Research Documents and Reports
Research Documents and Reports
The following categories of research documents and reports are included:
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National Conference on Family Literacy Research Strand Proceedings
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Pennsylvania GED Candidates' Characteristics and Preparation
Contact the author(s) for additional information.
National Conference on Family Literacy Research Strand Proceedings
Toso, B.W. (Ed.) (2012). 21st National Conference on Family Literacy Research Strand Conference Proceedings. Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy, The Pennsylvania State University.
Leadership and Social Support
Toso, B. & Gungor, R. (2012). Parent engagement and parent leadership. In B.H. Wasik & B. Van Horn (Eds.), Handbook of Family Literacy (2nd edition). New York: Routledge.
Drayton, B. & Prins, E. (2011). Participant leadership in adult basic education: Negotiating academic progress and leadership responsibilities. International Journal of Lifelong Learning, 30(3), 349-365.
For a summary, please see the abstract for this article.
An earlier version of this article (2008) was published in M.L. Rowland (Ed.), Proceedings of the 27th Annual Midwest Research-to-Practice Conference in Adult, Continuing, Community, and Extension Education (pp. 50-55). Bowling Green: Western Kentucky University.
Prins, E., Toso, B., & Schafft, K. (2009). "It feels a little family to me": Social interaction and support among women in adult educations and family literacy. Adult Education Quarterly, 59(4), 335-352.
For a summary of this article, please see the abstract or review Research Brief #2.
Toso, B., Prins, E., Drayton, B., Gungor, R., & Gnanadass (2009). Finding voice: Shared decision making and student leadership in a family literacy program. Adult Basic Education and Literacy Journal, 3(3), 151-160.
For a summary of this article, please see the abstract or review Research Brief #4.
Family Literacy Programs
Weirauch, D. (2012). Program improvement through action research. In B.H. Wasik & B. Van Horn (Eds.), Handbook of Family Literacy (2nd edition). New York: Routledge.
Prins, E. & Gungor, R. (2011). Family literacy funding reductions and work-first welfare policies: Adaptations and consequences in family literacy programs. Adult Basic Education and Literacy Journal, 5(1), 15-25.
For a summary of this article, please see the abstract or review Research Brief #5.
Prins, E.S. (2006). Similar, yet different: Case studies of three Even Start programs in Pennsylvania. Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy, The Pennsylvania State University.
This research paper describes the organizational practices (e.g., recruitment, retention, instruction, program design, evaluation) of three Even Start family literacy programs in Pennsylvania, including the ways they relate and respond to their institutional environments, such as legislation and community history.
Semali, L.M. (2004). Mapping Success: Family and child education (FACE) Program.
Mapping Success was conceptualized as a three-phase research project that aims to develop a clear understanding of family literacy indicators of effectiveness. A short progress report or the full paper can be found here.
Pennsylvania GED® Candidates' Characteristics and Preparation
Prins, E., Drayton, B., & Gungor, R., & Kassab, C. (2012). Distance learning for GED® students in rural Pennsylvania. American Journal of Distance Education, 26:4, 217-235.
Although many adult basic education programs offer distance learning (DL) for GED® and English as a Second Language learners, this topic has received little scholarly attention. This article examines the availability, usage, and effectiveness of DL for rural GED® candidates in Pennsylvania; students' demographic and educational characteristics and participation patterns; and the perceived advantages and disadvantages of DL for students and education providers. Data sources included records of 24,143 rural GED® students in state-funded programs; GED® test-takers' demographic survey data; interviews with DL educators and students; and a survey of non-state-funded DL providers. The results show that 4% of rural GED® students -- primarily young, White, low-income women -- participated in DL. Rural DL students were as likely to pass the GED® Tests as face-to-face learners. Key advantages and disadvantages of DL for rural GED® students are discussed. The study signals great potential and need for expanding DL in rural regions.
The funding was provided through the Center for Rural Pennsylvania ($50,000).
Prins, E., Kassab, C., Drayton, B., & Gungor, R. (2010). GED preparation through distance learning in rural Pennsylvania. Harrisburg: Center for Rural Pennsylvania.
The final report (published by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania (CRP)), full report, fact sheet, brochure, and literature review on distance learning in adult basic education, can be found below:
The funding was provided through the Center for Rural Pennsylvania ($50,000)
Van Horn, B.L. & Kassab, C. (2010). An analysis of rural and urban Pennsylvania adults taking, completing, and passing the GED. Harrisburg: Center for Rural Pennsylvania.
