school students who received two workshops and 40 university medical students who completed the OpenMinds programme and delivered the workshops. The main outcomes in both groups were components of mental health literacy (non-stigmatising attitudes, knowledge, social distance and helping attitudes). Perceived teaching efficacy and interest in mental health careers (university medical students) and workshop acceptability (school students) were also examined. University and school student participation in OpenMinds was associated with significant improvements in three of four mental health literacy elements in both samples. Knowledge and attitudes improved in both samples, social distance improved only in the university sample and knowledge of helping behaviours increased in the school sample. University students' perceived teaching efficacy improved but there was no change in their reported interest in pursuing psychiatry in their career. Acceptability was high; over 70% of the school students agreed that they enjoyed the workshops and liked being taught by a university student. This study provides preliminary evidence for the acceptability and efficacy of OpenMinds as a sustainable peer-led model of mental health education for young people. The OpenMinds programme is ready for efficacy testing in a randomised trial.

  8. "Interactive Whole Class Teaching" in the National Literacy Strategy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hardman, Frank; Smith, Fay; Wall, Kate

    2003-01-01

    Presents findings of extensive investigation (n=70) into interactive and discourse styles of a nationally representative sample of primary teachers. Explores impact of official endorsement of interactive whole class teaching in the teaching of England's National Literacy Strategy to examine whether it is promoting pupils' higher interaction and…

  9. The Effect of the Visual Awareness Education Programme on the Visual Literacy of Children Aged 5-6

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Özkubat, S.; Ulutas, I.

    2018-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the "Visual Awareness Education Programme" developed to support the visual literacy skills of preschool children. The study group comprised 40 children (20 children in the experimental group and 20 children in the control group) attending preschool in the 2014-2015 school…

  10. Empowering Language Learners through the Use of a Curriculum-Integrated Information Literacy Programme: An Action Research Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alzahrani, Sahar

    2017-01-01

    This paper implements and evaluates a curriculum-integrated information literacy programme in an Arabic primary school in the United Kingdom to empower learners and develop life-long learning skills. It reports on an action research project with a reflective practice approach used at the beginning of the semester to identify potential problems…

  11. 3 CFR 8646 - Proclamation 8646 of March 31, 2011. National Financial Literacy Month, 2011

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... more information on improving financial literacy, concerned individuals may visit www.MyMoney.gov or... Financial Literacy Month, 2011 8646 Proclamation 8646 Presidential Documents Proclamations Proclamation 8646 of March 31, 2011 Proc. 8646 National Financial Literacy Month, 2011By the President of the United...

  12. Working with Parents to Promote Children's Literacy: A Family Literacy Project in Uganda

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parry, Kate; Kirabo, Elizabeth; Nakyato, Gorreth

    2014-01-01

    This article discusses the importance of family practices to children's acquisition of literacy and describes attempts to influence such practices through the institution of family literacy programmes. One of these is the Family Literacy Project in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, which both served as a model and provided material for a similar…

  13. Adult Education and the Elderly. Case Studies from Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe. Background Materials. The Literacy Debate. General Discussion. Literacy and Women. Literacy and Health-Programmes. Adult Education and Development. Number 24.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adult Education and Development, 1985

    1985-01-01

    This journal issue contains 18 solicited articles on two major topics: adult education and the elderly, and the literacy debate. The articles on adult education and the elderly include "A Ripe Old Age," republished from a newsletter of the British aid organization OXFAM; "Special Programme for Retirees: A Model Project in Cali, Colombia," by…

  14. The National Literacy Strategy: The Third Year. An Evaluation by HMI.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Office for Standards in Education, London (England).

    The implementation of the National Literacy Strategy (NLS) began in English primary schools at the start of the autumn term, 1998. The purpose of the strategy is to improve standards in literacy. This is the fourth report on NLS by the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED). It provides a detailed account of the implementation and impact of…

  15. Teaching and Learning National Transformation Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Browne, Liz

    2006-01-01

    This article reports on a research project undertaken on behalf of the Standards Unit to research the impact of the Teaching and Learning National Transformation Programme for the Learning and Skills sector. The transformational programme is best described as having three enablers, namely teaching and learning resources to support practitioners,…

  16. Toward Creation of a National Table for Aboriginal Literacy and Essential Skills (NTALES). Report on Meeting of May 27, 2014

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Canadian Literacy and Learning Network, 2014

    2014-01-01

    The Canadian Literacy and Learning Network (CLLN), in partnership with Aboriginal community leaders and literacy experts, is leading an initiative to create a National Table for Aboriginal Literacy and Essential Skills (NTALES). A potential role of the National Table will be to represent First Nation, Metis and Inuit literacy and essential skills…

  17. A Model and Method of Evaluative Accounts: Development Impact of the National Literacy Mission (NLM of India).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bhola, H. S.

    2002-01-01

    Studied the developmental impact of the National Literacy Mission of India, providing an evaluative account based on 97 evaluation studies. Compared findings with those from a 27-study synthesis of studies of effects of adult literacy efforts in Africa. Findings show the impact of literacy on the development of nations. (SLD)

  18. Influence of a Non-formal Environmental Education Programme on Junior High-School Students' Environmental Literacy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goldman, Daphne; Ben Zvi Assaraf, Orit; Shaharabani, Dina

    2013-02-01

    One of the solutions implemented by schools for conducting value-based environmental education (EE) is outsourcing: allocating external environmental organizations that develop and conduct EE programmes. This study addressed such a programme-the Green Council Programme (GCP)-developed and implemented in schools by the Israeli Society for Protection of Nature. A pre-test/post-test design was used to investigate the influence of participation in the GCP on components of junior high-school students' environmental literacy. Conceptualizations of 'environment', environmental attitudes and sense of ability to act on environmental issues were studied employing quantitative and qualitative tools. Contribution of the programme to the cognitive domain, in developing a systemic understanding of the environment, was limited. On the other hand, participating in this programme heightened students' sensitivity to human-environment interrelationships and developed a more ecological worldview. After the programme, students demonstrated greater perception of humans as part of the environment, an increased sensitivity to human impact on the environment and their value for non-human nature moved from an anthropocentric to a more ecocentric orientation. While students' internal locus-of-control increased, when environmental protection entailed personal economic trade-offs, their support was limited and remained unchanged. The article concludes with recommendations, based on the findings, regarding supplementing the school (science) curriculum with external EE enrichment programmes.

  19. Adult Literacy Action Campaign: Projects around Australia. A Review of State and Territory Level Adult Literacy Projects Funded under the Adult Literacy Action Campaign of the National Policy on Languages. Occasional Paper Number 3.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Australian Advisory Council on Languages and Multicultural Education, Canberra.

    This collection of papers is a review of the adult literacy projects in Australia funded under the 1987-89 Adult Literacy Action Campaign (ALAC) of the National Policy on Languages. Fourteen authors describe various literacy projects and, often, their outcomes. The projects described are grouped in seven areas. On the subject of Literacy Training…

  20. Creating a Screening Measure of Health Literacy for the Health Information National Trends Survey.

    PubMed

    Champlin, Sara; Mackert, Michael

    2016-03-01

    Create a screening measure of health literacy for use with the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Participants completed a paper-based survey. Items from the survey were used to construct a health literacy screening measure. A population-based survey conducted in geographic areas of high and low minority frequency and in Central Appalachia. Two thousand nine hundred four English-speaking participants were included in this study: 66% white, 93% completed high school, mean age = 52.53 years (SD = 16.24). A health literacy screening measure was created using four items included in the HINTS survey. Scores could range from 0 (no questions affirmative/correct) to 4 (all questions answered affirmatively/correctly). Multiple regression analysis was used to determine whether demographic variables known to predict health literacy were indeed associated with the constructed health literacy screening measure. The weighted average health literacy score was 2.63 (SD = 1.00). Those who were nonwhite (p = .0005), were older (p < .0005), or had not completed high school (p < .0001) tended to have lower health literacy screening measure scores. This study highlights the need to assess health literacy in national surveys, but also serves as evidence that screening measures can be created within existing datasets to give researchers the ability to consider the impact of health literacy. © The Author(s) 2016.

  1. Literacy in the National Science and Mathematics Standards: Communication and Reasoning. Report Series 3.14.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kouba, Vicky L.; Champagne, Audrey B.; Piscitelli, Michael; Havasy, Monique; White, Kara; Hurley, Marlene

    A study analyzed in detail the perspectives in science and mathematics literacy found in the national standards for science and mathematics. The National Science Education Standards (NSES), the Benchmarks for Science Literacy, the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics, and the Professional Teaching Standards for School…

  2. Family Literacy Works: Key Findings from the NFER Evaluation of the Basic Skills Agency's Demonstration Programmes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Basic Skills Agency, 2006

    2006-01-01

    The Basic Skills Agency (formerly the Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit--ALBSU) is the national development agency for literacy, numeracy and related basic skills in England and Wales. This agency defines basic skills as " the ability to read, write, and speak in English and use mathematics at a level necessary to function and progress at…

  3. Relationship between Pre-School Preservice Teachers' Environmental Literacy and Science and Technology Literacy Self Efficacy Beliefs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Surmeli, Hikmet

    2013-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between preschool teachers' environmental literacy and their science and technology self efficacy beliefs. 120 preschool teachers from teacher education programme at one university participated in this study. Data were collected by using Environmental Literacy Scale and Science and Technology Literacy Self…

  4. Inquiry, Engagement, and Literacy in Science: A Retrospective, Cross-National Analysis Using PISA 2006

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McConney, Andrew; Oliver, Mary C.; Woods-McConney, Amanda; Schibeci, Renato; Maor, Dorit

    2014-01-01

    In this study, we examine patterns of students' literacy and engagement in science associated with different levels of "inquiry-oriented" learning reported by students in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. To achieve this, we analyzed data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's 2006 Programme for International…

  5. Factors Influencing Low Level of Women Participation in Literacy Programme in Maiha Local Government Area of Adamawa State

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Daniel, Aminchi

    2015-01-01

    This study was designed to determine the extent to which poverty, gender stereotype, socio-cultural belief and lack of awareness influence low level of women participation in literacy programme in Maiha Local Government Area of Adamawa State. Survey designed was adopted for the study and a sample consisting of three hundred (300) women who were…

  6. Misunderstood Statistical Assumptions Undermine Criticism of the National Early Literacy Panel's Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schatschneider, Christopher; Lonigan, Christopher J.

    2010-01-01

    Many of the methodological criticisms of the National Early Literacy Panel (NELP) report presented in this special issue of "Educational Researcher" are not specific to the NELP report but are in fact broad criticisms of much of the quantitative research on early literacy. This rejoinder demonstrates that these criticisms are off target and are…

  7. Teaching about Personal Finance: The National Standards for Financial Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hill, Andrew T.; Suiter, Mary C.

    2014-01-01

    In "Proposed National Standards for Financial Literacy: What's In? What's Out?", Maier, Figart, and Nelson pose the question: "How should educators use the standards?" In answering that question, they suggest a number of issues and topics that they believe should be taught along with the "National Standards for…

  8. Year 6 Planning Exemplification 3. National Literacy Strategy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Department for Education and Skills, London (England).

    Third in a series of booklets designed to assist Year 6 teachers with planning instruction to meet objectives of the National Literacy Strategy, this booklet contains Summer Term planning exemplification for three "revision" units (Narrative, Poetry and Non-fiction) prior to the Key Stage 2 tests and one unit after the tests (Extended…

  9. Improving Numeracy and Literacy: Evaluation Report and Executive Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Worth, Jack; Sizmur, Juliet; Ager, Rob; Styles, Ben

    2015-01-01

    The project, "Oxford Improving Numeracy and Literacy Programme," was delivered by Oxford University Department of Education. This evaluation tested two different initiatives with Year 2 children: "Mathematics and Reasoning" and "Literacy and Morphemes." The "Mathematics and Reasoning" programme aimed to…

  10. Exploring Nutrition Literacy and Knowledge among a National Sample of School Nutrition Managers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zoellner, Jamie; Carr, Deborah

    2010-01-01

    Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this national study was to describe nutrition literacy levels and nutrition knowledge among school nutrition (SN) managers, and explore if barriers to seeking SN information, perceived role in school wellness, and confidence in SN decision making varied by nutrition literacy and knowledge scores. Methods: An…

  11. Suitability of the Literacy and Numeracy Screening (LINUS) 2.0 Programme in Assessing Children's Early Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luyee, Eunice Ong; Roselan, Fauzan Izzati; Anwardeen, Nor Hafizah; Mustapa, Fatin Hazirah Mohd

    2015-01-01

    Early literacy skills are crucial in a child's learning process and awareness should be raised in order to ensure the quality of early literacy assessments. In this paper, the writers discuss the quality of early literacy assessment in Malaysia, LINUS 2.0 by looking at its validity and reliability. An established early literacy program is compared…

  12. Association of parental health literacy with oral health of Navajo Nation preschoolers

    PubMed Central

    Brega, A. G.; Thomas, J. F.; Henderson, W. G.; Batliner, T. S.; Quissell, D. O.; Braun, P. A.; Wilson, A.; Bryant, L. L.; Nadeau, K. J.; Albino, J.

    2016-01-01

    Health literacy is ‘the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions’. Although numerous studies show a link between health literacy and clinical outcomes, little research has examined the association of health literacy with oral health. No large-scale studies have assessed these relationships among American Indians, a population at risk for limited health literacy and oral health problems. This analysis was conducted as part of a clinical trial aimed at reducing dental decay among preschoolers in the Navajo Nation Head Start program. Using baseline data for 1016 parent–child dyads, we examined the association of parental health literacy with parents’ oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behavior, as well as indicators of parental and pediatric oral health. More limited health literacy was associated with lower levels of oral health knowledge, more negative oral health attitudes, and lower levels of adherence to recommended oral health behavior. Parents with more limited health literacy also had significantly worse oral health status (OHS) and reported their children to have significantly worse oral health-related quality of life. These results highlight the importance of oral health promotion interventions that are sensitive to the needs of participants with limited health literacy. PMID:26612050

  13. The Use of Literacy Materials in Early Childhood English Language and Literacy Programmes in Singapore: Local Responses to Global Trends

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tang, Alice

    2015-01-01

    This paper explores local responses by Singapore pre-school teachers to the global trend towards English as the medium of instruction at the early childhood level of education. The paper reports research into how teachers have responded to the national literacy agenda, as outlined in the Curriculum Framework for Kindergartens in Singapore, using…

  14. 12 CFR 7.1021 - National bank participation in financial literacy programs.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false National bank participation in financial literacy programs. 7.1021 Section 7.1021 Banks and Banking COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY BANK ACTIVITIES AND OPERATIONS Bank Powers § 7.1021 National bank participation in financial...

  15. Evaluation of National Geographic School Publishing Nonfiction Literacy Materials. Summary Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Metcalf, Kim K.; Smith, Carl B.; Legan, Natalie A.

    During the 2001-02 academic year, a purposive, national evaluation was undertaken of "Windows on Literacy" and "Reading Expeditions," two new school-based programs produced by the School Publishing Division of the National Geographic Society (NGS). The evaluation sought to determine the efficacy of the new materials for…

  16. National Summit on Economic & Financial Literacy (Washington, DC, March 3, 2005). Executive Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council on Economic Education (NJ3), 2005

    2005-01-01

    On March 3, 2005, a gathering of policy-shapers, thought-leaders and decision-makers met for The National Summit on Economic and Financial Literacy to promote the benefits of economic and financial literacy to individuals, families, businesses and communities. The ultimate goal of the Summit was to ensure that everyone has the real-life skills…

  17. Improving Adolescent Literacy Is Essential to National Welfare

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Armistead, Lew

    2010-01-01

    Calling students in high school now and in coming years "the people who will envision the future of our nation and chart our course through the 21st century and beyond," the Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY) has called in a new report for improvements in adolescent literacy if students are to succeed in college and careers. The report, "Time…

  18. Assessment of patient health literacy: a national survey of plastic surgeons.

    PubMed

    Vargas, Christina R; Chuang, Danielle J; Lee, Bernard T

    2014-12-01

    Health literacy affects patient participation, compliance, and outcomes. Nearly half of American adults have inadequate functional health literacy. Identification and accommodation of patients with low literacy is an important goal of the American Medical Association, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Healthy People 2020 initiative. This study aims to assess plastic surgeons' perception of patient literacy. A survey was distributed to American Society of Plastic Surgeons members about time devoted to patient counseling, use of techniques for evaluating and enhancing patient understanding, perception of level of education, and estimated literacy. Participation was voluntary and data were collected anonymously using an online survey tool. There were 235 participants in the survey (9.9 percent response rate). Patient literacy was most frequently assessed using their general impression (62.2 percent) and by asking patients about their employment (37.3 percent); 26.2 percent did not assess literacy. The majority of surgeons (62 percent) reported spending at least 20 minutes counseling new patients, and 37 percent reported spending more than 30 minutes. Lay terminology (94 percent) and pictures/diagrams (84.6 percent) were common patient education aids, whereas only 8.1 percent use teach-back methods. Plastic surgeons overestimated the level of education and reading level of their patients compared with national data. Formal assessment of health literacy is rarely performed, as most plastic surgeons use a general impression. Although plastic surgeons devote significant time to patient counseling, evidence-based communication methods, such as the teach-back method, are underused. Simple, directed questions can identify patients with low literacy skills, to accommodate their communication needs.

  19. Association of parental health literacy with oral health of Navajo Nation preschoolers.

    PubMed

    Brega, A G; Thomas, J F; Henderson, W G; Batliner, T S; Quissell, D O; Braun, P A; Wilson, A; Bryant, L L; Nadeau, K J; Albino, J

    2016-02-01

    Health literacy is 'the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions'. Although numerous studies show a link between health literacy and clinical outcomes, little research has examined the association of health literacy with oral health. No large-scale studies have assessed these relationships among American Indians, a population at risk for limited health literacy and oral health problems. This analysis was conducted as part of a clinical trial aimed at reducing dental decay among preschoolers in the Navajo Nation Head Start program. Using baseline data for 1016 parent-child dyads, we examined the association of parental health literacy with parents' oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behavior, as well as indicators of parental and pediatric oral health. More limited health literacy was associated with lower levels of oral health knowledge, more negative oral health attitudes, and lower levels of adherence to recommended oral health behavior. Parents with more limited health literacy also had significantly worse oral health status (OHS) and reported their children to have significantly worse oral health-related quality of life. These results highlight the importance of oral health promotion interventions that are sensitive to the needs of participants with limited health literacy. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. "I'm on a Journey I Never Thought I'd Be On": Using Process Drama Pedagogy for the Literacy Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wells, Trish; Sandretto, Susan

    2017-01-01

    This paper argues that process drama is a productive pedagogy with multiple affordances for multiliteracies. We describe an exploratory study in which two teachers from a rural New Zealand primary school used process drama pedagogy in the literacy programme. Analysis of the initial and exit teacher interviews, lesson transcripts and transcripts of…

  1. Literacy skills gaps: A cross-level analysis on international and intergenerational variations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Suehye

    2018-02-01

    The global agenda for sustainable development has centred lifelong learning on UNESCO's Education 2030 Framework for Action. The study described in this article aimed to examine international and intergenerational variations in literacy skills gaps within the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For this purpose, the author examined the trend of literacy gaps in different countries using multilevel and multisource data from the OECD's Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) and UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning survey data from the third edition of the Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE III). In this article, particular attention is paid to exploring the specific effects of education systems on literacy skills gaps among different age groups. Key findings of this study indicate substantial intergenerational literacy gaps within countries as well as different patterns of literacy gaps across countries. Young generations generally outscore older adults in literacy skills, but feature bigger gaps when examined by gender and social origin. In addition, this study finds an interesting tendency for young generations to benefit from a system of Recognition, Validation and Accreditation (RVA) in closing literacy gaps by formal schooling at country level. This implies the potential of an RVA system for tackling educational inequality in initial schooling. The article concludes with suggestions for integrating literacy skills as a foundation of lifelong learning into national RVA frameworks and mechanisms at system level.

  2. National infection prevention and control programmes: Endorsing quality of care.

    PubMed

    Stempliuk, Valeska; Ramon-Pardo, Pilar; Holder, Reynaldo

    2014-01-01

    Core components Health care-associated infections (HAIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In addition to pain and suffering, HAIs increase the cost of health care and generates indirect costs from loss of productivity for patients and society as a whole. Since 2005, the Pan American Health Organization has provided support to countries for the assessment of their capacities in infection prevention and control (IPC). More than 130 hospitals in 18 countries were found to have poor IPC programmes. However, in the midst of many competing health priorities, IPC programmes are not high on the agenda of ministries of health, and the sustainability of national programmes is not viewed as a key point in making health care systems more consistent and trustworthy. Comprehensive IPC programmes will enable countries to reduce the mobility, mortality and cost of HAIs and improve quality of care. This paper addresses the relevance of national infection prevention and control (NIPC) programmes in promoting, supporting and reinforcing IPC interventions at the level of hospitals. A strong commitment from national health authorities in support of national IPC programmes is crucial to obtaining a steady decrease of HAIs, lowering health costs due to HAIs and ensuring safer care.

  3. The Integrated Women's Empowering Programme (IWEP) as an Example for Establishing Basic Structures of a Nationwide Adult Education System in a Poor Country

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sandhaas, Bernd

    2008-01-01

    Within Ethiopia's overall development strategy, the Integrated Women's Empowerment Programme (IWEP) aims to develop, test and implement a comprehensive nationwide approach to empower women and their households in selected areas of all regions/national states of Ethiopia. The programme provides functional literacy education and livelihood skills…

  4. Does Context Matter? Literacy Disparities in Self-rated Health Using Evidence from 17 Developed Countries.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yeonjin

    2017-05-01

    The study examines whether adult literacy skills predict self-rated health status beyond educational credentials in 17 developed countries using a cross-national survey, the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). The study uses linear regression models with country-level fixed effects to predict self-rated health to account the unobserved country-level heterogeneity. A total of 73,806 respondents aged 25 to 65 were included in the analysis. Although adult literacy is positively associated with better self-rated health in general, the strength of the relationship varies across nations. The literacy-related health inequalities are less severe in countries with the higher public share of health expenditures that may better address the needs of individuals with limited cognitive abilities. Curriculum standardization also contributes to reducing the literacy gradients in health by decreasing variations in skills obtained in school across individuals with different social origins. Overall, this study reveals that promoting equity in adult literacy skills is an important way to improve a population's health. Country-level differences in the strength of the relationship between literacy and self-rated health are systematically related to between-country differences in health financing and educational systems.

  5. Teacher--Pupil Dialogue with Pupils with Special Educational Needs in the National Literacy Strategy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hardman, Frank; Smith, Fay; Wall, Kate

    2005-01-01

    This paper reports on an investigation into the interactive and discourse styles of a nationally representative sample of primary teachers (n =70) as they work with pupils who experience difficulties in literacy development during whole class and groupbased sections of the literacy hour. Using a computerized observation schedule and discourse…

  6. The importance of timely information in national cancer screening programmes.

    PubMed

    Droljc, Anze; Grbec, Tomaz; Orel, Andrej

    2009-01-01

    The Ministry of Health of Slovenia decided to support the introduction of two new organised screening programmes for cancer, one for breast and the other for colon cancer in 2005. This was an addition to the first, already running, programme for cervical cancer. Two of them are entrusted to the Institute of Oncology while the National CINDI programme takes care of the third one. Besides connection to some external public databases, cancer screening programmes require national Cancer Registry data. High quality and user friendly information support for citizens and medical professionals following doctrinal requirements and possible changes is a must.

  7. 3 CFR 8429 - Proclamation 8429 of October 1, 2009. National Information Literacy Awareness Month, 2009

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... communication technologies, including computers and mobile devices that can help in our day-to-day... Information Literacy Awareness Month, 2009 8429 Proclamation 8429 Presidential Documents Proclamations Proclamation 8429 of October 1, 2009 Proc. 8429 National Information Literacy Awareness Month, 2009By the...

  8. Summative Evaluation of the National Literacy Secretariat. Final Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, 2004

    2004-01-01

    The National Literacy Secretariat (NLS) is a grants and contributions initiative established in 1987. The NLS has two objectives: (1) To increase opportunities and take-up, so that people improve their reading and writing skills; and (2) To work towards making Canada's social, economic and political life more accessible to those with weak literacy…

  9. A Date With Academic Literacies: Using Brief Conversation to Facilitate Student Engagement With Academic Literacies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dunham, Nicola

    2012-01-01

    The argument that de-contextualized deficit approaches to academic literacies were ineffective (Lea, 2004; Northedge, 2003), has led to expectations that New Zealand Higher Education institutions embed academic literacies within programmes and courses (Tertiary Education Commission, 2010). This paper reports on the use of a teaching and learning…

  10. Problems in Evaluating Adult Literacy Programmes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rajyalakshmi, C.

    1980-01-01

    The study of the Functional Literacy Program in India encountered problems of opposition to evaluation, inappropriate respondents, and difficulties in contacting participants, which point to changes that should be made in the evaluation methods. (SK)

  11. Review of Adult Learning and Literacy, Volume 5. Connecting Research, Policy, and Practice: A Project of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Comings, John, Ed.; Garner, Barbara, Ed.; Smith, Cristine, Ed.

    2005-01-01

    "The Review of Adult Learning and Literacy: Connecting Research, Policy, and Practice, Volume 5" is a volume in a series of annual publications of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) that address major issues, the latest research, and the best practices in the field of adult literacy and learning.…

  12. Review of Adult Learning and Literacy, Volume 4. Connecting Research, Policy, and Practice: A Project of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Comings, John, Ed.; Garner, Barbara, Ed.; Smith, Cristine, Ed.

    2004-01-01

    "The Review of Adult Learning and Literacy: Connecting Research Policy, and Practice, Volume 4" is an addition to a series of annual publications of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) that address major issues, the latest research, and the best practices in the field of adult literacy and learning.…

  13. "Mommy That's the Exit.": Empowering Homeless Mothers to Support Their Children's Daily Literacy Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Di Santo, Aurelia; Timmons, Kristy; Pelletier, Janette

    2016-01-01

    The present study examined how a six-week family literacy programme contributed to supporting the efforts 12 mothers living in a residential shelter were making to foster their preschool children's literacy development. We compared pre- and post-programme interviews to explore whether the mothers applied the literacy strategies discussed in the…

  14. The Benefits of Family Literacy Provision for Parents in England

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Swain, Jon; Brooks, Greg; Bosley, Sara

    2014-01-01

    This article is concerned with parents' experiences and perceptions of being involved in a family literacy programme. The research, which was conducted from November 2007 to July 2009, involved interviewing 101 parents from 74 family literacy programmes in England around 12 weeks after they had completed their courses. The aim of these qualitative…

  15. The Language of Literacy: A National Resource Directory of Aboriginal Literacy Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sabourin, Beverly; Globensky, Peter Andre

    This directory presents, in narrative form, core information about the operations of approximately 100 Aboriginal literacy programs throughout Canada. To qualify for inclusion in the directory, each program had to offer basic, functional, or advanced literacy training; offer literacy training in English, French, or an Aboriginal language; be…

  16. Evaluation of the national roll-out of parenting programmes across England: the parenting early intervention programme (PEIP).

    PubMed

    Lindsay, Geoff; Strand, Steve

    2013-10-19

    Evidence based parenting programmes can improve parenting skills and the behaviour of children exhibiting, or at risk of developing, antisocial behaviour. In order to develop a public policy for delivering these programmes it is necessary not only to demonstrate their efficacy through rigorous trials but also to determine that they can be rolled out on a large scale. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the UK government funded national implementation of its Parenting Early Intervention Programme, a national roll-out of parenting programmes for parents of children 8-13 years in all 152 local authorities (LAs) across England. Building upon our study of the Pathfinder (2006-08) implemented in 18 LAs. To the best of our knowledge this is the first comparative study of a national roll-out of parenting programmes and the first study of parents of children 8-13 years. The UK government funded English LAs to implement one or more of five evidence based programmes (later increased to eight): Triple P, Incredible Years, Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities, Families and Schools Together (FAST), and the Strengthening Families Programme (10-14). Parents completed measures of parenting style (laxness and over-reactivity), and mental well-being, and also child behaviour at three time points: pre- and post-course and again one year later. 6143 parents from 43 LAs were included in the study of whom 3325 provided post-test data and 1035 parents provided data at one-year follow up. There were significant improvements for each programme, with effect sizes (Cohen's d) for the combined sample of 0.72 parenting laxness, 0.85 parenting over-reactivity, 0.79 parent mental well-being, and 0.45 for child conduct problems. These improvements were largely maintained one year later. All four programmes for which we had sufficient data for comparison were effective. There were generally larger effects on both parent and child measures for Triple P, but not all between

  17. Bridging the Literacy Gap between Boys and Girls: An Opportunity for the National Year of Reading 2012

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henry, Katya; Lagos, Anna; Berndt, Frances

    2012-01-01

    Literacy achievement is one of the most reliable indicators of educational, social, and economic success. In 2012, the National Year of Reading, boys still make up the majority of students struggling with literacy skills. Boys' literacy is an issue that affects us all. This paper provides an overview of research related to boys and reading, and…

  18. Status of national diabetes programmes in the Americas.

    PubMed Central

    White, F.; Nanan, D.

    1999-01-01

    Reported are the responses in the latter half of 1997 of all ministries of health in the Region of the Americas to the Declaration of the Americas on Diabetes, which was adopted by the Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in 1996 as a basis for national programme development in diabetes. The short-term targets were the designation of national focal points, the preparation of national estimates of the disease burden, and the development and implementation of national strategies and plans to deal with diabetes. The survey found that most countries recognized diabetes as a significant public health problem. In terms of global relevance, a number of lessons have been learned from this exercise: the role of broadly based participation in gaining recognition at the national health policy level; the wide acceptance of an integrated programme model; the relevance of process-related targets to achieve short-term success; and the critical role of having a designated focal point within the managerial approach. PMID:10680245

  19. Kodak Skills Enhancement Program. U.S. Department of Education National Workplace Literacy Project. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beaudin, Bart P.

    The Kodak Skills Enhancement program was a workplace literacy project funded through the U.S. Department of Education's National Workplace Literacy Program. The project goals were as follows: (1) establish a positive climate within the Kodak corporate environment to ensure program effectiveness by garnering support at all levels; (2) determine the…

  20. Nutrition advocacy and national development: the PROFILES programme and its application.

    PubMed

    Burkhalter, B R; Abel, E; Aguayo, V; Diene, S M; Parlato, M B; Ross, J S

    1999-01-01

    Investment in nutritional programmes can contribute to economic growth and is cost-effective in improving child survival and development. In order to communicate this to decision-makers, the PROFILES nutrition advocacy and policy development programme was applied in certain developing countries. Effective advocacy is necessary to generate financial and political support for scaling up from small pilot projects and maintaining successful national programmes. The programme uses scientific knowledge to estimate development indicators such as mortality, morbidity, fertility, school performance and labour productivity from the size and nutritional condition of populations. Changes in nutritional condition are estimated from the costs, coverage and effectiveness of proposed programmes. In Bangladesh this approach helped to gain approval and funding for a major nutrition programme. PROFILES helped to promote the nutrition component of an early childhood development programme in the Philippines, and to make nutrition a top priority in Ghana's new national child survival strategy. The application of PROFILES in these and other countries has been supported by the United States Agency for International Development, the United Nations Children's Fund, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Micronutrient Initiative and other bodies.

  1. Nutrition advocacy and national development: the PROFILES programme and its application.

    PubMed Central

    Burkhalter, B. R.; Abel, E.; Aguayo, V.; Diene, S. M.; Parlato, M. B.; Ross, J. S.

    1999-01-01

    Investment in nutritional programmes can contribute to economic growth and is cost-effective in improving child survival and development. In order to communicate this to decision-makers, the PROFILES nutrition advocacy and policy development programme was applied in certain developing countries. Effective advocacy is necessary to generate financial and political support for scaling up from small pilot projects and maintaining successful national programmes. The programme uses scientific knowledge to estimate development indicators such as mortality, morbidity, fertility, school performance and labour productivity from the size and nutritional condition of populations. Changes in nutritional condition are estimated from the costs, coverage and effectiveness of proposed programmes. In Bangladesh this approach helped to gain approval and funding for a major nutrition programme. PROFILES helped to promote the nutrition component of an early childhood development programme in the Philippines, and to make nutrition a top priority in Ghana's new national child survival strategy. The application of PROFILES in these and other countries has been supported by the United States Agency for International Development, the United Nations Children's Fund, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Micronutrient Initiative and other bodies. PMID:10361758

  2. College of Lake County National Workplace Literacy Program. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gee, Mary Kay

    The College of Lake County's 3-year National Workplace Literacy Program (1994-1997) contributed to economic development by meeting companies' changing educational and production needs as they fluctuated and met new challenges for global marketing and improvement. It assessed 883 employees at 8 business sites with customized assessment tools and…

  3. Improving the Nation's Climate Literacy through the Next Generation Science Standards

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grogan, M.; Niepold, F.; Ledley, T. S.; Gold, A. U.; Breslyn, W. G.; Carley, S.

    2013-12-01

    Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Science (2009) presented the information that is deemed important for individuals and communities to know and understand about Earth's climate, impacts of climate change, and approaches to adaptation or mitigation by a group of federal agencies, science and educational partners. These principles guided the development of the NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas (2012) and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS, 2013). National Science Foundation recently funded two partnership projects which support the implementation of the climate component of the NGSS using the Climate Literacy framework. The first project, the Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN), was launched in 2010 as a National Science Digital Library (NSDL) Pathways project. CLEAN's primary effort is to steward a collection of educational resources around energy and climate topics and foster a community that supports learning about climate and energy topics. CLEAN's focus has been to integrate the effective use of the educational resources across all grade levels - with a particular focus on the middle-school through undergraduate levels (grades 6-16) and align the resources with educational standards. The second project, the Maryland and Delaware Climate Change Education, Assessment and Research (MADE-CLEAR) program is supported by a Phase II Climate Change Education Partnership (CCEP) grant awarded to the University System of Maryland (USM) by the National Science Foundation. The MADE-CLEAR project's related goals are to support innovations in interdisciplinary P-20 (preschool through graduate school) climate change education, and develop new pathways for teacher education and professional development leading to expertise in climate change content and pedagogy. Work in Maryland, Delaware (MADE-CLEAR) and other states on the implementation of the NGSS, that will utilize the

  4. The U.S. National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy: A Model for Positive Organizational Change.

    PubMed

    Baur, Cynthia; Harris, Linda; Squire, Elizabeth

    2017-01-01

    This chapter presents the U.S. National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy and its unique contribution to public health and health care in the U.S. The chapter details what the National Action Plan is, how it evolved, and how it has influenced priorities for health literacy improvement work. Examples of how the National Action Plan fills policy and research gaps in health care and public health are included. The first part of the chapter lays the foundation for the development of the National Action Plan, and the second part discusses how it can stimulate positive organizational change to help create health literate organizations and move the nation towards a health literate society.

