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Instructional Technology Utilization Survey of Mid-Western Adult
Literacy Programs
John Sabatini, Senior Researcher
Lynda Ginsburg, Senior Researcher
National Center on Adult Literacy, Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania
Introduction
The purpose of this survey was to take a snapshot of the current state and
future needs as of 1997 of adult literacy education programs in the states served by the North Central Regional Technology in Education Consortium. Those states include: Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, South
Dakota, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Iowa. The Survey Questionnaire
was divided into nine subsections addressing a range of topics on the use of
technology in adult literacy programs and instruction.
Mailing lists were obtained from state directors of adult literacy in each of the
states. A total of 681 programs were identified. Surveys were mailed
to 394 program administrators in the nine states. In states with fewer than 50 total
programs (ND, SD, IA) surveys were mailed to every program. In states with more than
100 programs, a random sample of approximately half were mailed surveys. A first
mailing of the survey was sent in June of 1997. A follow-up mailing was sent to non-respondents
in September 1997.
Responses were received from 166 programs, of which 154 were sufficiently complete
to include in this analysis. Thus, 23% of the total identified population was surveyed.
The descriptive statistics of these programs indicate that 50% of the respondents identified their programs as public schools, 15% as community-based organizations, 13% as community outreach, and 10% as community college-based. The 154 respondents serve more than 71,500 adult
learners each year.
Throughout this analysis, the primary unit of analysis is the literacy program. A diverse
range of organization types and sizes in a variety of locations responded to the
survey. Because each state defines, identifies, and funds programs differently, and
because programs come into and out of existence so rapidly, no attempt was made to
balance the sample by subgroups within the total sample, other than the aforementioned
oversampling of states with small total numbers of programs. Consequently, no systematic
subgroup analyses are reported.
Key Findings:
Introduction | Survey Questionnaire | Descriptive Statistics | Technology Use of Programs | Software Use in Adult Literacy Instruction | Computer Usage/Access by Teachers | Computer Usage/Access by Students | Inventory of Available Computer Technology | Networking and Telecommunications | Finances | Needs Assessment: Increasing
Technology Use
To contact the authors:
1. e-mail sabatini@literacy.upenn.edu, ginsburg@literacy.upenn.edu
2. call 215-898-2100 or fax 215-898-9804
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