Literacy Might Shield The Brain From Dementia

posted by Azra Raza in 3 Quarks Daily: Gary Stix in Scientific American:


Credit: Getty Images

Socrates famously railed against the evils of writing. The sage warned that it would “introduce forgetfulness into the soul of those who learn it: they will not practice using their memory because they will put their trust in writing.” He got a few things wrong. For one, people nurture Socrates’ memory because of all of the books written about him. But he also was off the mark in his musings about a forgetfulness of the soul. If anything, it appears that just the opposite holds: a study of hundreds of illiterate people living at the northern end of an island considered to be a world media capital roundly contradicts the father of Western philosophy.

Evaluations of the elderly in the environs of Manhattan’s Washington Heights (the neighbourhood immortalised by a Lin-Manuel Miranda musical) reveal that the very act of reading or writing—largely apart from any formal education—may help protect against the forgetfulness of dementia. “The people who were illiterate in the study developed dementia at an earlier age than people who were literate in the study,” says Jennifer J. Manly, senior author of the paper, which appeared on November 13 in Neurology.

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Understanding and detecting data fabrication in large-scale assessments

an article by Kentaro Yamamoto and Mary Louise Lennon (Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey, USA) published in Quality Assurance in Education Volume 26 Issue 2 (2018)

Abstract

Purpose
Fabricated data jeopardize the reliability of large-scale population surveys and reduce the comparability of such efforts by destroying the linkage between data and measurement constructs. Such data result in the loss of comparability across participating countries and, in the case of cyclical surveys, between past and present surveys. This paper aims to describe how data fabrication can be understood in the context of the complex processes involved in the collection, handling, submission and analysis of large-scale assessment data. The actors involved in those processes, and their possible motivations for data fabrication, are also elaborated.

Design/methodology/approach
Computer-based assessments produce new types of information that enable us to detect the possibility of data fabrication, and therefore the need for further investigation and analysis. The paper presents three examples that illustrate how data fabrication was identified and documented in the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and discusses the resulting remediation efforts.

Findings
For two countries that participated in the first round of PIAAC, the data showed a subset of interviewers who handled many more cases than others. In Case 1, the average proficiency for respondents in those interviewers’ caseloads was much higher than expected and included many duplicate response patterns. In Case 2, anomalous response patterns were identified. Case 3 presents findings based on data analyses for one PISA country, where results for human-coded responses were shown to be highly inflated compared to past results.

Originality/value
This paper shows how new sources of data, such as timing information collected in computer-based assessments, can be combined with other traditional sources to detect fabrication.

The authors of this article are writing about specific instances but I think it is fair to assume that this is not the only example that could have been chosen.

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Cultural alignment can make bedfellows out of autocracy and literacy

a column by Nuno Palma and Jaime Reis for VOX: CEPR’s Policy Portal

Can less democratic forms of government lead to higher literacy rates?

This column uses a sample of over 4,000 individuals from military archives in Portugal to show that an autocracy can have greater educational success than a democracy if it has closer cultural alignment with the preferences of the masses. This understanding has implications for development policy in poor countries today.

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Economic well-being and social justice through pleasure reading

an article by Pauline Dewan (Wilfrid Laurier University, Brantford, Canada) published in New Library World Volume 117 Issue 9/10 (2016)

Abstract

Purpose
Librarians planning for the future and unsure about the place of books in an age dominated by technology and media need evidence to make sound decisions. Library and information science researchers have studied the impact of pleasure reading on individuals but not on society. The purpose of this paper is to raise awareness about the benefits of recreational reading for societies and to consider the implications of these findings for libraries.

Design/methodology/approach
Examining a wide range of studies by government bodies, intergovernmental agencies and academics, this paper addresses a gap in the library literature by critically evaluating the combined implications of sources not hitherto viewed together.

Findings
The more leisure books people read, the more literate they become, and the more prosperous and equitable the society they inhabit.

Practical implications
Librarians should create a more robust culture of reading and play a stronger advocacy role for books in libraries.