  5. Teachers' Perceptions of Integrating Information and Communication Technologies into Literacy Instruction: A National Survey in the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hutchison, Amy; Reinking, David

    2011-01-01

    This research explores literacy teachers' perceptions of integrating information communication technologies (ICTs) into literacy instruction. To this end, a national survey of 1,441 literacy teachers in the United States was conducted. The survey provided data concerning the types and levels of reported availability and use of ICTs, beliefs about…

  6. The Contribution of the Human Development Index Literacy Theory to the Debate on Literacy and Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biao, Idowu; Mogotsi, Kebadire; Maruatona, Tonic; Raditloaneng, Wapula; Tladi, Flora; Chawawa, Morgan; Kheru, Obakeng

    2014-01-01

    The Human Development Index Literacy (HDIL) theory was developed in 2011 to eliminate or minimise the negative impact of issues underlying the failure of previous literacy programmes in promoting socio-economic development. This theory was tested for the first time between July 2013 and February 2014 in two rural communities of Botswana. A…

  7. Developing Multi-Agency Teams: Implications of a National Programme Evaluation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simkins, Tim; Garrick, Ros

    2012-01-01

    This paper explores the factors which influence the effectiveness of formal development programmes targeted at multi-agency teams in children's services. It draws on two studies of the National College for School Leadership's Multi-Agency Teams Development programme, reporting key characteristics of the programme, short-term outcomes in terms of…

  8. Design of Chemical Literacy Assessment by Using Model of Educational Reconstruction (MER) on Solubility Topic

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yusmaita, E.; Nasra, Edi

    2018-04-01

    This research aims to produce instrument for measuring chemical literacy assessment in basic chemistry courses with solubility topic. The construction of this measuring instrument is adapted to the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) problem’s characteristics and the Syllaby of Basic Chemistry in KKNI-IndonesianNational Qualification Framework. The PISA is a cross-country study conducted periodically to monitor the outcomes of learners' achievement in each participating country. So far, studies conducted by PISA include reading literacy, mathematic literacy and scientific literacy. Refered to the scientific competence of the PISA study on science literacy, an assessment designed to measure the chemical literacy of the chemistry department’s students in UNP. The research model used is MER (Model of Educational Reconstruction). The validity and reliability values of discourse questions is measured using the software ANATES. Based on the acquisition of these values is obtained a valid and reliable chemical literacy questions.There are seven question items limited response on the topic of solubility with valid category, the acquisition value of test reliability is 0,86, and has a difficulty index and distinguishing good

  9. Evaluation of the national roll-out of parenting programmes across England: the parenting early intervention programme (PEIP)

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Evidence based parenting programmes can improve parenting skills and the behaviour of children exhibiting, or at risk of developing, antisocial behaviour. In order to develop a public policy for delivering these programmes it is necessary not only to demonstrate their efficacy through rigorous trials but also to determine that they can be rolled out on a large scale. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the UK government funded national implementation of its Parenting Early Intervention Programme, a national roll-out of parenting programmes for parents of children 8–13 years in all 152 local authorities (LAs) across England. Building upon our study of the Pathfinder (2006–08) implemented in 18 LAs. To the best of our knowledge this is the first comparative study of a national roll-out of parenting programmes and the first study of parents of children 8–13 years. Methods The UK government funded English LAs to implement one or more of five evidence based programmes (later increased to eight): Triple P, Incredible Years, Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities, Families and Schools Together (FAST), and the Strengthening Families Programme (10–14). Parents completed measures of parenting style (laxness and over-reactivity), and mental well-being, and also child behaviour at three time points: pre- and post-course and again one year later. Results 6143 parents from 43 LAs were included in the study of whom 3325 provided post-test data and 1035 parents provided data at one-year follow up. There were significant improvements for each programme, with effect sizes (Cohen’s d) for the combined sample of 0.72 parenting laxness, 0.85 parenting over-reactivity, 0.79 parent mental well-being, and 0.45 for child conduct problems. These improvements were largely maintained one year later. All four programmes for which we had sufficient data for comparison were effective. There were generally larger effects on both parent and child measures

  10. An oral health education programme based on the National Curriculum.

    PubMed

    Chapman, A; Copestake, S J; Duncan, K

    2006-01-01

    The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a teaching programme based on the national curriculum for use in a primary school setting. National Curriculum guidelines were combined with oral health education messages to draw up lesson plans for teachers to deliver. A questionnaire was used to demonstrate children's oral health knowledge prior to the teaching programme, and at 1 and 7 weeks following the programme. The study took place in inner-city, state-run primary schools in Manchester and North London, UK. The subjects were children between the ages of 7 and 8 years from Manchester (n = 58) and North London (n = 30). The main outcome measure was change in knowledge attributable to a newly developed teaching programme. The children in Manchester had a higher level of knowledge prior to the teaching programme. Following the teaching programme, children in both schools showed a significant improvement in dental health knowledge (P < 0.001). Seven weeks later, the Manchester children showed no significant loss of knowledge (P < 0.001). The aims of the National Curriculum were easily integrated with oral health messages. A more widely available teaching resource, such as the one described in this study, would be useful to encourage the teaching profession to take on oral health education without more costly input from dental professionals.

  11. Climate Leadership Literacy as a Component of Climate Literacy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kothavala, D. L.

    2014-12-01

    How can the 3rd National Climate Assessment be used to go beyond climate change literacy, to include literacy in climate leadership and its improvement? The National Climate Assessment refers to "no-regrets" strategies (i.e., beneficial despite uncertainty), such as, e.g., energy efficiency, cultivating networks, and growing our adaptive capacity. As we cultivate our capacity as a species to pivot, climate leadership performance and its improvement become legitimate - and essential - realms of research, planning, and practice. However, climate leadership across sectors is not yet well-articulated; and operationalizing literacy expressed as 'what to do' may be viewed as overtly prescriptive by scientists. This talk examines approaches and illustrative examples provided in the Climate Assessment at the scale of cities, states, and firms; along with key findings from the National Academies on communicating science to decision makers; in identifying factors to enhance literacy in climate leadership and performance.

  12. Guidance on the Organisation of the National Literacy Strategy in Reception Classes. The National Literacy Strategy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Department for Education and Employment, London (England).

    The importance of appropriate communication, language and literacy learning in the early years cannot be overestimated. Children who enter school with well-developed communication and literacy skills have a considerable advantage over those who have yet to start. In England, children enter Reception classes at different points throughout the…

  13. Family Literacy in Europe: Separate Agendas?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rose, Anthea; Atkin, Chris

    2007-01-01

    Family literacy programmes have become increasingly popular with policy-makers as a means of addressing low levels of adult literacy. It is believed that such initiatives will help to address social exclusion and aid greater economic participation by those in deprived communities or from disadvantaged sectors of society. The growing interest in…

  14. Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    August, Diane, Ed.; Shanahan, Timothy, Ed.

    2006-01-01

    This volume reports the findings of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth. The formal charge to the panel--a distinguished group of expert researchers in reading, language, bilingualism, research methods, and education--was to identify, assess, and synthesize research on the education of language-minority children and…

  15. Yough, literacy and participation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gillette, Arthur

    1985-12-01

    The number of illiterates in the world continues to grow. Simultaneously, there are few if any literacy efforts in the world today that do not depend upon the energies and skills (and sometimes ideas) of young people. Youth's participation in the provision of literacy, in some industrialized as well as in many developing countries, is classified according to three patterns: the project pattern, the programme pattern, and the campaign pattern. The project pattern is not seen to hold out the prospect of enabling youth to make serious inroads into growing illiteracy. Conversely, the campaign pattern seemed largely exceptional. Suggestions are made to draw on elements of both the project and the campaign patterns to show ways of enrichting, systematizing and generalizing the programme pattern.

  16. Transforming Our World: Literacy for Sustainable Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanemann, Ulrike, Ed.

    2015-01-01

    This compilation offers global examples of innovative and promising literacy and numeracy programmes that link the teaching and learning of literacy to sustainable development challenges such as health, social equality, economic empowerment and environmental sustainability. This publication is a timely contribution to the 2030 Agenda for…

  17. [The National Programme for Disease Management Guidelines. Goals, contents, patient involvement].

    PubMed

    Ollenschläger, G; Kopp, I; Lelgemann, M; Sänger, S; Klakow-Franck, R; Gibis, B; Gramsch, E; Jonitz, G

    2007-03-01

    The Programme for National Disease Management Guidelines (German DM-CPG Programme) aims at the implementation of best practice recommendations for prevention, acute care, rehabilitation and chronic care. The programme, focussing on high priority healthcare topics, has been sponsored since 2003 by the German Medical Association (BAEK), the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies (AWMF), and by the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV). It is organised by the German Agency for Quality in Medicine, a founding member of the Guidelines International Network (G-I-N). The main objective of the programme is to establish consensus of the medical professions on evidence-based key recommendations covering all sectors of health care provision and facilitating the coordination of care for the individual patient through time and across disciplines. Within this framework experts from national patient self-help groups have been developing patient guidance based upon the recommendations for healthcare providers. The article describes goals, topics and selected contents of the DM-CPG programme - using asthma as an example.

  18. "Literacy Lift-Off": An Experimental Evaluation of a Reading Recovery Programme on Literacy Skills and Reading Self-Concept

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Higgins, Edel; Fitzgerald, Johanna; Howard, Siobhán

    2015-01-01

    Worldwide, considerable emphasis is currently being placed on the provision of appropriate classroom-based preventative interventions and in-class literacy support, in preference to withdrawal methods of educational support. Many schools in Ireland are currently implementing Literacy Lift-Off in their classrooms. Literacy Lift-Off is an adaption…

  19. Literacy in an Information Society.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Breivik, Patricia Senn

    1991-01-01

    Today's definition of literacy must include the ability to find and evaluate needed information. Proposes a national literacy agenda to change the way information is used in educational settings and provide greater access to expanding information resources. Considers information literacy a means of personal and national empowerment. (DMM)

  20. National Forum on Adult Education and Literacy: Views from Adult Learners (Washington, D.C., September 1997).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Office of Vocational and Adult Education (ED), Washington, DC. Div. of Adult Education and Literacy.

    A national forum was conducted in September 1997 to obtain the views of former and current students in adult literacy education programs about challenges they faced and ways to facilitate success for future students. The thoughts of 57 literacy delegates from 44 states were elicited on 4 topics: participants' hopes and expectations; accessibility…

  1. Testing or Transforming Practice: Probing an Icelandic National Initiative to Improve Literacy Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sigþórsson, Rúnar

    2017-01-01

    In the wake of a White Paper on Education Reform, published in 2014 by the Icelandic Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, the minister launched a national initiative to improve literacy education in Icelandic compulsory schools. The White Paper and the national initiative came as a reaction to the disappointing performance of 15-year-olds…

  2. Year 6 Planning Exemplification, 2002-2003. The National Literacy Strategy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Department for Education and Skills, London (England).

    This booklet contains examples of units of work for teaching children in Year 6 as part of the National Literacy Strategy. The seven units are drawn from all three terms in Year 6. Some of the units were written for the Year 6 Exemplification booklets in 2001-2002 and are reproduced in this publication with supplementary resources and/or guidance.…

  3. Interactive Whole Class Teaching in the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Fay; Hardman, Frank; Wall, Kate; Mroz, Maria

    2004-01-01

    The study set out to investigate the impact of the official endorsement of 'interactive whole class teaching' on the interaction and discourse styles of primary teachers while teaching the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. In both strategies, interactive whole class teaching is seen as an 'active teaching' model promoting high quality…

  4. The Impact of Interactive Whiteboards on Teacher--Pupil Interaction in the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Fay; Hardman, Frank; Higgins, Steve

    2006-01-01

    The study set out to investigate the impact of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) on teacher--pupil interaction at Key Stage 2 in the teaching of literacy and numeracy. As part of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, IWBs have been made widely available as a pedagogic tool for promoting interactive whole class teaching. In order to…

  5. The United Nations programme on space applications: priority thematic areas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haubold, H.

    The Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III) was held in 1999 with efforts to identify world wide benefits of developing space science and technology, particularly in the developing nations. One of the main vehicles to implement recommendations of UNISPACE III is the United Nations Programme on Space Applications of the Office for Outer Space Affairs at UN Headquarters in Vienna. Following a process of prioritization by Member States, the Programme focus its activities on (i) knowledge-based themes as space law and basic space science, (ii) application-based themes as disaster management, natural resources management, environmental monitoring, tele-health, and (iii) enabling technologies such as remote sensing satellites, communications satellites, global navigation satellite systems, and small satellites. Current activities of the Programme will be reviewed. Further information available at http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/sapidx.html

  6. Selected South African Grade 10 Learners' Perceptions of Two Learning Areas: Mathematical Literacy and Life Orientation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Geldenhuys, J. L.; Kruger, C.; Moss, J.

    2013-01-01

    In 2006, Mathematical Literacy (ML) and Life Orientation (LO) were introduced into South Africa's Grade 10 national curriculum. The implementation of the ML programme in schools stemmed from a need to improve the level of numeracy of the general population of South Africa, while LO was introduced to equip learners to solve problems and to make…

  7. The National Institute for Health Research Leadership Programme

    PubMed Central

    Jones, Molly Morgan; Wamae, Watu; Fry, Caroline Viola; Kennie, Tom; Chataway, Joanna

    2012-01-01

    Abstract RAND Europe evaluated the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Leadership Programme in an effort to help the English Department of Health consider the extent to which the programme has helped to foster NIHR's aims, extract lessons for the future, and develop plans for the next phase of the leadership programme. Successful delivery of high-quality health research requires not only an effective research base, but also a system of leadership supporting it. However, research leaders are not often given the opportunity, nor do they have the time, to attend formal leadership or management training programmes. This is unfortunate because research has shown that leadership training can have a hugely beneficial effect on an organisation. Therefore, the evaluation has a particular interest in understanding the role of the programme as a science policy intervention and will use its expertise in science policy analysis to consider this element alongside other, more traditional, measures of evaluation. PMID:28083231

  8. Literacy in Multilingual and Multicultural Contexts: Effective Approaches to Adult Learning and Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanemann, Ulrike, Ed.; Scarpino, Cassandra, Ed.

    2016-01-01

    This compilation includes programmes which promote language and culture as resources and see them as an added value rather than a challenge for literacy teaching and learning. It also includes programmes designed to support migrants and refugees by equipping them for integration into mainstream society while strengthening their literacy skills in…

  9. Literacy Learning in Limpopo--A Multilingual Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cherian, Lily; Du Toit, Cecilia

    2008-01-01

    This article is a report on research conducted to support the development of a multilingual literacy learning software programme for adult learners in rural Limpopo Province, South Africa. The topic of inquiry for the research was literacy learning in a multilingual environment, with special attention paid to attitudinal and metacognitive aspects.…

  10. Toward Defining Literacy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Venezky, Richard L., Ed.; And Others

    This collection of four papers (each with a response) given at a 1987 symposium focuses on a renewed consideration of literacy in America and its implications for national, state, and local policy. The papers include "Definitions of Literacy" (Richard L. Venezky); "Literacy for What Purpose?" (Larry Mikulecky); "Measuring…

  11. Literacy: Tool for Empowering Women.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations, New York, NY. Office of Public Information.

    About two-thirds of the 963 million people in the world who cannot read and write are women, according to the United Nations. Women who are illiterate cannot pass on literacy skills to their children. The United Nations proclaimed 1990 International Literacy Year and conducted conferences for literacy. Education for women and girls was designated…

  12. Perspectives on Family Literacy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Literacy Assistance Center, New York, NY.

    This joint publication of the journals of the Literacy Assistance Center (LAC) and the National Even Start Association (NESA) focuses on innovative practices and theory in family literacy education, offers an array of perspectives to members of the literacy community, and critically examines some assumptions about literacy in general, as well as…

  13. Orchestrating Literacies: Print Literacy Learning Opportunities within Multimodal Intergenerational Ensembles

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKee, Lori L.; Heydon, Rachel M.

    2015-01-01

    This exploratory case study considered the opportunities for print literacy learning within multimodal ensembles that featured art, singing and digital media within the context of an intergenerational programme that brought together 13 kindergarten children (4 and 5 years) with seven elder companions. Study questions concerned how reading and…

  14. Technical Report and Data File User's Manual for the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kirsch, Irwin; Yamamoto, Kentaro; Norris, Norma; Rock, Donald; Jungeblut, Ann; O'Reilly, Patricia; Berlin, Martha; Mohadjer, Leyla; Waksberg, Joseph; Goksel, Huseyin; Burke, John; Rieger, Susan; Green, James; Klein, Merle; Campbell, Anne; Jenkins, Lynn; Kolstad, Andrew; Mosenthal, Peter; Baldi, Stephane

    Chapter 1 of this report and user's manual describes design and implementation of the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS). Chapter 2 reviews stages of sampling for national and state survey components; presents weighted and unweighted response rates for the household component; and describes non-incentive and prison sample designs. Chapter…

  15. Cognitive and Social Perspectives for Literacy Research and Instruction. Thirty-Eighth Yearbook of the National Reading Conference.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCormick, Sandra, Ed.; Zutell, Jerry, Ed.

    This yearbook contains 59 selected articles from the National Reading Conference for 1988 which represent a diversity of topics explored through a variety of research paradigms designed to increase understanding of the critical issues of language and literacy. Included in the collection are "Political and Economic Dimensions of Literacy:…

  16. The Surprising Effectiveness of College Scientific Literacy Courses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hobson, Art

    2008-10-01

    Research by Jon Miller, professor of Interdisciplinary Studies and director of the International Center for Scientific Literacy at Michigan State University, shows that the U.S. scientific literacy course requirements for nonscience college students pull the United States into second place in international rankings of adult scientific literacy. This despite the poor science scores of U.S. primary and secondary school students as compared with other nations. The far lower adult scientific literacy rankings of most European nations and other industrialized nations appear to be due to the lack of any such college scientific literacy requirement in those nations. Instituting such a requirement in all nations, and improving the quality and quantity of such courses on U.S. campuses, would increase global scientific literacy significantly, arguably doubling Europe's scientific literacy rate. In view of this result and today's crying need for scientific literacy, physics educators should make physics for nonscientists their top priority.

  17. Meeting the Challenges of Literacy Difficulties: Developing a Qualification for Specialist Literacy Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Limbrick, Libby; Parkhill, Faye; Smith, John

    In 2001, the New Zealand Ministry of Education awarded a contract to a consortium of three colleges of education to provide a training program that would lead to a new national literacy qualification for a newly developed specialist literacy teaching position--Resource Teacher: Literacy. Resource Teachers of Literacy are skilled and experienced…

  18. Young Readers Programme Evaluation 2015/2016

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pabion, Clémence; Clark, Christina

    2016-01-01

    The Young Readers Programme (YRP) motivates children to read for enjoyment by running a series of three literacy-focused events, teaching children strategies to choose books that are right for them, and showing them that reading can be enjoyable. One of the most effective ways of developing children's literacy skills is to engage them in reading…

  19. Marking Physical Literacy or Missing the Mark on Physical Literacy? A Conceptual Critique of Canada's Physical Literacy Assessment Instruments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, Daniel B.; Randall, Lynn

    2017-01-01

    Margaret Whitehead first introduced the concept of physical literacy over 20 years ago. Since that introduction, physical literacy has been gaining in popularity within many Western physical education and sport contexts. This is particularly true within Canada, where physical literacy has been embraced by two of the nation's most notable national…

  20. Optimizing carbapenem use through a national quality improvement programme.

    PubMed

    Robson, Siân E; Cockburn, Alison; Sneddon, Jacqueline; Mohana, Abdulrhman; Bennie, Marion; Mullen, Alexander B; Malcolm, William; Armstrong, Jennifer; Patton, Andrea; Seaton, Ronald Andrew

    2018-05-24

    Concern about increasing carbapenem and piperacillin/tazobactam use led the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (SAPG) to develop national guidance on optimal use of these agents, and to implement a quality improvement programme to assess the impact of guidance on practice. To evaluate how SAPG guidance had been implemented by health boards, assess how this translated into clinical practice, and investigate clinicians' views and behaviours about prescribing carbapenems and alternative agents. Local implementation of SAPG guidance was assessed using an online survey. A bespoke point prevalence survey was used to evaluate prescribing. Clinicians' experience of using carbapenems and alternatives was examined through semi-structured interviews. National prescribing data were analysed to assess the impact of the programme. There were greater local restrictions for carbapenems than for piperacillin/tazobactam. Laboratory result suppression was inconsistent between boards and carbapenem-sparing antibiotics were not widely available. Compliance with local guidelines was good for meropenem but lower for piperacillin/tazobactam. Indication for use was well documented but review/stop dates were poorly documented for both antibiotics. Decisions to prescribe a carbapenem were influenced by local guidelines and specialist advice. Many clinicians lacked confidence to de-escalate treatment. Use of both antibiotics decreased during the course of the programme. A multifaceted quality improvement programme was used to gather intelligence, promote behaviour change, and focus interventions on the use of carbapenems and piperacillin/tazobactam. Use of these antimicrobials decreased during the programme-a trend not seen elsewhere in Europe. The programme could be generalized to other antimicrobials.

  1. IQ variations across time, race, and nationality: an artifact of differences in literacy skills.

    PubMed

    Marks, David F

    2010-06-01

    A body of data on IQ collected over 50 years has revealed that average population IQ varies across time, race, and nationality. An explanation for these differences may be that intelligence test performance requires literacy skills not present in all people to the same extent. In eight analyses, population mean full scale IQ and literacy scores yielded correlations ranging from .79 to .99. In cohort studies, significantly larger improvements in IQ occurred in the lower half of the IQ distribution, affecting the distribution variance and skewness in the predicted manner. In addition, three Verbal subscales on the WAIS show the largest Flynn effect sizes and all four Verbal subscales are among those showing the highest racial IQ differences. This pattern of findings supports the hypothesis that both secular and racial differences in intelligence test scores have an environmental explanation: secular and racial differences in IQ are an artifact of variation in literacy skills. These findings suggest that racial IQ distributions will converge if opportunities are equalized for different population groups to achieve the same high level of literacy skills. Social justice requires more effective implementation of policies and programs designed to eliminate inequities in IQ and literacy.

  2. Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth. Executive Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    August, Diane, Ed.; Shanahan, Timothy, Ed.

    2006-01-01

    Teaching language-minority students to read and write well in English is an urgent challenge in the nation's K-12 schools. Literacy in English is essential to achievement in every academic subject-and to educational and economic opportunities beyond schooling. Compounding this challenge are increasing numbers and diversity of language-minority…

  3. Literacy in the 21st century: Towards a dynamic nexus of social relations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benavot, Aaron

    2015-06-01

    Literacy is an essential means of communication. It enables individuals, communities and institutions to interact, over time and across space, as they develop a web of social relations via language. Effective literacy policies, programmes and practices expand the scale of social communication and interaction. Thus, literacy thrives when a state of connectedness - or social nexus of relations - is forged and sustained among individuals, households, communities and social institutions. This paper provides an overview of recent literacy trends and challenges as well as core aspects of the policy strategies which seek to address them. It reviews the main barriers or complicating factors which limit the effective implementation of literacy policies. The paper describes how the notion of non-formal education, which frames many scholarly and policy accounts of adult literacy work today, is under-conceptualised. One result of this is a relatively undifferentiated view of literacy programmes and their specific non-formal components. The author argues that the concept of the social nexus of literacy is implicit in many analyses of literacy policies and strategies. Thus, well-defined, context-specific and sharply conceived literacy policies, which enhance the social nexus of literacy, are crucial for improving the effectiveness of literacy work.

  4. Forces Changing Our Nation's Future: The Comparative Performance of U.S. Adults and Youth on International Literacy Assessments, the Importance of Literacy/Numeracy Proficiencies for Labor Market Success, and the Projected Outlook for Literacy Proficiencies of U.S. Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sum, Andrew

    2007-01-01

    This presentation is devoted to four main topics: (1) the comparative performance of U.S. adults and high school students on international literacy assessments; (2) the literacy/numeracy proficiencies of the nation's adults in different educational groups and among those who recently participated in federally-funded adult education programs; (3)…

  5. Assessing the Nation's Literacy: A State Policy Primer.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Governors' Association, Washington, DC.

    This primer is designed to provide a step-by-step guide for state policymakers and state agency officials interested in assessing the literacy skills of the people of their state. Chapter 1 describes the importance of assessing the literacy skills in each state. Literacy is discussed as an economic necessity, a requirement for a healthy democracy,…

  6. Moving toward Collective Impact in Climate Change Literacy: The Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ledley, Tamara Shapiro; Gold, Anne U.; Niepold, Frank; McCaffrey, Mark

    2014-01-01

    In recent years, various climate change education efforts have been launched, including federally (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Science Foundation, etc.) and privately funded projects. In addition, climate literacy and energy literacy frameworks have been developed and…

  7. United Nations Environment Programme. Annual Review 1981.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi (Kenya).

    This edition of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) annual report is structured in three parts. Part 1 focuses on three contemporary problems (ground water, toxic chemicals and human food chains and environmental economics) and attempts to solve them. Also included is a modified extract of "The Annual State of the Environment…

  8. Literacy in Indigenous Communities. Research Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Broekhuizen, L. David

    In this research synthesis, notions of literacy from a variety of inclusive rather than exclusive perspectives are presented. Notions of national literacies, mother-tongue literacies, multiple literacies, and bi-literacies are explored. Information and research pertaining to threatened languages, language shift, and language loss is presented,…

  9. Skills for Life: Statement on the National Strategy for Improving Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills. The Agency Responds.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rogers, Penny, Ed.

    England's Learning and Skills Development Agency welcomes the introduction of a coherent national funding and delivery strategy for adult literacy, numeracy, and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). The agency believes that the strategy should incorporate the lessons of previous literacy and numeracy initiatives and build on examples of…

  10. The expansion and performance of national newborn screening programmes for cystic fibrosis in Europe.

    PubMed

    Barben, Jürg; Castellani, Carlo; Dankert-Roelse, Jeannette; Gartner, Silvia; Kashirskaya, Nataliya; Linnane, Barry; Mayell, Sarah; Munck, Anne; Sands, Dorota; Sommerburg, Olaf; Pybus, Simon; Winters, Victoria; Southern, Kevin W

    2017-03-01

    Newborn screening (NBS) for cystic fibrosis (CF) is a well-established public health strategy with international standards. The aim of this study was to provide an update on NBS for CF in Europe and assess performance against the standards. Questionnaires were sent to key workers in each European country. In 2016, there were 17 national programmes, 4 countries with regional programmes and 25 countries not screening in Europe. All national programmes employed different protocols, with IRT-DNA the most common strategy. Five countries were not using DNA analysis. In addition, the processing and structure of programmes varied considerably. Most programmes were achieving the ECFS standards with respect to timeliness, but were less successful with respect to sensitivity and specificity. There has been a steady increase in national CF NBS programmes across Europe with variable strategies and outcomes that reflect the different approaches. Copyright © 2016 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Literacy in South America.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hornberger, Nancy H.

    1991-01-01

    Literacy in South America must be understood in terms of the linguistic diversity there, where only 2 of 14 nations and territories are monolingual. Oral traditions, standardization of indigenous languages, nonstandard varieties of colonial languages, bilingual education and mother tongue literacy, literacy teaching, and politics are discussed.…

  12. National tuberculosis programme review: experience over the period 1990-95.

    PubMed Central

    Pio, A.; Luelmo, F.; Kumaresan, J.; Spinaci, S.

    1997-01-01

    Since 1990 the WHO Global Tuberculosis Programme (GTB) has promoted the revision of national tuberculosis programmes to strengthen the focus on directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS) and close monitoring of treatment outcomes. GTB has encouraged in-depth evaluation of activities through a comprehensive programme review. Over the period 1990-95, WHO supported 12 such programme reviews. The criteria for selection were as follows: large population (Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Thailand); good prospects of developing a model programme for a region (Nepal, Zimbabwe); or at advanced stage of implementation of a model programme for a region (Guinea, Peru). The estimated combined incidence of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis was 82 per 100,000 population, about 43% of the global incidence. The prevalence of infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was variable, being very high in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, but negligible in Bangladesh, China, Nepal and Peru. The programme reviews were conducted by teams of 15-35 experts representing a wide range of national and external institutions. After a 2-3-month preparatory period, the conduct of the review usually lasted 2-3 weeks, including a first phase of meetings with authorities and review of documents, a second phase for field visits, and a third phase of discussion of findings and recommendations. The main lessons learned from the programme reviews were as follows: programme review is a useful tool to secure government commitment, reorient the tuberculosis control policies and replan the activities on solid grounds; the involvement of public health and academic institutions, cooperating agencies, and nongovernmental organizations secured a broad support to the new policies; programme success is linked to a centralized direction which supports a decentralized implementation through the primary health care services; monitoring and evaluation of case management functions

  13. National tuberculosis programme review: experience over the period 1990-95.

    PubMed

    Pio, A; Luelmo, F; Kumaresan, J; Spinaci, S

    1997-01-01

    Since 1990 the WHO Global Tuberculosis Programme (GTB) has promoted the revision of national tuberculosis programmes to strengthen the focus on directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS) and close monitoring of treatment outcomes. GTB has encouraged in-depth evaluation of activities through a comprehensive programme review. Over the period 1990-95, WHO supported 12 such programme reviews. The criteria for selection were as follows: large population (Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Thailand); good prospects of developing a model programme for a region (Nepal, Zimbabwe); or at advanced stage of implementation of a model programme for a region (Guinea, Peru). The estimated combined incidence of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis was 82 per 100,000 population, about 43% of the global incidence. The prevalence of infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was variable, being very high in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, but negligible in Bangladesh, China, Nepal and Peru. The programme reviews were conducted by teams of 15-35 experts representing a wide range of national and external institutions. After a 2-3-month preparatory period, the conduct of the review usually lasted 2-3 weeks, including a first phase of meetings with authorities and review of documents, a second phase for field visits, and a third phase of discussion of findings and recommendations. The main lessons learned from the programme reviews were as follows: programme review is a useful tool to secure government commitment, reorient the tuberculosis control policies and replan the activities on solid grounds; the involvement of public health and academic institutions, cooperating agencies, and nongovernmental organizations secured a broad support to the new policies; programme success is linked to a centralized direction which supports a decentralized implementation through the primary health care services; monitoring and evaluation of case management functions

  14. 2014 Abridged Technology and Engineering Literacy Framework for the 2014 National Assessment of Educational Progress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Assessment Governing Board, 2014

    2014-01-01

    Due to the growing importance of technology and engineering in the educational landscape, and to support America's ability to contribute to and compete in a global economy, the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) initiated development of the first NAEP Technology and Engineering Literacy (TEL) Assessment. Relating to national efforts in…

  15. Small Satellites and the Nigerian National Space Programme

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Borroffice, Robert; Chizea, Francis; Sun, Wei; Sweeting, Martin, , Sir

    2002-01-01

    Space technology and access to space have been elusive to most developing countries over the last half of the 21st century, which is attributed to very low par capital income and the lack of awareness of policy/decision makers about the role of space technology in national development. Space technology was seen as very expensive and prestigious, meant only for the major industrialized countries, while the developing countries should focus on building their national economy and providing food, shelter and other social amenities for their ever-growing populations. In the last decade, the trend has changed with many developing countries embracing spaced technology as one of the major ways of achieving sustainable development. The present trend towards the use of small satellites in meeting national needs has aided this transition because, apart from the small size, they are cheaper to build and to launch, with shorter development time, lower complexity, improved effectiveness and reduced operating costs. This in turn has made them more affordable and has opened up new avenues for the acquisition of satellite technology. The collaborative work between National Space Research and Development Agency of Nigeria (NASRDA) and Surrey Satellite and Technology Limited (SSTL) is a programme aimed at building two small satellites as a way of kick- starting the national space programme. The first project, NigeriaSAT-1, is an enhanced microsatellite carrying Earth observation payloads able to provide 32 metre GSD 3 band multispectral images with a 600km swath width. NigeriaSAT-1 is one of six microsatellites forming the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) alongside microsatellites contributed by Algeria, China, Turkey, Thailand and UK. Through participation in this international constellation, Nigeria will be able to receive images with a daily revisit worldwide. The EO images generated by NigeriaSAT-1 and the partner microsatellites will be used for providing rapid coverage

  16. Sustainability of recurrent expenditure on public social welfare programmes: expenditure analysis of the free maternal care programme of the Ghana National Health Insurance Scheme.

    PubMed

    Ankrah Odame, Emmanuel; Akweongo, Patricia; Yankah, Ben; Asenso-Boadi, Francis; Agyepong, Irene

    2014-05-01

    Sustainability of public social welfare programmes has long been of concern in development circles. An important aspect of sustainability is the ability to sustain the recurrent financial costs of programmes. A free maternal care programme (FMCP) was launched under the Ghana National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in 2008 with a start-up grant from the British Government. This article examines claims expenditure under the programme and the implications for the financial sustainability of the programme, and the lessons for donor and public financing of social welfare programmes. Records of reimbursement claims for services and medicines by women benefitting from the policy in participating facilities in one sub-metropolis in Ghana were analysed to gain an understanding of the expenditure on this programme at facility level. National level financial inflow and outflow (expenditure) data of the NHIS, related to implementation of this policy for 2008 and 2009, were reviewed to put the facility-based data in the national perspective. A total of US$936 450.94 was spent in 2009 by the scheme on FMCP in the sub-metropolis. The NHIS expenditure on the programme for the entire country in 2009 was US$49.25 million, exceeding the British grant of US$10.00 million given for that year. Subsequently, the programme has been entirely financed by the National Health Insurance Fund. The rapidly increasing, recurrent demands on this fund from the maternal delivery exemption programme-without a commensurate growth on the amounts generated annually-is an increasing threat to the sustainability of the fund. Provision of donor start-up funding for programmes with high recurrent expenditures, under the expectation that government will take over and sustain the programme, must be accompanied by clear long-term analysis and planning as to how government will sustain the programme.

  17. Embedding operational research into national disease control programme: lessons from 10 years of experience in Indonesia

    PubMed Central

    Mahendradhata, Yodi; Probandari, Ari; Widjanarko, Bagoes; Riono, Pandu; Mustikawati, Dyah; Tiemersma, Edine W.; Alisjahbana, Bachti

    2014-01-01

    There is growing recognition that operational research (OR) should be embedded into national disease control programmes. However, much of the current OR capacity building schemes are still predominantly driven by international agencies with limited integration into national disease control programmes. We demonstrated that it is possible to achieve a more sustainable capacity building effort across the country by establishing an OR group within the national tuberculosis (TB) control programme in Indonesia. Key challenges identified include long-term financial support, limited number of scientific publications, and difficulties in documenting impact on programmatic performance. External evaluation has expressed concerns in regard to utilisation of OR in policy making. Efforts to address this concern have been introduced recently and led to indications of increased utilisation of research evidence in policy making by the national TB control programme. Embedding OR in national disease control programmes is key in establishing an evidence-based disease control programme. PMID:25361728

  18. Mental health literacy as a function of remoteness of residence: an Australian national study.

    PubMed

    Griffiths, Kathleen M; Christensen, Helen; Jorm, Anthony F

    2009-03-27

    Although there have been many population studies of mental health literacy, little is known about the mental health literacy of people who reside in rural areas. This study sought to determine the impact of remoteness on public knowledge of depression and schizophrenia. The mental health literacy of residents of major cities, inner regional, and outer-remote (including outer regional, remote, and very remote) regions were compared using data from a 2003-04 Australian national survey of the mental health literacy of 3998 adults. Measures included the perceived helpfulness of a range of professionals, non-professionals and interventions, and the causes, prognosis, and outcomes after treatment for four case vignettes describing depression, depression with suicidal ideation, early schizophrenia and chronic schizophrenia. Participant awareness of Australia's national depression initiative and depression in the media, their symptoms of depression and exposure to the conditions depicted in the vignettes were also compared. Mental health literacy was similar across remoteness categories. However, inner regional residents showed superior identification of the disorders depicted in the suicidal ideation and chronic schizophrenia vignettes. They were also more likely to report having heard of Australia's national depression health promotion campaign. Conversely, they were less likely than major city residents to rate the evidence-based treatment of psychotherapy helpful for depression. Both inner regional and outer-remote residents were less likely to rate psychologists as helpful for depression alone. The rural groups were more likely to rate the non-evidence based interventions of drinking and painkillers as helpful for a depression vignette. In addition, outer-remote residents were more likely to identify the evidence based treatment of antipsychotics as harmful for early schizophrenia and less likely to endorse psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and general

  19. Mental health literacy as a function of remoteness of residence: an Australian national study

    PubMed Central

    Griffiths, Kathleen M; Christensen, Helen; Jorm, Anthony F

    2009-01-01

    Background Although there have been many population studies of mental health literacy, little is known about the mental health literacy of people who reside in rural areas. This study sought to determine the impact of remoteness on public knowledge of depression and schizophrenia. Methods The mental health literacy of residents of major cities, inner regional, and outer-remote (including outer regional, remote, and very remote) regions were compared using data from a 2003–04 Australian national survey of the mental health literacy of 3998 adults. Measures included the perceived helpfulness of a range of professionals, non-professionals and interventions, and the causes, prognosis, and outcomes after treatment for four case vignettes describing depression, depression with suicidal ideation, early schizophrenia and chronic schizophrenia. Participant awareness of Australia's national depression initiative and depression in the media, their symptoms of depression and exposure to the conditions depicted in the vignettes were also compared. Results Mental health literacy was similar across remoteness categories. However, inner regional residents showed superior identification of the disorders depicted in the suicidal ideation and chronic schizophrenia vignettes. They were also more likely to report having heard of Australia's national depression health promotion campaign. Conversely, they were less likely than major city residents to rate the evidence-based treatment of psychotherapy helpful for depression. Both inner regional and outer-remote residents were less likely to rate psychologists as helpful for depression alone. The rural groups were more likely to rate the non-evidence based interventions of drinking and painkillers as helpful for a depression vignette. In addition, outer-remote residents were more likely to identify the evidence based treatment of antipsychotics as harmful for early schizophrenia and less likely to endorse psychiatrists, psychologists

  20. Literacy for Living Conference Papers. Australian Council for Adult Literacy National Conference (12th, Brisbane, Australia, 1988).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Norton, Marian, Ed.

