A definition of illiteracy is the inability to read and compute at the standard needed by an adult within a chosen social context. While statistics may vary depending upon the study, women make up the majority of the illiterates nationally and internationally. Three factors that contribute to illiteracy among women are social acculturation and…

This paper sketches an interpretive and evaluative framework for examining literacy policy agendas. The paper consists of four sections. Its first section presents a brief overview of some key elements in the current National Literacy Plan for Australia. Its second section advances a broad goal for literacy education which is consistent with…

The summaries of seven research projects concerned with the universal availability of publications (UAP) which are presented describe (1) a literature review on the availability of book materials through commercial channels, particularly in developing countries, by John Clews and others; (2) a concomitant survey, by Priscilla Oakeshott, of…

Educational applications of computing are reviewed, beginning with a brief introduction to microcomputers and microcomputer characteristics that might be important for school use. An examination of significant models in computer education outside Australia emphasizes projects in the United Kingdom, France, and the United States, including the…

This essay examines the role of investment capital in rural development. The development of government capitalism is traced. Outlined next are the premises for private and public investment. Geographic/geopolitical concerns in the formation of investment priorities are described. The need for greater availability of investment capital for small…

Influences upon trends in literacy research include national and international agendas, active networks, and public images of literacy. Five trends in literacy research can be discerned. The first trend is research that tries to determine the extent of difficulties with literacy and its causes. Another trend is a shift in views and definitions of…

Organizing adult education must be done within the context of development policy. Cultural filters should be used in considering theory and research knowledge. A sensitive use of cultural filters also applies to learning from practice. An assumption is that there should be interfacing and interlinking structures of primary education and adult…

Germany's Dual System, which consists of in-school and in-enterprise components, facilitates entry into 374 recognized technical, white-collar and blue-collar occupations listed in training regulations that are grounded in legislation. The Dual System's origins and development in Germany were examined along with several attempts to replicate the…