Prior language and literacy support from home, community and heritage language (HL) schools provides young HL learners with linguistic and metalinguistic foundations for language and literacy development (Chinen & Tucker "Heritage Language Journal" 3:27-59, 2005; Koda et al. Chinese as a heritage language: Fostering rooted world…

This systematic review aims to analyze trends in academic studies evaluating online learning environments that incorporate gamification elements and the relationship between these elements and learning outcomes. A total of 24 theses and 41 articles, published between 2013 and 2021, were included in the study, selected based on predefined keywords…

This spotlight discusses the critical role of immigrants in the U.S. labor market and the importance of services that support their economic integration. Immigrants represent a significant and growing portion of the U.S. workforce and are essential for addressing labor market needs, especially in multilingual and diverse roles. The workforce…

Competency-based testing and credentialing (CBTC) initiatives aim to address inequity in adult education by fundamentally changing how states use GED®, HiSET®, and TASC™ test scores to award and withhold high school equivalency credentials. However, CBTC is inconsistent with how developers intend states to use those scores. Accordingly, it falls…

This article explores the quality of life of adults with poor literacy capabilities (reading, writing and numeracy) in western Rwanda. A concurrent mixed methods research design was used. Data was collected from respondents aged 18 years and over through a survey and focus group discussions. Quantitative results from linear regression analysis…

Nontraditional students represent a substantial number and significant percentage of students in higher education. While these adult learners have similarities, they also span 50+ years with generational differences. At the same time, online learning is on the rise, offering opportunities and challenges for nontraditional students and those who…

Given the importance of conversation practice in language learning, chatbots, especially ChatGPT, have attracted considerable attention for their ability to converse with learners using natural language. This review contributes to the literature by examining the currently unclear overall effect of using chatbots on language learning performance…

A "mind, brain and education" (MBE) approach applies the best evidence regarding how people learn to real classroom settings. Much of the work in the field to date has involved child learners, but MBE is increasingly turning to the study of adult education, supported by a growing understanding of how adults and children differ in their…

This article reports on teachers' experience of working during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis is based on a thematic analysis of group interviews with 76 teachers working throughout the Swedish school system, i.e., preschools, primary, secondary school, and municipal adult education. The interviews were conducted during autumn 2021.…

Higher education opens doors to job enhancement and economic benefits to adult learners. Despite facing multiple barriers such as life-work-school time conflicts and financial constraints, adult learners continue to seek higher education and certifications. Rural employers also benefit from supporting degree completion or job-specific…

What constitutes an "Asian perspective" in the field of adult education? Through a literature review of journal articles from 1990 to 2023 on adult education in the geographical category of Asia, I analyzed how these discussions connect to an Asian perspective. I identified five approaches through which Asian voices have been articulated…

Purpose: Using the framework of Adult Learning Theory, this study worked to uncover the composition of rural landowners' information sources and learner characteristics that impact information-seeking behavior among maple syrup producers in Wisconsin. Design: Regression models were used to analyze data from a survey targeted at Wisconsin maple…

This dissertation consists of three chapters that study individual investment in human capital and the incidence of economic shocks. I use administrative data to answer these questions, developing and applying structural methods to analyze individual choices in combination with a careful consideration of research design. Chapter 1 studies the…

Purpose: Research shows that there are mechanisms of information simplification that lead to the danger that first, laypeople rely on their own epistemological skills when assessing scientific claims. Second, laypeople underestimate their dependence on experts when they receive simplified information. This underestimation can be problematic…

In the Angel Studios 2024 movie "Cabrini" set in 1889, an Italian immigrant woman comes to America with a fierce passion for helping marginalized children. Charged with a seemingly impossible task, she perseveres through each obstacle. While watching the movie, I felt angry throughout at the injustices faced. Afterwards, I felt inspired…