    This document contains 43 papers on many aspects of adult literacy: "Literacy, Human Rights and Equality of Opportunity" (Einfeld); "Overcoming Illiteracy" (Marquet); "The Literacy Issue" (Crocker); "Literacy and Civil Liberties" (O'Gorman); "Designing a Tutor Training Program for Tutors of ESL"…

  1. Emergent Literacy as Sociocultural Practice: How Well Do New Zealand Parents Fit with "Te Whariki?"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Qilong

    2017-01-01

    A sociocultural approach to emergent literacy and growing concerns over the de-emphasis on literacy of the New Zealand early childhood education curriculum "Te Whariki" call for locally situated emergent literacy programmes co-constructed by teachers, parents and children. While teachers' approach to emergent literacy takes centre stage…

  2. Individual-level outcomes from a national clinical leadership development programme.

    PubMed

    Patton, Declan; Fealy, Gerard; McNamara, Martin; Casey, Mary; Connor, Tom O; Doyle, Louise; Quinlan, Christina

    2013-08-01

    A national clinical leadership development programme was instituted for Irish nurses and midwives in 2010. Incorporating a development framework and leadership pathway and a range of bespoke interventions for leadership development, including workshops, action-learning sets, mentoring and coaching, the programme was introduced at seven pilot sites in the second half of 2011. The programme pilot was evaluated with reference to structure, process and outcomes elements, including individual-level programme outcomes. Evaluation data were generated through focus groups and group interviews, individual interviews and written submissions. The data provided evidence of nurses' and midwives' clinical leadership development through self and observer-reported behaviours and dispositions including accounts of how the programme participants developed and displayed particular clinical leadership competencies. A key strength of the new programme was that it involved interventions that focussed on specific leadership competencies to be developed within the practice context.

  3. Development of Mathematical Literacy: Results of an Empirical Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaiser, Gabriele; Willander, Torben

    2005-01-01

    In the paper the results of an empirical study, which has evaluated the development of mathematical literacy in an innovative teaching programme, are presented. The theoretical approach of mathematical literacy relies strongly on applications and modelling and the study follows the approach of R. Bybee, who develops a theoretical concept of…

  4. How To Prepare Materials for Neo-Literates. Literacy Lessons.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sasaoka, Taichi

    Literacy materials are either for illiterate people or for neoliterate people (those who have attained limited literacy but might easily relapse if they do not practice reading with appropriate materials). Thirty-five kinds of prototype materials for neoliterate persons have been developed by the Asian/Pacific Joint Production Programme of…

  5. Beyond Decoding: Literacy and Libraries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bookmark, 1992

    1992-01-01

    This issue contains 21 articles discussing library-sponsored literacy programs, tutoring and programming techniques, and state and national efforts. The articles include: (1) "Beyond Decoding: Literacy and Libraries--Introduction" (Amy Spaulding); (2) "Libraries: Natural Centers for Literacy" (Jacqueline Cook); (3) "Kids…

  6. There are calls for a national screening programme for prostate cancer: what is the evidence to justify such a national screening programme?

    PubMed

    Green, A; Tait, C; Aboumarzouk, O; Somani, B K; Cohen, N P

    2013-05-01

    Prostate cancer is the commonest cancer in men and a major health issue worldwide. Screening for early disease has been available for many years, but there is still no national screening programme established in the United Kingdom. To assess the latest evidence regarding prostate cancer screening and whether it meets the necessary requirements to be established as a national programme for all men. Electronic databases and library catalogues were searched electronically and manual retrieval was performed. Only primary research results were used for the analysis. In recent years, several important randomised controlled trials have produced varied outcomes. In Europe the largest study thus far concluded that screening reduced prostate cancer mortality by 20%. On the contrary, a large American trial found no reduction in mortality after 7-10 years follow-up. Most studies comment on the adverse effects of screening - principally those of overdiagnosis and subsequent overtreatment. Further information about the natural history of prostate cancer and accuracy of screening is needed before a screening programme can be truly justified. In the interim, doctors and patients should discuss the risks, benefits and sequelae of taking part in voluntary screening for prostate cancer.

  7. Federal Literacy Facts: An Update on Literacy-Related Developments at the National Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Movement for Canadian Literacy, 2004

    2004-01-01

    This January 2004 issue of "Federal Literacy Facts" contains the following sections: (1) "HRDC splits into two"; (2) "Paul Martin's Promise: Is it good news for literacy?"; (3) Busy months ahead: expect a Throne speech, a federal budget and an election this spring!"; (4) "Finance Minister Ralph Goodale:…

  8. Health Literacy and Social Capital: What Role for Adult Literacy Partnerships and Pedagogy?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Black, Stephen; Balatti, Jo; Falk, Ian

    2013-01-01

    This paper makes the case for adult literacy (including numeracy) practitioners to play a greater role in health literacy initiatives in Australia. The paper draws on data from a national research project that investigated adult literacy partnerships and pedagogy viewed from a social capital perspective. The primary purpose of the project was to…

  9. Literacy in the 21st Century: Towards a Dynamic Nexus of Social Relations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benavot, Aaron

    2015-01-01

    Literacy is an essential means of communication. It enables individuals, communities and institutions to interact, over time and across space, as they develop a web of social relations via language. Effective literacy policies, programmes and practices expand the scale of social communication and interaction. Thus, literacy thrives when a state of…

  10. Issues and Trends in Literacy Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, Richard D., Ed.; And Others

    Developed with practicing teachers in mind, this book presents reprints of 22 articles and excerpts from longer works that deal with the most significant trends and issues facing literacy educators--whole language, phonics, literacy materials, emergent literacy, spelling, assessment, content literacy, vocabulary instruction, national standards,…

  11. Developing information literacy with first year oral health students.

    PubMed

    Ford, P J; Foxlee, N; Green, W

    2009-02-01

    In this time of rapid expansion of the scientific knowledge base, subject matter runs the risk of becoming outdated within a relatively short time. Instead of adding more content to already crowded curricula, the focus should be on equipping students to adapt to their changing world. The ability to access, evaluate and apply new knowledge for the benefit of patients has been acknowledged as an important goal for dental education. Information literacy is key to achieving this. An information literacy programme for first year oral health students was instituted. This was integrated within a biosciences course and linked with its assessment. Small group instruction reinforced by the use of a tailored online Assignment Guide was used in the context of a specific task. Effectiveness was measured in terms of assessment outcome, processes used and student experience. Twenty-seven students participated in the intervention which was effective in enhancing foundation literacy skills and confidence of students in accessing and evaluating information sources in the context of a clinical problem. Improvement in higher level literacy skills required to articulate this information in the synthesis of a scientific review was not demonstrated. Integration of this information literacy programme within the learning activities and assessment of a basic sciences course resulted in significantly enhanced information literacy skills. As this is highly relevant for higher education students in general, the wider promotion of information literacy should be encouraged.

  12. Studying Students' Science Literacy: Non-Scientific Beliefs and Science Literacy Measures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Impey, C.; Buxner, S.

    2015-11-01

    We have been conducting a study of university students' science literacy for the past 24 years. Based on the work of the National Science Board's ongoing national survey of the US public, we have administered the same survey to undergraduate science students at the University of Arizona almost every year since 1989. Results have shown relatively little change in students' overall science literacy, descriptions of science, and knowledge of basic science topics for almost a quarter of a century despite an increase in education interventions, the rise of the internet, and increased access to knowledge. Several trends do exist in students' science literacy and descriptions of science. Students who exhibit beliefs in non-scientific phenomenon (e.g., lucky numbers, creationism) consistently have lower science literacy scores and less correct descriptions of scientific phenomenon. Although not surprising, our results support ongoing efforts to help students generate evidence based thinking.

  13. National Museum of American History's OurStory Program: History, Literature, and Civic Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coquillon, Naomi; Wei, Jenny

    2011-01-01

    In 1998, the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center launched OurStory: History through Children's Literature, a history and literacy program series for family visitors to the Museum that was designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together. Ten years later, to reach a broader, national…

  14. Literacy in India and the Example of Kerala (Changes in Literacy).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chandran, K. Narayana

    1994-01-01

    Discusses the National Literacy Mission (NLM) launched in 1988 in India. Notes the barriers to successful campaigns for literacy in India. Describes the reasons for the particularly successful campaign in the state of Kerala, including the fact that it was in every sense a people's campaign. (SR)

  15. Literacy Coaches' Perspectives of Themselves as Literacy Leaders: Results from a National Study of K-12 Literacy Coaching and Leadership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Calo, Kristine M.; Sturtevant, Elizabeth G.; Kopfman, Kimberly M.

    2015-01-01

    As the face of education and the demands on teachers continues to change in the 21st century, so does the role of the literacy coach in schools across the country. This article explores the changing roles and responsibilities of literacy coaches by sharing the results of a study of 270 literacy coaches around the country. In this article, we share…

  16. Expanding Global Language Education in Public Primary Schools: The National English Programme in Mexico

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sayer, Peter

    2015-01-01

    The paper examines the recent national programme of English language instruction in the Mexican public primary schools, called the "Programa Nacional de Inglés en Educación Básica" (PNIEB). The programme, initiated in 2009 by the Ministry of Education as part of the national curriculum, represents the largest expansion of English…

  17. Adult Literacy. Cuyahoga County Data Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Center on Urban Poverty and Community Development (NJ1), 2010

    2010-01-01

    There are no direct measures of adult literacy in Cuyahoga County. Instead, this report uses estimates based on a statistical model derived from the National Survey of Adult Literacy. Adult literacy levels range from Level 1 (the most basic) to Level 5 (the most complex). People with Level 1 literacy are at a severe disadvantage in the sense that…

  18. Links in the Chain: Bringing Together Literacy and Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Neil; Hansford, Diane; Rizk, Nadya; Taylor, Subhashni

    2017-01-01

    In Australia, the Federal Government and the Australian Academy of Science have developed a programme entitled "Primary Connections" (primaryconnections.org. au), aimed at supporting the teaching of science in the primary sector. The programme makes strong and explicit links between science and literacy through the use of word walls,…

  19. Adults Who Learn: Sharing Literacy Project Experience from South-Western Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kolawole, Oluwatoyin Dare

    2011-01-01

    The paper reports the outcome of a funded non-formal, functional adult literacy project embarked upon in the university-based "Isoya" rural development programme area in south-western Nigeria from 2005-2007. It specifically presents the approaches used in legitimising the literacy project amongst community people; and reports the…

  20. Financial Literacy of Secondary Students, and Its Place within Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Neill, Alex; Berg, Melanie; Stevens, Liesje

    2014-01-01

    This report investigates the behaviour, attitudes and experiences of New Zealand secondary students with money and financial products. It also looks at financial literacy programmes in New Zealand secondary schools and explores barriers to the implementation of financial literacy teaching. The research was commissioned by the Commission for…

  1. Adventures in Collaboration: State Literacy Resource Centers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Siedow, Mary Dunn

    Authorized by the National Literacy Act of 1991, state literacy resource centers (SLRCs) are charged with assisting local public and private nonprofit efforts to enhance literacy. SLRCs have developed innovative approaches to their mandate to stimulate the coordination of literacy services. They have encouraged government and industry…

  2. Learning to Communicate an Adult Literacy Programme in Post-War El Salvador

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prins, Esther

    2005-01-01

    The experiences of men and women who participated in a Salvadoran adult literacy program belie the instrumentalist discourse of adult education, for they identified psychosocial benefits as the most meaningful aspects of the program. Attending literacy classes did not change their material situation as underemployed "campesinos/as," but…

  3. Issues in Literacy: A Research Perspective. Thirty-Fourth Yearbook of the National Reading Conference.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Niles, Jerome A., Ed.; Lalik, Rosary V., Ed.

    Reflecting current themes that scholars in reading/language research, by their selective attention, have indicated are important in the field of literacy and learning in natural settings, this yearbook presents a collection of 62 selected research articles from the National Reading Conference for 1984. Included are the following articles, listed…

  4. The Position as Regards Functional Literacy Pilot Projects. Summary.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France).

    A comparative analysis was made of Experimental World Literacy Program projects in 17 nations (Algeria, Brazil, Chile, Equador, Ethiopia, Guinea, India, Iran, Mali, Jamaica, Madagascar, Nigeria, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia, and Venezuela) after 18 months of operation. Included were functional literacy projects in 10 nations, literacy programs…

  5. Health literacy lost in translations? Introducing the European Health Literacy Glossary.

    PubMed

    Sørensen, Kristine; Brand, Helmut

    2014-12-01

    Health literacy has gained momentum in the Western world, yet in Europe the concept of health literacy is only marginally integrated in research, policy and practice. The present paper presents how translation may act as an influential factor with regard to integration of the health literacy notion in Europe. This study has compared five data sources that provide translations of health literacy: The European Union's Health Strategy; the translations applied in the European Health Literacy Project; national health expert opinions and Google Translate. The comparison integrated Peter Fawcett's translation techniques as a framework for analysis. The results showed a total of 28 translations: 22 from the European Union Health Strategy; 6 from the HLS-EU project; 17 from experts; 25 from Google Translate. Some countries are consistent in translations of health literacy, other countries diverge, the reasons being that health literacy is not yet mainstreamed and the translations are primarily driven by a latent polarized discourse of the concept of literacy. The study showed that translations in general reveals enriched insights in the cohesion of health literacy as one notion and provides the European Health Literacy Glossary that can inform health professionals, academia and decision-makers to further advance health literacy across Europe. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  6. The Elusive Goal of World Literacy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bhola, H. S.; And Others

    1980-01-01

    This issue is devoted to discussions of world literacy and national programs which comparative studies indicate may be used as models for future UNESCO international campaigns. Individual articles explore economic incentives for literacy motivation, radio learning projects, media programs in Jamaica, literacy improvement in Somalia, and a…

  7. Bringing Literacy to Life. Issues and Options in Adult ESL Literacy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wrigley, Heide Spruck; Guth, Gloria J. A.

    The result of a 2-year research study funded under the National English Literacy Demonstration Program for Adults of Limited English Proficiency, this handbook on adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) literacy education represents a synthesis of ideas derived from various sources. It is meant as a resource for teachers who have some experience…

  8. Global 2000 National Workplace Literacy Program. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Continuing Education Inst., Needham, MA.

    This document is the final report on Global 2000, a 3-year workplace literacy project during which 87% of the 805 employees of 10 Massachusetts manufacturing companies enrolled in workplace literacy classes offered by the Continuing Education Institute (CEI). A total of 61 classes were held and 41 employee-participants earned high school diplomas…

  9. Using Information and Communication Technologies in Adult Literacy Education: New Practices, New Challenges. An Adult Literacy National Project Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Snyder, Ilana; Jones, Anne; Lo Bianco, Joseph

    2005-01-01

    In this report, deliberately used is a range of terms to talk about the use of information and communication technologies. The terms include electronic literacy, digital literacy, technological literacy, technoliteracy, multimodal literacies and multiliteracies. There is no argument that the terms are interchangeable, even though they are often…

  10. Reframe, Rename, Revitalise: Future Directions for the Language, Literacy and Numeracy National Reporting System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perkins, Kate

    2005-01-01

    The National Reporting System (NRS) was developed to report the outcomes of English language, literacy and numeracy provision in Australia's vocational education and training and adult and community education sectors, and in labour market programs. Since its introduction, however, the NRS has been used as more than a reporting tool. It has also…

  11. Men's depression and suicide literacy: a nationally representative Canadian survey.

    PubMed

    Oliffe, John L; Hannan-Leith, Madeline N; Ogrodniczuk, John S; Black, Nick; Mackenzie, Corey S; Lohan, Maria; Creighton, Genevieve

    2016-12-01

    Male suicide prevention strategies include diagnosis and effective management of men's depression. Fundamental to suicide prevention efforts is public awareness, which in turn, is influenced by literacy levels about men's depression and suicide. The aim of this study is to examine sex differences in mental health literacy with respect to men's depression and suicide among a cohort of Canadian respondents. About 901 English-speaking Canadian men and women completed online survey questionnaires to evaluate mental health literacy levels using 10-item D-Lit and 8-item LOSS questionnaires, which assess factual knowledge concerning men's depression and suicide. Statistical tests (Chi-square, z-test) were used to identify significant differences between sex sub-groups at 95% confidence. Overall, respondents correctly identified 67% of questions measuring literacy levels about male depression. Respondents' male suicide literacy was significantly poorer at 53.7%. Misperceptions were especially evident in terms of differentiating men's depressive symptoms from other mental illnesses, estimating prevalence and identifying factors linked to male suicide. Significant sex differences highlighted that females had higher literacy levels than men in regard to male depression. Implementing gender sensitive and specific programs to target and advance literacy levels about men's depression may be key to ultimately reducing depression and suicide among men in Canada.

  12. Extended--and Extending--Literacies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moje, Elizabeth Birr; Ellison, Tisha Lewis

    2016-01-01

    We examine the impact of "Becoming a Nation of Readers: The Report of the Commission on Reading" ("BNR") (Anderson, Hiebert, Scott, & Wilkinson, 1985) with the idea of extending literacy learning beyond the early grades, describing present-day conceptions of secondary-school literacy learning, and calling to "further…

  13. Literacy Audit of Maintenance Workers. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gold, Patricia; Packer, Arnold

    An 18-month national literacy audit of maintenance worker jobs in multifamily apartment complexes sought to find out: (1) the literacy demands for their job success and promotion; (2) the effects of geographical location on their literacy demands; (3) the effects of management policies on their literacy demands; (4) the impact of illiteracy on…

  14. Information Literacy in Employability Training: The Experience of Inverclyde Libraries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crawford, John; Irving, Christine

    2012-01-01

    The study is an evaluation of an employability training programme provided by Inverclyde Libraries in West Central Scotland and the role of information literacy within the training programme. Inverclyde is an area with high unemployment and pockets of multiple deprivation. Modern, applicable skills are also lacking. The findings are based on…

  15. Languages in Adult Literacy: Policies and Practices in Education for All and Beyond

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, Clinton

    2016-01-01

    Linguistic diversity characterizes many countries with large literacy needs. Meeting these needs will require a multilingual approach based on learning initial literacy in the learner's mother tongue, with other languages used subsequently. This article identifies five major challenges in implementing multilingual programmes and traces the…

  16. Physics Literacy, Energy and the Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hobson, Art

    2003-01-01

    Socially aware science literacy courses are sorely needed in every nation that is industrialized and democratic. This article puts societal topics into the more general context of science literacy, suggests that socially significant topics can fit comfortably into a physics literacy course, looks at energy and environment issues, and discusses how…

  17. Regional Inequality in Literacy in India.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tilak, Jandhyala B. G.

    1978-01-01

    Although India's literacy rate has increased, the faster population growth has increased the nation's total illiteracy. The paper reviews differences in literacy rates among various regions and examines factors to explain this inequality, concluding that compulsory education for children is not enough and that adult literacy campaigns are vital.…

  18. A National Health Service Hospital's cardiac rehabilitation programme: a qualitative analysis of provision.

    PubMed

    O'Driscoll, Jamie M; Shave, Robert; Cushion, Christopher J

    2007-10-01

    This paper reports a study examining the effectiveness of a London National Health Service Trust Hospital's cardiac rehabilitation programme, from the perspectives of healthcare professionals and patients. Cardiovascular disease is the world's leading cause of death and disability. Substantial research has reported that, following a cardiac event, cardiac rehabilitation can promote recovery, improve exercise capacity and patient health, reduce various coronary artery disease risk factors and subsequently reduce hospitalization costs. Despite these findings and the introduction of the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease, there is wide variation in the practice, management and organization of cardiac rehabilitation services. A purposeful sample of three postmyocardial infarction patients registered on the selected hospital's cardiac rehabilitation programme, coupled with 11 healthcare professionals were selected. The patients acted as individual case studies. The authors followed all three patients through phase III of their cardiac rehabilitation programme. The research attempted to explore the roles and procedures of a London hospital's cardiac rehabilitation programme through an interpretative framework involving qualitative research methods. Participant observation and in-depth semi-structured interviews were the instruments used to collect data. Whilst the healthcare professionals were enthusiastic about coronary heart disease prevention, the London NHS trust hospital's cardiac rehabilitation programme had several barriers, which reduced the programme's success and prevented it from achieving National Service Framework targets. The barriers were complex and mainly included service-related factors, such as lack of professional training, weak communication between primary and secondary care and confused roles and identities. Although the study has immediate relevance for the local area, it highlighted issues of more general relevance to cardiac

  19. Health Literacy Skills in Rural and Urban Populations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zahnd, Whitney E.; Scaife, Steven L.; Francis, Mark L.

    2009-01-01

    Objective: To determine whether health literacy is lower in rural populations. Method: We analyzed health, prose, document, and quantitative literacy from the National Assessment of Adult Literacy study. Metropolitan Statistical Area designated participants as rural or urban. Results: Rural populations had lower literacy levels for all literacy…

  20. Beyond Literacy in an Uncertain World.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Delker, Paul V.

    Media statements and pronouncements by leaders in various sectors throughout the nation confirm that literacy still means the ability to work with the printed or written word. It is also evident that the term literacy includes more than reading. Literacy encompasses writing, speaking and listening, computing, and even problem-solving skills.…

  1. Breaking Through: TOSTAN's Non-Formal Basic Education Programme in National Languages in Senegal. Education for All: Making It Work. Innovation Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guttman, Cynthia

    Since 1988, thousands of rural villagers across Senegal have participated in a basic education program called TOSTAN, which means "breakthrough" in Wolof, the majority language. Supported by UNICEF and implemented in the six national languages of Senegal, TOSTAN goes beyond traditional literacy programs to link literacy learning with…

  2. Home literacy experiences and early childhood disability: a descriptive study using the National Household Education Surveys (NHES) program database.

    PubMed

    Breit-Smith, Allison; Cabell, Sonia Q; Justice, Laura M

    2010-01-01

    The present article illustrates how the National Household Education Surveys (NHES; U.S. Department of Education, 2009) database might be used to address questions of relevance to researchers who are concerned with literacy development among young children. Following a general description of the NHES database, a study is provided that examines the extent to which parent-reported home literacy activities and child emergent literacy skills differ for children with (a) developmental disabilities versus those who are developing typically, (b) single disability versus multiple disabilities, and (c) speech-language disability only versus other types of disabilities. Four hundred and seventy-eight preschool-age children with disabilities and a typically developing matched sample (based on parent report) were identified in the 2005 administration of the Early Childhood Program Participation (ECPP) Survey in the NHES database. Parent responses to survey items were then compared between groups. After controlling for age and socioeconomic status, no significant differences were found in the frequency of home literacy activities for children with and without disabilities. Parents reported higher levels of emergent literacy skills for typically developing children relative to children with disabilities. These findings suggest the importance of considering the home literacy experiences and emergent literacy skills of young children with disabilities when making clinical recommendations.

  3. Promoting Health Literacy in the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bruselius-Jensen, Maria; Bonde, Ane Høstgaard; Christensen, Julie Hellesøe

    2017-01-01

    Objective: Research has shown that developing health literacy in early life is critical to reducing lifestyle-related diseases, with schools being identified as central settings for this purpose. This paper examines how one classroom-based health educational programme, "IMOVE," helped Danish primary school pupils develop health literacy…

  4. Proceedings of the National Technological Literacy Conference (11th, Arlington, VA, February 8-11, 1996).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheek, Dennis W., Ed.; Cheek, Kim A., Ed.

    The papers in this volume represent a sampling of the perspectives shared at the 1996 National Technological Literacy Conference. The papers are divided into two sections. Section 1, "STS [science, technology, and society]: Philosophical and Sociological Perspectives," includes: (1) "Relevant Science: STS-Oriented Science Courses for All Students"…

  5. Literacy in South Asia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Srivastava, R. N.

    1983-01-01

    A study of the various facets and dimensions of literacy programs in South Asia indicates that literacy is viewed as a means of human resource development geared toward meaningful participation of all sectors in society, with individual programs varying according to the magnitude of illiteracy, national goals, linguistic setting, and regional…

  6. Great Expectations: Teacher Learning in a National Professional Development Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Armour, Kathleen M.; Makopoulou, Kyriaki

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports findings from an evaluation of a national continuing professional development (CPD) programme for teachers in England. Data showed that the localised implementation, opportunities for interactive learning, and "collective participation" were positive factors. Research participants reported difficulties, however, in…

  7. Profiling Adult Literacy Facilitators in Development Contexts: An Ethnographic Study in Ethiopia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Warkineh, Turuwark Zalalam; Rogers, Alan; Danki, Tolera Negassa

    2018-01-01

    Teachers/facilitators in adult literacy learning programmes are recognised as being vital to successful learning outcomes. But little is known about them as a group. This small-scale research project comprising ethnographic-style case studies of five adult literacy facilitators (ALFs) in Ethiopia seeks to throw some light on these teachers, their…

  8. Measuring Literacy: Performance Levels for Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hauser, Robert M., Ed.; Edley, Christopher F., Jr., Ed.; Koenig, Judith Anderson, Ed.; Elliott, Stuart W., Ed.

    2005-01-01

    The National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) is a household survey conducted periodically by the Department of Education that evaluates the literacy skills of a sample of adults in the United Stages ages 16 and older. NAAL results are used to characterize adults literacy skills and to inform policy and programmatic decisions. The Committee on…

  9. Serving-Maids and Literacy: An Approach to Teaching Literacy through History and Music.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Turner-Bisset, R.

    2001-01-01

    Presents a case study of an integrated approach to teaching history, literacy and music, in a Year 6 class. Suggests success was due to use of varied teaching approaches including storytelling, drama, singing and discussion. Emphasizes links between genuine historical tasks, and activities in the National Literacy Strategy. Suggests how music…

  10. Functional literacy of Young Guyanese Adults

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jennings, Zellyne

    2000-05-01

    Functional literacy is interpreted as the ability of the individual to apply skills in reading, writing, calculation and basic problem-solving in those activities in which literacy is required for effective functioning in his/her own group and community. The paper describes the rationale, development and administration of the test used for measuring levels (high, moderate, low) of achievement in functional literacy in three domains (document, prose and quantitative). An assumption of the study was that a high level of functional literacy was required for the individual to function effectively in his/her own group and community. The context of the study is Guyana the most underdeveloped and impoverished country in the English-speaking Caribbean. The subjects are out of school youth in Guyana aged 14-25. Amongst the main findings are: only approximately 11% of the young people show a high level of functional literacy; females tend to have a higher level of functional literacy than males: and most of those at the low level never went beyond primary and low status secondary schools and usually end up unemployed or in semi- or unskilled jobs. Attention is drawn to the difficulty of attracting funding for literacy programmes from international aid agencies, given the inflated adult literacy rate which is reported for Guyana in international statistics. While they credit Guyana with an adult literacy rate of 97.5%, the study suggests that a more realistic figure is in the 70s. The importance of adult and continuing education is underscored in view of the need to help those who are out of school to meet the ever-changing demands of society for improved skills in literacy and numeracy.

  11. The central role of national programme management for the achievement of malaria elimination: a cross case-study analysis of nine malaria programmes.

    PubMed

    Smith Gueye, Cara; Newby, Gretchen; Tulloch, Jim; Slutsker, Laurence; Tanner, Marcel; Gosling, Roland D

    2016-09-22

    A malaria eradication goal has been proposed, at the same time as a new global strategy and implementation framework. Countries are considering the strategies and tools that will enable progress towards malaria goals. The eliminating malaria case-study series reports were reviewed to identify successful programme management components using a cross-case study analytic approach. Nine out of ten case-study reports were included in the analysis (Bhutan, Cape Verde, Malaysia, Mauritius, Namibia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Turkmenistan). A conceptual framework for malaria elimination programme management was developed and data were extracted and synthesized. Findings were reviewed at a consultative workshop, which led to a revision of the framework and further data extraction and synthesis. Success factors of implementation, programme choices and changes, and enabling factors were distilled. Decentralized programmes enhanced engagement in malaria elimination by sub-national units and communities. Integration of the malaria programme into other health services was also common. Decentralization and integration were often challenging due to the skill and experience levels of newly tasked staff. Accountability for programme impact was not clarified for most programmes. Motivation of work force was a key factor in maintaining programme quality but there were few clear, detailed strategies provided. Different incentive schemes targeted various stakeholders. Training and supervision, although not well described, were prioritized by most programmes. Multi-sectoral collaboration helped some programmes share information, build strategies and interventions and achieve a higher quality of implementation. In most cases programme action was spurred by malaria outbreaks or a new elimination goal with strong leadership. Some programmes showed high capacity for flexibility through introduction of new strategies and tools. Several case-studies described methods for monitoring

  12. National Evaluation of the Even Start Family Literacy Program: Report on Migrant Even Start Projects.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Levin, Marjorie; Gamse, Beth; Swartz, Janet; Tao, Fumiyo; Tarr, Hope

    In fall 1994, 14 state Migrant Education Programs were receiving direct federal grants to administer Migrant Even Start projects. These projects provide migrant families with an integrated program of early childhood education, adult education, and parenting education. As part of the national evaluation of the Even Start Family Literacy Program,…

  13. "¡Puño en Alto!" The Nicaraguan Literacy Campaign and What It Means for Literacy Today

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bender-Slack, Delane

    2018-01-01

    Modern notions of literacy can be informed by past successes in the field of literacy. One of the most successful national literacy campaigns occurred in Nicaragua in 1980 and was called "Cruzada Nacional de Alfabetización" (CNA). The fight against illiteracy to provide a space for marginalized voices in Nicaragua is a story worth…

  14. Literacy, Numeracy and Employability.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bynner, John

    The relationship between literacy, numeracy, and employability was examined by analyzing data on basic skills that were collected in two of Great Britain's birth cohort studies--the National Child Development Study and the 1970 British Cohort Study. The functional literacy and numeracy skills of samples of 10% of the participants in each study…

  15. Measuring science or religion? A measurement analysis of the National Science Foundation sponsored science literacy scale 2006-2010.

    PubMed

    Roos, J Micah

    2014-10-01

    High scientific literacy is widely considered a public good. Methods of assessing public scientific knowledge or literacy are equally important. In an effort to measure lay scientific literacy in the United States, the National Science Foundation (NSF) science literacy scale has been a part of the last three waves of the General Social Survey. However, there has been debate over the validity of some survey items as indicators of science knowledge. While many researchers treat the NSF science scale as measuring a single dimension, previous work (Bann and Schwerin, 2004; Miller, 1998, 2004) suggests a bidimensional structure. This paper hypothesizes and tests a new measurement model for the NSF science knowledge scale and finds that two items about evolution and the big bang are more measures of a religious belief dimension termed "Young Earth Worldview" than they are measures of scientific knowledge. Results are replicated in seven samples. © The Author(s) 2013.

  16. The National Singing Programme for Primary Schools in England: An Initial Baseline Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Welch, G. F.; Himonides, E.; Papageorgi, I.; Saunders, J.; Rinta, T.; Stewart, C.; Preti, C.; Lani, J.; Vraka, M.; Hill, J.

    2009-01-01

    The "Sing Up" National Singing Programme for primary schools in England was launched in November 2007 under the UK government's "Music Manifesto". "Sing Up" is a four-year programme whose overall aim is to raise the status of singing and increase opportunities for children throughout the country to enjoy singing as…

  17. New Literacies in Schome Park

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gillen, Julia

    In this chapter I deploy a synthesis of methods I term virtual literacy ethnography to investigate the diverse literacy practices of the Schome Park project (SPP). This project worked with teenagers on the first European "closed" (i.e. protected) island in the 3D virtual world Teen Second LifeTM (TSL) as described in the previous chapter. Firstly I introduce an ethnographic perspective on this lengthy, rich project and reflect on my own interpretive approach. Introducing my own focus of interest, the new literacy practices fostered by the environment and in particular activities I judge to be especially creative, I begin to develop the methodology of a "virtual literacy ethnography". I show how the diverse multimodal affordances of the communicative domains are imaginatively exploited by the students, supported by peers and staff in an environment characterised by "fluid leadership". I include some analysis of literacy work around a genre traditionally valued by educators, a dictionary, which I was not involved in at the time. I suggest this is an exemplar literacy practice, creative in itself and illustrative of the methodological possibilities and of course limitations linked with the technologies utilised. Traditional distinctions between "reading" and "writing" become permeable in interesting ways as new creative practices, fostered by the environment of the Schome Park programme, emerged. I offer support for Kress's (2005) claim that changes in writing and reading practices amount to a "revolution in the world of communication." In conclusion, I claim that virtual literacy ethnography, as I have proposed it here, can be fruitful in exploring the complexity and creativity of the students' literacy practices, although more developmental work is needed.

  18. Promoting Learning in Libraries through Information Literacy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Breivik, Patricia Senn; Ford, Barbara J.

    1993-01-01

    Discusses information literacy and describes activities under the sponsorship of the National Forum on Information Literacy (NFIL) that promotes information literacy in schools and libraries. Activities of member organizations of the NFIL are described, including policy formation, publications, and programs; and the role of the American Library…

  19. Literacies Crossing Borders: Transfronterizo Literacy Practices of Students in a Dual Language Program on the USA-Mexico Border

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de la Piedra, Maria Teresa; Araujo, Blanca E.

    2012-01-01

    Research on transnational literacies has generally focused on youth who live in one country and communicate using digital literacies across national boundaries. Our work contributes to this literature by providing a view of transnational literacies that are unique to the USA-Mexico border region. The students in this ethnographic study navigate…

  20. The UK's National Programme for IT: Why was it dismantled?

    PubMed

    Justinia, Taghreed

    2017-02-01

    This paper discusses the UK's National Programme for IT (NPfIT), which was an ambitious programme launched in 2002 with an initial budget of some £6.2 billion. It attempted to implement a top-down digitization of healthcare in England's National Health Service (NHS). The core aim of the NPfIT was to bring the NHS' use of information technology into the 21st century, through the introduction of an integrated electronic patient record systems, and reforming the way that the NHS uses information, and hence to improve services and the quality of patient care. The initiative was not trusted by doctors and appeared to have no impact on patient safety. The project was marred by resistance due to the inappropriateness of a centralized authority making top-down decisions on behalf of local organizations. The NPfIT was officially dismantled in September 2011. Deemed the world's largest civil IT programme, its failure and ultimate demise sparked a lot of interest as to the reasons why. This paper summarises the underlying causes that lead to dismantling the NPfIT. At the forefront of those circumstances were the lack of adequate end user engagement, the absence of a phased change management approach, and underestimating the scale of the project.