The funding was provided through the Center for Rural Pennsylvania ($50,000).
Pennsylvania Rural Immigrants
Prins, E.S., Toso, B.W. (2012). Receptivity toward immigrants in rural Pennsylvania: Perceptions of adult English as a second language providers. Rural Sociology
This article uses interview and questionnaire data to examine how adult English as a second language (ESL) providers in rural Pennsylvania perceive community receptivity toward immigrants and the factors they believe foster or hinder receptivity and immigrants' integration. ESL providers' depictions of local responses to immigrants ranged from welcoming to hostile. They identified four constellations of factors that influenced receptivity: national and local politics, the labor market and immigrant occupations, immigrants' ability to look or act like native-born residents, and community institutions. This study reveals how differing contexts of reception are believed to influence immigrants' incorporation into rural communities. It also highlights the role of educators and educational institutions in creating a welcoming atmosphere that supports immigrants' socioeconomic well-being.
Prins, E.S., Toso, B.W., Sherow,S., & Willits, F.K. (2008). Pennsylvania's forgotten rural immigrants. University Park, PA: Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy and the Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy.
The funding for this research was through the College of Agricultural Sciences Seed Grant Program, Pennsylvania State University ($14,770).
Family Literacy Participation
Prins, E. & Van Horn, B. (2012). Adult learning in family literacy: Special considerations for women learners. In B.H. Wasik & B. Van Horn (Eds.), Handbook of Family Literacy (2nd edition). New York: Routledge.
Prins, E., Carrera, M., Drayton, B., Gungor, R., Miller, F., & Spencer, T. (2011, June). Women's involvement in adult education and family literacy: Consequences for social networks, social support, and mental health. In S. Carpenter, S. Dossa, & B.J. Osborne (Eds.), Proceedings of the 52nd National Conference of the Adult Education Research Conference (AERC) and the 30th National Conference of the Canadian Association for the Study of Adult Education (CASAE) (pp. 543-549). Toronto, Ontario: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.
Schafft, K. & Prins, E. (2009). Poverty, residential mobility, and persistence across urban and rural family literacy programs in Pennsylvania. Adult Basic Education and Literacy Journal, 3(1), 3-12.
For a summary of this article, please see the abstract or review Research Brief #1.
This study was undertaken in collaboration with the Center on Rural Education and Communities, and was funded through a Research Initiation Grant, College of Education, Pennsylvania State University ($8900).
Askov, E.N., Kassab, C., Weirauch, D. (2005). Women in Pennsylvania's family literacy programs: Effects of participant characteristics on extent of participation. Adult Basic Education, 15(3), 131-149.
Kassab, C., Askov, E.N., Weirauch, D., Grinder, E., & Van Horn, B. (2004). Adult participation related to outcomes in family literacy programs. Family Literacy Forum, 3(1), 23-29.
For a summary, please review the annotation for this article.
Parenting and Interactive Literacy Activities
Prins,E., & Toso, B. (2008). Defining and measuring parenting for educational success: A critical discourse analysis of the parent education profile. American Educational Research Journal, 45(3), 555-596.
For a summary of this article, please see the abstract or review Research Brief #3.
Grinder, E.L., Longoria Saenz, E., Askov, E.N., & Aldemir, J. (2005). What's happening during the parent-child interactive literacy component of family literacy programs? Family Literacy Forum, 4(1), 12-18.
For a summary, please review the annotation for this article.
Impact of Family Literacy on Children
Askov, E.N., Grinder, E.L., & Kassab, C. (2005). Impact of family literacy on children (update section). Family Literacy Forum, 4(1), 38-39.
For a summary, please review the annotation for this article.
Tools and Resources
Interactive Literacy/PACT Observation Tool, Instruction Manual and Tool
This instrument, piloted in Pennsylvania Family Literacy sites, is useful as a teacher training tool. Experienced teachers may also find it helpful in focusing parent-child interactive literacy instruction. It is intended to encourage teacher reflection rather than be used for teacher evaluation, and to be used twice or more per year. The instrument requires an observer and a teacher before, during, and after the interactive literacy time.
Distance Learning in Adult Basic Education: A Review of the Literature (2011)
The purpose of this literature review is to provide background information about distance learning (DL) in adult basic education (ABE), specifically, to identify program design and policy implications to inform the use of DE for GED students in rural Pennsylvania. Adult educators have long sought to encourage greater participation in, and more equitable access to, educational opportunities for adult learners. This literature review examines how DE can help adult educators address issues of equity and participation, especially in rural areas with restricted educational opportunities.
