This research memorandum highlights the collaborative efforts of the numeracy panel for the ETS Return on Investment (ROI) Study, Phase 1, comprising David Tout, Kees Hoogland, and Javier Díez-Palomar, in developing their research memorandum, "Improving the Quality of Numeracy Skills: Progressing from Level 2 to Level 4 on the PIAAC Cycle 2…

The knowledge-based economy and the information society highlights the importance of developing new competencies for personal, professional and social integration. Problem-solving in technologically rich environments (PS-TREs) is one of these competencies. This research examines the relationships between higher education and the PS-TREs…

This study builds an empirical research model that explores societal and individual antecedents of adult learning and examines the adult learning effect on problem-solving skills in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. Considering national differences, it uses multilevel data sources available from the…

The role of international governmental organisations (IGOs) in global policymaking has received significant attention in the field of adult learning and education (ALE) in the twenty-first century, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was recognised as one of the most influential IGO due to its skill surveys --…

This article explores cross-country patterns in how conditions relating to family background, education, and the labor market are related to literacy and numeracy skills. It seeks to assess whether these patterns are in agreement with models of skills formation as identified in the political economy literature. The novelty of this article resides…

This study advances the analysis of cognitive skill use at work by considering another crucial factor: the motivation-to-learn (MtL). Previous research has indicated that MtL forms cognitive skills in the school setting. However, the role of MtL in the work setting is much less understood. The present study analyses the association between MtL and…

Adult numeracy and literacy skills are key to transforming lives, promoting social inclusion and contributing to sustainable societies. Achieving an optimal return on investment with regard to the development of adult skills and competencies requires the collation of comprehensive data to assess what people know, what they do with what they know,…

We examine civic engagement among immigrants and native-born adults in the United States (U.S.) and Germany--world-leading nations with different responses to immigration and assimilation. Civic engagement involves the practices and beliefs underpinning the democratic functions of citizenry, and is operationalized in this study as voluntary work…

Achieving gender equality in education is not only a matter of social justice: it is a catalyst for economic growth and societal well-being. This OECD report explores gender disparities in education in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region, drawing on data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Programme for…

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused one of the worst economic crises since the Great Depression. Although countries responded quickly to support displaced workers with assistance packages and funding for education and training, additional measures might be needed. Each country's economic recovery will most likely depend on how well its workforce is…

The field of Adult Literacy and Numeracy (ALN) has an evidence problem. This paper analyses that problem through the lens of three overarching types of evidence available to researchers and policymakers: Type 1 evidence, which provides descriptions of the scope of social problems; Type 2 evidence measuring the impacts of programmes addressing…

The evolving technological landscape in the digital era has a crucial influence on lifelong learning and the demand for problem-solving skills. In this paper, we identify associations between formal, non-formal and informal learning with sufficient problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments (TRE). We focus on adults' problem-solving…

One of the most often repeated goals in modern society is making education available to all on equal terms, regardless of social origin, culture or individual characteristics such as age, gender or the socio-economic status of an individual. However, in relation to gender inequality within learning environments, in the Czech Republic the…

Changes in average literacy scores of adult populations and population subgroups are the product of the net impact of significant skill gain and skill loss. By conducting a synthetic cohort analysis with data from the PIAAC Main Study, the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (ALL), and the International Adult Literacy Skills Survey (IALS), we…

Participation in adult education and training (AET) programs is increasingly important for people of all ages and is necessary to remain competitive in a world experiencing rapid technological advances. Lifelong learning activities are especially important for middle-aged and older adults who intend to work at older ages to ensure they have the…