  1. Invest in Financial Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bush, Sarah B.; McGatha, Maggie B.; Bay-Williams, Jennifer M.

    2012-01-01

    The current state of the economy elevates the need to build awareness of financial markets and personal finance among the nation's young people through implementing a financial literacy curriculum in schools. A limited amount of time spent on financial literacy can have a positive effect on students' budgeting skills. This knowledge will only add…

  2. Accreditation of Library and Information Science Programmes in the Gulf Cooperation Council Nations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rehman, Sajjad ur

    2012-01-01

    This paper investigates the accreditation possibilities and prospects for the library and information science education programmes located in the six member nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council. This paper has been based on the findings of a study focused on the evaluation practices of these programmes and the perceptions of the leading…

  3. Learning Together: Creating a Community of Practice to Support English Language Learner Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peercy, Megan Madigan; Martin-Beltran, Melinda; Daniel, Shannon M.

    2013-01-01

    This qualitative case study examines an after-school, bilingual family literacy programme that brought together several groups to form a community of practice (CoP) that worked to support the literacy development of English language learners and their families. We explored the following question: How do parents, teachers, students, and other…

  4. Oranges Aren't the Only Fruit. Ask a Gardner: Some Implications of the National Literacy and Numeracy Stategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Byard, Kevin

    2004-01-01

    The introduction of the National Literacy and Numeracy strategies in U.K. schools is discussed in the light of Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. Although the core curriculum is evidently important, it is argued that the introduction of the national strategies has created a possible over-emphasis in these subjects at the expense of…

  5. An Assessment of Civic Scientific Literacy in Japan: Development of a More Authentic Assessment Task and Scoring Rubric

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Naganuma, Shotaro

    2017-01-01

    Scientific literacy has been measured by a variety of assessment tools in the past few decades. International surveys such as Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) emphasize the importance of scientific literacy. Scientific literacy is now regarded as a…

  6. Literacy across the Curriculum: Connecting Literacy in the Schools, Community and Workplace, 1992-1993.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Literacy across the Curriculum, 1992

    1992-01-01

    The first of four issues in this volume consists of these articles: "The Fourth 'R'--Relating"; "On Baseball Cards and Literacy"; "On Literacy and Success"; "National Assessments: What They Can and Cannot Do"; and "In the Classroom: The Integrated Journal." It also contains two book reviews and a…

  7. The development of health literacy in patients with a long-term health condition: the health literacy pathway model

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Inadequate health literacy has been associated with poor management of long-term health conditions and has been identified as a key social determinant of health outcomes. However, little is understood about how health literacy might develop over time or the processes by which people may become more health literate. Our objectives were to describe how patients with a long-term condition practice health literacy in the management of their health and communication with health professionals, how they become more health literate over time and their experience of using health services. We also sought to identify and describe the motivations, facilitators and barriers in the practice of health literacy in healthcare consultations. Methods We designed a longitudinal qualitative study using serial interviews with 18 participants to explore their experiences of learning to manage their condition and their experiences of health literacy when participating in healthcare processes. Participants were recruited from patient education programmes and were interviewed three times over a period of 9 months. A framework approach was used to analyse data. Results A model is presented that illustrates the development of health literacy along a trajectory that includes the development of knowledge, health literacy skills and practices, health literacy actions, abilities in seeking options and informed and shared decision making opportunities. Motivations and barriers to developing and practising health literacy skills partly reflected participants' characteristics but were also influenced by health professionals. Some participants developed their health literacy to a point where they became more involved in healthcare processes (including informed and shared decision-making). Conclusions Patients with a long-term condition can develop health literacy skills over time and put their skills into practice in becoming more active in healthcare consultations. Our findings have

  8. Levels of cardiovascular disease risk factors in Singapore following a national intervention programme.

    PubMed Central

    Cutter, J.; Tan, B. Y.; Chew, S. K.

    2001-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of the National Healthy Lifestyle Programme, a noncommunicable disease intervention programme for major cardiovascular disease risk factors in Singapore, implemented in 1992. METHODS: The evaluation was carried out in 1998 by the Singapore National Health Survey (NHS). The reference population was 2.2 million multiracial Singapore residents, 18-69 years of age. A population-based survey sample (n = 4723) was selected by disproportionate stratified and systematic sampling. Anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were carried out on all subjects and blood samples were taken for biochemical analysis. FINDINGS: The 1998 results suggest that the National Healthy Lifestyle Programme significantly decreased regular smoking and increased regular exercise over 1992 levels and stabilized the prevalence of obesity and diabetes mellitus. However, the prevalence of high total blood cholesterol and hypertension increased. Ethnic differences in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and smoking; and in lipid profile and exercise levels were also observed. CONCLUSION: The intervention had mixed results after six years. Successful strategies have been continued and strengthened. PMID:11693972

  9. A National Schizophrenia: Orality and Literacy in Blair's Rhetoric.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harshbarger, Scott

    Although questions concerning the effects of literacy on society, culture, and the mind remain problematic for anthropology and psychology, considerations of the role played by orality, literacy, or other media in creating different communicative potentials between writer and reader, should not seem out of place in the discipline of rhetoric. Hugh…

  10. INFOMAR - Ireland's National Seabed Mapping Programme: A Tool For Marine Spatial Planning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Furey, T. M.

    2016-02-01

    INFOMAR is Ireland's national seabed mapping programme and is a key action in the national integrated marine plan, Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth. It comprises a multi-platform approach to delivering marine integrated mapping in 2 phases, over a projected 20 year timeline (2006-2026). The programme has three work strands; Data Acquisition, Data Exchange and Integration, and Value Added Exploitation. The Data Acquisition strand includes collection of hydrographic, oceanographic, geological, habitat and heritage datasets that will underpin future sustainable development and management of Ireland's marine resource. INFOMAR outputs are delivered through the Data Exchange and Integration strand. Uses of these outputs are wide ranging and multipurpose, from management plans for fisheries, aquaculture and coastal protection works, to environmental impact assessments, ocean renewable development and integrated coastal zone management. In order to address the evolution and diversification of maritime user requirements, the programme has realigned and developed outputs and new products, in part, through an innovative research funding initiative. Development is also fostered through the Value Added Exploitation strand. INFOMAR outputs and products serve to underpin delivery of Ireland's statutory obligations and enhance compliance with EU and national legislation. This is achieved through co-operation with the agencies responsible for supporting Ireland's international obligations and for the implementation of marine spatial planning. A strategic national seabed mapping programme such as INFOMAR, provides a critical baseline dataset which underpins development of the marine economy, and improves our understanding of the response of marine systems to pressures, and the effect of cumulative impacts. This paper will focus on the evolution and scope of INFOMAR, and look at examples of outputs being harnessed to serve approaches to the management of activities having an impact on the

  11. Dossier of Evaluation Instruments for Literacy Programmes. A Contribution to the International Literacy Year 1990.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Muller, Josef, Ed.; Dietrich, Anja, Ed.

    This document contains a collection of literacy program evaluation instruments from developing countries, as well as several papers describing how to use evaluation instruments to assess various types of systems. The following titles (with author or country of origin) are contained in this collection: "Designing a System of Evaluation and…

  12. [GeKo KidS--Health Literacy in School Children].

    PubMed

    Splieth, C H; Franze, M; Plachta-Danielzik, S; Thyrian, J R; Schmidt, C O; John, U; Kohlmann, T; Müller, M J; Hoffmann, W

    2015-09-01

    The main goal of this study was the evaluation of an intervention programme for the promotion of health literacy in school-aged children (grade 5-6). The project and the programme were highly accepted, the extension of the annual dental health examination was suitable to collect data within evaluation projects in schools. In spite of positive outcomes, a longer supervision phase would be necessary in order to optimise and to implement other programme components fully. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  13. Exploring health literacy competencies towards patient education programme for Chinese-speaking healthcare professionals: a Delphi study

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Li-Chun; Chen, Yu-Chi; Wu, Fei Ling; Liao, Li-Ling

    2017-01-01

    Objectives To achieve consensus on a set of competencies in health literacy practice based on a literature review and expert consultation. Setting Hospitals and community health centres in Taiwan. Method A 2-stage modified Delphi study involving a literature review was conducted, followed by qualitative interviews and 3 rounds of email-based data collection over a 3-month period in 2011. Participants 15 Chinese healthcare practitioners with more than 6 months’ experience in patient education were interviewed to collect data on health literacy practice. 24 experts (12 academic scholars in health literacy and 12 professionals with training related to health literacy practice) were invited to participate in the Delphi process. Results Qualitative data from the interviews were analysed and summarised to form 99 competency items for health literacy practice, which were categorised into 5 domains of health literacy practice including those pertaining to knowledge and skills. Consensus was reached on 92 of 99 competencies, using a modified Delphi technique. Conclusions The 92 competencies in health literacy practice embraced core components of patient education in the Chinese healthcare profession. PMID:28093428

  14. Nature and impact of European anti-stigma depression programmes.

    PubMed

    Quinn, Neil; Knifton, Lee; Goldie, Isabella; van Bortel, Tine; Dowds, Julie; Lasalvia, Antonio; Scheerder, Gert; Boumans, Jenny; Svab, Vesna; Lanfredi, Mariangela; Wahlbeck, Kristian; Thornicroft, Graham

    2014-09-01

    Stigma associated with depression is a major public health issue in the EU, with over 20 million people experiencing depression and its associated personal distress each year. While most programmes against stigma related to mental health problems are of a general nature, the knowledge about programmes tackling stigma against people with depression is limited. This study therefore aims to assess the nature and impact of depression-specific programmes in EU countries. Using a web-based tool, 26 programmes were identified across the 18 EU countries taking part in the study. Most were universal and targeted the whole population, while many also targeted specific population groups or settings, such as young people or health professionals. The most common programme aim was improving literacy, although reducing stigmatizing attitudes and discriminatory behaviour and promoting help-seeking were also common. Most programmes originated from professional bodies, or as grassroots initiatives from service user groups/NGOs, rather than as part of national and local policy. The approaches used were primarily different forms of education/information, with some, but very limited, use of positive personal contact. Overall, the quality and extent of impact of the programmes was limited, with few leading to peer-reviewed publications. Specific programmes were identified with evidence of positive impact, and we drew on these examples to develop a framework to be used for future programmes against stigma and discrimination associated with depression. These findings are provided in full in the Anti-Stigma Partnership European Network Toolkit available at www.antistigma.eu. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of short-form Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents.

    PubMed

    Chang, Li-Chun; Hsieh, Pei-Lin; Liu, Chieh-Hsing

    2012-09-01

    The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of short-form Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents. Assessing health literacy is vital to design health education programme; however, there are no measurement tools exist for use specifically in Chinese adolescents. A non-experimental design was used to test the psychometric properties of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents. The short-form Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents was translated and back translated into a Chinese language version. Thirty high school students were recruited to validate the scenario of Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents. Based on the multiple-stage stratified random sampling method, 300 high school students from four counties in Taiwan were invited to participate in this study to evaluate the psychometric properties of Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents. The Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents had good internal consistency reliability and excellent test-retest reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis resulted in a one-factor solution. Contrary to the original version of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents, the findings revealed that the 36-item, one-factor model for the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents is the best-fit model. This is a suitable instrument to assess health literacy levels in Chinese adolescents before health education programmes can be appropriately planned, implemented and evaluated. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  16. Evaluation Report for the Massachusetts Workplace Literacy Consortium. National Workplace Literacy Program Wave 6, Year 3.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sperazi, Laura; DePascale, Charles A.

    The Massachusetts Workplace Literacy Consortium sought to upgrade work-related literacy skills at 22 partner sites in the state. Members included manufacturers, health care organizations, educational institutions, and labor unions. In its third year, the consortium served 1,179 workers with classes in English for speakers of other languages, adult…

  17. A National Investigation of Teachers' Environmental Literacy as a Reference for Promoting Environmental Education in Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Shiang-Yao; Yeh, Shin-Cheng; Liang, Shi-Wu; Fang, Wei-Ta; Tsai, Huei-Min

    2015-01-01

    Taiwan's government enacted the Environmental Education Act in June 2011. In the beginning of the implementation of the Act, a national assessment of schoolteachers' environmental literacy was performed in order to establish the baseline for evaluating the effectiveness of environmental education policy. This large-scale assessment involved a…

  18. An evaluation of National Health Service England's Care Maker Programme: A mixed-methods analysis.

    PubMed

    Zubairu, Kate; Christiansen, Angela; Kirkcaldy, Andrew; Kirton, Jennifer A; Kelly, Carol A; Simpson, Paul; Gillespie, Andrea; Brown, Jeremy M

    2017-12-01

    To investigate the impact and sustainability of the Care Maker programme across England from the perspective of those involved in its delivery. The Care Maker programme was launched in England in 2013. It aims to support the "Compassion in Practice" strategy, with particular emphasis on the 6Cs of care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment. Care Makers were recruited in an ambassadorial role. The intention was to inspire individuals throughout the National Health Service in England to bridge national policy with those delivering care. A mixed methods design was chosen, but this article focuses on two of the four distinct empirical data collection phases undertaken as part of this evaluation: a questionnaire with Care Makers; and two case studies of separate National Health Service trust sites. Data were collected for this evaluation in 2015. An online questionnaire was distributed to the total population of Care Makers across the National Health Service in England. It included a combination of open and closed questions. The case studies involved semistructured telephone interviews with a range of professionals engaged with the Care Maker programme across the trust sites. Care Makers reported that participation in the programme had offered opportunities in terms of improving the quality-of-care provision in the workplace as well as contributing towards their own professional development. The Care Maker programme has supported and helped underpin the nursing, midwifery and care strategy "Compassion in Practice". This model of using volunteers to embed strategy and policy could potentially be used in other areas of clinical practice and indeed in other countries. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. 34 CFR 1100.1 - What is the Literacy Leader Fellowship Program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What is the Literacy Leader Fellowship Program? 1100.1... INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY: LITERACY LEADER FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM § 1100.1 What is the Literacy Leader Fellowship Program? (a) Under the Literacy Leader Fellowship Program, the Director...

  20. National radon programmes and policies: the RADPAR recommendations.

    PubMed

    Bochicchio, F; Hulka, J; Ringer, W; Rovenská, K; Fojtikova, I; Venoso, G; Bradley, E J; Fenton, D; Gruson, M; Arvela, H; Holmgren, O; Quindos, L; McLaughlin, J; Collignan, B; Gray, A; Grosche, B; Jiranek, M; Kalimeri, K; Kephalopoulos, S; Kreuzer, M; Schlesinger, D; Zeeb, H; Bartzis, J

    2014-07-01

    Results from epidemiological studies on lung cancer and radon exposure in dwellings and mines led to a significant revision of recommendations and regulations of international organisations, such as WHO, IAEA, Nordic Countries, European Commission. Within the European project RADPAR, scientists from 18 institutions of 14 European countries worked together for 3 y (2009-12). Among other reports, a comprehensive booklet of recommendations was produced with the aim that they should be useful both for countries with a well-developed radon programme and for countries with little experience on radon issues. In this paper, the main RADPAR recommendations on radon programmes and policies are described and discussed. These recommendations should be very useful in preparing a national action plan, required by the recent Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. Post-literacy and Second State Adult Learning in India.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rogers, Alan

    2002-01-01

    Surveys the work accomplished in post-literacy in India as part of the National Literacy Mission. Argues that post-literacy has become an arena of struggle between individual and group goals. Uses interviews and discussions to explore this field. Outlines the concerns being voiced in India about adult literacy learning. (CAJ)

  2. Prison Literacy Programs. ERIC Digest No. 159.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kerka, Sandra

    Mastery of literacy skills may be a preventive and proactive way to address the problem of the high cost of imprisonment and the huge increase in the prison population. However, correctional educators contend with multiple problems in delivering literacy programs to inmates. Findings of the National Adult Literacy Survey indicate that, of the 5…

  3. Empowering Learners with Digital and Media Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hobbs, Renee

    2011-01-01

    School librarians and teachers are working together in a national movement to bring digital and media literacy to all citizens. When people think of the term "literacy," what generally springs to mind is reading and writing, speaking and listening. These are foundational elements of literacy. But because people use so many different types of…

  4. Through a Gender Lens: Explaining North-Eastern Thai Women's Participation in Adult Literacy Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walter, Pierre

    2004-01-01

    This ethnographic study employs a gender perspective to understand the motivations of eight women literacy learners participating in a village-based functional literacy programme in rural North-eastern Thailand. Field research took place over six months of periodic residence in a North-eastern Thai village, and involved participant observation,…

  5. New Federal Policy Initiatives To Boost Health Literacy Can Help The Nation Move Beyond The Cycle Of Costly ‘Crisis Care’

    PubMed Central

    Koh, Howard K.; Berwick, Donald M.; Clancy, Carolyn M.; Baur, Cynthia; Brach, Cindy; Harris, Linda M.; Zerhusen, Eileen G.

    2016-01-01

    Health literacy is the capacity to understand basic health information and make appropriate health decisions. Tens of millions of Americans have limited health literacy—a fact that poses major challenges for the delivery of high-quality care. Despite its importance, health literacy has until recently been relegated to the sidelines of health care improvement efforts aimed at increasing access, improving quality, and better managing costs. Recent federal policy initiatives, including the Affordable Care Act of 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services’ National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy, and the Plain Writing Act of 2010, have brought health literacy to a tipping point—that is, poised to make the transition from the margins to the mainstream. If public and private organizations make it a priority to become health literate, the nation’s health literacy can be advanced to the point at which it will play a major role in improving health care and health for all Americans. PMID:22262723

  6. Advancing Science Literacy Through the Climate Change National Forum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nielsen-Gammon, J. W.; Quirke, M.; Lefer, B. L.; Hester, T.

    2014-12-01

    The Climate Change National Forum (http://climatechangenationalforum.org) was established almost a year ago to provide a publicly visible platform for discussion of scientific issues related to climate change and, at a later date, policy options motivated by climate change science. The site is also designed to promote public literacy in the culture and conduct of science by incorporating dozens of active scientists in a broad range of climate science and related fields and encouraging dialogue among those scientists. The forum provides a rare window into scientific debate, allowing non-scientists to see how scientists evaluate the work of others, construct meaning out of various bits of evidence, formulate ideas, challenge their colleagues, and (on occasion) develop a consensus. As such, the site is intended to have educational value well beyond its climate science focus.

  7. India. National Studies. Asia-Pacific Programme of Education for All.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

    This study examines the work of the Asia-Pacific Programme of Education for All (APPEAL) since its 1987 inception. Efforts to assess educational achievement at the local, regional, and national levels in India are examined with a view to achieving universal primary education (UPE); eradicating illiteracy; and providing continuing education in…

  8. Bangladesh. National Studies. Asia-Pacific Programme of Education for All.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

    This study examines the work of the Asia-Pacific Programme of Education for All (APPEAL) since its 1987 inception. Efforts to assess educational achievement at the local, regional, and national levels in Bangladesh are examined with a view to achieving universal primary education; eradicating illiteracy; and providing continuing education in…

  9. Expanding Opportunities to Learn to Support Inclusive Education through Drama-Enhanced Literacy Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kilinc, Sultan; Farrand, Kathleen; Chapman, Kathryn; Kelley, Michael; Millinger, Jenny; Adams, Korbi

    2017-01-01

    This study examines how the Early Years Educators at Play (EYEPlay) professional development (PD) programme supported inclusive learning settings for all children, including English language learners and students with disabilities. The EYEPlay PD model is a year-long programme that integrates drama strategies into literacy practices within…

  10. Fourth Meeting of the Panel for Evaluation of Experimental Literacy Projects. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France).

    The work of this Panel for the Evaluation of Experimental Literacy Projects was the assessing of how the pattern of evaluation it had previously formulated had been applied in the Experimental World Literacy Programme (EWLP). In the judgment of the Panel, by 1974 evaluation specialists will be able to present a report that will enable Member…

  11. National Literacy Act of 1991. Report To Accompany H.R. 751. Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office. House of Representatives, 102d Congress, 1st Session.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Education and Labor.

    The National Literacy Act of 1991 is a comprehensive approach for improving the literacy and basic skill levels of adults by coordinating, integrating, and investing in adult and family literacy programs at the federal, state, and local levels. The legislation provides for research and program delivery. All sectors, including public,…

  12. Understanding Learning Transfer in Employment Preparation Programmes for Adults with Low Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Maurice C.; Ayala, Gabriel E.; Pinsent-Johnson, Christine

    2009-01-01

    This Canadian study investigated how the transfer of learning occurred in an employment preparation programme for adults with low literacy skills using a multi-site case study research design. Four different programmes involving trainees, instructors and workplace supervisors participated in the investigation. Results indicated that the transfer…

  13. NCSALL Health Literacy Study Circle+ Facilitators Training. Training Guide

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL), 2007

    2007-01-01

    This training guide was created by the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) to help connect research and practice in the field of adult education and family literacy. A Health and Adult Literacy and Learning (HALL)/NCSALL Health Literacy Study Circle+ is a professional development activity for adult basic education…

  14. Exploring health literacy competencies towards patient education programme for Chinese-speaking healthcare professionals: a Delphi study.

    PubMed

    Chang, Li-Chun; Chen, Yu-Chi; Wu, Fei Ling; Liao, Li-Ling

    2017-01-16

    To achieve consensus on a set of competencies in health literacy practice based on a literature review and expert consultation. Hospitals and community health centres in Taiwan. A 2-stage modified Delphi study involving a literature review was conducted, followed by qualitative interviews and 3 rounds of email-based data collection over a 3-month period in 2011. 15 Chinese healthcare practitioners with more than 6 months' experience in patient education were interviewed to collect data on health literacy practice. 24 experts (12 academic scholars in health literacy and 12 professionals with training related to health literacy practice) were invited to participate in the Delphi process. Qualitative data from the interviews were analysed and summarised to form 99 competency items for health literacy practice, which were categorised into 5 domains of health literacy practice including those pertaining to knowledge and skills. Consensus was reached on 92 of 99 competencies, using a modified Delphi technique. The 92 competencies in health literacy practice embraced core components of patient education in the Chinese healthcare profession. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  15. Clinical, classroom, or personal education: attitudes about health literacy.

    PubMed

    Logan, Robert A

    2007-04-01

    This study explores how diverse attitudes about health literacy are assessed by medical librarians and other health care professionals. An online survey of thirty-six items was conducted using Q methodology in two phases in spring 2005 and winter 2006. Respondents (n = 51) were nonrandomly self-selected from a convenience sample of members of the Medical Library Association and a group of environmental health consultants to the National Library of Medicine. Three factors were identified. Factor 1 is optimistic and supportive of health literacy's transformative sociocultural and professional potential, if clinical settings become a launching point for health literacy activities. Factor 2 is less optimistic about health literacy's potential to improve clinical or patient outcomes and prefers to focus health literacy initiatives on classroom education settings. Factor 3 supports improving the nation's health literacy but tends to support health literacy initiatives when people privately interact with health information materials. Each factor's attitudes about the appropriate educational venue to initiate health literacy activities are different and somewhat mutually exclusive. This suggests that health literacy is seen through different perceptual frameworks that represent a possible source of professional disagreement.

  16. Psychosocial factors and financial literacy.

    PubMed

    Murphy, John L

    2013-01-01

    This study uses data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to analyze the psychological and social variables associated with financial literacy. The HRS is a nationally representative longitudinal survey of individuals older than age 50 and their spouses. An ordinary least squares linear regression analysis explores the relationship between financial literacy and several economic and psychosocial variables. After controlling for earnings, level of education, and other socioeconomic variables in this exploratory study, I find that financial satisfaction and religiosity are correlated with financial literacy.

  17. Information use skills in the engineering programme accreditation criteria of four countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bradley, Cara

    2014-01-01

    The need for twenty-first century information skills in engineering practice, combined with the importance for engineering programmes to meet accreditation requirements, suggests that it may be worthwhile to explore the potential for closer alignment between librarians and their work with information literacy competencies to assist in meeting accreditation standards and graduating students with high-level information skills. This article explores whether and how information use skills are reflected in engineering programme accreditation standards of four countries: Canada, the USA, the UK, and Australia. Results indicate that there is significant overlap between the information use skills required of students by engineering accreditation processes and librarians' efforts to develop information literacy competencies in students, despite differences in terms used to describe these skills. Increased collaboration between engineering faculty and librarians has the potential to raise student information literacy levels and fulfil the information use-related requirements of accreditation processes.

  18. Literacy not intelligence moderates the relationships between economic development, income inequality and health.

    PubMed

    Marks, David F

    2007-05-01

    Kanazawa (2006) presented data allegedly supporting a racist version of evolutionary psychology that claims that the populations of wealthier and more egalitarian societies live longer and stay healthier, not because they are wealthier and more egalitarian, but because they are more intelligent. The objectives of this study are: (i) to determine the relationship between IQ and literacy in Kanazawa's sample of countries and (ii) to reanalyse Kanazawa's dataset using measures of literacy in lieu of national IQ test scores. Correlation and regression were employed. National literacy scores across the countries in the sample are highly skewed. In spite of this, the literacy measures are highly correlated with alleged differences in national IQ (r = .83-.86). The measure of literacy together with economic development (GDPpc) and income inequality (Gini coefficient) control at least 59-64% of the variance in national life expectancy at birth. There is no scientific justification for believing that alleged intelligence differences play any role in explaining international differences in health status. Measures of alleged national IQ scores are highly confounded with differences in literacy. Literacy is a key factor in the health of any community and policies designed to enhance the literacy of a population are expected to lead to significant improvements in health status.

  19. The impact of an arts-based programme on the affective and cognitive components of empathic development.

    PubMed

    Zazulak, Joyce; Halgren, Camilla; Tan, Megan; Grierson, Lawrence E M

    2015-06-01

    Medical education research demonstrates that empathic behaviour is amenable to positive change when targeted through educational programmes. This study evaluates the impact of an arts-based intervention designed to nurture learner empathy through the provision of facilitated visual literacy activities. Health Sciences students (N=19) were assigned to two learning groups: a group that participated in a visual literacy programme at the McMaster Museum of Art and a control group that participated in the normal Health Sciences curriculum. All participants completed an inter-reactivity index, which measures empathy on affective and cognitive levels, prior to and following the programme. Those individuals assigned to the visual literacy programme also completed open-ended questions concerning the programme's impact on their empathic development. The index scores were subjected to independent within-group, between-test analyses. There was no significant impact of the programme on the participants' overall empathic response. However, sub-component analyses revealed that the programme had a significant positive effect on cognitive aspects of empathy. This finding was substantiated by the narrative reports. The study concludes that the affective focus of humanities-based education needs to be enhanced and recommends that learners are educated on the different components that comprise the overall empathic response. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  20. The Power of Family Literacy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Center for Family Literacy, Louisville, KY.

    This report presents the early findings from the analysis of a family literacy demonstration project under the direction of the National Center for Family Literacy. The data in this report are based upon the experiences of over 300 families who participated in the Toyota Families for Learning Program during the 1992-1993 school year. The first…

  1. Immigration, Generational Status and Health Literacy in Canada

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ng, Edward; Omariba, D. Walter R.

    2014-01-01

    Background: Immigrants, a fast-growing population in Canada, score below the national average in health literacy, but the reasons behind the low scores are largely unknown. Also, there is a need to understand the long-term impact of immigration by examining health literacy by generational status. Objective: To examine health literacy differentials…

  2. Charting a Course to Earth System Science Literacy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karsten, J. L.; Koch, L.; Ridky, R.; Wei, M.; Ladue, N.

    2008-12-01

    Public literacy of fundamental ideas in Earth System Science (ESS) is immensely important, both because of its relevance to the daily lives of individual citizens and the role played by informed policy decisions related to water, energy, climate change, and hazards in securing our Nation's well-being and prosperity. The National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996) argued that topics which comprise ESS also have tremendous value in providing context and meaning for the teaching of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics concepts and their applications, thereby serving the goals of the America COMPETES Act. Yet, as documented in the 2006 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) results, the U.S. continues to lag significantly behind other developed nations in science literacy. A major obstacle to improving public ESS literacy, specifically, and strengthening science literacy, in general, is the fact that fewer than 30% of students in U.S. high schools take any courses related to ESS. Often, these courses are taught by teachers with limited preparation in this content area. A new grass-roots movement within the geoscience research and education communities, fueled by interagency collaboration, is seeking to overcome these obstacles and steer a new course for ESS education in the Nation. The Earth System Science Literacy Initiative (ESSLI) builds on recent efforts within portions of the geosciences community to reach consensus on what defines scientific literacy within their fields. Individual literacy frameworks now exist for the ocean, atmospheric science, Earth science, and climate topic areas, and others are under development. The essential principles and fundamental concepts articulated in these frameworks provide consistent core messages that can be delivered and reinforced not only through formal education channels, but also through informal education activities and the media, thereby avoiding the inherent obstacles of the formal education setting

  3. Adult Literacy Benefits? New Opportunities for Research into Sustainable Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Post, David

    2016-01-01

    Understandings of "literacy" broadened after the United Nations Development Decade of the 1960s. The corresponding research into the benefits of literacy also widened its focus beyond economic growth. The effects of adult literacy and its correlates appeared diffuse with the rise of New Literacy Studies, and the scholarship on…

  4. Association of Parental Health Literacy with Oral Health of Navajo Nation Preschoolers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brega, A. G.; Thomas, J. F.; Henderson, W. G.; Batliner, T. S.; Quissell, D. O.; Braun, P. A.; Wilson, A.; Bryant, L. L.; Nadeau, K. J.; Albino, J.

    2016-01-01

    Health literacy is "the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions". Although numerous studies show a link between health literacy and clinical outcomes, little research has examined the association of health literacy with oral health. No large-scale…

  5. Cultural Capital Theory: A Study of Children Enrolled in Rural and Urban Head Start Programmes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bojczyk, Kathryn E.; Rogers-Haverback, Heather; Pae, Hye; Davis, Anna E.; Mason, Rihana S.

    2015-01-01

    Children from different backgrounds have disparate access to cultural capital, which may influence their academic success. The purpose of this study was to examine the links between family background, home literacy experiences, and emergent literacy skills among preschoolers enrolled in Head Start programmes. The background characteristics studied…

  6. Identifying attributes of food literacy: a scoping review.

    PubMed

    Azevedo Perry, Elsie; Thomas, Heather; Samra, H Ruby; Edmonstone, Shannon; Davidson, Lyndsay; Faulkner, Amy; Petermann, Lisa; Manafò, Elizabeth; Kirkpatrick, Sharon I

    2017-09-01

    An absence of food literacy measurement tools makes it challenging for nutrition practitioners to assess the impact of food literacy on healthy diets and to evaluate the outcomes of food literacy interventions. The objective of the present scoping review was to identify the attributes of food literacy. A scoping review of peer-reviewed and grey literature was conducted and attributes of food literacy identified. Subjects included in the search were high-risk groups. Eligible articles were limited to research from Canada, USA, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The search identified nineteen peer-reviewed and thirty grey literature sources. Fifteen identified food literacy attributes were organized into five categories. Food and Nutrition Knowledge informs decisions about intake and distinguishing between 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' foods. Food Skills focuses on techniques of food purchasing, preparation, handling and storage. Self-Efficacy and Confidence represent one's capacity to perform successfully in specific situations. Ecologic refers to beyond self and the interaction of macro- and microsystems with food decisions and behaviours. Food Decisions reflects the application of knowledge, information and skills to make food choices. These interdependent attributes are depicted in a proposed conceptual model. The lack of evaluated tools inhibits the ability to assess and monitor food literacy; tailor, target and evaluate programmes; identify gaps in programming; engage in advocacy; and allocate resources. The present scoping review provides the foundation for the development of a food literacy measurement tool to address these gaps.

  7. Financial Literacy and Economic Outcomes: Evidence and Policy Implications.

    PubMed

    Mitchell, Olivia S; Lusardi, Annamaria

    2015-01-01

    This paper reviews what we have learned over the past decade about financial literacy and its relationship to financial decision-making around the world. Using three questions, we have surveyed people in several countries to determine whether they have the fundamental knowledge of economics and finance needed to function as effective decision-makers. We find that levels of financial literacy are low not only in the United States. but also in many other countries including those with well-developed financial markets. Moreover, financial illiteracy is particularly acute for some demographic groups, especially women and the less-educated. These findings are important since financial literacy is linked to borrowing, saving, and spending patterns. We also offer new evidence on financial literacy among high school students drawing on the 2012 Programme for International Student Assessment implemented in 18 countries. Last, we discuss the implications of this research for policy.

  8. Financial Literacy and Economic Outcomes: Evidence and Policy Implications

    PubMed Central

    Mitchell, Olivia S.; Lusardi, Annamaria

    2017-01-01

    This paper reviews what we have learned over the past decade about financial literacy and its relationship to financial decision-making around the world. Using three questions, we have surveyed people in several countries to determine whether they have the fundamental knowledge of economics and finance needed to function as effective decision-makers. We find that levels of financial literacy are low not only in the United States. but also in many other countries including those with well-developed financial markets. Moreover, financial illiteracy is particularly acute for some demographic groups, especially women and the less-educated. These findings are important since financial literacy is linked to borrowing, saving, and spending patterns. We also offer new evidence on financial literacy among high school students drawing on the 2012 Programme for International Student Assessment implemented in 18 countries. Last, we discuss the implications of this research for policy. PMID:28553655

  9. National Workplace Literacy Program. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, Olney.

    The Snap-On Tools Workplace Literacy Grant developed a curriculum for training adult workers in technical math and reading, English as a Second Language (ESL), and blueprint reading. Curriculum development was based on a workplace audit. Reading levels increased an average of 0.8 of a grade level. Flexibility and implementation of adult student…

  10. Training a new generation of speech-language pathologists with competences in the management of literacy disorders and learning disabilities in Hong Kong.

    PubMed

    Yuen, Kevin C P

    2014-01-01

    One of the recent developments in the education of speech-language pathology is to include literacy disorders and learning disabilities as key training components in the training curriculum. Disorders in reading and writing are interwoven with disorders in speaking and listening, which should be managed holistically, particularly in children and adolescents. With extensive training in clinical linguistics, language disorders, and other theoretical knowledge and clinical skills, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are the best equipped and most competent professionals to screen, identify, diagnose, and manage individuals with literacy disorders. To tackle the challenges of and the huge demand for services in literacy as well as language and learning disorders, the Hong Kong Institute of Education has recently developed the Master of Science Programme in Educational Speech-Language Pathology and Learning Disabilities, which is one of the very first speech-language pathology training programmes in Asia to blend training components of learning disabilities, literacy disorders, and social-emotional-behavioural-developmental disabilities into a developmentally and medically oriented speech-language pathology training programme. This new training programme aims to prepare a new generation of SLPs to be able to offer comprehensive support to individuals with speech, language, literacy, learning, communication, and swallowing disorders of different developmental or neurogenic origins, particularly to infants and adolescents as well as to their family and educational team. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  11. On Defining and Developing Literacy across Communities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bernardo, Allan B. I.

    2000-09-01

    The paper attempts to raise a few issues relating to the task of defining and operationalizing literacy and literacy development across communities with diverse socio-economic profiles. In particular, the following concerns are raised: (1) Can literacy development be assessed using one set of domains, given that the domains of literacy practices vary across cultures? (2) Does the acquisition of literacy skills mean the same thing to people across different communities? (3) Does illiteracy have the same consequences for people in different communities? (4) Is the process of literacy acquisition and development the same across diverse communities? The paper underscores the importance of considering the diverse socio-economic patterns in different communities in trying to determine present levels of literacy development and in proposing programs to increase levels of literacy skill. It also proposes using the level of community (in addition to the macro-level of nation-state and the micro-level of individual) in analyzing matters relating to literacy development.