Originality/value
No one has yet examined government reports about literacy in relation to studies on the impact of pleasure reading. The implications of this combined research highlight the fact that pleasure reading benefits societies as well as individuals, a finding that has significant implications for the future direction of libraries. Decision-makers who need a robust mandate for book-focused resources and services will find supportive statistical evidence in this paper.

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Island of saints, scholars and queers!

an article by Aideen Quilty (School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, UCD, Ireland) published in Elm: European Lifelong Learning Magazine (14 October 2016)

Religion, economics and sexuality matter to adult education. They matter because they all relate to how prejudice and all forms of bias operate in society. They matter because they influence what is taught, who benefits from what is taught and how people are treated within our adult education classrooms. And all three matter in Ireland.

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A nuanced understanding of Internet use and non-use among the elderly

Alexander JAM van Deursen (University of Twente, The Netherlands) and Ellen J Helsper (London School of Economics and Political Science, UK) published in European Journal of Communication Volume 30 Number 2 (April 2015)

Abstract

This article examines explanations for both Internet use and non-use by older individuals.

Older adults are often considered a homogeneous group with uniform reasons for Internet non-use, or when they are online, practicing a uniform range of activities.

The study gathered data concerning senior non-users through a national telephone survey. Data concerning senior Internet users were obtained through a nationally representative online survey.

The findings suggest that although a substantial part of the senior Internet non-users live in surroundings that enable Internet uptake, they seem to be less eager or unable to do so.

Important differences among senior non-users are based on gender, age, education, household composition and attitude towards the Internet. Differences among users were based on life stage, social environment and psychological characteristics.

This article thus reveals that older citizens are a very diverse group in which some are more likely to be digitally excluded than others.

Literacy, learning and identity: challenging the neo-liberal agenda through literacies, everyday practices and empowerment

an article by Vicky Duckworth (Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, UK) and Angela Brzeski (Runshaw College, Leyland, UK) published in Research in Post-Compulsory Education Volume 20 Issue 1 (March 2015)

Abstract

In the UK, further education (FE) colleges play a key role in providing literacy programmes.

This article draws upon our research in FE, with a focus on literacy, learning and identity, to explore how different learners are positioned differently depending on the value of the literacy practices they bring with them from home. Indeed, it is generally considered that recognising the literacies that learners bring into the classroom is an effective strategy to teaching and learning because purposeful and meaningful learning builds and expands on learners’ prior knowledge and experience to shape and construct new knowledge rather than seeing the learner as an empty vessel ready to be filled by the tutor.

Learning is seen as a social activity embedded in particular cultures and contexts where assessment is based on the learners demonstrating competence in achieving specific learning outcomes. The achievement of these learning outcomes is situated in the learners’ real life and everyday practices.

The paper concludes that New Literacy Studies and critical approaches to education are important to challenging prescriptive pre-set curriculum literacies driven by a neoliberalism agenda and to empowering learners in and out of the classroom.

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The literacy practices for assessment in the vocational curriculum – the case of Hospitality

an article by Richard Edwards and Sarah Minty (University of Stirling, UK) and Kate Miller (University of West of Scotland, Ayr, UK) published in Journal of Vocational Education & Training Volume 65 Issue 2 (June 2013)

Abstract

This article explores two case studies of the literacy practices of assessment in the vocational curriculum. Previous studies have identified learning in the vocational curriculum as being assessment-driven and that subjects often associated with limited levels of literacy actually require multiple literacy practices from students.

Drawing upon studies of the literacy practices of assessment in the teaching of Hospitality, the study explores the academic and occupational forms of reading and writing required of students.

These literacy practices are often invisible to both students and staff and yet are central to the success of students in relation to attainment.

The article suggests that vocational subjects may actually be more demanding in the range of literacies required for assessment than is often considered to be the case.

