Publications:
A Framework
for Adult Numeracy Standards:
The Mathematical Skills and Abilities Adults Need
To Be Equipped for the Future
METHODOLOGY
The ultimate goal of the Adult Numeracy Practitioners Network Planning Project was
to change adult numeracy education within larger reform of the ABE system. To accomplish
this, two objectives had to be met. First, the project would create opportunities
for teachers, stakeholders, and specifically, adult learners, to participate in the
discussion of math knowledge and skills needed by adults in their roles as parents,
workers, and citizens. The second objective was to develop a framework for math
content standards and an initial plan for system reform around adult numeracy. This project
was designed and executed with those two objectives in mind.
DEMOGRAPHICS
ANPN has involved hundreds of learners, teachers, and other stakeholders during this
project. We gathered data from seven states across the nation, for a total of nearly
300 individuals participating in some phase of data collection. (See appendix.)
Adult Learners
Twenty-one Learner Focus Groups from seven states participated in this project, including
six each from Illinois and Virginia, two from Ohio, one from each of the New England
states of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island, and four from Oregon. There
were 171 adult learners, all of whom were enrolled in adult education mathematics
classes, participating in the Learner Focus Groups. Over half of the learners were
female (59% females). Almost three-quarters (71%) of the learners came from urban
areas rather than rural. Since a key role for adults is that of parent, it was interesting
to note that 69% of adult learner focus group participants were parents. There were
more unemployed than employed adult learners (60% unemployed).
Efforts were made to gather information from regions across the country as well as
diverse groups of learners. Of those adult learner focus group members, half were
white. About a quarter were African American (26%). Hispanics represented 12% of
the adult learners. Seven percent were Asian and 3% were Native American. The ethnic background
of two percent of the adult learners was unreported.
Adult learner focus groups came from a variety of adult education classes. Almost
half (49%) were participating in GED classes, while just over a quarter (26%) were
Adult Basic Education class participants. The other 25% of the adult learners were
involved in other adult education programs such as English for Speakers of Other Languages,
workplace, and developmental college courses.
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And, although data was not collected
on the number of adult learners who came from correctional institutions, three adult
learner focus groups were held in correctional facilities.
Stakeholders
In January and February, five Stakeholder Focus Groups were held in various parts
of the country. The states of Illinois, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oregon, and Virginia
were represented. Most of the 61 stakeholders were in roles involved directly or
indirectly with adult education, training, or employment. Included were state and municipal
administrators/policy makers, college and university personnel, staff developers,
and publishers. Those employers who were involved in the focus groups represented
food services, and the automobile and printing industries.
Data was also collected over a period of time from a "Virtual" Study Group. This
group consisted of a mixture of teachers and stakeholders directly involved with
adult education. There were a total of 21 "Virtual" study group participants, including
researchers, graduate students, adult and mathematics educators from across the world,
who communicated via a closed electronic discussion network.
Teachers
Data for this project was collected from five Study Groups. Forty-one teachers came
from the four states of Illinois, Ohio, Oregon, and Virginia as well as a New England
Regional Math Group with representatives of all the New England states. These adult
education teachers came from a variety of settings: community colleges, correctional
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