  12. Enacting Critical Health Literacy in the Australian Secondary School Curriculum: The Possibilities Posed by e-Health

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCuaig, Louise; Carroll, Kristie; Macdonald, Doune

    2014-01-01

    The teaching of health literacy in school-based health education (SBHE) is of international interest, yet there is less ready access to how conceptions of health literacy can be operationalised in school programmes. More specifically, while articulated in curriculum documents such as the incoming Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical…

  13. State of the Literacy and Essential Skills Field

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harwood, Chris

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of the "State of the Literacy and Essential Skills Field" report is to provide an environmental scan showing the state of Literacy and Essential Skills (L/ES) across the country, from the perspective of the Canadian Literacy and Learning Network (CLLN) and its national network of partners, both within and outside the Literacy…

  14. One Pragmatist Looks Back: Some Views on Functional Literacy Programmes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leven, C. S.

    1971-01-01

    The author recounts problems he encountered in industrial vocational training in functional literacy programs. He stresses the acquisition of attitudes, habits, and principles more than specific technical facts or procedures, and recommends the use of visual aids and group discussion, and giving students ability to read and understand charts and…

  15. Secondary Statistical Modeling with the National Assessment of Adult Literacy: Implications for the Design of the Background Questionnaire. Working Paper Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaplan, David

    This paper offers recommendations to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) on the development of the background questionnaire for the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL). The recommendations are from the viewpoint of a researcher interested in applying sophisticated statistical models to address important issues in adult…

  16. Evaluating the implementation of a national clinical programme for diabetes to standardise and improve services: a realist evaluation protocol.

    PubMed

    McHugh, S; Tracey, M L; Riordan, F; O'Neill, K; Mays, N; Kearney, P M

    2016-07-28

    Over the last three decades in response to the growing burden of diabetes, countries worldwide have developed national and regional multifaceted programmes to improve the monitoring and management of diabetes and to enhance the coordination of care within and across settings. In Ireland in 2010, against a backdrop of limited dedicated strategic planning and engrained variation in the type and level of diabetes care, a national programme was established to standardise and improve care for people with diabetes in Ireland, known as the National Diabetes Programme (NDP). The NDP comprises a range of organisational and service delivery changes to support evidence-based practices and policies. This realist evaluation protocol sets out the approach that will be used to identify and explain which aspects of the programme are working, for whom and in what circumstances to produce the outcomes intended. This mixed method realist evaluation will develop theories about the relationship between the context, mechanisms and outcomes of the diabetes programme. In stage 1, to identify the official programme theories, documentary analysis and qualitative interviews were conducted with national stakeholders involved in the design, development and management of the programme. In stage 2, as part of a multiple case study design with one case per administrative region in the health system, qualitative interviews are being conducted with frontline staff and service users to explore their responses to, and reasoning about, the programme's resources (mechanisms). Finally, administrative data will be used to examine intermediate implementation outcomes such as service uptake, acceptability, and fidelity to models of care. This evaluation is using the principles of realist evaluation to examine the implementation of a national programme to standardise and improve services for people with diabetes in Ireland. The concurrence of implementation and evaluation has enabled us to produce formative

  17. The State of the World Environment, 1987. United Nations Environment Programme.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi (Kenya).

    One of the main activities assigned to the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is to review the world environmental situation to insure that emerging environmental problems of wide international significance receive appropriate and adequate consideration by governments. Accordingly, UNEP has assessed the state of…

  18. The Uncanny, Digital Texts and Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carrington, Victoria

    2005-01-01

    Literacy is one of the binding threads of modern society. Print text and literacy are irretrievably intertwined with many of the core themes of industrial society: family, gender, nation state. In the shift to new digital technologies, changing sociocultural landscapes and new theoretical frames, the growing difficulty in defining and delineating…

  19. National programmes for validating physician competence and fitness for practice: a scoping review

    PubMed Central

    Horsley, Tanya; Lockyer, Jocelyn; Cogo, Elise; Zeiter, Jeanie; Bursey, Ford; Campbell, Craig

    2016-01-01

    Objective To explore and categorise the state of existing literature for national programmes designed to affirm or establish the continuing competence of physicians. Design Scoping review. Data sources MEDLINE, ERIC, Sociological Abstracts, web/grey literature (2000–2014). Selection Included when a record described a (1) national-level physician validation system, (2) recognised as a system for affirming competence and (3) reported relevant data. Data extraction Using bibliographic software, title and abstracts were reviewed using an assessment matrix to ensure duplicate, paired screening. Dyads included both a methodologist and content expert on each assessment, reflective of evidence-informed best practices to decrease errors. Results 45 reports were included. Publication dates ranged from 2002 to 2014 with the majority of publications occurring in the previous six years (n=35). Country of origin—defined as that of the primary author—included the USA (N=32), the UK (N=8), Canada (N=3), Kuwait (N=1) and Australia (N=1). Three broad themes emerged from this heterogeneous data set: contemporary national programmes, contextual factors and terminological consistency. Four national physician validation systems emerged from the data: the American Board of Medical Specialties Maintenance of Certification Program, the Federation of State Medical Boards Maintenance of Licensure Program, the Canadian Revalidation Program and the UK Revalidation Program. Three contextual factors emerged as stimuli for the implementation of national validation systems: medical regulation, quality of care and professional competence. Finally, great variation among the definitions of key terms was identified. Conclusions There is an emerging literature focusing on national physician validation systems. Four major systems have been implemented in recent years and it is anticipated that more will follow. Much of this work is descriptive, and gaps exist for the extent to which systems build

  20. National treatment programme of hepatitis C in Egypt: Hepatitis C virus model of care.

    PubMed

    El-Akel, W; El-Sayed, M H; El Kassas, M; El-Serafy, M; Khairy, M; Elsaeed, K; Kabil, K; Hassany, M; Shawky, A; Yosry, A; Shaker, M K; ElShazly, Y; Waked, I; Esmat, G; Doss, W

    2017-04-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health problem in Egypt as the nation bears the highest prevalence rate worldwide. This necessitated establishing a novel model of care (MOC) to contain the epidemic, deliver patient care and ensure global treatment access. In this review, we describe the process of development of the Egyptian model and future strategies for sustainability. Although the magnitude of the HCV problem was known for many years, the HCV MOC only came into being in 2006 with the establishment of the National Committee for Control of Viral Hepatitis (NCCVH) to set up and implement a national control strategy for the disease and other causes of viral hepatitis. The strategy outlines best practices for patient care delivery by applying a set of service principles through identified clinical streams and patient flow continuums. The Egyptian national viral hepatitis treatment programme is considered one of the most successful and effective public health programmes. To date, more than one million patients were evaluated and more than 850 000 received treatment under the umbrella of the programme since 2006. The NCCVH has been successful in establishing a strong infrastructure for controlling viral hepatitis in Egypt. It established a nationwide network of digitally connected viral hepatitis-specialized treatment centres covering the country map to enhance treatment access. Practice guidelines suiting local circumstances were issued and regularly updated and are applied in all affiliated centres. This review illustrates the model and the successful Egyptian experience. It sets an exemplar for states, organizations and policy-makers setting up programmes for care and management of people with hepatitis C. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Embedding Academic Literacies in University Programme Curricula: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murray, Neil; Nallaya, Shashi

    2016-01-01

    As the number of students entering higher education continues to increase, many English-medium universities have been looking carefully at how to more effectively ensure that those for whom English is not a first language have the opportunity to develop the academic literacies they require to successfully engage with and complete their studies as…

  2. Using the Geoscience Literacy Frameworks and Educational Technologies to Promote Science Literacy in Non-science Major Undergraduates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carley, S.; Tuddenham, P.; Bishop, K. O.

    2008-12-01

    In recent years several geoscience communities have been developing ocean, climate, atmosphere and earth science literacy frameworks as enhancements to the National Science Education Standards content standards. Like the older content standards these new geoscience literacy frameworks have focused on K-12 education although they are also intended for informal education and general public audiences. These geoscience literacy frameworks potentially provide a more integrated and less abstract approach to science literacy that may be more suitable for non-science major students that are not pursuing careers in science research or education. They provide a natural link to contemporary environmental issues - e.g., climate change, resource depletion, species and habitat loss, natural hazards, pollution, development of renewable energy, material recycling. The College of Exploration is an education research non-profit that has provided process and technical support for the development of most of these geoscience literacy frameworks. It has a unique perspective on their development. In the last ten years it has also gained considerable national and international expertise in facilitating web-based workshops that support in-depth conversations among educators and working scientists/researchers on important science topics. These workshops have been of enormous value to educators working in K-12, 4-year institutions and community colleges. How can these geoscience literacy frameworks promote more collaborative inquiry-based learning that enhances the appreciation of scientific thinking by non-majors? How can web- and mobile-based education technologies transform the undergraduate non-major survey course into a place where learners begin their passion for science literacy rather than end it? How do we assess science literacy in students and citizens?

  3. Learning, Literacy and Identity: "I Don't Think I'm a Failure Any More"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tett, Lyn

    2016-01-01

    The impact of participation in adult literacy programmes on learners' identities is examined through an interrogation of their past and current experiences and the assessment of the effect of particular pedagogies. The findings show how learners' positive experiences in their programmes had caused them to re-evaluate their previous understandings…

  4. A National Road Map to a Climate Literate Society: Advancing Climate Literacy by Coordinating Federal Climate Change Educational Programs (Invited)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Niepold, F.; Karsten, J. L.

    2009-12-01

    Over the 21st century, climate scientists expect Earth's temperature to continue increasing, very likely more than it did during the 20th century. Two anticipated results are rising global sea level and increasing frequency and intensity of heat waves, droughts, and floods. [IPCC 2007, USGCRP 2009] These changes will affect almost every aspect of human society, including economic prosperity, human and environmental health, and national security. Climate change will bring economic and environmental challenges as well as opportunities, and citizens who have an understanding of climate science will be better prepared to respond to both. Society needs citizens who understand the climate system and know how to apply that knowledge in their careers and in their engagement as active members of their communities. Climate change will continue to be a significant element of public discourse. Understanding the essential principles of climate science will enable all people to assess news stories and contribute to their everyday conversations as informed citizens. Key to our nations response to climate change will be a Climate Literate society that understands their influence on climate and climate’s influence on them and society. In order to ensure the nation increases its literacy, the Climate Literacy: Essential Principles of Climate Science document has been endorsed by the 13 Federal agencies that make up the US Global Change Research Program (http://globalchange.gov/resources/educators/climate-literacy) and twenty-four other science and educational institutions. This session will explore the coordinated efforts by the federal agencies and partner organizations to ensure a climate literate society. "Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Sciences: A Guide for Individuals and Communities" produced by the U.S. Global Change Research Program in March 2009

  5. Exploring the relationship between social class, mental illness stigma and mental health literacy using British national survey data.

    PubMed

    Holman, Daniel

    2015-07-01

    The relationship between social class and mental illness stigma has received little attention in recent years. At the same time, the concept of mental health literacy has become an increasingly popular way of framing knowledge and understanding of mental health issues. British Social Attitudes survey data present an opportunity to unpack the relationships between these concepts and social class, an important task given continuing mental health inequalities. Regression analyses were undertaken which centred on depression and schizophrenia vignettes, with an asthma vignette used for comparison. The National Statistics Socio-economic Classification, education and income were used as indicators of class. A number of interesting findings emerged. Overall, class variables showed a stronger relationship with mental health literacy than stigma. The relationship was gendered such that women with higher levels of education, especially those with a degree, had the lowest levels of stigma and highest levels of mental health literacy. Interestingly, class showed more of an association with stigma for the asthma vignette than it did for both the depression and schizophrenia vignettes, suggesting that mental illness stigma needs to be contextualised alongside physical illness stigma. Education emerged as the key indicator of class, followed by the National Statistics Socio-economic Classification, with income effects being marginal. These findings have implications for targeting health promotion campaigns and increasing service use in order to reduce mental health inequalities. © The Author(s) 2014.

  6. Literacies, Contexts and Practices: Public Devices for Their Definition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dionisio, Maria de Lourdes

    In Portugal, the word "literacy" acquired public importance in October 1995, in the first national literacy assessment report. In the last few years, "reading habits" and not "literacy" became a privileged research object, and it is the amount and kind of reading that is being measured, with the results taken as…

  7. Improving Child Oral Health: Cost Analysis of a National Nursery Toothbrushing Programme

    PubMed Central

    Anopa, Yulia; McMahon, Alex D.; Conway, David I.; Ball, Graham E.; McIntosh, Emma; Macpherson, Lorna M. D.

    2015-01-01

    Dental caries is one of the most common diseases of childhood. The aim of this study was to compare the cost of providing the Scotland-wide nursery toothbrushing programme with associated National Health Service (NHS) cost savings from improvements in the dental health of five-year-old children: through avoided dental extractions, fillings and potential treatments for decay. Methods Estimated costs of the nursery toothbrushing programme in 2011/12 were requested from all Scottish Health Boards. Unit costs of a filled, extracted and decayed primary tooth were calculated using verifiable sources of information. Total costs associated with dental treatments were estimated for the period from 1999/00 to 2009/10. These costs were based on the unit costs above and using the data of the National Dental Inspection Programme and then extrapolated to the population level. Expected cost savings were calculated for each of the subsequent years in comparison with the 2001/02 dental treatment costs. Population standardised analysis of hypothetical cohorts of 1000 children per deprivation category was performed. Results The estimated cost of the nursery toothbrushing programme in Scotland was £1,762,621 per year. The estimated cost of dental treatments in the baseline year 2001/02 was £8,766,297, while in 2009/10 it was £4,035,200. In 2002/03 the costs of dental treatments increased by £213,380 (2.4%). In the following years the costs decreased dramatically with the estimated annual savings ranging from £1,217,255 in 2003/04 (13.9% of costs in 2001/02) to £4,731,097 in 2009/10 (54.0%). Population standardised analysis by deprivation groups showed that the largest decrease in modelled costs was for the most deprived cohort of children. Conclusions The NHS costs associated with the dental treatments for five-year-old children decreased over time. In the eighth year of the toothbrushing programme the expected savings were more than two and a half times the costs of the

  8. Magic or Mayhem? New Texts and New Literacies in Technological Times.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beavis, Catherine

    Questions about the implications of the new technologies for literacy, literacy teaching, and literacy practices provoke diverse and contradictory responses in the media, in policy documents, in state and national assessment surveys, and among teachers themselves. On one hand, the need for literacy to be reconceptualized and redefined in the face…

  9. Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Media Literacy Education for Young Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rogow, Faith

    2011-01-01

    Inquiry-based media literacy is an increasingly important component of an educator's toolbox. The author's own concerns about definitions of media literacy have given way to a focus on establishing clear goals for media literacy education. The National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) articulates these goals: "The purpose of media…

  10. Reconceptualizing Media Literacy in the Social Studies: A Pragmatist Critique of the NCSS Position Statement on Media Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mason, Lance; Metzger, Scott Alan

    2012-01-01

    The National Council for the Social Studies Position Statement on Media Literacy argues that media literacy can facilitate participatory democracy if students' interest in media is harnessed. The statement conceives of media technology as neutral and under-conceptualizes socializing aspects of media technologies that foster atomized individualism.…

  11. National Workplace Literacy Program. Garment-Related Bilingual (English & Chinese) T.V. Broadcast Lessons. Book I: Episodes 1-15.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chinatown Manpower Project, Inc., New York, NY.

    This publication contains a series of 15 garment-related bilingual (English and Chinese) television broadcast lessons produced by the National Workplace Literacy Program of Chinatown Manpower Project, Inc. (Other partners were the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees and the Greater Blouse, Skirt and Undergarment Association in…

  12. Literacy: International, National, State, and Local. Yearbook of the American Reading Forum, Volume XI.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hayes, Bernard L., Ed.; Camperell, Kay, Ed.

    This book contains papers which consider literacy issues at all levels from preschool to reading and the aging. The book includes discussions of cultural literacy, computer literacy, the reading/writing connection, adult basic literacy, measurement of reading and writing, special reading programs, and reading research. The following papers are…

  13. Student Achievement in Turkey, According to Question Types Used in PISA 2003-2012 Mathematic Literacy Tests

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Özkan, Yesim Özer; Özaslan, Nesrin

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the level of achievement of students participating in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003 and PISA 2012 tests in Turkey according to questions in the mathematical literacy test. This study is a descriptive survey. Within the scope of the study, the mathematical literacy test items were…

  14. Health education literacy in patients with chronic musculoskeletal diseases: development of a new questionnaire and sociodemographic predictors.

    PubMed

    Farin, Erik; Ullrich, Antje; Nagl, Michaela

    2013-12-01

    It was our aim to develop a questionnaire for patients with chronic musculoskeletal diseases to self-report their health education literacy, to analyse the psychometric properties of the instrument and to test hypotheses concerning sociodemographic predictors of health education literacy. A total of 577 patients with chronic back pain or osteoarthritis who underwent inpatient rehabilitation were surveyed. The resulting 'HELP questionnaire' (health education literacy of patients with chronic musculoskeletal diseases) consists of 18 items and three scales (comprehension of medical information, applying medical information, communicative competence in provider interactions). The instrument's psychometric properties are good (Cronbach's alpha between 0.88 and 0.95, unidimensionality and Rasch model fit established). Our sample's average level of self-reported health education literacy is quite high. However, 20-30% of the patients admitted to having difficulty understanding important aspects of health education programmes (i.e. comprehending what medical information means in relation to their disease). The variance explained by sociodemographic and basic medical variables is small (4-8%). Greater effort is required to make health education programmes easier to understand. There is a need for more research on interindividual variability of complex aspects of health literacy.

  15. Functional Literacy Projects and Project Proposals: Selected Examples. A Special Study for the World Conference on Education for All (Thailand, March 5-9, 1990).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Linder, Kjell

    Part I of this report describes projects in progress in nine countries: Bangladesh (Mass Education through Small Local Organizations), China (Multi-purpose Adult Education Schools and Resource Centres), Ethiopia (Literacy and Post-Literacy Programme), Jamaica (Jamaican Movement for the Advancement of Literacy), Nepal (Training for Vocational…

  16. Home Literacy Exposure and Early Language and Literacy Skills in Children Who Struggle with Behavior and Attention Problems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haak, Jill; Downer, Jason; Reeve, Ronald

    2012-01-01

    Research Findings: This study investigated the relationships between behavior and attention problems and early language and literacy outcomes for 4-year-olds who experienced varied early home literacy environments. Participants were 1,364 children enrolled in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care…

  17. The Literacy Equation: Competence = Capability? National Conference of the Australian Council for Adult Literacy Conference Papers (Queensland, Australia, November 7-9, 1996).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Queensland Council for Adult Literacy, Red Hill (Australia).

    Papers from the 19th Adult Literacy Conference convened by the Australian Council for Adult Literacy include: "A Little to the Right on Writing" (Brendan Bartlett, Margaret Fletcher); "Deconstructing the 'Australian Language and Literacy Policy'" (Helen Beazley); "Comparing Content-Centered and Learner-Centered Approaches…

  18. Information Literacy Advocates: developing student skills through a peer support approach.

    PubMed

    Curtis, Ruth

    2016-12-01

    Since 2013/2014, an Information Literacy Advocates (ILA) scheme has been running at the University of Nottingham as an extracurricular module on the Nottingham Advantage Award programme. The Information Literacy Advocates scheme, which recruits medicine and health sciences students in their second year or above, aims to facilitate development of information literacy skills and confidence, as well as communication, organisation and teamwork, through the provision of peer support. Previous research indicates peer assistance effectively enhances such skills and is valued by fellow students who welcome the opportunity to approach more experienced students for help. This article, written by guest writer Ruth Curtis from the University of Nottingham, provides an overview of administering the ILA scheme and explores its impact on the Information Literacy Advocates, peers and librarians, and discusses future developments for taking the scheme forward. H. S. © 2016 Health Libraries Group.

  19. A Conceptual Model of Observed Physical Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dudley, Dean A.

    2015-01-01

    Physical literacy is a concept that is gaining greater acceptance around the world with the United Nations Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization (2013) recognizing it as one of several central tenets in a quality physical education framework. However, previous attempts to understand progression in physical literacy learning have been…

  20. Making Soweto Stories: Photovoice Meets the New Literacy Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strawn, Clare; Monama, Geraldine

    2012-01-01

    Adult literacy is a crucial element of community and economic development in South Africa and many developing countries striving to meet Millennium Development Goals. However, few governments invest the recommended 6% of education budgets on programmes for adults. Without resources, volunteer educators and international supporters rely on their…

  1. Promoting Financial Success in the United States: National Strategy for Financial Literacy, 2011

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Financial Literacy and Education Commission, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This paper describes a framework developed by the Financial Literacy and Education Commission (FLEC) to provide the foundation for an overarching financial literacy strategy. This framework establishes concrete goals that the non-profit, government, and private sectors can and should work together to increase financial literacy and improve…

  2. Refining Family Literacy Practice: A New Zealand Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benseman, John

    2006-01-01

    Following the results of the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) in 1996, there has been an upsurge of interest in adult literacy in New Zealand. This interest is reflected in a national adult literacy strategy with foundation learning as one of the government's six priorities for the postschool sector. One result of this policy change has…

  3. Problem Oriented Literacy Materials Preparation: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tripathi, Virendra

    1975-01-01

    One of the recent innovations of significance in developing nations is the concept of linking literacy education to problems related to socio-economic development. The article describes the Problem Oriented Materials Preparation Project of Literacy House, Lucknow, India. (Author/BP)

  4. Development of Early English Language and Literacy Skills among Spanish-Speaking Children: Does Preschool Make a Difference?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Han, Myae; Silva, Luisa; Vukelich, Carol; Buell, Martha; Hou, Likun

    2014-01-01

    This study examined the early English language and literacy skill development of 179 children from 11 Head Start classrooms who participated in an added focus on language and literacy skill-building supported by Early Reading First programme. Of this sample, 118 children were Spanish-speaking English Language Learners (ELL). All children were…

  5. Computer literacy among first year medical students in a developing country: a cross sectional study.

    PubMed

    Ranasinghe, Priyanga; Wickramasinghe, Sashimali A; Pieris, Wa Rasanga; Karunathilake, Indika; Constantine, Godwin R

    2012-09-14

    The use of computer assisted learning (CAL) has enhanced undergraduate medical education. CAL improves performance at examinations, develops problem solving skills and increases student satisfaction. The study evaluates computer literacy among first year medical students in Sri Lanka. The study was conducted at Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka between August-September 2008. First year medical students (n = 190) were invited for the study. Data on computer literacy and associated factors were collected by an expert-validated pre-tested self-administered questionnaire. Computer literacy was evaluated by testing knowledge on 6 domains; common software packages, operating systems, database management and the usage of internet and E-mail. A linear regression was conducted using total score for computer literacy as the continuous dependant variable and other independent covariates. Sample size-181 (Response rate-95.3%), 49.7% were Males. Majority of the students (77.3%) owned a computer (Males-74.4%, Females-80.2%). Students have gained their present computer knowledge by; a formal training programme (64.1%), self learning (63.0%) or by peer learning (49.2%). The students used computers for predominately; word processing (95.6%), entertainment (95.0%), web browsing (80.1%) and preparing presentations (76.8%). Majority of the students (75.7%) expressed their willingness for a formal computer training programme at the faculty.Mean score for the computer literacy questionnaire was 48.4 ± 20.3, with no significant gender difference (Males-47.8 ± 21.1, Females-48.9 ± 19.6). There were 47.9% students that had a score less than 50% for the computer literacy questionnaire. Students from Colombo district, Western Province and Student owning a computer had a significantly higher mean score in comparison to other students (p < 0.001). In the linear regression analysis, formal computer training was the strongest predictor of computer literacy (β = 13

  6. Computer literacy among first year medical students in a developing country: A cross sectional study

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background The use of computer assisted learning (CAL) has enhanced undergraduate medical education. CAL improves performance at examinations, develops problem solving skills and increases student satisfaction. The study evaluates computer literacy among first year medical students in Sri Lanka. Methods The study was conducted at Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka between August-September 2008. First year medical students (n = 190) were invited for the study. Data on computer literacy and associated factors were collected by an expert-validated pre-tested self-administered questionnaire. Computer literacy was evaluated by testing knowledge on 6 domains; common software packages, operating systems, database management and the usage of internet and E-mail. A linear regression was conducted using total score for computer literacy as the continuous dependant variable and other independent covariates. Results Sample size-181 (Response rate-95.3%), 49.7% were Males. Majority of the students (77.3%) owned a computer (Males-74.4%, Females-80.2%). Students have gained their present computer knowledge by; a formal training programme (64.1%), self learning (63.0%) or by peer learning (49.2%). The students used computers for predominately; word processing (95.6%), entertainment (95.0%), web browsing (80.1%) and preparing presentations (76.8%). Majority of the students (75.7%) expressed their willingness for a formal computer training programme at the faculty. Mean score for the computer literacy questionnaire was 48.4 ± 20.3, with no significant gender difference (Males-47.8 ± 21.1, Females-48.9 ± 19.6). There were 47.9% students that had a score less than 50% for the computer literacy questionnaire. Students from Colombo district, Western Province and Student owning a computer had a significantly higher mean score in comparison to other students (p < 0.001). In the linear regression analysis, formal computer training was the strongest predictor of

  7. Evaluating the implementation of a school-based emotional well-being programme: a cluster randomized controlled trial of Zippy's Friends for children in disadvantaged primary schools.

    PubMed

    Clarke, Aleisha M; Bunting, Brendan; Barry, Margaret M

    2014-10-01

    Schools are recognized as one of the most important settings for promoting social and emotional well-being among children and adolescents. This clustered randomized controlled trial evaluated Zippy's Friends, an international school-based emotional well-being programme, with 766 children from designated disadvantaged schools. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immediate and long term impact of the programme and to determine the impact of implementation fidelity on programme outcomes. Teachers reported emotional literacy outcomes using the Emotional Literacy Checklist, and emotional and behavioural outcomes using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Controlling for the hierarchical structure of the data, path analysis using structural equation modelling revealed that the programme had a significant positive impact on the children's emotional literacy scores including significant improvements in the subscale scores of self-awareness (P < 0.001), self-regulation (P < 0.01), motivation (P < 0.001) and social skills (P < 0.001) at post-intervention. These results were maintained at 12-month follow-up (P < 0.01). The programme, however, did not have a significant impact on children's emotional and behavioural problems. Analysis of programme fidelity indicated that high fidelity was directly related to improved emotional literacy scores at post-intervention. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  8. Does literacy improve finance?

    PubMed

    Poon, Martha; Olen, Helaine

    2015-04-01

    When economists ask questions about basic financial principles, most ordinary people answer incorrectly. Economic experts call this condition "financial illiteracy," which suggests that poor financial outcomes are due to a personal deficit of reading-related skills. The analogy to reading is compelling because it suggests that we can teach our way out of population-wide financial failure. In this comment, we explain why the idea of literacy appeals to policy makers in the advanced industrial nations. But we also show that the narrow skill set laid out by economists does not satisfy the politically inclusive definition of literacy that literacy studies fought for. We identify several channels through which people engage with ideas about finance and demonstrate that not all forms of literacy will lead people to the educational content prescribed by academic economists. We argue that truly financial literate people can defy the demands of financial theory and financial institutions. © The Author(s) 2015.

  9. Language and Literacy: Current Issues and Research.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gorman, Thomas P., Ed.

    Comprising a study of the application of linguistics to literacy, the 16 papers in this book were prepared by contributors from both developing and developed nations. The papers in the first section illustrate the relevance of certain developments in theoretical and applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, and psycholinguistics to literacy teaching.…

  10. Writing in Math: A Disciplinary Literacy Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brozo, William G.; Crain, Sarah

    2018-01-01

    Mathematics teachers often resist generic literacy strategies because they do not seem relevant to math learning. Discipline-specific literacy practices that emerge directly from the math content and processes under study are more likely to be embraced by math teachers. Furthermore, national and state-level mathematics standards as well as Common…

  11. Evaluation of a nationally funded state-based programme to reduce fatal occupational injuries

    PubMed Central

    Menendez, Cammie Chaumont; Castillo, Dawn; Rosenman, Kenneth; Harrison, Robert; Hendricks, Scott

    2015-01-01

    Background The Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) programme was established by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to help prevent occupational traumatic fatalities by funding states to conduct targeted fatality investigations within cause-specific focus areas and associated prevention efforts. Purpose To investigate the impact of the state-based FACE programme on two previous focus areas. Methods A longitudinal time-series analysis spanning 22 years compared state fatality rates for occupational falls and electrocutions before and after FACE programme funding with states not receiving FACE programme funding. Lag periods were utilised to allow time for the programme to have an effect, and rates were adjusted for a variety of covariates. Separate analyses were conducted for each injury outcome. Results A reduction in fall fatality rates that was of borderline significance (1-year lag adjRR=0.92 (0.84 to 1.00)) and a non-significant reduction in electrocution fatality rates (3-year lag adjRR=0.92 (0.82 to 1.03)) were observed in states with FACE programme funding, Best-fit models presented two separate lag periods. Conclusions While it is challenging to quantitatively evaluate effectiveness of programmes such as FACE, the data suggest the FACE programme may be effective in preventing occupational injury deaths within its outcome focus areas throughout the state. It is important to look for ways to measure intermediate effects more precisely, as well as ways to maintain effects over time. PMID:22864251

  12. National programmes for validating physician competence and fitness for practice: a scoping review.

    PubMed

    Horsley, Tanya; Lockyer, Jocelyn; Cogo, Elise; Zeiter, Jeanie; Bursey, Ford; Campbell, Craig

    2016-04-15

    To explore and categorise the state of existing literature for national programmes designed to affirm or establish the continuing competence of physicians. Scoping review. MEDLINE, ERIC, Sociological Abstracts, web/grey literature (2000-2014). Included when a record described a (1) national-level physician validation system, (2) recognised as a system for affirming competence and (3) reported relevant data. Using bibliographic software, title and abstracts were reviewed using an assessment matrix to ensure duplicate, paired screening. Dyads included both a methodologist and content expert on each assessment, reflective of evidence-informed best practices to decrease errors. 45 reports were included. Publication dates ranged from 2002 to 2014 with the majority of publications occurring in the previous six years (n=35). Country of origin--defined as that of the primary author--included the USA (N=32), the UK (N=8), Canada (N=3), Kuwait (N=1) and Australia (N=1). Three broad themes emerged from this heterogeneous data set: contemporary national programmes, contextual factors and terminological consistency. Four national physician validation systems emerged from the data: the American Board of Medical Specialties Maintenance of Certification Program, the Federation of State Medical Boards Maintenance of Licensure Program, the Canadian Revalidation Program and the UK Revalidation Program. Three contextual factors emerged as stimuli for the implementation of national validation systems: medical regulation, quality of care and professional competence. Finally, great variation among the definitions of key terms was identified. There is an emerging literature focusing on national physician validation systems. Four major systems have been implemented in recent years and it is anticipated that more will follow. Much of this work is descriptive, and gaps exist for the extent to which systems build on current evidence or theory. Terminology is highly variable across programmes

  13. Siblings as Mediators of Literacy in Linguistic Minority Communities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gregory, Eve

    1998-01-01

    Argues for need to move beyond model of "parental" involvement in reading, which presently informs home/school reading programmes for linguistic-minority children in UK. First examines literature informing current model showing marked absence of studies on role played by siblings as mediators of literacy in new linguistic and cultural…

  14. Cancer literacy as a mediator for cancer screening behaviour in Korean adults.

    PubMed

    Lee, Hee Yun; Rhee, Taeho Greg; Kim, Nam Keol

    2016-09-01

    This study investigates the cancer literacy level in Korean adults and examines whether cancer literacy plays a mediating role in the relationship between population characteristics and cancer screening behaviours. We collected data from 585 community-dwelling adults in Korea using self-administered surveys and face-to-face interviews from October to December in 2009. Guided by Andersen's behavioural model, we used a structural equation model to estimate the effect of cancer literacy as a mediator and found that cancer literacy mediated cancer screening behaviour. In the individual path analysis models, cancer literacy played a significant mediating role for the use of eastern medicine, fatalism, health status and the number of chronic diseases. When controlling for other relevant covariates, we found that in the optimal path model, cancer literacy played a mediating role in the relationship between the use of eastern medicine and self-rated health status as well as cancer screening behaviour. Thus, developing community-based cancer education programmes and training clinical practitioners in eastern medicine clinics about the importance of informing their patients about regular cancer screening may be an option to boost cancer literacy and screening behaviour in Korea. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. We Are the Game Changers: An Open Gaming Literacy Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arnab, Sylvester; Morini, Luca; Green, Kate; Masters, Alex; Bellamy-Woods, Tyrone

    2017-01-01

    This paper discusses the first iteration of Game Changers Programme hosted by Coventry University's Disruptive Media Learning Lab (DMLL), an open game design initiative. The Programme had the goal of facilitating new models of teaching and learning, new practices in cross-faculty learning/ collaboration to make game design and development more…

  16. INFOMAR, Ireland's National Seabed Mapping Programme; Sharing Valuable Insights.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Judge, M. T.; McGrath, F.; Cullen, S.; Verbruggen, K.

    2017-12-01

    Following the successful high-resolution deep-sea mapping carried out as part of the Irish National Seabed Survey (INSS), a strategic, long term programme was established: INtegrated mapping FOr the sustainable development of Ireland MArine Resources (INFOMAR). Funded by Ireland's Department of Communication, Climate Action and Environment, INFOMAR comprises a multi-platform approach to completing Ireland's marine mapping, and is a key action in the integrated marine plan, Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth. Co-managed by Geological Survey Ireland and the Marine Institute, the programme has three work strands: Data Acquisition; Data Exchange and Integration; Value Added Exploitation.The Data Acquisition strand includes collection of geological, hydrographic, oceanographic, habitat and heritage datasets that underpin sustainable development and management of Ireland's marine resources. INFOMAR operates a free data policy; data and outputs are delivered online through the Data Exchange and Integration strand. Uses of data and outputs are wide-ranging and multipurpose. In order to address the evolution and diversification of user requirements, further data product development is facilitated through the Value Added Exploitation strand.Ninety percent of Ireland's territory lies offshore. Therefore, strategic national seabed mapping continues to provide critical, high-resolution baseline datasets for numerous economic sectors and societal needs. From these we can glean important geodynamic knowledge of Ireland's vast maritime territory. INFOMAR remains aligned with national and European policies and directives. Exemplified by our commitment to EMODnet, a European Commission funded project that supports the collection, standardisation and sharing of available marine information, data and data products across all European Seas. As EMODnet Geology Minerals leaders we have developed a framework for mapping marine minerals. Furthermore, collaboration with the international research

  17. State Literacy Resource Centers Program Grant Information.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Office of Vocational and Adult Education (ED), Washington, DC. Clearinghouse on Adult Education and Literacy.