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Boosting the Reading Levels and Attitudes of Young People who have Offended: …

A Review of the Evidence and the Lessons Learnt from an Evaluation of TextNow

an article by Greg Brooks and Roger Tarling (University of Surrey, Guildford, UK) published in Youth Justice Volume 12 Number 3 (December 2012)

Abstract

This article draws together the existing evidence which indicates that young offenders coming to the attention of the criminal justice system are very much below national reading levels. It then reviews the effectiveness of initiatives designed to improve the literacy skills of this group.

The article then presents the results of an evaluation of TextNow, by analysing data on 230 young people who were known to have offended and participated in the programme. Both reading levels and reading attitudes improved.

The article concludes by drawing the lessons learnt from the programme; regarding the length of the programme, its content and mode of delivery, and the importance of rewarding participation and progress.

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Raising numeracy and literacy to improve vocational opportunities

an article by Karen Nicholas, Jo Fletcher and Niki Davis (University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand) published in Journal of Vocational Education & Training Volume 64 Issue 4 (November 2012)

Abstract

In this paper, we examine interviews with 34 stakeholders including tutors, administrators and adult education policy analysts who were working in the area of adult numeracy and/or literacy education.

This provided opportunities for our research team to build up a clearer picture of the current status, plans, benefits and barriers related to improving adult numeracy and literacy with a particular emphasis on new technologies such as e-learning.

The interviews provide a wide-ranging perspective of the factors which can help increase the viability of programmes for improving numeracy and literacy skills within adult learning environments.

This includes a particular emphasis on new delivery methods, such as e-learning, mixed media and distance delivery to maximise student engagement and opportunities. Computer-related strategies provide new opportunities to meet learners’ individual needs.

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Learning to Grow: what employers need from education and skills

a report from the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) sponsored by Pearson

Executive summary

The fifth education and skills survey

• The CBI/Pearson education and skills survey was conducted in January and February 2012.
• Responses were received from 542 employers, collectively employing some 1.6 million people. Respondents came from all sizes, sectors and regions of the UK.

Employers investing in skills

• Despite current economic and trading pressures, four fifths (81%) of firms plan to maintain or increase their investment in training over the coming year.
• There are major variations between sectors: while a positive balance of +17% of firms in manufacturing intend to increase their training spend, widespread reductions are planned in the public sector.
• The proportion of employees involved in apprenticeships has risen to almost two thirds (63%), and over half plan to extend their programmes further or to start taking on apprentices in the next few years
• Government pledges to cut back on the bureaucracy around apprenticeships have yet to be felt in practice by employers, with more than none in ten (94%) reporting no change as yet
• Looking at workforce training more broadly, the leading issues on which employers would like to see progress are the business relevance of vocational qualifications (58%) and reduced bureaucracy around government funding (56%)

Raising standards in schools

• Employers say ther need to provide businesses with the skills they require is the single most important reason to raise standards in schools (73%). Other reasons cited are the importance of enabling young people to leaqd fulfilling lives (57%) and minimising the risk of educational undersachievement contributing to social breakdwon (57%)
• Employers want to see primary school concentrating on the key enabling skills of numeracy (61%), writing (58%) and reading (45%) that underlie success in all other learning
• For those in the 14-19 age group, employers believe schools and colleges should be prioritising development of employability skills (71%). They also want to see more done to strengthen literacy (50%), numeracy (45%) and technology skills (30%)
• While all types of qualifications are seen as aiding development of particular employability skills, no one type is seen as delivering on all essential areas

Employer commitment to schools and colleges

• Over half of the employers surveyed have built links with secondary schools (57%) and further education colleges (56%)
• Employers are stepping up their commitments, with a positive balance of a third (+32%) having increased their school and FE college engagement activity over the past year
• Business involvement goes beyond providing work experience for pupils (70%) to include careers advice (51%), employees acting as school governors (29%) and mentoring (25%)
• Employers see the quality of careers advice for young people as not good enough (by a balance of -68%) (my highlight)
• There is an appetite from employers to play a greater role in del;ivering careers advice – more than half (60%) would be willing to do more

