There appears to have been no coherent movement of rural adult education in the United States since the area was first surveyed in the 1930s. Such problems exist as fragmentation, a lack of communication across efforts, and a lack of continuity in time. There does not even appear to be adequate information on the nature and scope of the enterprise…

Explores problems surrounding direct instruction in vocabulary and describes sources in the ERIC system for other approaches to vocabulary development. (HTH)

Recently, the definition of functional literacy has been broadened to include the completion of a secondary education or its equivalent. This definition focuses on obtaining the functional competencies required to perform adequately in adult life. Three major sets of functional competencies are represented in models developed by the Adult…

Selected and condensed portions of five reports prepared by Project SPAN (Social Studies Priorities, Practices, and Needs) are presented. The purpose of Project SPAN was to describe and assess the current and recent state of social studies/social science education, designate desired states to which social studies might or should aspire, and shape…

The National Commission on Excellence in Education has challenged educators across the nation to drastically change the course of education during the 1980s. While rural educators share the desire to provide excellence in education, the Commission and the United States Department of Education must recognize the unique characteristics of rural…

Public libraries have a responsibility toward all of their patrons, including home schoolers. "Home schooling" describes the situation where parents or guardians choose not to send their children to public or private schools, but instead educate their children themselves. Libraries are very important to home schoolers because, in most…