    This document provides information on the State Literacy Resource Centers established by the National Literacy Act. The information provided for each state in a chart format includes type of action being taken under the grant, operator and location, allocation (in dollars), and contact person with address and telephone number. The 50 states are…

  18. Patient and public involvement in health literacy interventions: a mapping review.

    PubMed

    Howard Wilsher, Stephanie; Brainard, Julii; Loke, Yoon; Salter, Charlotte

    2017-01-01

    If people can read, understand and act on health information to better their health and reduce illness, they are thought to have "adequate" health literacy. Poor health literacy can mean people are less able to access health care and manage their health. Health literacy tends to worsen as adults get older, and is especially poor in adults age 65 and over. Ideally, health literacy interventions target people before age 65, to establish good skills and habits before people have many health problems associated with ageing. It is also good if researchers consult ordinary people, including patients and the public (PPI) when planning a programme to try to improve health literacy. This may help ensure individual needs are catered for.We therefore looked for studies that described any role of patient or public representatives in the research planning stages. We explored how the representatives contributed to each project. We found only 20 studies that included people other than the research team. Lack of reporting and consultation with patient and public representatives may contribute to less success when public health programmes are undertaken. Health literacy is the ability to understand, access and use health care and is a critical mediating factor that affects the health of older adults. Patient and public involvement in health and social care research, policy and design of care delivery is one mechanism that can promote production of better health literacy. This mapping review looks for and describes practices, concepts and methods that have been reported involving patients and public in the development and design of health literacy interventions for older people. Studies for the present review were selected from an inventory of health behaviour studies published between 2003 and 2013. The inventory was created by systematic searches on bibliographic databases (Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, Google) for health literacy interventions involving older people (50+ years) and

  19. Health Literacy and Access to Care

    PubMed Central

    Janke, Alex

    2016-01-01

    Despite well-documented links between low health literacy, low rates of health insurance coverage, and poor health outcomes, there has been almost no research on the relationship between low health literacy and self-reported access to care. This study analyzed a large, nationally representative sample of community-dwelling adults ages 50 and older to estimate the relationship between low health literacy and self-reported difficulty obtaining care. We found that individuals with low health literacy were significantly more likely than individuals with adequate health literacy to delay or forego needed care or to report difficulty finding a provider, even after controlling for other factors including health insurance coverage, employment, race/ethnicity, poverty, and general cognitive function. They were also more likely to lack a usual source of care, although this result was only marginally significant after controlling for other factors. The results show that in addition to any obstacles that low health literacy creates within the context of the clinical encounter, low health literacy also reduces the probability that people get in the door of the health care system in a timely way. PMID:27043757

  20. The Impact of the National Newborn Hearing Screening Programme on Educational Services in England

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCracken, Wendy; Young, Alys; Tattersall, Helen; Uus, Kai; Bamford, John

    2005-01-01

    This article presents results related to the impact on educational support services of the introduction of the first phase of the national Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP) in England. This study was funded by the Department of Health and undertaken as one element of a national evaluation of NHSP across a range of domains. It presents…

  1. Concept, Challenge, Conundrum: From Library Skills to Information Literacy. Proceedings of the National Information Literacy Conference Conducted by the University of South Australia Library and the Australian Library and Information Association Information Literacy Special Interest Group (4th, Adelaide, Australia, December 3-5, 1999).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Booker, Di, Ed.

    These proceedings from the fourth National Information Literacy Conference (Decemeber 1999) include the keynote addresses and the papers presented in workshop sessions throughout the conference. Acknowledgements by Irene Doskatsch, conference convener, that precedes the introductory piece by Alan Bundy, "Journey Without End..." is…

  2. Levels of Virtue Literacy in Catholic, Church of England and Non-Faith Schools in England: A Research Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arthur, James; Harrison, Tom; Davison, Ian

    2015-01-01

    This article reports on an innovative empirical research project, using a quasi-experimental trial, in which 9-11-year-olds learned about character and virtues through the exploration of four classic stories. The overall aim of the programme was to enhance virtue literacy. Virtue literacy is defined as the knowledge, understanding and application…

  3. Climate Literacy and Cyberlearning: Emerging Platforms and Programs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McCaffrey, M. S.; Wise, S. B.; Buhr, S. M.

    2009-12-01

    With the release of the Essential Principles of Climate Science Literacy: A Guide for Individuals and Communities in the Spring of 2009, an important step toward an shared educational and communication framework about climate science was achieved. Designed as a living document, reviewed and endorsed by the thirteen federal agencies in the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (now U.S. Global Change Research Program), the Essential Principles of Climate Literacy complement other Earth system literacy efforts. A variety of emerging efforts have begun to build on the framework using a variety of cyberlearning tools, including an online Climate Literacy course developed by Education and Outreach group at CIRES, the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, and the Independent Learning program of the Continuing Education Division at the University of Colorado at Boulder. The online course, piloted during the Summer of 2009 with formal classroom teachers and informal science educators, made use of the online Climate Literacy Handbook, which was developed by CIRES Education and Outreach and the Encyclopedia of Earth, which is supported by the National Council for Science and the Environment and hosted by Boston University. This paper will explore challenges and opportunities in the use of cyberlearning tools to support climate literacy efforts, highlight the development of the online course and handbook, and note related emerging cyberlearning platforms and programs for climate literacy, including related efforts by the Climate Literacy Network, the NASA Global Climate Change Education programs, the National STEM Education Distributed Learning (NSDL) and AAAS Project 2061.

  4. Learning for Life: The Role of Adult Literacy and Numeracy in Lifelong Learning and Socio-Economic Well-Being. Executive Summary of the ALNARC National Research Program, 2001-2002.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shore, Sue; Searle, Jean; Falk, Ian; Johnston, Betty; Ovens, Carolyn; Riddell, Christine

    In 2001-2002, the Adult Literacy and Numeracy Australian Research Consortium conducted 26 national investigations with findings in the following areas: (1) population competence; (2) linking literacy and numeracy into training; (3) professional support for educators and trainers; and (4) policy and systemic issues. All the projects were intended…

  5. Household coverage of Swaziland's national community health worker programme: a cross-sectional population-based study.

    PubMed

    Geldsetzer, Pascal; Vaikath, Maria; De Neve, Jan-Walter; Bossert, Thomas J; Sibandze, Sibusiso; Bärnighausen, Till

    2017-08-01

    To ascertain household coverage achieved by Swaziland's national community health worker (CHW) programme and differences in household coverage across clients' sociodemographic characteristics. Household survey from June to September 2015 in two of Swaziland's four administrative regions using two-stage cluster random sampling. Interviewers administered a questionnaire to all household members in 1542 households across 85 census enumeration areas. While the CHW programme aims to cover all households in the country, only 44.5% (95% confidence interval: 38.0% to 51.1%) reported that they had ever been visited by a CHW. In both uni- and multivariable regressions, coverage was negatively associated with household wealth (OR for most vs. least wealthy quartile: 0.30 [0.16 to 0.58], P < 0.001) and education (OR for >secondary schooling vs. no schooling: 0.65 [0.47 to 0.90], P = 0.009), and positively associated with residing in a rural area (OR: 2.95 [1.77 to 4.91], P < 0.001). Coverage varied widely between census enumeration areas. Swaziland's national CHW programme is falling far short of its coverage goal. To improve coverage, the programme would likely need to recruit additional CHWs and/or assign more households to each CHW. Alternatively, changing the programme's ambitious coverage goal to visiting only certain types of households would likely reduce existing arbitrary differences in coverage between households and communities. This study highlights the need to evaluate and reform large long-standing CHW programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Patterns of Literacy among U.S. Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reardon, Sean F.; Valentino, Rachel A.; Shores, Kenneth A.

    2012-01-01

    How well do U.S. students read? In this article, Sean Reardon, Rachel Valentino, and Kenneth Shores rely on studies using data from national and international literacy assessments to answer this question. In part, the answer depends on the specific literacy skills assessed. The authors show that almost all U.S. students can "read" by…

  7. Can Education Innovations Be Sustained after the End of Donor Funding? The Case of a Reading Intervention Programme in Zambia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kombe, Charity Lengwe Meki Kombe; Herman, Chaya

    2017-01-01

    This article explores the sustainability of donor-supported innovations in the education sector. Accordingly, a case study was conducted of a programme (Primary Reading Programme) implemented in Zambian primary schools which was intended to improve literacy levels. The programme was initially supported by the Department for International…

  8. Knowledge and perceptions of national and provincial tuberculosis control programme managers in Pakistan about the WHO Stop TB strategy: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Khan, Wasiq Mehmood; Smith, Helen; Qadeer, Ejaz; Hassounah, Sondus

    2016-01-01

    To understand how national and provincial tuberculosis programme managers in Pakistan perceive and engage with the Stop TB strategy, its strengths, weaknesses and their experience in its implementation. National and provincial tuberculosis programme managers play an important role in effective implementation of the Stop TB strategy. A qualitative interview study was conducted with 10 national and provincial tuberculosis programme managers to understand how they perceive and engage with the Stop TB strategy, its strengths, weaknesses and their experience in its implementation. Managers were selected purposively; 10 managers were interviewed (six national staff and four from provincial level). National and provincial tuberculosis programme managers in Pakistan. Managers were selected purposively; 10 managers were interviewed (six national staff and four from provincial level). National and provincial tuberculosis programmes in Pakistan. 1. Knowledge and perceptions of national and provincial tuberculosis programme managers about the Stop TB strategy 2. Progress in implementing the strategy in Pakistan 3. Significant success factors 4. Significant implementation challenges 5. Lessons learnt to scale up successful implementation. The managers reported that most progress had been made in extending DOTS, health systems strengthening, public -private mixed interventions, MDR-TB care and TB/HIV care. The four factors that contributed significantly to progress were the availability of DOTS services, the public-private partnership approach, comprehensive guidance for TB control and government and donor commitment to TB control. This study identified three main challenges as perceived by national and provincial tuberculosis programme managers in terms of implementing the Stop TB strategy: 1. Inadequate political commitment, 2. Issue pertaining to prioritisation of certain components in the TB strategy over others due to external influences and 3. Limitations in the overall

  9. Knowledge and perceptions of national and provincial tuberculosis control programme managers in Pakistan about the WHO Stop TB strategy: a qualitative study

    PubMed Central

    Khan, Wasiq Mehmood; Smith, Helen; Qadeer, Ejaz

    2016-01-01

    Objective To understand how national and provincial tuberculosis programme managers in Pakistan perceive and engage with the Stop TB strategy, its strengths, weaknesses and their experience in its implementation. National and provincial tuberculosis programme managers play an important role in effective implementation of the Stop TB strategy. Design A qualitative interview study was conducted with 10 national and provincial tuberculosis programme managers to understand how they perceive and engage with the Stop TB strategy, its strengths, weaknesses and their experience in its implementation. Managers were selected purposively; 10 managers were interviewed (six national staff and four from provincial level). Participants National and provincial tuberculosis programme managers in Pakistan. Managers were selected purposively; 10 managers were interviewed (six national staff and four from provincial level). Setting National and provincial tuberculosis programmes in Pakistan Main outcome measures 1. Knowledge and perceptions of national and provincial tuberculosis programme managers about the Stop TB strategy 2. Progress in implementing the strategy in Pakistan 3. Significant success factors 4. Significant implementation challenges 5. Lessons learnt to scale up successful implementation. Results The managers reported that most progress had been made in extending DOTS, health systems strengthening, public -private mixed interventions, MDR-TB care and TB/HIV care. The four factors that contributed significantly to progress were the availability of DOTS services, the public-private partnership approach, comprehensive guidance for TB control and government and donor commitment to TB control. Conclusion This study identified three main challenges as perceived by national and provincial tuberculosis programme managers in terms of implementing the Stop TB strategy: 1. Inadequate political commitment, 2. Issue pertaining to prioritisation of certain components in the TB

  10. Literacy in a 'Broad and Balanced' Primary School Curriculum: The Potential of a Disciplinary Approach in Irish Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burke, Patrick; Welsch, Jodi G.

    2018-01-01

    The prominence afforded to literacy in the Irish Primary School Curriculum has received considerable attention in recent years, spurred by Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) rankings, governmental priorities, public commentary and academic debate. At times, this discourse has presented literacy as a separate and distinct entity…

  11. Hearings on Language and Literacy. Testimony Before The National Commission on Excellence in Education (Houston, Texas, April 1982).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lundy, Eileen T.

    Conditions of language and literacy are considered by a Texas educator and presented at a 1982 hearing held by the National Commission on Excellence in Education. It is noted that a 1979 policy at the University of Texas system established a freshman-level remedial English course for credit. At the University of Texas, San Antonio, this course is…

  12. Implementation of a web-based national child health-care programme in a local context: A complex facilitator role.

    PubMed

    Tell, Johanna; Olander, Ewy; Anderberg, Peter; Berglund, Johan Sanmartin

    2018-02-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate child health-care coordinators' experiences of being a facilitator for the implementation of a new national child health-care programme in the form of a web-based national guide. The study was based on eight remote, online focus groups, using Skype for Business. A qualitative content analysis was performed. The analysis generated three categories: adapt to a local context, transition challenges and led by strong incentives. There were eight subcategories. In the latent analysis, the theme 'Being a facilitator: a complex role' was formed to express the child health-care coordinators' experiences. Facilitating a national guideline or decision support in a local context is a complex task that requires an advocating and mediating role. For successful implementation, guidelines and decision support, such as a web-based guide and the new child health-care programme, must match professional consensus and needs and be seen as relevant by all. Participation in the development and a strong bottom-up approach was important, making the web-based guide and the programme relevant to whom it is intended to serve, and for successful implementation. The study contributes valuable knowledge when planning to implement a national web-based decision support and policy programme in a local health-care context.

  13. Home Literacy Experiences and Early Childhood Disability: A Descriptive Study Using the National Household Education Surveys (NHES) Program Database

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Breit-Smith, Allison; Cabell, Sonia Q.; Justice, Laura M.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The present article illustrates how the National Household Education Surveys (NHES; U.S. Department of Education, 2009) database might be used to address questions of relevance to researchers who are concerned with literacy development among young children. Following a general description of the NHES database, a study is provided that…

  14. Evaluation of the national control of diarrhoeal disease programme in the Philippines, 1980-93.

    PubMed Central

    Baltazar, Jane C.; Nadera, Dinah P.; Victora, Cesar G.

    2002-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of the National Control of Diarrhoeal Disease Programme (NCDDP) in the Philippines over the period 1980-93, describing levels and trends in programme activities, and relating them to severe diarrhoea morbidity and mortality among under-5-year-olds. METHODS: Routinely collected data on morbidity and mortality trends were obtained from health statistics reports of the Health Intelligence Service and the NCDDP. Socioeconomic indicators, including annual average family income and expenditures, gross national product, and unemployment rates, were derived from the Philippine population census data collected by the National Statistics Office. FINDINGS: In relation to baseline levels, diarrhoea mortality among infants and young children fell by about 5% annually over the 18-year period under review. The decline was faster than those related to acute respiratory infections (ARIs) among children of similar age and to perinatal causes. Diarrhoea hospital admission rates registered an annual decline of 2.4% relative to the baseline level. CONCLUSION:These findings suggest that the programme had a substantial impact; the period under review also witnessed some degree of improvement in other factors with positive influences on health, such as exclusive breastfeeding, nutrition and environmental sanitation. The quality, particularly completeness and reliability, of the existing data did not allow further analysis, thus, making it difficult to conclude beyond doubt that the observed trends indicate that they were solely due to NCDDP. PMID:12219155

  15. How to motivate adults with low literacy and numeracy skills to engage and persist in learning: A literature review of policy interventions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Windisch, Hendrickje Catriona

    2016-06-01

    Low basic skills levels of adults are a complex policy problem which has neither straightforward causes nor solutions, and successful interventions are still relatively rare. Tackling serious literacy and numeracy weaknesses among adults is challenging, partly because the task itself is difficult, and partly because even if accomplished successfully, the returns on the investment (of expertise, time and money) are uncertain. The Survey of Adult Skills, an international investigation conducted in 22 member and two partner countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as part of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), has revealed that a considerable number of adults possess only limited literacy and numeracy skills. Governments now recognise the need to upskill these adults in order to maintain national prosperity. This literature review examines current evidence on policy interventions for adults with low literacy and numeracy proficiencies to pinpoint what has so far proven to motivate adults to join and persist in basic literacy and numeracy learning. The author identifies three approaches which seem promising in helping to address individual learners' needs: (1) adapting instruction to learners' needs by means of regular assessment (formative assessment); (2) complementary e-learning (blended learning); and (3) contextualisation of basic skills provision both at work and at home (workplace learning and family literacy). The central challenge is to put the evidence to work.

  16. Speech-language therapists supporting foundation-phase teachers with literacy and numeracy in a rural and township context.

    PubMed

    Wium, Anna-Marie; Louw, Brenda; Eloff, Irma

    2010-12-01

    Language is required for learning, but educators often find it difficult to facilitate listening and language skills while they have to adapt to a new national curriculum with an outcomes-based approach for which they have not necessarily been adequately trained. A multifaceted support programme was developed for foundation-phase educators to facilitate listening and language for literacy and numeracy, with a particular focus on language for numeracy. The aim of the research was to determine the value of this particular support programme for foundation-phase educators in two different contexts (a semi-rural and a township context). A mixed methods approach with a concurrent, equal status triangulation design was used, where qualitative data were transformed to quantitative data in order to be compared in a matrix. The results show that the participants benefited to varying degrees from the programme. The combination of workshops, practical and mentoring components proved to be an effective means of support. The results indicate a need for pre-training selection procedures as more effective support can be provided to homogeneous groups.

  17. Accommodating those Most at Risk. Responding to a Mismatch in Programme Selection Criteria and Foundation Biology Performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kirby, Nicola F.; Dempster, Edith R.

    2015-12-01

    In South Africa, foundation programmes are a well-established alternative access route to tertiary science study for educationally disadvantaged students. Student access to, and performance in, one such foundation programme has been researched by the authors seeking opportunities to improve student retention. The biology module in particular has been recognised to place students at risk of failing the foundation programme, thereby reducing throughput into mainstream science programmes. This study uses decision tree analysis to provide a detailed description of foundation biology student performance so that points of weakness and opportunities for remedial action may be pinpointed. While students' alternative-entry selection scores have previously been found to most effectively account for performance in the programme as a whole, no similar positive relationship was identified for any subgroup of students in the foundation biology module. Conversely, academic language proficiency in the medium of instruction (English), formerly found to play no role in overall student performance, was revealed as primary in explaining achievement in foundation biology, most adversely affecting students rendered particularly vulnerable by an additional academic and/or socio-economic disadvantage. A pass in the stand-alone foundation academic literacy module did not necessarily correspond to a pass in biology. Compromised by educational disadvantage, compounded by a mismatch in programme selection criteria and inadequate academic literacy support, discipline-specific, fundamental literacy development in the biology curriculum is proposed to enable students towards epistemic access in the module. Pending this intervention, formal access to mainstream study is unlikely for the foundation students most at risk of failure.

  18. Promotion of Literacy and Numeracy in Pyramid Classrooms in Germany

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kammermeyer, Gisela; Stuck, Andrea; Roux, Susanna

    2016-01-01

    Students' school success in literacy and numeracy is often hampered by limited prerequisites in these domains, yet the effectiveness of different approaches to support students is unclear. Using professional training programmes for kindergarten teachers, we tested the effects of three kindergarten approaches in a quasi-experimental pre- and…

  19. Nonparticipation in Literacy and Upgrading Programs: A National Study. Stage One: Interviews from Across Canada. Stage Two: Survey of Attitudes, Perceptions, and Preferences Regarding Adult Basic Education Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    ABC Canada, Toronto (Ontario).

    The reasons for nonparticipation in adult literacy and upgrading programs were examined in a national study during which interviewers in 12 Canadian provinces conducted in-person interviews with 44 adults who had never participated in a literacy or upgrading program. Most interviewees indicated that they had experienced transition points at which…

  20. 8 CFR 312.5 - Failure to meet educational and literacy requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 8 Aliens and Nationality 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Failure to meet educational and literacy... REGULATIONS EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR NATURALIZATION § 312.5 Failure to meet educational and literacy requirements. (a) An applicant for naturalization who fails the English literacy or history and government test...

  1. Teacher Performance and Student Learning: Linking Evidence from Two National Assessment Programmes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taut, Sandy; Valencia, Edgar; Palacios, Diego; Santelices, Maria V.; Jiménez, Daniela; Manzi, Jorge

    2016-01-01

    This paper investigates the validity of a national, standards-based teacher evaluation programme by examining the relationship between teachers' evaluation results and their students' learning progress. We used census achievement data that assessed the same cohort of students at the end of 8th and 10th grade. We applied multilevel modelling and…

  2. Health literacy and ophthalmic patient education

    PubMed Central

    Muir, Kelly W.; Lee, Paul P.

    2010-01-01

    In 1997, Ebrahimzadeh, Davalos and Lee wrote in this journal that only 32% of the ophthalmic patient educational materials reviewed were written at or below the recommended eighth grade reading level. Since that time, the National Assessment of Adult Literacy found that more than one third of adult Americans possess only basic or below basic health literacy skills, defined as the ability to understand written information in a healthcare setting. Subsequently, investigators have shown that poor health literacy skills are associated with poor prescription medication adherence, increased hospital admissions and increased mortality. We review the readability of currently available ophthalmic educational materials, with particular attention to the health literacy status of the patient population for which the materials are intended. Examples of prose at various readability levels are provided. Optimizing patient education and improving clinical outcomes requires understanding the attributes that the patient brings to the patient–physician relationship, including health literacy. PMID:20650503

  3. Long-Term Outcome of Oral Language and Phonological Awareness Intervention with Socially Disadvantaged Preschoolers: The Impact on Language and Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henning, Caroline; McIntosh, Beth; Arnott, Wendy; Dodd, Barbara

    2010-01-01

    Early intervention aims to prevent poor literacy outcomes associated with social disadvantage. This study examined whether the short-term positive effect of a preschool classroom-based oral language and phonological awareness (PA) programme was maintained and transferred to literacy 2 years later. The vocabulary knowledge, grammatical skill,…

  4. Collaborative Framework for Designing a Sustainability Science Programme: Lessons Learned at the National Autonomous University of Mexico

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Charli-Joseph, Lakshmi; Escalante, Ana E.; Eakin, Hallie; Solares, Ma. José; Mazari-Hiriart, Marisa; Nation, Marcia; Gómez-Priego, Paola; Pérez-Tejada, César A. Domínguez; Bojórquez-Tapia, Luis A.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The authors describe the challenges and opportunities associated with developing an interdisciplinary sustainability programme in an emerging economy and illustrate how these are addressed through the approach taken for the development of the first postgraduate programme (MSc and PhD) in sustainability science at the National Autonomous…

  5. Assessing the Higher National Diploma Chemical Engineering programme in Ghana: students' perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boateng, Cyril D.; Cudjoe Bensah, Edem; Ahiekpor, Julius C.

    2012-05-01

    Chemical engineers have played key roles in the growth of the chemical and allied industries in Ghana but indigenous industries that have traditionally been the domain of the informal sector need to be migrated to the formal sector through the entrepreneurship and innovation of chemical engineers. The Higher National Diploma Chemical Engineering programme is being migrated from a subject-based to a competency-based curriculum. This paper evaluates the programme from the point of view of students. Data were drawn from a survey conducted in the department and were analysed using SPSS. The survey involved administering questionnaires to students at all levels in the department. Analysis of the responses indicated that the majority of the students had decided to pursue chemical engineering due to the career opportunities available. Their knowledge of the programme learning outcomes was, however, poor. The study revealed that none of the students was interested in developing indigenous industries.

  6. Literacy Promises. The Thirty-Third Yearbook: A Doubled Peer Reviewed Publication of the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morrison, Timothy, Ed.; Martin, Linda, Ed.; Boggs, Merry, Ed.; Szabo, Susan, Ed.; Haas, Leslie, Ed.

    2011-01-01

    For its 54th annual meeting, the Association of Educators and Researchers met in Omaha, Nebraska at the Hilton Omaha. This year's conference theme was "Literacy Promises", which was also used as the title for this year's Yearbook, Volume 33. This organization has long been the home of some of the nation's most notable literacy experts. At the…

  7. An Evaluation of the "Switch-on Reading" Literacy Catch-Up Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gorard, Stephen; Siddiqui, Nadia; See, Beng Huat

    2015-01-01

    This paper is based on one of the first completed studies funded by the Educational Endowment Foundation (EEF). EEF was set up in response to repeated demands for clearer evidence on school improvement. The paper presents the results of an intensive 10-week literacy intervention called Switch-on Reading. This was trialled in England as part of a…

  8. Workplace Literacy in the 90's: Definitions, Descriptions, Opportunities, and Cautions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garay, Mary Sue

    The globalization of business has influenced the development of customized, job-specific workplace literacy programs. Work-centered participatory literacy receives support from both business and labor and additional impetus from the National Literacy Act of 1991. The worker of the future will be a thinking and communicating problem solver. The…

  9. Demographic Changes and Literacy Development in a Decade. Working Paper Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reder, Stephen; Edmonston, Barry

    Anticipated demographic changes in the United States adult population in the decade between the National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS) of 1992 and the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL), which is scheduled for 2002, were reviewed. Next, the implications of those changes for the NALS and NAAL were analyzed. The analysis focused on births,…

  10. The Ocean Literacy Campaign

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schoedinger, S. E.; Strang, C.

    2008-12-01

    "Ocean Literacy is an understanding of the ocean's influence on you and your influence on the ocean." This simple statement captures the spirit of a conceptual framework supporting ocean literacy (COSEE et al., 2005). The framework comprises 7 essential principles and 44 fundamental concepts an ocean literate person would know (COSEE et al., 2005). The framework is the result of an extensive grassroots effort to reach consensus on (1) a definition for ocean literacy and (2) an articulation of the most important concepts to be understood by ocean-literate citizen (Cava et al., 2005). In the process of reaching consensus on these "big ideas" about the ocean, what began as a series of workshops has emerged as a campaign "owned" by an ever-expanding community of individuals, organizations and networks involved in developing and promoting the framework. The Ocean Literacy Framework has provided a common language for scientists and educators working together and serves as key guidance for the ocean science education efforts. This presentation will focus on the impact this Ocean Literacy Campaign has had to date as well as efforts underway to provide additional tools to enable educators and educational policy makers to further integrate teaching and learning about the ocean and our coasts into formal K-12 education and informal education. COSEE, National Geographic Society, NOAA, College of Exploration (2005). Ocean Literacy: The Essential Principles of Ocean Sciences Grades K-12, a jointly published brochure, URL: http://www.coexploration.org/oceanliteracy/documents/OceanLitChart.pdf Cava, F., S. Schoedinger , C. Strang, and P. Tuddenham (2005). Science Content and Standards for Ocean Literacy: A Report on Ocean Literacy, URL: http://www.coexploration.org/oceanliteracy/documents/OLit2004-05_Final_Report.pdf.

  11. Dialogues in Literacy Research. Thirty-Seventh Yearbook of the National Reading Conference.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Readence, John E., Ed.; Baldwin, R. Scott, Ed.

    Concentrating on theoretical perspectives on reading, writing and language research, this yearbook contains 33 articles which cover the politics of literacy, emergent and early literacy, vocabulary, comprehension, content area reading, writing, and teacher effectiveness. Articles include: (1) "Tomorrow's Readers Today: Becoming a Profession of…

  12. The Role of Literacy in Building the Economy: Summer Literacy Interventions for Grades 3-5. Research in Review 2012-1

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bausmith, Jennifer Merriman

    2012-01-01

    The need is urgent for reducing literacy achievement gaps--both morally to ensure that all students receive a high-quality education as well as economically to build our nation's workforce with the requisite skills needed for the 21st century. Taken together, changes to the economy, divergent literacy skill distributions, and changes to the…

  13. "For Some Reason, I'm Just Tired": Women Domestic Workers Persisting in Community-Based Programmes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cuban, Sondra

    2007-01-01

    A study of women migrant domestic workers in the USA and their reasons for participating and persisting in community-based literacy and ESOL programmes is presented. Case studies and themes were developed about the women's experiences of work life and how it connected to their programme participation. The findings revealed that the women had…

  14. Adolescents' Financial Literacy: The Role of Financial Socialization Agents, Financial Experiences, and Money Attitudes in Shaping Financial Literacy among South Korean Youth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sohn, Sang-Hee; Joo, So-Hyun; Grable, John E.; Lee, Seonglim; Kim, Minjeung

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to test the relationships between financial socialization agents, financial experiences, money attitudes, demographic characteristics, and the financial literacy of Korean adolescents. Using the 2006 Korean National Financial Literacy Test Survey for Adolescents (N = 1185), a series of regression analyses were…

  15. The effects of placing an operational research fellow within the Viet Nam National Tuberculosis Programme.

    PubMed

    Hoa, N B; Nhung, N V; Kumar, A M V; Harries, A D

    2016-12-21

    In April 2009, an operational research fellow was placed within the Viet Nam National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTP). Over the 6 years from 2010 to 2015, the OR fellow co-authored 21 tuberculosis research papers (as principal author in 15 [71%]). This constituted 23% of the 91 tuberculosis papers published in Viet Nam during this period. Of the 21 published papers, 16 (76%) contributed to changes in policy ( n = 8) and practice ( n = 8), and these in turn improved programme performance. Many papers also contributed important evidence for better programme planning. Highly motivated OR fellows embedded within NTPs can facilitate high-quality research and research uptake.

  16. Perceived Effects of the Malaysian National Tobacco Control Programme on Adolescent Smoking Cessation: A Qualitative Study

    PubMed Central

    Hizlinda, Tohid; Noriah, Mohd Ishak; Noor Azimah, Muhammad; Farah Naaz, Momtaz Ahmad; Anis Ezdiana, Abdul Aziz; Khairani, Omar

    2012-01-01

    Background: The prevalence of teenage smoking has decreased over the past decade following the implementation of the national tobacco control programme. However, the effect of the programme on smoking cessation in teenagers has not been determined. Methods: Twenty-eight participants (12 teenagers, 8 teachers, and 8 doctors) were interviewed using 5 in-depth interviews and 3 group discussions. Social cognitive theory (SCT) was applied as the theoretical framework. Semi-structured interview protocols were used, and thematic analysis and analytic generalisation utilising SCT were performed. Results: The current national tobacco control programme was found to be ineffective in promoting smoking cessation among teenagers. The participants attributed the ineffective campaign to the followings: inadequacy of message content, lack of exposure to the programme, and poor presentation and execution. In addition, the participants perceived the developed tobacco control policies to be a failure based on poor law enforcement, failure of retailers to comply with the law, social availability of cigarettes to teenagers, and easy availability of cheap, smuggled cigarettes. This study highlighted that the programme-related problems (environmental factors) were not the only factors contributing to its perceived ineffectiveness. The cunning behaviour of the teenagers (personal factor) and poor self-efficacy to overcome nicotine addiction (behavioural factor) were also found to hinder cessation. Conclusion: Tobacco control programmes should include strategies beyond educating teenagers about smoking and restricting their access to cigarettes. Strategies to manage the cunning behaviour of teenagers and strategies to improve their self-efficacy should also be implemented. These comprehensive programmes should have a foundation in SCT, as this theory demonstrates the complex interactions among the environmental, personal, and behavioural factors that influence teenage smoking. PMID

  17. Health system changes under pay-for-performance: the effects of Rwanda's national programme on facility inputs.

    PubMed

    Ngo, Diana K L; Sherry, Tisamarie B; Bauhoff, Sebastian

    2017-02-01

    Pay-for-performance (P4P) programmes have been introduced in numerous developing countries with the goal of increasing the provision and quality of health services through financial incentives. Despite the popularity of P4P, there is limited evidence on how providers achieve performance gains and how P4P affects health system quality by changing structural inputs. We explore these two questions in the context of Rwanda's 2006 national P4P programme by examining the programme's impact on structural quality measures drawn from international and national guidelines. Given the programme's previously documented success at increasing institutional delivery rates, we focus on a set of delivery-specific and more general structural inputs. Using the programme's quasi-randomized roll-out, we apply multivariate regression analysis to short-run facility data from the 2007 Service Provision Assessment. We find positive programme effects on the presence of maternity-related staff, the presence of covered waiting areas and a management indicator and a negative programme effect on delivery statistics monitoring. We find no effects on a set of other delivery-specific physical resources, delivery-specific human resources, delivery-specific operations, general physical resources and general human resources. Using mediation analysis, we find that the positive input differences explain a small and insignificant fraction of P4P's impact on institutional delivery rates. The results suggest that P4P increases provider availability and facility operations but is only weakly linked with short-run structural health system improvements overall. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. Perceived effects of the Malaysian National Tobacco Control Programme on adolescent smoking cessation: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Tohid, Hizlinda; Ishak, Noriah Mohd; Muhammad, Noor Azimah; Ahmad, Farah Naaz Momtaz; Aziz, Abdul Anis Ezdiana; Omar, Khairani

    2012-04-01

    The prevalence of teenage smoking has decreased over the past decade following the implementation of the national tobacco control programme. However, the effect of the programme on smoking cessation in teenagers has not been determined. Twenty-eight participants (12 teenagers, 8 teachers, and 8 doctors) were interviewed using 5 in-depth interviews and 3 group discussions. Social cognitive theory (SCT) was applied as the theoretical framework. Semi-structured interview protocols were used, and thematic analysis and analytic generalisation utilising SCT were performed. The current national tobacco control programme was found to be ineffective in promoting smoking cessation among teenagers. The participants attributed the ineffective campaign to the followings: inadequacy of message content, lack of exposure to the programme, and poor presentation and execution. In addition, the participants perceived the developed tobacco control policies to be a failure based on poor law enforcement, failure of retailers to comply with the law, social availability of cigarettes to teenagers, and easy availability of cheap, smuggled cigarettes. This study highlighted that the programme-related problems (environmental factors) were not the only factors contributing to its perceived ineffectiveness. The cunning behaviour of the teenagers (personal factor) and poor self-efficacy to overcome nicotine addiction (behavioural factor) were also found to hinder cessation. Tobacco control programmes should include strategies beyond educating teenagers about smoking and restricting their access to cigarettes. Strategies to manage the cunning behaviour of teenagers and strategies to improve their self-efficacy should also be implemented. These comprehensive programmes should have a foundation in SCT, as this theory demonstrates the complex interactions among the environmental, personal, and behavioural factors that influence teenage smoking.

  19. Adult Learners' Demographic Variable as Predictor of Access and Participation in Literacy Programmes in Oyo and Ondo States, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olojede, Adeshina Abideen; Oladitan, Idowu Oladiran

    2013-01-01

    Literacy is an indispensable foundation that enables young people and adults to engage in learning opportunities at all stages of the learning continuum. Literacy is a prerequisite for the development of personal, social, economic and political empowerment. In Nigeria, attempt to increase access to literacy education for the enhancement of…

  20. Evaluation Study of "Language, Literacy, & Vocabulary!" Spring 2006 Pilot

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McNabb, Mary

    2006-01-01

    Purpose: A pilot study of the "Language, Literacy, & Vocabulary!" program was conducted by Learning Gauger, Inc., for National Geographic School Publishing, in spring 2006. The program evaluation examined the classroom adoption approaches used by participating teachers and the subsequent impact of the "Language, Literacy, &…

  1. Literacy through Languages: Connecting with the Common Core

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sandrock, Paul

    2013-01-01

    The Common Core Standards have defined literacy and outlined the mission for English Language Arts in a way that provides a natural fit with the National Standards for Language Learning. Taking advantage of this connection, language teachers can showcase the importance of learning languages by demonstrating how literacy is learned, practiced, and…

  2. The History of Literacy in America: An Introduction.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaestle, Carl F.