Preparing for working life

• There is a pressing need to improve the literacy/use of English and numeracy skills of school and college leavers (35% and 30% respectively of employers report dissatisfaction)
• Employers also report weaknesses in employability skills, including school leavers’ self-management (61% unsatisfied), business and customer awareness (69%) and attitude to work (37%)
• Levels of employer satisfaction with the employability skills of graduates are higher, but there are still worrying weaknesses in teamworking (25%) and inadequate work experience (37%)
• Among existing employees, employers report widespread weaknesses: there are problems to at least some extent in literacy/use of English (56%), numeracy (55%) and IT skills (66%)
• Remedial training by employers is widespread (ranging from 5% reporting training in numeracy for some graduates to 50%^ reporting remedial IT training for some adult employees)

Employers seek high skills for the future

• Most employers consider skill levels among their employees to be satisfactory for their current activities, with two-thirds (68%) rating their high-skilled employees as good
• less positive ratings are given to low-skilled employees, with one in ten (10%) of the largest employers and 7% of employers overall assessing their competency levels as poor
• Looking ahead, far more businesses expect to increase the number of jobs requiring leadership and management skills and higher skills in the next three to five years than expect to reduce them (a positive balance of +67% and +61% respectively)
• More employers expect to decrease the number of low-skilled employees in the next few years than to increase the number (giving a negative balance of -3%)
• While most employers are confident there will be enough people available to fill their low-skilled vacancies (a positive balance of +51%), employers are not confident of meeting their need for high-skilled employees (a negative balance of -15%)

Full text (PDF 60pp)

Hazel’s comment:
I give you fair warning that the next time the CBI publishes a report in a format that will not allow copy and paste to bring you the executive summary then you will get a line saying “Report is here” and that will be it. I may have copy typing skills but what a waste of time.

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The Precarious Nature of Social Class-Sensitivity in Literacy: …

A Social, Autobiographic, and Pedagogical Project

an article by Mark D. Vagle and Stephanie Jones The University of Georgia, Athens, USA) published in Curriculum Inquiry Volume 42 Issue 3 (June 2012)

Abstract

Using Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s (1947/1964) phenomenological notion of the threads of intentionality that tie subject and object together meaningfully and Pierre Bourdieu’s (1986, 2000; Bourdieu & Waquant, 1992) reflexive sociology and constructs of habitus, field, capital, and nomos, we theorize social class-sensitivity in literacy education as a social, autobiographic, and pedagogical project; a recognition of the powerful unnamed context of middle-class normality; and an illumination of the precarious ways in which working-class and poor students are positioned in schools.

We assume that although issues related to race, gender, and sexuality intersect in complex ways with class, social class issues in classroom pedagogy are too often ignored and under-theorized. Therefore, there is a need to spend concerted time considering social class specifically.

We close by asking pedagogues to think seriously about the reality that working-class and poor students enter classrooms each day saturated in precariousness; to not label students and families as the problem; and to be the ones to take responsibility for alleviating the precarious positions in which working-class and poor students and families live while in educational institutions.

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Learning beyond Fifteen: Ten Years after PISA

a report from OECD publishing

Summary

This report focuses on the development of reading proficiency during the transition from adolescence to early adulthood. The span of time between the ages of 15 and 24 is a critical period of development for young people. Once compulsory education is completed, individual decisions about post-secondary education, employment and other life choices have to be made with major consequences for future learning and employment outcomes. A good foundation in reading proficiency facilitates success in specialised education during higher education or during job-related training. Since reading proficiency is not the goal of such specialised or professional learning, reading skills may begin to atrophy. So both learning gains and losses need to be considered as human capital is developed.

Canada’s investments in PISA, as well as in longitudinal data and reassessment of reading proficiency, provides insights into the importance of individual reading proficiency and later outcomes, such as educational attainment, further learning, employment and earnings. Therefore, this report makes a vital contribution to the understanding of learning gains between the ages of 15 and 24 and their impact on such outcomes, and provides a basis for evidence-based policy and strategic investments by the community of countries participating in PISA.

