Balatti, Josephine, Black, Stephen, and Falk, Ian (2006) A social capital perspective on literacy course outcomes: a case study of adult literacy. In: Proceedings of the AATE National Conference 2006. From: AATE National Conference 2006, 8-11 July 2006, Darwin, NT, Australia.

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Abstract

Social capital is the 'networks, together with shared norms, values and understandings which facilitate cooperation within or amongst groups' (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2004, p.5), and this paper reports on a component of a major qualitative study that investigated the capacity of adult literacy and numeracy courses to produce social capital outcomes. The study found that almost 80% of the students interviewed reported experiencing social capital outcomes from participation in adult literacy and numeracy courses. These outcomes came about mainly from changes in network structures and from changes in network transactions. Student characteristics such as English speaking background, Indigeneity and age impact on the type of social capital outcomes experienced. In addition, technical skill outcomes often require social capital outcomes as a prerequisite or co-requisite in order to be acquired and/or to be applied. Importantly, social capital outcomes are found to have a role in the impact that participation in adult literacy and numeracy courses has on the socio-economic well-being of the participant and/or the community. The paper finishes by describing the implications for both pedagogy and the framing of outcomes reporting.

Item ID:	4293
Item Type:	Conference Item (Research - E1)
Keywords:	social capital; adult literacy and numeracy
Related URLs:	http://www.aate.org.au/
Date Deposited:	29 Nov 2009 23:03
FoR Codes:	13 EDUCATION > 1399 Other Education > 139999 Education not elsewhere classified @ 100%
SEO Codes:	93 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 9399 Other Education and Training > 939999 Education and Training not elsewhere classified @ 100%
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