Multiple factors are likely to influence adult literacy regarding the natural environment and env... more Multiple factors are likely to influence adult literacy regarding the natural environment and environmental issues, but very little research has been carried out in this area. The research presented in this article is intended to help address this information gap, by investigating influences on adult environmental literacy using data from The Third Minnesota Report Card on Environmental Literacy: A Survey of Adult Environmental Knowledge, Attitudes and Behavior (Murphy & Olson, 2008). The article presents the research findings regarding the influence of demographic factors and of non-formal and informal learning on environmental behavior, one of the key dimensions of environmental literacy.
Multiple factors are likely to influence adult literacy regarding the natural environment and env... more Multiple factors are likely to influence adult literacy regarding the natural environment and environmental issues, but very little research has been carried out in this area. The research presented in this article is intended to help address this information gap, by investigating influences on adult environmental literacy using data from a Minnesota environmental literacy survey. The article presents the research findings regarding the influence of demographic factors and of nonformal and informal learning on environmental behavior, one of the key dimensions of environmental literacy. Results from this study indicated that environmental behavior prediction was most improved by adding nonformal and informal learning participation. These results suggest that nonforma l and informal learning options should be looked at more carefully for predictive possibilities.
The purpose of this symposium is to explore multiple perspectives on building and maintaining hig... more The purpose of this symposium is to explore multiple perspectives on building and maintaining high quality online educational programs in university settings for adult learners. As a course designer, course instructor, and former graduate student, I (M. Eichler) have had the opportunity to experience an array of online courses designed for adult learners. There seems to be a wide variety of approaches to online courses roughly matching the educational values of instructors and designers, from those who design courses much like independent study correspondence education with little interaction besides assignments to those who use who levels of administrative control through course tools and being highly involved in directive classroom conversation. As a profession, we have seen the rise of online, Internet-based courses through the rise of entire online degree programs both at traditional and online-only universities. Some have had high rates of success, while others have folded. Institutions have followed different paths in establishing, continuing, promoting, and utilizing online educational programs whether they are at the course level, the program level, or the university level. This symposium will review several perspectives in building success in online educational programs adult learners. Some of the perspectives propose building success through course level interventions, including building effective discussions, utilizing audio tools in interaction, building social presence, or building a teaching presence, while others relate to programmatic issues, such as dealing with programs in transition or building successful student affairs programs for online learners. These perspectives come from experienced online educators in adult education programs. Focusing on Discussion-Matthew A. Eichler As one of the main forms for interaction between students and one another and student and instructor, discussion forums in online classes deserve high levels of attention in online teaching. In constructivist-styled online classes, course discussion, whether synchronous (chat) or asynchronous (discussion forum), serves as primary site for relating learning material to previous knowledge, for gaining understanding and building bridges between personal understanding and that of others, namely learning peers and the instructor, and for exploring inferential relationships. Providing elements of structure, such as grading rubrics, descriptive discussion protocols, and active student facilitation promotion provide for more meaningful and effective discussion forums (Gilbert & Dabbagh, 2005). There are several noted benefits of online discussion forums compared to in-class face-toface discussions, including the increased reflection time available for students, the ability to edit and formulate posts extensively, as well as the ability to read and post on the students' own time, especially useful for students who are more fluent in written language than spoken language. Having the ability to follow a line of discussion through a thread is beneficial to both instructors and students (Tiene, 2000). Brookfield and Preskill explain that while online courses can be
National Research Center For Career and Technical Education, Apr 1, 2011
United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participa... more United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972 states: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." Therefore, the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education project, like every program or activity receiving financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education, must be operated in compliance with these laws.
Educational reform in the United States is perpetually evolving. Much of the recent reforms have ... more Educational reform in the United States is perpetually evolving. Much of the recent reforms have concentrated on high-stakes testing and assessment, but a parallel effort has been emerging in the field of vocational and career education. Prompted partly by federal legislation-most recently by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (also known as Perkins IV)the field has been dramatically altered to include a renewed vision of vocational education. The Perkins IV legislation officially changed the title and focus of the efforts, installing the name career and technical education as the replacement for the older version of vocational education and training. Armed with this new name, the focus of the reforms took on new perspectives, adding a career education focus and broadening the goals to include academic learning with vocational/ work-based learning. The result has been a renewed effort to make all students "college and career ready."
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