The document is currently available from the OECD bookshop in English. French version likely to be available “soon”

E-book (PDF 120pp) is free
ISBN: 9789264172104 OECD Code: 982012031E1

Print (Paperback) + Free PDF
Price: €35 | $49 | £31 | ¥4500 | MXN630
ISBN: 9789264172043 OECD Code: 982012031P1

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Unforeseen outcomes: Does poorly-resourced literacy tutoring reinforce apprentices’ low literacy?e

an article by Frank Sligo (Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand) published in Education + Training Volume 54 Issue 2/3 (2012)

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges faced by tutors who were providing remedial literacy support to New Zealand apprentices.
Design/methodology/approach
As part of a wider, triangulated study of employers, tutors, apprentices, and industry training coordinators, the author undertook a qualitative analysis of ten in-depth interviews with apprentices’ literacy tutors.
Findings
It was found that three issues strongly affected what tutors could achieve for their students. First, tutors experienced substantial role ambiguity; second, apprentices were working in oral and experiential modes more than in print-literate modes; and third, tutors found they had to employ an instrumental approach to their teaching in response to the situation they encountered. For example, this often meant serving as a scribe for their student rather than being able to focus on building the apprentice’s print literacy.
Research limitations/implications
It is possible that the difficult situation faced by these literacy tutors may be replicated in similar situations where funding is insufficient to build competence in literacy.
Practical implications
The constraints on what the tutors could actually achieve within tight funding limits meant that most students, while on track to successfully complete their apprenticeship, still remained of low print literacy.
Originality/value
The study reveals how tutors’ instrumental approach ran counter to their traditional ethical stance associated with building empowered, competent citizens who could participate fully in their civic, social and economic settings. It also shows how this literacy support enhanced the apprentices’ confidence, yet they probably became further reinforced in their little-changed, oral work culture.

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Policy and the search for explanations for the gender gap in literacy attainment

an article by Gemma Moss published in Literacy Volume 45 Issue 3 (November 2011)

Abstract

This paper considers how policy-led processes of education reform have reshaped the space in which to think about gender and literacy, both in England and elsewhere. In many jurisdictions, the discourse on quality in education now focuses almost exclusively on numerical outcomes, whether they derive from the school, and/or at local or national level.

A heightened focus on performance data has brought new attention to the contrasts in the relative patterns of girls’ and boys’ attainment in literacy, whilst also changing expectations about what should be done about them. This paper highlights the politics that ensue as these data enter public discourse using examples of policy texts published in England, Ontario and Wales. It examines how these documents mobilise different explanations for the gender gap in the performance data that are then used to guide future action.

What kinds of explanations for gender differences in literacy attainment have most purchase in different policy contexts?

Which are most useful from a feminist perspective?

These issues are considered in relation to the changing policy context in England, which is rapidly moving from a highly centralised system of directed support for school improvement to much more fragmented provision. This creates new conditions in which to act.

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New “Brain Games” for literacy and numeracy skills

from LSIS Update 11 December

Brain Games has been developed for providers to help reinforce taught skills and enables learners to practise their literacy and numeracy skills. Recently launched, it applies the addictive gameplay of “brain training” to literacy and numeracy using sound pedagogic principles and will shortly be available in a form that can be downloaded onto a memory stick so it can be used in outreach situations where there is computer access.

Read more

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Literacy and Social Inclusion: the policy challenge

This discussion paper was referenced a couple of times from other "stuff" I was reading a while ago (like last month). I thought it was the result of recent research. It turns out, thank you Dawn for your indefatigable detective work, that it was written in 2004. I'm not even sure whether we included it in the ADSET Members' Update at the time but on reading it I realised that many of the arguments presented are still viable. At only 31 pages (Word document) you may find it helpful.

One thing that finding this paper has done is to add yet another blog to my regular reading list and another e-newsletter to Dawn's inbox on a monthly basis! Information overload is alive and well.