    A review of the development of literacy in American national life provides both a picture of two centuries during which the strong association of literacy with mainstream cultural values was largely unexamined and unchallenged, and a realization that illiteracy is inextricably related to problems of discrimination and alienation in the workplace,…

  3. Adult Literacy, the Internet, and NCAL: An Introduction.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rethemeyer, R. Karl

    This document provides information on two services established on the Internet by the National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL): electronic mail (e-mail) communication with NCAL and a Gopher server that makes it possible to access and download information, documents, and software relevant to adult literacy. A recent "NCAL Connections" article,…

  4. National Civics Teacher Survey: Information Literacy in High School Civics. Fact Sheet

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kawashima-Ginsberg, Kei

    2014-01-01

    Teaching students to use news and information media ("information literacy") is an important aspect of civic education, especially now that news sources are rapidly changing and fragmenting along ideological lines. Information literacy is required in several state standards, and it is also frequently defined as an important "21st…

  5. The Validity and Reliability of the Cross-National Comparison of Degree Programme Levels in European Countries. What Have Students Learnt?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rexwinkel, Trudy; Haenen, Jacques; Pilot, Albert

    2017-01-01

    A cross-national comparison of degree programme levels became relevant when the borders of European countries opened for students and graduates, and higher education institutions were restructured into bachelor's and master's programmes. This new situation foregrounded the questions of what students are learning in the degree programmes of…

  6. Literacy Initiative For Empowerment (LIFE), 2005-2015. Vision and Strategy Paper. Second Edition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    UNESCO International Bureau of Education, 2006

    2006-01-01

    This document describes the rationale and the strategy of the new United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Initiative for literacy: LIFE. The Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE) is designed as a global strategic framework through which national governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil…

  7. National Assessment Program--ICT Literacy Years 6 & 10 School Assessment Exemplars, 2005

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (NJ1), 2005

    2005-01-01

    In 2005, the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) conducted an assessment of Year 6 and Year 10 students across Australia to assess their proficiency in ICT literacy. The 2005 ICT literacy assessment instrument consisted of seven discrete thematic modules. One module, the General Skills Test, included…

  8. Approaches to Assessing Technological Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pearson, Greg

    2006-01-01

    It is the conclusion of the Committee on Assessing Technological Literacy, a study panel appointed by the National Academy of Engineering and the National Research Council, that very little is known about what children or adults know, can do, and believe about technology. This is because the state of assessment related to technology--or, …

  9. Transformed by Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Szachowicz, Susan

    2010-01-01

    When low test scores demanded a hard look at the curriculum, literacy became a focus for improvement at Brockton (MA) High School. Schoolwide training for teachers and a rolling implementation model ensured consistency and reinforcement of the skills. Results came in improved scores and national recognitions, including selection as a National…

  10. PISA and Scientific Literacy: Similarities and Differences between the Nordic Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kjaernsli, Marit; Lie, Svein

    2004-01-01

    In this paper we have set out to search for similarities and differences between the Nordic countries concerning patterns of competencies defined as scientific literacy in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study. The first part focuses on gender differences concerning the two types of competencies, understanding of…

  11. Reviewing Evidence-Based Practice for Pupils with Dyslexia and Literacy Difficulties

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Griffiths, Yvonne; Stuart, Morag

    2013-01-01

    There is now a strong evidence base from theory and research providing a "template" to inform practice at Wave 2, guiding the design and implementation of time-limited effective early intervention programmes for pupils identified as "at risk" of reading difficulties following initial literacy instruction (Rose, 2009). In…

  12. Young People's Views on Literacy Skills and Employment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Christina; Formby, Susie

    2013-01-01

    Using secondary sources as well as National Literacy Trust survey data, this short report outlines how important young people think literacy skills are to their employment prospects and what skills they believe are particularly important. It also briefly outlines the important role that technology plays in the lives of young people and the degree…

  13. Environmental Scan: Literacy Work in Canada. Summary Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Movement for Canadian Literacy, 2007

    2007-01-01

    During the fall of 2007, Movement for Canadian Literacy (MCL) conducted an environmental scan of the Anglophone literacy field in Canada. Data was gathered through the use of key informant interviews (19) and a literature review. A cross-national working group guided the development of the scan. Interviews with key informants for the scan revealed…

  14. Premier League Reading STARS 2013/14. Evaluation Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pabion, Clémence

    2015-01-01

    The National Literacy Trust's Premier League Reading Stars programme (PLRS) is a reading intervention for children aged 8 to 13 that captures the motivational power of football to inspire children and young people to read more and to improve their literacy skills. PLRS is delivered by teachers and librarians. The programme delivers statutory…

  15. Mentoring, coaching and action learning: interventions in a national clinical leadership development programme.

    PubMed

    McNamara, Martin S; Fealy, Gerard M; Casey, Mary; O'Connor, Tom; Patton, Declan; Doyle, Louise; Quinlan, Christina

    2014-09-01

    To evaluate mentoring, coaching and action learning interventions used to develop nurses' and midwives' clinical leadership competencies and to describe the programme participants' experiences of the interventions. Mentoring, coaching and action learning are effective interventions in clinical leadership development and were used in a new national clinical leadership development programme, introduced in Ireland in 2011. An evaluation of the programme focused on how participants experienced the interventions. A qualitative design, using multiple data sources and multiple data collection methods. Methods used to generate data on participant experiences of individual interventions included focus groups, individual interviews and nonparticipant observation. Seventy participants, including 50 programme participants and those providing the interventions, contributed to the data collection. Mentoring, coaching and action learning were positively experienced by participants and contributed to the development of clinical leadership competencies, as attested to by the programme participants and intervention facilitators. The use of interventions that are action-oriented and focused on service development, such as mentoring, coaching and action learning, should be supported in clinical leadership development programmes. Being quite different to short attendance courses, these interventions require longer-term commitment on the part of both individuals and their organisations. In using mentoring, coaching and action learning interventions, the focus should be on each participant's current role and everyday practice and on helping the participant to develop and demonstrate clinical leadership skills in these contexts. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. New literacies, multiple literacies, unlimited literacies: what now, what next, where to? A response to blue listerine, parochialism and ASL literacy.

    PubMed

    Paul, Peter V

    2006-01-01

    This article is a response to Blue Listerine, Parochialism, and ASL Literacy (Czubek, 2006). The author presents his views on the concepts of literacy and the new and multiple literacies. In addition, the merits of print literacy and other types of literacies are discussed. Although the author agrees that there is an American Sign Language (ASL) literacy, he maintains that there should be a distinction between conversational "literacy" forms (speech and sign) and secondary literacy forms (reading and writing). It might be that cognitive skills associated with print literacy and, possibly, other captured literacy forms, are necessary for a technological, scientific-driven society such as that which exists in the United States.

  17. Accelerating the health literacy agenda in Europe.

    PubMed

    Quaglio, Gianluca; Sørensen, Kristine; Rübig, Paul; Bertinato, Luigi; Brand, Helmut; Karapiperis, Theodoros; Dinca, Irina; Peetso, Terje; Kadenbach, Karin; Dario, Claudio

    2017-12-01

    Health literacy can be defined as the knowledge, motivation and competence to access, understand, appraise and apply information to make decisions in terms of healthcare, disease prevention and health promotion. Health literacy is a European public health challenge that has to be taken seriously by policy-makers. It constitutes an emerging field for policy, research and practice. However, recent research has shown that health literacy advancement is still at its infancy in Europe, as reflected in the scarce scientific health literacy literature published by European authors. From a total of 569 articles published until 2011 on this subject, the first author of only 15% of them is from Europe. This article conveys recommendations of different European stakeholders on how to accelerate the health literacy agenda in Europe. A general introduction on the current status of health literacy is provided, followed by two cases applying health literacy in the areas of prevention of communicable diseases and promotion of digital health. The current EU strategies integrating health literacy are listed, followed by examples of challenges threatening the further development of health literacy in Europe. Recommendations as to how European stakeholders involved in research, policy, practice and education can promote health literacy are given. It is vital that the European Commission as well as European Union Member States take the necessary steps to increase health literacy at individual, organizational, community, regional and national levels. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. Six ways of experiencing information literacy in nursing: the findings of a phenomenographic study.

    PubMed

    Forster, Marc

    2015-01-01

    Information literacy plays a vital role in evidence-based practice in nursing. However there is currently little evidence to show how being information literate is actually experienced by nurses and therefore information literacy educational interventions are not genuinely evidence-based. Are they promoting the appropriate knowledge and skills to help nurses find and use the research evidence they need? To investigate how being information literate is experienced by nurses. To use the insights obtained to develop a description of the parameters of information literacy in nursing, including those of its role and value in evidence-based practice. Phenomenography. 41 UK nurses of varying experience, specialism and background. Open-ended interviews. 7 contexts in which information literacy is experienced, were mapped out and 6 representative ways of being an information literate nurse, in increasing levels of depth and sophistication, were described. These findings may form the basis of future evidence-based information literacy education programmes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Motivating consumers for National Programme on Immunization (NPI) and Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) in Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Ekerete, P P

    1997-01-01

    The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) (changed to National Programme on Immunization (NPI) in 1996) and Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) were launched in Nigeria in 1979. The goal of EPI was Universal Childhood Immunization (UCI) 1990, that is, to vaccinate 80% of all children age 0-2 years by 1990, and 80% of all pregnant women were also expected to be vaccinated with Tetanus Toxoid Vaccine. The Oral Rehydration Therapy was designed to teach parents with children age 0-5 years how to prepare and use a salt-sugar solution to rehydrate children dehydrated by diarrhoea. Nigeria set up Partners-in-Health to mobilize and motivate mothers to accept the programme. In 1990 a National coverage survey was conducted to assess the level of attainment. The results show that some states were able to reach the target and some were not. It therefore became necessary to evaluate the contribution of those promotional elements adopted by Partners-in-Health to motivate mothers to accept the programme. The respondents were therefore asked to state the degree to which these elements motivated them to accept the programme. The data were collected and processed through a Likert rating scale and t-test procedure for test of significance between two sample means. The study revealed that some elements motivated mothers very strongly, others strongly, and most moderately or low, with health workers as major sources of motivation. The study also revealed that health workers alone can not sufficiently motivate mothers without the help of religious leaders, traditional leaders and mass media, etc. It was therefore recommended that health workers should be intensively used along with other promotional elements to promote the NPI/ORT programme in Nigeria.

  20. National Workplace Literacy Program. Curriculum Samples for 1992.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prince George's County Public Schools, Upper Marlboro, MD.

    This document reports on the partnership between Prince George's County (Maryland) Public Schools and the Prince George's Private Industry Council to provide workplace literacy classes at worksites for employees of 10 different employers. Workplace-specific, work-related curricula have been developed in either English for speakers of other…

  1. 75 FR 17847 - National Financial Literacy Month, 2010

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-08

    ... complex. This has left too many Americans behind, unable to build a secure financial future for themselves and their families. For many, financial literacy can mean economic prosperity and protection against... financial products to conceal risks and escape scrutiny. At the same time, many Americans took out loans...

  2. New Literacy Tools for Adults.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Jonathan

    1990-01-01

    Describes an Australian national study of technologies used for adult literacy: traditional technologies (print, radio, television, audio and videotape, teleconferencing, and computers) and new generation technologies (laser discs, CD-ROM, videodiscs, and hypermedia). (SK)

  3. Service impact of a national clinical leadership development programme: findings from a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Fealy, Gerard M; McNamara, Martin S; Casey, Mary; O'Connor, Tom; Patton, Declan; Doyle, Louise; Quinlan, Christina

    2015-04-01

    The study reported here was part of a larger study, which evaluated a national clinical leadership development programme with reference to resources, participant experiences, participant outcomes and service impact. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the programme's service impact. Clinical leadership development develops competencies that are expressed in context. The outcomes of clinical leadership development occur at individual, departmental and organisational levels. The methods used to evaluate the service impact were focus groups, group interviews and individual interviews. Seventy participants provided data in 18 separate qualitative data collection events. The data contained numerous accounts of service development activities, initiated by programme participants, which improved service and/or improved the culture of the work setting. Clinical leadership development programmes that incorporate a deliberate service impact element can result in identifiable positive service outcomes. The nuanced relationship between leader development and service development warrants further investigation. This study demonstrates that clinical leadership development can impact on service in distinct and identifiable ways. Clinical leadership development programmes should focus on the setting in which the leadership competencies will be demonstrated. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Mental health literacy in secondary schools: a Canadian approach.

    PubMed

    Kutcher, Stan; Bagnell, Alexa; Wei, Yifeng

    2015-04-01

    "Mental health literacy is an integral component of health literacy and has been gaining increasing attention as an important focus globally for mental health interventions. In Canada, youth mental health is increasingly recognized as a key national health concern and has received more focused attention than ever before within our health system. This article outlines 2 unique homegrown initiatives to address youth mental health literacy within Canadian secondary schools." Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Cracking the NAPLAN Code: Numeracy and Literacy Demands

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perso, Thelma

    2009-01-01

    In May 2008, the first National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) test was administered across Australia to determine the standard of literacy and numeracy achievement of Australia's students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Some students did very well on the tests and some did not. This type of test can tell a great deal about…

  6. Whatever Happened to Workplace Literacy? Myths and Realities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Imel, Susan

    Workplace literacy was the focus of attention during the era of the National Workplace Literacy Program (NWLP), funded by the U.S. Department of Education from 1988-1996. Since then, it has not disappeared, in part because recent legislation such as the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and Welfare Reform Act has increased the work-related focus of…

  7. Parents' Views on Literacy Development: A Brief Poll

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bolton, Clare; Clark, Christina

    2012-01-01

    This report outlines research that was conducted in February 2012 at the launch of the National Literacy Trust's Words for Life campaign that encourages parents to support their children's communication and literacy development and gives them the confidence to feel they can make a positive difference. The campaign was set up as it is parents who…

  8. The "Test of Financial Literacy": Development and Measurement Characteristics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walstad, William B.; Rebeck, Ken

    2017-01-01

    The "Test of Financial Literacy" (TFL) was created to measure the financial knowledge of high school students. Its content is based on the standards and benchmarks stated in the "National Standards for Financial Literacy" (Council for Economic Education 2013). The test development process involved extensive item writing and…

  9. Roundtable on Health Literacy: Issues and Impact.

    PubMed

    Hernandez, Lyla; French, Melissa; Parker, Ruth

    2017-01-01

    In 2004 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion, highlighted that "efforts to improve quality, to reduce costs, and to reduce disparities cannot succeed without efforts to improve health literacy" [1]. The IOM report emphasized that poor health literacy is a major challenge for individuals who need to find, understand, and use information to make informed decisions for health. Following the publication of the 2004 report and in response to rising interest in health literacy in the U.S., the IOM established the Roundtable on Health Literacy. Roundtables convene a broad array of stakeholders from foundations, health plans, associations, government, private companies, and patient and consumer groups to discuss challenges and provide a forum for exchange of knowledge and expertise. The Roundtable does not make recommendations, rather its mission is to inform, inspire, and activate diverse U.S. (and potentially international) stakeholders. The Roundtable's activities support the development, implementation, and sharing of evidence-based health literacy practices and policies. The Roundtable's goal is to improve the health and well-being of Americans as well as persons in other nations. Since its inception, the Roundtable has explored ways in which health literacy relates to a diverse array of topics from medications to oral health to public health to health equity and more. In particular the Roundtable has served to highlight the issues central to the alignment of system demands and complexities with individual skills and abilities. Roundtable workshops and discussions, no matter the specific topic, maintain a focus on identifying and illuminating evidence-based health literacy approaches that foster high-quality, patient centered care. The work of the Roundtable has been used throughout the United States and globally to foster health literate organizations and approaches to improving patient-centered care and the health

  10. The health information literacy research project.

    PubMed

    Shipman, Jean P; Kurtz-Rossi, Sabrina; Funk, Carla J

    2009-10-01

    This research studied hospital administrators' and hospital-based health care providers' (collectively, the target group) perceived value of consumer health information resources and of librarians' roles in promoting health information literacy in their institutions. A web-based needs survey was developed and administered to hospital administrators and health care providers. Multiple health information literacy curricula were developed. One was pilot-tested by nine hospital libraries in the United States and Canada. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to evaluate the curriculum and its impact on the target group. A majority of survey respondents believed that providing consumer health information resources was critically important to fulfilling their institutions' missions and that their hospitals could improve health information literacy by increasing awareness of its impact on patient care and by training staff to become more knowledgeable about health literacy barriers. The study showed that a librarian-taught health information literacy curriculum did raise awareness about the issue among the target group and increased both the use of National Library of Medicine consumer health resources and referrals to librarians for health information literacy support. It is hoped that many hospital administrators and health care providers will take the health information literacy curricula and recognize that librarians can educate about the topic and that providers will use related consumer health services and resources.

  11. The Health Information Literacy Research Project*

    PubMed Central

    Kurtz-Rossi, Sabrina; Funk, Carla J.

    2009-01-01

    Objectives: This research studied hospital administrators' and hospital-based health care providers' (collectively, the target group) perceived value of consumer health information resources and of librarians' roles in promoting health information literacy in their institutions. Methods: A web-based needs survey was developed and administered to hospital administrators and health care providers. Multiple health information literacy curricula were developed. One was pilot-tested by nine hospital libraries in the United States and Canada. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to evaluate the curriculum and its impact on the target group. Results: A majority of survey respondents believed that providing consumer health information resources was critically important to fulfilling their institutions' missions and that their hospitals could improve health information literacy by increasing awareness of its impact on patient care and by training staff to become more knowledgeable about health literacy barriers. The study showed that a librarian-taught health information literacy curriculum did raise awareness about the issue among the target group and increased both the use of National Library of Medicine consumer health resources and referrals to librarians for health information literacy support. Conclusions: It is hoped that many hospital administrators and health care providers will take the health information literacy curricula and recognize that librarians can educate about the topic and that providers will use related consumer health services and resources. PMID:19851494

  12. Development and review of the voluntary phase of a national BVD eradication programme in Ireland.

    PubMed

    Graham, D A; Lynch, M; Coughlan, S; Doherty, M L; O'Neill, R; Sammin, D; O'Flaherty, J

    2014-01-18

    The voluntary phase of an industry-led national Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) eradication programme began in Ireland on January 1, 2012 with the goal of progressing to a compulsory programme in 2013. The development and implementation of the programme in 2012 was informed by a review of current and prior eradication programmes elsewhere in Europe and extensive stakeholder consultation. The programme was based on tissue tag testing of newborn calves in participating herds, with the status of the mothers of calves with positive or inconclusive results requiring clarification. Participating herd owners were required to comply with a series of guidelines, including not selling cattle suspected of being persistently infected. For herds compliant with the guidelines, the results from 2012 counted as one of three years of tag testing anticipated in the compulsory phase of the programme. Testing was carried out in laboratories designated for this purpose by the cross-industry BVD Implementation Group that oversees the programme. Results were reported to a central database managed by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation, and the majority of results were reported to farmers' mobile telephones by SMS message. A detailed review of the programme was conducted, encompassing the period between January 1, 2012 and July 15, 2012, based on results from approximately 500,000 calves. This paper describes the establishment and structure of the programme, and the outcomes of the review, including findings at herd and animal level.

  13. Associations Between Smoking and Media Literacy in College Students

    PubMed Central

    PRIMACK, BRIAN A.; SIDANI, JAIME; CARROLL, MARY V.; FINE, MICHAEL J.

    2010-01-01

    Organizations recommend media literacy to reduce tobacco use, and higher media literacy has been associated with lower smoking among high school students. The relationship between smoking media literacy and tobacco use, however, has not been systematically studied among college students. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between smoking and smoking media literacy among college students. We conducted the National College Health Assessment (NCHA) at a large, urban university, adding six items measuring smoking media literacy. A total of 657 students responded to this random sample e-mail survey. We used multiple logistic regression to determine independent associations between smoking media literacy items and current smoking. The media literacy scale was internally consistent (α = 0.79). Of the respondents, 21.5% reported smoking cigarettes over the past 30 days. In a fully adjusted multivariate model, participants with medium media literacy had an odds ratio (OR) for current smoking of 0.45 (95% CI = 0.29, 0.70), and those with high media literacy had an OR for current smoking of 0.38 (95% CI = 0.20, 0.70). High smoking media literacy is independently associated with lower odds of smoking. Smoking media literacy may be a valuable construct to address in college populations. PMID:19731126

  14. International Literacy Year (ILY). Unesco Adult Education Information Notes. Special Number--No. 4.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France). Div. of Primary Educ., Literacy & Adult Educ., Educ. in Rural Areas

    This issue contains several articles dealing with the International Literacy Year (ILY) proclaimed the United Nations (UN) for the year 1990. The first article, "1990, Proclaimed International Literacy Year by the United Nations," discusses the purpose of the observance of the ILY, namely the contribution to greater understanding by…

  15. Development of innovative problem based learning model with PMRI-scientific approach using ICT to increase mathematics literacy and independence-character of junior high school students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wardono; Waluya, B.; Kartono; Mulyono; Mariani, S.

    2018-03-01

    This research is very urgent in relation to the national issue of human development and the nation's competitiveness because of the ability of Indonesian Junior High School students' mathematics literacy results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) by OECD field of Mathematics is still very low compared to other countries. Curriculum 2013 launched one of them reflect the results of PISA which is still far from the expectations of the Indonesian nation and to produce a better quality of education, PISA ratings that reflect the nation's better competitiveness need to be developed innovative, interactive learning models such as innovative interactive learning Problem Based Learning (PBL) based on the approach of Indonesian Realistic Mathematics Education (PMRI) and the Scientific approach using Information and Communication Technology (ICT).The research was designed using Research and Development (R&D), research that followed up the development and dissemination of a product/model. The result of the research shows the innovative interactive learning PBL model based on PMRI-Scientific using ICT that developed valid, practical and effective and can improve the ability of mathematics literacy and independence-character of junior high school students. While the quality of innovative interactive learning PBL model based on PMRI-Scientific using ICT meet the good category.

  16. Reaching national consensus on the core clinical skill outcomes for family medicine postgraduate training programmes in South Africa.

    PubMed

    Akoojee, Yusuf; Mash, Robert

    2017-05-26

    Family physicians play a significant role in the district health system and need to be equipped with a broad range of clinical skills in order to meet the needs and expectations of the communities they serve. A previous study in 2007 reached national consensus on the clinical skills that should be taught in postgraduate family medicine training prior to the introduction of the new speciality. Since then, family physicians have been trained, employed and have gained experience of working in the district health services. The national Education and Training Committee of the South African Academy of Family Physicians, therefore, requested a review of the national consensus on clinical skills for family medicine training. A Delphi technique was used to reach national consensus in a panel of 17 experts: family physicians responsible for training, experienced family physicians in practice and managers responsible for employing family physicians. Consensus was reached on 242 skills from which the panel decided on 211 core skills, 28 elective skills and 3 skills to be deleted from the previous list. The panel was unable to reach consensus on 11 skills. The findings will guide training programmes on the skills to be addressed and ensure consistency across training programmes nationally. The consensus will also guide formative assessment as documented in the national portfolio of learning and summative assessment in the national exit examination. The consensus will be of interest to other countries in the region where training programmes in family medicine are developing.

  17. "You're Like Yourself": Multimodal Literacies in a Reading Support Class

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wissman, Kelly; Costello, Sean; Hamilton, Diane

    2012-01-01

    This article explores the experiences and literacy practices of an adolescent boy enrolled in an academic support class, in which students received an open-ended invitation to respond to S.E. Hinton's novel "The Outsiders" with the software programme Comic Life. In constructing this "telling case", we highlight how traditional…

  18. How Can Children with Mild Literacy Difficulties Be Supported at the Transition to Secondary School? A Small-Scale Quasi-Experimental Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bark, Caroline; Brooks, Greg

    2016-01-01

    There is evidence that pupils with weak literacy skills struggle on transition to secondary school. Many experience a drop in attainment in the summer break between the two. A British government-funded programme of rigorously designed research on boosting literacy at transition had (by 2015) found only four of 15 interventions evaluated had…

  19. Mental health literacy, stigma and perception of causation of mental illness among Chinese people in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Zhuang, Xiao Yu; Wong, Daniel Fu Keung; Cheng, Chi-Wei; Pan, Shu-Man

    2017-09-01

    Few studies have been performed to explore mental health literacy and stigmatising attitudes towards mental illness and their relationships with causal beliefs about mental illness among Chinese people in Taiwan. Using a comparative approach, this study attempted to compare the mental health literacy and stigmatising attitudes of Taiwanese Chinese with those found among Australian and Japanese participants in other studies and to explore how mental health literacy and stigmatising attitudes relate to different perceptions of causes of mental illness. A convenience sample of 287 participants completed a battery of standardised questionnaires. A much lower percentage of Taiwanese people than Australians could correctly identify depression and schizophrenia. The Taiwanese respondents rated psychiatrists and clinical psychologists as more helpful than social workers and general practitioners (GPs) and expressed more uncertainty about the usefulness of certain medications when compared to the Australian and Japanese samples. Interestingly, Taiwanese Chinese hold similarly high levels of stigma towards schizophrenia, but lower levels of stigma towards depression when compared to the Japanese respondents. Taiwanese respondents who have higher levels of mental health literacy about schizophrenia were less willing to interact with people with schizophrenia than those with lower levels of mental health literacy. This study underlines the need for public education programmes to improve knowledge of various mental illnesses and to reduce stigmatising attitudes among Taiwanese Chinese. The aforementioned socially and culturally driven beliefs must be taken into consideration so that culturally relevant education programmes can be developed.

  20. Literacy in Local Languages in Thailand: Language Maintenance in a Globalised World

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kosonen, Kimmo

    2008-01-01

    In a globalised world, literacy in local languages is affected by at least three significant trends: globalisation, regionalisation and nationalism. Literacy in local languages plays a major role in language maintenance and the management of identity. Local literacies in local languages can also be a source of resistance to the rapid sociocultural…

  1. Co-operating for Literacy. Report of an International Seminar (Berlin, October 1983).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fordham, Paul, Ed.

    Intended for people in government and other agencies who make decisions on policy or on funding for literacy, this short report of an international seminar on literacy summarizes seminar themes. The first topic considered is the rationale for investment in education. The connection between literacy and national development is stressed, and three…

  2. Media Literacy Pedagogy: Critical and New/Twenty-First-Century Literacies Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Westbrook, Nalova

    2011-01-01

    This article offers a conceptualization of media literacy pedagogy in light of National Education Technology Plan efforts, which name teaching as one of five essential areas to build an education system that can increase as well as sustain the United States' economic growth and prosperity in the global economy. In particular, two distinct…

  3. National HPV immunisation programme: knowledge and acceptance of mothers attending an obstetrics clinic at a teaching hospital, Kuala Lumpur.

    PubMed

    Ezat, Sharifa Wan Puteh; Hod, Rozita; Mustafa, Jamsiah; Mohd Dali, Ahmad Zailani Hatta; Sulaiman, Aqmar Suraya; Azman, Azlin

    2013-01-01

    Introduction of the HPV vaccine is a forefront primary prevention method in reducing the incidence of carcinogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer. The Malaysia government has implemented the National HPV immunisation programme since 2010, supplying HPV vaccine free to targeted 13 year olds. This study aimed to explore the level of knowledge among mothers on cervical cancer, HPV, HPV vaccine and National HPV (NHPV) immunisation programme since its' implementation. It also assessed acceptance of mothers towards HPV vaccine being administered to their daughter, son or themselves. A cross sectional study was conducted on 155 respondents using self-administered questionnaires; conducted in December 2012 at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinic in a teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur. Respondents were selected using a multistage sampling technique. A response rate of 100% was obtained. Overall, 51.0% of mothers had good knowledge, with 55% having good knowledge of cervical cancer, 54.2% for both HPV and the National HPV immunisation programme and 51.0% for the HPV vaccine. Regression analyses showed that ethnicity was associated with knowledge on cervical cancer (p=0.003) while education was associated with knowledge on HPV (p=0.049). Three factors are associated with knowledge of the National HPV immunisation programme; ethnicity (p=0.017), mothers' education (p=0.0005) and number of children (p=0.020). The acceptance of HPV vaccine to be administered among daughter was the highest at 87.1%, followed by for mothers themselves at 73.5%, and the least is for sons 62.6%. This study found that the overall level of knowledge was moderate. Adequate information on cervical cancer, HPV, HPV vaccination and the National HPV immunisation programme should be provided to mothers in order to increase acceptance of the HPV vaccine which can reduce the disease burden in the future.

  4. The value of theory in programmes to implement clinical guidelines: Insights from a retrospective mixed-methods evaluation of a programme to increase adherence to national guidelines for chronic disease in primary care

    PubMed Central

    Sheringham, Jessica; Solmi, Francesca; Ariti, Cono; Baim-Lance, Abigail; Morris, Steve; Fulop, Naomi J.

    2017-01-01

    Background Programmes have had limited success in improving guideline adherence for chronic disease. Use of theory is recommended but is often absent in programmes conducted in ‘real-world’ rather than research settings. Materials and methods This mixed-methods study tested a retrospective theory-based approach to evaluate a ‘real-world’ programme in primary care to improve adherence to national guidelines for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Qualitative data, comprising analysis of documents generated throughout the programme (n>300), in-depth interviews with planners (clinicians, managers and improvement experts involved in devising, planning, and implementing the programme, n = 14) and providers (practice clinicians, n = 14) were used to construct programme theories, experiences of implementation and contextual factors influencing care. Quantitative analyses comprised controlled before-and-after analyses to test ‘early’ and evolved’ programme theories with comparators grounded in each theory. ‘Early’ theory predicted the programme would reduce emergency hospital admissions (EHA). It was tested using national analysis of standardized borough-level EHA rates between programme and comparator boroughs. ‘Evolved’ theory predicted practices with higher programme participation would increase guideline adherence and reduce EHA and costs. It was tested using a difference-in-differences analysis with linked primary and secondary care data to compare changes in diagnosis, management, EHA and costs, over time and by programme participation. Results Contrary to programme planners’ predictions in ‘early’ and ‘evolved’ programme theories, admissions did not change following the programme. However, consistent with ‘evolved’ theory, higher guideline adoption occurred in practices with greater programme participation. Conclusions Retrospectively constructing theories based on the ideas of programme planners can enable evaluators to

  5. The Problem of Boys' Literacy Underachievement: Raising Some Questions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watson, Anne; Kehler, Michael; Martino, Wayne

    2010-01-01

    Boys' literacy underachievement continues to garner significant attention and has been identified by journalists, educational policymakers, and scholars in the field as the cause for much concern. It has been established that boys perform less well than girls on literacy benchmark or standardized tests. According to the National Assessment of…

  6. Equipped for the Future. A Reform Agenda for Adult Literacy and Lifelong Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stein, Sondra Gayle

    The National Institute for Literacy's Equipped for the Future initiative was undertaken to achieve customer-driven, standards-based reform of adult literacy and lifelong learning through a broad, national consensus-building process. The initiative's six stages are as follows: (1) build consensus on the knowledge and skills adults need to fulfill…

  7. Investigating the impact of a community-based geriatric dentistry rotation on oral health literacy and oral hygiene of older adults.

    PubMed

    Hjertstedt, Jadwiga; Barnes, Stacy L; Sjostedt, Jennifer M

    2014-12-01

    This study investigated the impact of a community-based geriatric dentistry rotation on older adults' oral health literacy and oral hygiene. A pre-post study design was used to assess the impact of the educational intervention. The study sample consisted of 67 older adults, who resided in independent or assisted living apartments (age: M = 84, SD = 7.3). Over the course of the programme, participants received patient education pertaining to oral health and oral hygiene. Oral health literacy was assessed using the Rapid Estimation of Adult Literacy in Dentistry (REALD-30) test at baseline and on the final visit. Oral hygiene was measured on four visits using the O'Leary, Drake and Naylor Plaque Control Record (PI). REALD-30 scores significantly increased, and PI scores significantly decreased for all subjects following participation in the programme (p < 0.001, and p < 0.01, respectively). Hierarchical multiple regression demonstrated that neither study subjects' individual characteristics nor their health literacy significantly predicted the change in oral hygiene. This study demonstrated that a community-based geriatric dentistry rotation involving multiple interactions with dental students can in the short term significantly and positively impact older adults' oral health literacy and oral hygiene status. © 2013 The Gerodontology Society and John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  8. Data Literacy is Statistical Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gould, Robert

    2017-01-01

    Past definitions of statistical literacy should be updated in order to account for the greatly amplified role that data now play in our lives. Experience working with high-school students in an innovative data science curriculum has shown that teaching statistical literacy, augmented by data literacy, can begin early.

  9. Integrating evidence-based practice and information literacy skills in teaching physical and occupational therapy students.

    PubMed

    Boruff, Jill T; Thomas, Aliki

    2011-12-01

    To ensure that physical and occupational therapy graduates develop evidence-based practice (EBP) competencies, their academic training must promote EBP skills, such as posing a clinical question and retrieving relevant literature, and the information literacy skills needed to practice these EBP skills. This article describes the collaborative process and outcome of integrating EBP and information literacy early in a professional physical therapy and occupational therapy programme. The liaison librarian and a faculty member designed an instructional activity that included a lecture, workshop and assignment that integrated EBP skills and information literacy skills in the first year of the programme. The assignment was designed to assess students' ability to conduct a search independently. The lecture and workshop were successful in their objectives, as 101 of the 104 students received at least 8 out of 10 points on the search assignment. The teaching activities developed for the students in this course appear to have achieved the goal of teaching students the EBP research cycle so that they might begin to emulate it. The collaboration between the faculty member and the librarian was integral to the success of this endeavour. Future work will include the evaluation of students' long-term retention of information literacy objectives. © 2011 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2011 Health Libraries Group.

  10. Mathematical Literacy Teachers' Engagement with Contextual Tasks Based on Personal Finance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bansilal, Sarah; Mkhwanazi, Thokozani; Mahlabela, Patisizwe

    2012-01-01

    This article reports on a study carried out with a group of 108 practising Mathematical Literacy (ML) teachers who participated in an Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) programme. The purpose of the qualitative study was to identify and describe the teachers' varying levels of engagement with mathematics tools and resources. The teachers were…

  11. Quantitative Literacy: Geosciences and Beyond

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Richardson, R. M.; McCallum, W. G.

    2002-12-01

    Quantitative literacy seems like such a natural for the geosciences, right? The field has gone from its origin as a largely descriptive discipline to one where it is hard to imagine failing to bring a full range of mathematical tools to the solution of geological problems. Although there are many definitions of quantitative literacy, we have proposed one that is analogous to the UNESCO definition of conventional literacy: "A quantitatively literate person is one who, with understanding, can both read and represent quantitative information arising in his or her everyday life." Central to this definition is the concept that a curriculum for quantitative literacy must go beyond the basic ability to "read and write" mathematics and develop conceptual understanding. It is also critical that a curriculum for quantitative literacy be engaged with a context, be it everyday life, humanities, geoscience or other sciences, business, engineering, or technology. Thus, our definition works both within and outside the sciences. What role do geoscience faculty have in helping students become quantitatively literate? Is it our role, or that of the mathematicians? How does quantitative literacy vary between different scientific and engineering fields? Or between science and nonscience fields? We will argue that successful quantitative literacy curricula must be an across-the-curriculum responsibility. We will share examples of how quantitative literacy can be developed within a geoscience curriculum, beginning with introductory classes for nonmajors (using the Mauna Loa CO2 data set) through graduate courses in inverse theory (using singular value decomposition). We will highlight six approaches to across-the curriculum efforts from national models: collaboration between mathematics and other faculty; gateway testing; intensive instructional support; workshops for nonmathematics faculty; quantitative reasoning requirement; and individual initiative by nonmathematics faculty.

  12. Health Literacy, Health Disparities, and Sources of Health Information in U.S. Older Adults.

    PubMed

    Cutilli, Carolyn Crane; Simko, Lynn C; Colbert, Alison M; Bennett, Ian M

    Low health literacy in older adults has been associated with poor health outcomes (i.e., mortality, decreased physical and cognitive functioning, and less preventive care utilization). Many factors associated with low health literacy are also associated with health disparities. Interaction with healthcare providers and sources of health information are influenced by an individual's health literacy and can impact health outcomes. This study examined the relationships between health literacy, sources of health information, and demographic/background characteristics in older adults (aged 65 years and older) related to health literacy and disparities. This descriptive, correlational study is a secondary analysis of the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy, a large-scale national assessment. Older adults with lower health literacy have less income and education, rate their health as poor or fair, have visual or auditory difficulties, need help filling out forms, reading newspaper, or writing notes, and use each source of health information less (print and nonprint). Many of these characteristics and skills are predictive of health literacy and associated with health disparities. The results expand our knowledge of characteristics associated with health literacy and sources of health information used by older adults. Interventions to improve health outcomes including health disparities can focus on recognizing and meeting the health literacy demands of older adults.

