Adult Education (ADTED)

ADTED 100 is an opportunity for adult learners to develop effective learning and writing strategies. This course is designed for the adult learner who is entering the university for the first time, or who is returning after an absence from studies. In this course we will help you: develop or renew effective academic writing, study skills, learning strategies, and time management tools that will help you succeed at Penn State and in your career. In the course, we will identify useful university resources and you will learn effective writing skills and hone critical reading abilities to meet the requirements of academic coursework. We will also practice public speaking skills so you will feel more confident and articulate in your classes and your career after graduation.

Formal courses given on a topical or special interest subject which may be offered infrequently.

Social Movements are some of the most important contemporary actors influencing both societies and individuals. Social movements are also educational, transforming participants¿ worldviews and developing innovative pedagogical practices for both non-formal contexts and formal schooling systems. This course examines the role education plays in social movement struggles in the United States and globally. In the first part of the course, we analyze the informal, non-formal, and formal educational initiatives that were part of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Then, in the second part of the course, we read the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed and examine how popular education - a pedagogy created by and for social movements - has been integrated into a diversity of grassroots struggles in Latin America. In the third part of the course, we go beyond the Americas and explore social movement-led educational practices in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Finally, in the fourth student-led part of the course we return to the United States and learn about education in a diversity of contemporary U.S. social movements. During these final weeks, students will lead a class discussion based on their secondary and primary research on one social movement. This course will introduce students to a diversity of social movements in unique geographical and social contexts and show how these movements have incorporated education into their broader fights for economic, racial, gender, environmental, and social justice.

Introduces family literacy concepts, models, and components supporting families; adult, child, and parent education, interactive literacy activities, and case management. ADTED 456 Introduction to Family Literacy (3) This 3-credit course examines the concept of family literacy and different models and services that support families. Students will review the main parts of family literacy services and programs that support vulnerable families: adult education, early childhood education, parent education, interactive literacy activities, case management, and collaboration with partners who provide services to families (such as libraries, community centers, school districts, one-stop services, Head Start.) The course attends to issues such as racial/ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity among families, continuous program improvement, and professional development.

Surveys adult basic and literacy education research, theory, programming, and instruction; highlights learners' roles as parents, workers, and community members. ADTED 457 Adult Literacy (3) This 3-credit course explores adult literacy research, theory, programming, and instructional practices in the context of family literacy. The course examines the role of adult education as it pertains to adult learners' needs and their roles as parents, workers, and community members. The course addresses a broad range of topics, including adult learning theories, considerations for English language learners, reading and numeracy, health literacy, workforce and corrections education, and transitioning adults to postsecondary education or training. Readings and activities will draw on theoretical and practical aspects of adult education and family literacy literature.

Focuses on young children's language and literacy development, including parental and staff support, grounded in scientifically based reading research. ADTED 458 Early Literacy Development (3) This is a three-credit, post-baccalaureate course that focuses on young children's language and literacy development. This course examines research related to how children acquire language, reading, and writing skills, as well as how family partnerships between the home and school can further support language and literacy development and children's academic success. This course will cover a wide array of topics related to language and literacy development, including the influence of play and technology, the impact of read-alouds on literacy development, and the role of racial/ethnic and cultural diversity in learning. Students will examine early literacy development through a series of activities and readings.

Explores parental involvement in education and parent-child literacy activities that support children's language and literacy development, especially among diverse families. ADTED 459 Interactive Literacy: Parents and Children (3) Interactive Literacy: Parents and Children is one of five 3-credit courses in the 15-credit Certificate in Family Literacy developed by the Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy in the College of Education in partnership with the National Center for Family Literacy (Louisville, KY). It is offered during the summer and fall semesters to about 20 students per class. The course is 15 weeks in length, entirely online, and cohort-based. Study materials are both web- and print-based. Students work in teams for most of their assignments although they are also expected to produce a portfolio of individual application activities. An Associate's Degree or 60 baccalaureate credits at an accredited institution are required to enter the course. Technological requirements, registration, and other support are provided. The courses focuses on the component of family literacy in which the low-literate parents engage in language and literacy development activities with their young children (birth to age 8). During interactive literacy the teachers both model and supervise the literacy interactions. Students learn to use planned and intentional activities that are developmentally appropriate for the children. They also learn how to teach the parent the necessary interaction skills as well as how to debrief the parents afterwards. They also learn how to assess the literacy interactions between parents and their children.

History, methods, agencies, program areas, and problems of lifelong learning and adult education in the United States.

An introduction to the history, philosophy, organizations, learning theories, and instructional procedures used in American and foreign distance education.

ADTED 480 examines issues of learning math as an adult and explores effective strategies for teaching math and numeracy to adults. ADTED 480 Teaching Math and Numeracy to Adults (3) Many international assessments show that the numeracy skills of U.S. adults are lower than those of adults in many other countries and that their numeracy skills are even weaker than their literacy skills. This online course is designed for teachers, administrators, and others concerned with helping adults develop the math skills and abilities they need to function successfully in workplace, educational, and community settings. This course will focus on (1) how adults develop math skills in informal and work contexts and in classes or programs for students who wish to obtain a high school credential; (2) considerations for teaching math to immigrant adults and those with learning disabilities; and (3) the identification and implementation of instructional strategies for helping adults acquire the numeracy skills they need. Using current research from the U.S. and other countries, course participants will consider the benefits and limitations of various instructional and programmatic approaches to helping adults learn. Through this course, students will (1) identify the implications of adult learners'; prior experiences with math and numeracy for the their reengagement with math in a non-formal learning setting; (2) differentiate between numeracy and math and consider the relevance of the distinction to teaching adult learners; (3) identify adult processes for learning math and compare and contrast them with those of children; (4) gain current knowledge about math standards that guide instruction and policy for adults; and (5) develop and evaluate instructional strategies and initiatives to teach math to adults, including accommodating immigrant learners and those with learning disabilities. Further, students will consider the knowledge and skills needed to help adults acquire functional numeracy skills.

Formal courses given on a topical or special interest subject which may be offered infrequently.