  13. Using WeChat official accounts to improve malaria health literacy among Chinese expatriates in Niger: an intervention study.

    PubMed

    Li, Wei; Han, Le Qiang; Guo, Yan Jun; Sun, Jing

    2016-11-24

    Malaria is the main health risk for Chinese expatriates working in Niger. Health education is a recommended intervention for prevention of malaria among non-immune travellers and expatriate workers. It is urgent to develop an effective and feasible way for these populations to obtain information about the prevention and treatment of malaria. An individually randomized, unblinded, controlled trial was used to evaluate the effectiveness of using WeChat official accounts for health education to improve malaria health literacy among Chinese expatriates in Niger. A total 1441 participants completed a baseline malaria health literacy questionnaire and were randomly assigned to an intervention or comparison group in a ratio of 1:1. From July to October 2014, 50 malaria prevention and treatment messages were sent to the intervention group; 50 health news messages were concurrently sent to the control group. Both groups completed the malaria health literacy questionnaire again 4 months after the start of the education intervention. A questionnaire addressing satisfaction with the health education programme was completed by the intervention group. Malaria morbidity data for 2013 and 2014 were also collected. At baseline, participant health literacy rates were 58.29, 62, 54, and 34% for skills, knowledge, practice, and attitude, respectively. After the intervention, rates for all four aspects of malaria literacy were above 70%. There was greater change in knowledge, attitude, practice, skills, and overall health literacy among the intervention group compared with the controls, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01). This was especially true for acquisition of malaria-related knowledge, practice and attitude; comprehensive intervention practices; and, correct use of rapid diagnostic tests (p < 0.001). The reported malaria morbidity during the study period decreased from 23.72 to 15.40%. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the We

  14. Literacy: Learning and Schooling.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Milz, Vera E.

    1987-01-01

    The concern for literacy dominates the elementary classroom as instructional theories mesh with the realities of practice. Reviews of research literature, such as "Becoming a Nation of Readers," have given considerable support to meaning-centered, active language learning curricula. Questioning whether today's children will be literate…

  15. Post-Literacy: A Pre-Requisite for Literacy. Literacy Lessons.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dumont, Bernard

    Post-literacy is all the means and activities that allow persons who have recently become literate to make use of their skills and to increase and deepen the knowledge acquired. There are many kinds of literacy. What they all have in common is the merciless test of the durability of literacy's effect: After 1, 2, or 5 years, what will the…

  16. Career Skills Enhancement Program (CSEP). A National Workplace Literacy Program, Final Report To Cover Activities April 1, 1990-September 30, 1991.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gray, Brenda

    The Career Skills Enhancement Program (CSEP) was a National Workplace Literacy Program offered to Santa Clara County (California) Office of Education (COE) employees. A job skills study involved personal interviews, job shadowing, and examination of job descriptions and materials used by employees. Based on the study and initial needs assessment,…

  17. Adolescents' financial literacy: the role of financial socialization agents, financial experiences, and money attitudes in shaping financial literacy among South Korean youth.

    PubMed

    Sohn, Sang-Hee; Joo, So-Hyun; Grable, John E; Lee, Seonglim; Kim, Minjeung

    2012-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to test the relationships between financial socialization agents, financial experiences, money attitudes, demographic characteristics, and the financial literacy of Korean adolescents. Using the 2006 Korean National Financial Literacy Test Survey for Adolescents (N = 1185), a series of regression analyses were performed to determine the factors related to financial literacy. It was found that those who chose media as their primary financial socialization agent, and those who had a bank account, exhibited higher levels of financial literacy. Among the sample, those who saw money as good or as a reward for efforts tended to report higher levels of financial literacy, while those perceiving money in terms of avoidance or achievement had lower levels of financial literacy. Students with mid-range monthly allowances showed higher levels of financial literacy compared to the highest allowance group. Implications for financial educators, policy makers, and researchers are provided. Copyright © 2012 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Televised Television Literacy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dorr, Aimee; And Others

    Ninety-four children, aged 5 to 12 years, were subjects of a study of recall of television literacy messages (drop-ins). The 30-second "How To Watch TV" (HTWTV) segments were designed for broadcast on Saturday mornings by the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) to convey to children some information and values about television (e.g., animals do…

  19. Early Years Literacy in Indian Urban Schools: Structural, Social and Pedagogical Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dyer, Caroline

    2008-01-01

    Literacy has been a crucial aspect of education as a human right for over 50 years, but this basic right remains unassured for at least 700 million adults worldwide. In 1999, UNESCO acknowledged that schools are not making the expected contribution to increasing national literacy rates or providing individuals with the literacy skills they need.…

  20. Confidence and authority through new knowledge: An evaluation of the national educational programme in paediatric oncology nursing in Sweden.

    PubMed

    Pergert, Pernilla; Af Sandeberg, Margareta; Andersson, Nina; Márky, Ildikó; Enskär, Karin

    2016-03-01

    There is a lack of nurse specialists in many paediatric hospitals in Sweden. This lack of competence is devastating for childhood cancer care because it is a highly specialised area that demands specialist knowledge. Continuing education of nurses is important to develop nursing practice and also to retain them. The aim of this study was to evaluate a Swedish national educational programme in paediatric oncology nursing. The nurses who participated came from all of the six paediatric oncology centres as well as from general paediatric wards. At the time of the evaluation, three groups of registered nurses (n=66) had completed this 2year, part-time educational programme. A study specific questionnaire, including closed and open-ended questions was sent to the 66 nurses and 54 questionnaires were returned. Answers were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. The results show that almost all the nurses (93%) stayed in paediatric care after the programme. Furthermore, 31% had a position in management or as a consultant nurse after the programme. The vast majority of the nurses (98%) stated that the programme had made them more secure in their work. The nurses were equipped, through education, for paediatric oncology care which included: knowledge generating new knowledge; confidence and authority; national networks and resources. They felt increased confidence in their roles as paediatric oncology nurses as well as authority in their encounters with families and in discussions with co-workers. New networks and resources were appreciated and used in their daily work in paediatric oncology. The programme was of importance to the career of the individual nurse and also to the quality of care given to families in paediatric oncology. The national educational programme for nurses in Paediatric Oncology Care meets the needs of the highly specialised care. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. From marginal to marginalised: The inclusion of men who have sex with men in global and national AIDS programmes and policy.

    PubMed

    McKay, Tara

    2016-01-01

    In the last decade, gay men and other men who have sex with men (msm) have come to the fore of global policy debates about AIDS prevention. In stark contrast to programmes and policy during the first two decades of the epidemic, which largely excluded msm outside of the Western countries, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS now identifies gay men and other msm as 'marginalized but not marginal' to the global response. Drawing on archival data and five waves of United Nations Country Progress Reports on HIV/AIDS (2001-2012), this paper examines the productive power of international organisations in the development and diffusion of the msm category, and considers how international organisations have shaped the interpretation of msm in national policies and programmes. These data show that the increasing separation of sexual identity and sexual behaviour at the global level helped to construct notions of risk and disease that were sufficiently broad to accommodate the diverse interests of global policy-makers, activists, and governments. However, as various international and national actors have attempted to develop prevention programmes for msm, the failure of the msm category to map onto lived experience is increasingly apparent.

  2. Academic Literacy Instruction for Adolescents: A Guidance Document from the Center on Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Torgesen, Joseph K.; Houston, Debra D.; Rissman, Lila M.; Decker, Susan M.; Roberts, Greg; Vaughn, Sharon; Wexler, Jade; Francis, David J.; Rivera, Mabel O.; Lesaux, Nonie

    2017-01-01

    This document was prepared to assist literacy specialists in the national Regional Comprehensive Center network as they work with states to improve educational policy and practice in the area of adolescent literacy. It comprises three major parts: Part One: "Improving academic literacy instruction for students in grades 4-12." Based on…

  3. Policy Support and Resources Mobilization for the National Schistosomiasis Control Programme in The People's Republic of China.

    PubMed

    Zhu, H; Yap, P; Utzinger, J; Jia, T-W; Li, S-Z; Huang, X-B; Cai, S-X

    2016-01-01

    Schistosomiasis remains a public health problem in many developing countries around the world. After the founding of The People's Republic of China, from 1949 till date, all levels of government, from central to local, have been attaching great importance to schistosomiasis control in The People's Republic of China. With considerable policy support and resources mobilization, the national schistosomiasis control programmes have been implemented during the past 65years. Here, we summarize the successful experience of schistosomiasis control during the process. Recommendations for the future management of the Chinese national schistosomiasis elimination programme are put forward after considering the remaining challenges, shortcomings and lessons learnt from 65years of schistosomiasis control drives in The People's Republic of China. They will help to sustain past achievements, foster the attainment of the ultimate goal of schistosomiasis elimination for the country and provide reference for schistosomiasis control programme in other countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Assessing the Computational Literacy of Elementary Students on a National Level in Korea

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jun, SooJin; Han, SunGwan; Kim, HyeonCheol; Lee, WonGyu

    2014-01-01

    Information and communication technology (ICT) literacy education has become an important issue, and the necessity of computational literacy (CL) has been increasing in our growing information society. CL is becoming an important element for future talents, and many countries, including the USA, are developing programs for CL education.…

  5. Affective Aspects of Adult Literacy Programs: A Look at the Types of Support Systems, Teacher Behavior and Materials That Characterize Effective Literacy Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Phillips, Kathleen J.; And Others

    To determine the effect of attention to affective needs on the success of adult literacy programs, researchers analyzed data from 400 programs nominated by advisors to the National Adult Literacy Project (NALP), and selected a sample of 15 for the field research. The sample programs included three military, three prison, three English as a second…

  6. New Literacies, Multiple Literacies, Unlimited Literacies: What Now, What Next, Where to? A Response to "Blue Listerine, Parochialism and ASL Literacy"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paul, Peter V.

    2006-01-01

    This article is a response to "Blue Listerine, Parochialism, and ASL Literacy" (Czubek, 2006). The author presents his views on the concepts of literacy and the new and multiple literacies. In addition, the merits of print literacy and other types of literacies are discussed. Although the author agrees that there is an American Sign…

  7. Evaluating effectiveness of small group information literacy instruction for Undergraduate Medical Education students using a pre- and post-survey study design.

    PubMed

    McClurg, Caitlin; Powelson, Susan; Lang, Eddy; Aghajafari, Fariba; Edworthy, Steven

    2015-06-01

    The Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) programme at the University of Calgary is a three-year programme with a strong emphasis on small group learning. The purpose of our study was to determine whether librarian led small group information literacy instruction, closely integrated with course content and faculty participation, but without a hands on component, was an effective means to convey EBM literacy skills. Five 15-minute EBM information literacy sessions were delivered by three librarians to 12 practicing physician led small groups of 15 students. Students were asked to complete an online survey before and after the sessions. Data analysis was performed through simple descriptive statistics. A total of 144 of 160 students responded to the pre-survey, and 112 students answered the post-survey. Instruction in a small group environment without a mandatory hands on component had a positive impact on student's evidence-based information literacy skills. Students were more likely to consult a librarian and had increased confidence in their abilities to search and find relevant information. Our study demonstrates that student engagement and faculty involvement are effective tools for delivering information literacy skills when working with students in a small group setting outside of a computer classroom. © 2015 Health Libraries Group.

  8. English for Specific Purposes and Academic Literacies: Eclecticism in Academic Writing Pedagogy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGrath, Lisa; Kaufhold, Kathrin

    2016-01-01

    Academic Literacies and English for Specific Purposes perspectives on the teaching of academic writing tend to be positioned as dichotomous and ideologically incompatible. Nonetheless, recent studies have called for the integration of these two perspectives in the design of writing programmes in order to meet the needs of students in the…

  9. Sociocultural Diversity and Reading Literacy in a Finland-Swedish Environment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brunell, Viking; Saretsalo, Lauri

    1999-01-01

    Studied the relationships among students' backgrounds in terms of parental education and socioeconomic level, Finnish linguistic influence, and reading literacy for students in Swedish-speaking schools in Finland. Data from two national studies indicate that home background is more significant for reading literacy than is linguistic background.…

  10. Adult Literacy Education: Current and Future Directions. An Update. Information Series No. 355.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fingeret, Hanna Arlene

    A great deal of attention has been focused on adult literacy by policy makers, employers, unions, and state and federal government. An increasing body of work is challenging conventional assumptions and values related to literacy. The National Literacy Act of 1991 has the potential to develop an essential long-term infrastructure. Some basic…

  11. Portraits of Excellence. The Secretary's Awards for Outstanding Adult Education and Literacy Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Office of Vocational and Adult Education (ED), Washington, DC. Div. of Adult Education and Literacy.

    This booklet describes 10 outstanding adult education and literacy programs, one for each of the country's 10 geographic regions, that won awards from the U.S. Secretary of Education in 1992. The winners embody the best elements of how the adult learning system will move the nation to meet the National Education Goal for Adult Literacy and…

  12. Reading Profiles for Adults with Low-Literacy: Cluster Analysis with Power and Speeded Measures

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mellard, Daryl F.; Fall, Emily; Mark, Caroline

    2009-01-01

    The United States' National Institute for Literacy's (NIFL) review of adult literacy instruction research recommended adult education (AE) programs assess underlying reading abilities in order to plan appropriate instruction for low-literacy learners. This study developed adult reading ability groups using measures from power tests and speeded…

  13. Learning Strategies for Post-Literacy and Continuing Education in China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam. Outcomes of an International Research Project. UIE Studies on Post-Literacy and Continuing Education 4.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dave, R. H., Ed.; And Others

    Many countries have recently launched massive programs to promote nation-wide adult literacy, but while these efforts have been commendable, it has been observed that neo-literates who acquire literacy through such programs have great difficulty in retaining it; hence an urgent need to develop suitable programs of post-literacy and continuing…

  14. 75 FR 54225 - Comment Request for the Financial Literacy and Education Commission on the Draft National...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-03

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Comment Request for the Financial Literacy and Education Commission on... Literacy and Education Commission (Commission) through passage of the Financial Literacy and Education... Treasury's Office of Financial Education to lend its expertise and provide primary support to the...

  15. Connecting Research, Policy, and Practice. Review of Adult Learning and Literacy, Volume 7

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Comings, John, Ed.; Garner, Barbara, Ed.; Smith, Christine, Ed.

    2007-01-01

    "Review of Adult Learning and Literacy: Connecting Research, Policy, and Practice, Volume 7" is the newest volume in a series of annual publications of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) that address major issues, the latest research, and the best practices in the field of adult literacy and…

  16. Adolescent Literacy. Fact Sheet

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alliance for Excellent Education, 2009

    2009-01-01

    Millions of middle and high school students lack the literacy skills--including reading, writing, and critical thinking--that they need to succeed in college and the workplace. According to "The Nation's Report Card" fewer than one third of eighth graders read at a proficient level. Policymakers have directed considerable resources toward…

  17. Literacy at a Distance in Multilingual Contexts: Issues and Challenges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ofulue, Christine I.

    2011-01-01

    Literacy is perhaps the most fundamental skill required for effective participation in education (formal and non-formal) for national development. At the same time, the choice of language for literacy is a complex issue in multilingual societies like Nigeria. This paper examines the issues involved, namely language policy, language and teacher…

  18. Taking Care of Business: The Repercussions of Commodified Electronic Literacy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dickinson, Sandra C.

    The corporate takeover of the Internet has moved literacy into uncharted territory. Couched in capitalist metaphors of liberation, choice, utility, and desirability, an expanded communications network that provides quick and easy access to vast amounts of information appeals to the national psyche. The commodification of literacy as a result of…

  19. Going It Alone: New Zealand Company-Sponsored Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) Training in an Era of Government Funding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guy, Shona; Harvey, Sharon

    2013-01-01

    In this paper, we examine the nature of and reasons for employer-funded literacy, language and numeracy (LLN) workplace training in New Zealand, during a period where government funding has been available. To place these programmes in context, we give a historically nuanced account of employer-funded programmes in New Zealand and then look at the…

  20. Training the public health workforce at the National School of Public Health: meeting Africa's needs.

    PubMed

    Mokwena, Kebogile; Mokgatle-Nthabu, Mathilda; Madiba, Sphiwe; Lewis, Helen; Ntuli-Ngcobo, Busi

    2008-01-01

    The inadequate number of trained public health personnel in Africa remains a challenge. In sub-Saharan Africa, the estimated workforce of public health practitioners is 1.3% of the world's health workforce addressing 25% of the world's burden of disease. To address this gap, the National School of Public Health at the then Medical University of Southern Africa created an innovative approach using distance learning components to deliver its public health programmes. Compulsory classroom teaching is limited to four two-week blocks. Combining mainly online components with traditional classroom curricula reduced limitations caused by geographical distances. At the same time, the curriculum was structured to contextualize continental health issues in both course work and research specific to students' needs. The approach used by the National School of Public Health allows for a steady increase in the number of public health personnel in Africa. Because of the flexible e-learning components and African-specific research projects, graduates from 16 African countries could benefit from this programme. An evaluation showed that such programmes need to constantly motivate participants to reduce student dropout rates and computer literacy needs to be a pre-requisite for entry into the programme. Short certificate courses in relevant public health areas would be beneficial in the African context. This programme could be replicated in other regions of the continent.

  1. Training of public health workforce at the National School of Public Health: meeting Africa's needs.

    PubMed

    Mokwena, Kebogile; Mokgatle-Nthabu, Mathilda; Madiba, Sphiwe; Lewis, Helen; Ntuli-Ngcobo, Busi

    2007-12-01

    The inadequate number of trained public health personnel in Africa remains a challenge. In sub-Saharan Africa, the estimated workforce of public health practitioners is 1.3% of the world's health workforce addressing 25% of the world's burden of disease. To address this gap, the National School of Public Health at the then Medical University of Southern Africa created an innovative approach using distance learning components to deliver its public health programmes. Compulsory classroom teaching is limited to four two-week blocks. RELEVABT CHANGES: Combining mainly online components with traditional classroom curricula reduced limitations caused by geographical distances. At the same time, the curriculum was structured to contextualize continental health issues in both course work and research specific to students' needs. The approach used by the National School of Public Health allows for a steady increase in the number of public health personnel in Africa. Because of the flexible e-learning components and African-specific research projects, graduates from 16 African countries could avail of this programme. An evaluation showed that such programmes need to constantly motivate participants to reduce student dropout rates and computer literacy needs to be a pre-requisite for entry into the programme. Short certificate courses in relevant public health areas would be beneficial in the African context. This programme could be replicated in other regions of the continent.

  2. The impact of the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme, 2003-13: a multimethod evaluation.

    PubMed

    Guthrie, Susan; Bienkowska-Gibbs, Teresa; Manville, Catriona; Pollitt, Alexandra; Kirtley, Anne; Wooding, Steven

    2015-08-01

    The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme supports research tailored to the needs of NHS decision-makers, patients and clinicians. This study reviewed the impact of the programme, from 2003 to 2013, on health, clinical practice, health policy, the economy and academia. It also considered how HTA could maintain and increase its impact. Interviews (n = 20): senior stakeholders from academia, policy-making organisations and the HTA programme. Bibliometric analysis: citation analysis of publications arising from HTA programme-funded research. Researchfish survey: electronic survey of all HTA grant holders. Payback case studies (n = 12): in-depth case studies of HTA programme-funded research. We make the following observations about the impact, and routes to impact, of the HTA programme: it has had an impact on patients, primarily through changes in guidelines, but also directly (e.g. changing clinical practice); it has had an impact on UK health policy, through providing high-quality scientific evidence - its close relationships with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the National Screening Committee (NSC) contributed to the observed impact on health policy, although in some instances other organisations may better facilitate impact; HTA research is used outside the UK by other HTA organisations and systematic reviewers - the programme has an impact on HTA practice internationally as a leader in HTA research methods and the funding of HTA research; the work of the programme is of high academic quality - the Health Technology Assessment journal ensures that the vast majority of HTA programme-funded research is published in full, while the HTA programme still encourages publication in other peer-reviewed journals; academics agree that the programme has played an important role in building and retaining HTA research capacity in the UK; the HTA programme has played a role in

  3. Feasibility Study for the PISA ICT Literacy Assessment: Report to Network A

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lennon, Marylou; Kirsch, Irwin; Von Davier, Matthias; Wagner, Michael; Yamamoto, Kentaro

    2003-01-01

    This report presents the findings of a study conducted to explore the feasibility of developing and delivering an assessment of information and communication technology (ICT) literacy for the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The study was conducted at the request of an expert panel convened by Network A and was funded in…

  4. Information Literacy and Digital Literacy: Competing or Complementary?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cordell, Rosanne Marie

    2013-01-01

    Digital literacy is a more recent concept than information literacy and can relate to multiple categories of library users in multiple types of libraries. Determining the relationship between information literacy and digital literacy is essential before revision of the ACRL "Standards" can proceed.

  5. Delivery of antiretroviral treatment services in India: Estimated costs incurred under the National AIDS Control Programme.

    PubMed

    Agarwal, Reshu; Rewari, Bharat Bhushan; Shastri, Suresh; Nagaraja, Sharath Burugina; Rathore, Abhilakh Singh

    2017-04-01

    Competing domestic health priorities and shrinking financial support from external agencies necessitates that India's National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) brings in cost efficiencies to sustain the programme. In addition, current plans to expand the criteria for eligibility for antiretroviral therapy (ART) in India will have significant financial implications in the near future. ART centres in India provide comprehensive services to people living with HIV (PLHIV): those fulfilling national eligibility criteria and receiving ART and those on pre-ART care, i.e. not on ART. ART centres are financially supported (i) directly by the NACP; and (ii) indirectly by general health systems. This study was conducted to determine (i) the cost incurred per patient per year of pre-ART and ART services at ART centres; and (ii) the proportion of this cost incurred by the NACP and by general health systems. The study used national data from April 2013 to March 2014, on ART costs and non-ART costs (human resources, laboratory tests, training, prophylaxis and management of opportunistic infections, hospitalization, operational, and programme management). Data were extracted from procurement records and reports, statements of expenditure at national and state level, records and reports from ART centres, databases of the National AIDS Control Organisation, and reports on use of antiretroviral drugs. The analysis estimates the cost for ART services as US$ 133.89 (?8032) per patient per year, of which 66% (US$ 88.66, ?5320) is for antiretroviral drugs and 34% (US$ 45.23, ?2712) is for non-ART recurrent expenditure, while the cost for pre-ART care is US$ 33.05 (?1983) per patient per year. The low costs incurred for patients in ART and pre-ART care services can be attributed mainly to the low costs of generic drugs. However, further integration with general health systems may facilitate additional cost saving, such as in human resources.

  6. Raising Literacy Levels Using Digital Learning: A Design-Based Approach in New Zealand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jesson, Rebecca; McNaughton, Stuart; Wilson, Aaron

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports on a design-based intervention in urban primary and secondary schools serving culturally diverse students from low socio-economic status (SES) communities. The intervention capitalises on a partially implemented programme in seven schools which use digital devices (netbooks) and applications to raise literacy levels. Learning…

  7. Predictors of coverage of the national maternal pertussis and infant rotavirus vaccination programmes in England.

    PubMed

    Byrne, L; Ward, C; White, J M; Amirthalingam, G; Edelstein, M

    2018-01-01

    This study assessed variation in coverage of maternal pertussis vaccination, introduced in England in October 2012 in response to a national outbreak, and a new infant rotavirus vaccination programme, implemented in July 2013. Vaccine eligible patients were included from national vaccine coverage datasets and covered April 2014 to March 2015 for pertussis and January 2014 to June 2016 for rotavirus. Vaccine coverage (%) was calculated overall and by NHS England Local Team (LT), ethnicity and Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintile, and compared using binomial regression. Compared with white-British infants, the largest differences in rotavirus coverage were in 'other', white-Irish and black-Caribbean infants (-13·9%, -12·1% and -10·7%, respectively), after adjusting for IMD and LT. The largest differences in maternal pertussis coverage were in black-other and black-Caribbean women (-16·3% and -15·4%, respectively). Coverage was lowest in London LT for both programmes. Coverage decreased with increasing deprivation and was 14·0% lower in the most deprived quintile compared with the least deprived for the pertussis programme and 4·4% lower for rotavirus. Patients' ethnicity and deprivation were therefore predictors of coverage which contributed to, but did not wholly account for, geographical variation in coverage in England.

  8. Scientific Literacy and Student Attitudes: Perspectives from PISA 2006 science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bybee, Rodger; McCrae, Barry

    2011-01-01

    International assessments provide important knowledge about science education and help inform decisions about policies, programmes, and practices in participating countries. In 2006, science was the primary domain for the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), supported by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). Compared to the school curriculum orientation of Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS), PISA provides a perspective that emphasises the application of knowledge to science and technology-related life situations. The orientation of PISA includes both knowledge and attitudes as these contribute to students' competencies that are central to scientific literacy. In addition to students' knowledge and competencies, the 2006 PISA survey gathered data on students' interest in science, support for scientific enquiry, and responsibility towards resources and environments. The survey used both a non-contextualised student questionnaire and contextualised questions. The latter is an innovative approach which embedded attitudinal questions at the conclusion of about two-thirds of the test units. The results presented in this article make connections between students' attitudes and interests in science and scientific literacy.

  9. Geographic Media Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lukinbeal, Chris

    2014-01-01

    While the use of media permeates geographic research and pedagogic practice, the underlying literacies that link geography and media remain uncharted. This article argues that geographic media literacy incorporates visual literacy, information technology literacy, information literacy, and media literacy. Geographic media literacy is the ability…

  10. Mobile phones to support adherence to antiretroviral therapy: what would it cost the Indian National AIDS Control Programme?

    PubMed

    Rodrigues, Rashmi; Bogg, Lennart; Shet, Anita; Kumar, Dodderi Sunil; De Costa, Ayesha

    2014-01-01

    Adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) is critical to maintaining health and good clinical outcomes in people living with HIV/AIDS. To address poor treatment adherence, low-cost interventions using mobile communication technology are being studied. While there are some studies that show an effect of mobile phone reminders on adherence to ART, none has reported on the costs of such reminders for national AIDS programmes. This paper aims to study the costs of mobile phone reminder strategies (mHealth interventions) to support adherence in the context of India's National AIDS Control Program (NACP). The study was undertaken at two tertiary level teaching hospitals that implement the NACP in Karnataka state, South India. Costs for a mobile phone reminder application to support adherence, implemented at these sites (i.e. weekly calls, messages or both) were studied. Costs were collected based on the concept of avoidable costs specific to the application. The costs that were assessed were one-time costs and recurrent costs that included fixed and variable costs. A sequential procedure for costing was used. Costs were calculated at national-programme level, individual ART-centre level and individual patient level from the NACP's perspective. The assessed costs were pooled to obtain an annual cost per patient. The type of application, number of ART centres and number of patients on ART were varied in a sensitivity analysis of costs. The Indian NACP would incur a cost of between 79 and 110 INR (USD 1.27-1.77) per patient per year, based on the type of reminder, the number of patients on ART and the number of functioning ART centres. The total programme costs for a scale-up of the mHealth intervention to reach the one million patients expected to be on treatment by 2017 is estimated to be 0.36% of the total five-year national-programme budget. The cost of the mHealth intervention for ART-adherence support in the context of the Indian NACP is low and is facilitated by

  11. Mobile phones to support adherence to antiretroviral therapy: what would it cost the Indian National AIDS Control Programme?

    PubMed Central

    Rodrigues, Rashmi; Bogg, Lennart; Shet, Anita; Kumar, Dodderi Sunil; De Costa, Ayesha

    2014-01-01

    Introduction Adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) is critical to maintaining health and good clinical outcomes in people living with HIV/AIDS. To address poor treatment adherence, low-cost interventions using mobile communication technology are being studied. While there are some studies that show an effect of mobile phone reminders on adherence to ART, none has reported on the costs of such reminders for national AIDS programmes. This paper aims to study the costs of mobile phone reminder strategies (mHealth interventions) to support adherence in the context of India's National AIDS Control Program (NACP). Methods The study was undertaken at two tertiary level teaching hospitals that implement the NACP in Karnataka state, South India. Costs for a mobile phone reminder application to support adherence, implemented at these sites (i.e. weekly calls, messages or both) were studied. Costs were collected based on the concept of avoidable costs specific to the application. The costs that were assessed were one-time costs and recurrent costs that included fixed and variable costs. A sequential procedure for costing was used. Costs were calculated at national-programme level, individual ART-centre level and individual patient level from the NACP's perspective. The assessed costs were pooled to obtain an annual cost per patient. The type of application, number of ART centres and number of patients on ART were varied in a sensitivity analysis of costs. Results The Indian NACP would incur a cost of between 79 and 110 INR (USD 1.27–1.77) per patient per year, based on the type of reminder, the number of patients on ART and the number of functioning ART centres. The total programme costs for a scale-up of the mHealth intervention to reach the one million patients expected to be on treatment by 2017 is estimated to be 0.36% of the total five-year national-programme budget. Conclusions The cost of the mHealth intervention for ART-adherence support in the context of the

  12. Coaching Considerations: FAQs Useful in the Development of Literacy Coaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fisher, Douglas

    2012-01-01

    The National Advisory Board for the Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse have identified a number of considerations that it believed needed further discussion as schools, districts, and states embrace literacy coaching. It negotiated and discussed a number of issues surrounding coaching and agreed on 10 key ideas that should be part of the discussions…

  13. National Workplace Literacy Program (NWL) at Chinatown Manpower Project, Inc. Final Performance Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tse, Ivy Au

    The Chinatown Manpower Workplace Literacy Program was funded by the United States Department from November 1, 1993 to April 30, 1995. The program consisted of three 18-week cycles, each comprised of 50 hours of instruction of garment-related English and English as a Second Language aimed at upgrading the literacy level of Chinese workers;…

  14. Adolescent Literacy. Fact Sheet

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alliance for Excellent Education, 2011

    2011-01-01

    The nation's workforce is demanding ever more literate workers and citizens. As technology advances and the American economy grows increasingly knowledge based, individuals must be able to read, write, and communicate at higher levels in order to remain economic and social contributors. A student's level of literacy is a critical determinant of…

  15. Adult Literacy: Policies, Programs and Practices. Lessons Learned. Final Report = Alphabetisation des adultes: politiques, programmes et pratiques. Etude bilan. Rapport final.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    2001

    Studies and reports examining the problems associated with adult literacy and efforts to address those problems were reviewed to identify lessons for adult literacy programs in Canada and elsewhere. Low literacy levels were linked to above-average rates of personal and/or learning difficulties, low self-esteem, associated social problems, and…

  16. Cohort study of early literacy and childbearing over the reproductive lifecourse.

    PubMed

    Seymour, Jane W; Frasso, Rosemary; Shofer, Frances S; Bennett, Ian M

    2016-12-30

    Literacy is linked to a range of health outcomes, but its association with reproductive health in high-income countries is not well understood. We assessed the relationship between early-life literacy and childbearing across the reproductive lifecourse in the USA. A prospective cohort design was employed to assess early-life literacy and subsequent childbearing, using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979. The US youth aged 14-22 years in 1979, including 6283 women, were surveyed annually through 1994 and biannually thereafter. Literacy was assessed in 1980 using the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Reading Grade Level (RGL). Cumulative childbearing and grand multiparity (≥5 births) were assessed in 2010. Summary statistics, χ 2 , Kruskal-Wallis, test for trend and logistic regression, were used. Of 6283 women enrolled, 4025 (64%) had complete data and were included in the analyses. In 1980, these women were on average 18 years old and in 2010 they were 45. Median cumulative parity decreased for each RGL and ranged from 3.0 (<5th grade) to 2.0 (>12th grade) (p=0.001). Adjusting for race/ethnicity, poverty status, whether a woman had had a child in 1980, and age in 1980, odds of grand multiparity were 1.9 (95% CI 1.1 to 3.5) and 1.8 (95% CI 1.0 to 3.3), greater among women with <5th or 5-6th grade literacy compared with those ≥12th literacy. In the USA, early-life literacy is associated with total parity over a woman's lifecourse. Literacy is a powerful social determinant of reproductive health in this high-income nation just as it has been shown to be in low-income nations. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  17. Patterns of Participation in Canadian Literacy and Upgrading Programs: Results of a National Follow-Up Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Long, Ellen

    In early 1999, ABC Canada and Literacy British Columbia (BC) worked with 55 literacy organizations across Canada to study student recruitment and retention. Telephone interviews were conducted with 338 people who had contacted programs seeking literacy information or services (callers). Findings indicated callers constituted a broad cross-section…

  18. The effect of VISHRAM, a grass-roots community-based mental health programme, on the treatment gap for depression in rural communities in India: a population-based study.

    PubMed

    Shidhaye, Rahul; Murhar, Vaibhav; Gangale, Siddharth; Aldridge, Luke; Shastri, Rahul; Parikh, Rachana; Shrivastava, Ritu; Damle, Suvarna; Raja, Tasneem; Nadkarni, Abhijit; Patel, Vikram

    2017-02-01

    %, 95% CI 21·4-33·7) than in the baseline survey population (4·3%, 1·5-7·1). Contact coverage was equitably distributed across sex, education, income, religion, and caste. Most providers consulted for care were general physicians. We observed significant improvements in a range of mental health literacy indicators, for example, conceptualisation of depression as a mental health problem and the intention to seek care for depression. A grass-roots community-based programme in rural India was associated with substantial increase in equitable contact coverage for depression and improved mental health literacy. It is now crucially important to translate this knowledge into real-world practice by scaling-up this programme through the National Mental Health Programme in India. Tata Trusts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Progress towards malaria control targets in relation to national malaria programme funding

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Malaria control has been dramatically scaled up the past decade, mainly thanks to increasing international donor financing since 2003. This study assessed progress up to 2010 towards global malaria impact targets, in relation to Global Fund, other donor and domestic malaria programme financing over 2003 to 2009. Methods Assessments used domestic malaria financing reported by national programmes, and Global Fund/OECD data on donor financing for 90 endemic low- and middle-income countries, WHO estimates of households owning one or more insecticide-treated mosquito net (ITN) for countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and WHO-estimated malaria case incidence and deaths in countries outside sub-Saharan Africa. Results Global Fund and other donor funding is concentrated in a subset of the highest endemic African countries. Outside Africa, donor funding is concentrated in those countries with highest malaria mortality and case incidence rates over the years 2000 to 2003. ITN coverage in 2010 in Africa, and declines in case and death rates per person at risk over 2004 to 2010 outside Africa, were greatest in countries with highest donor funding per person at risk, and smallest in countries with lowest donor malaria funding per person at risk. Outside Africa, all-source malaria programme funding over 2003 to 2009 per case averted ($56-5,749) or per death averted ($58,000-3,900,000) over 2004 to 2010 tended to be lower (more favourable) in countries with higher donor malaria funding per person at risk. Conclusions Increases in malaria programme funding are associated with accelerated progress towards malaria control targets. Associations between programme funding per person at risk and ITN coverage increases and declines in case and death rates suggest opportunities to maximize the impact of donor funding, by strategic re-allocation to countries with highest continued need. PMID:23317000

  20. Innovations in Literacy Learning: Reaching the Remote Northwestern Communities of Ontario

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eady, Michelle

    2006-01-01

    The Sioux Hudson Literacy Council in partnership with AlphaPlus Centre in Toronto, Ontario and Confederation College, Sioux Lookout Campus, is making groundbreaking strides to reach adult learners who reside in remote, isolated communities of Northwestern Ontario. Generous funding from the National Literacy Secretariat in collaboration with…