Survival Memo - Ross Reynolds

I commented on groups: 2(Sarah Smurr) and Group 4(Darcey Mitschelen)

Hopefully this is beneficial for everyone!

History of Adult Education 1950-1959

                       

Adult Education: 1950 to 1959

Ross Reynolds

Ball State University

EDAC 631 Adult & Community Education

September 14, 2014

Abstract

            This paper is an overview of Adult Education in the 1950’s of the United States of America.  With World War II over and The Civil Rights Movement beginning, many factors were contributing to the growing existence of education, more specifically Adult Education.   With new motivations, funding, and opportunities new faces from different backgrounds were starting to participate in education than years previous.  Although all education was changing, Adult Education might have witness the most change during the 1950’s.

Introduction

            Much of the first part of the 1900’s the United States was going through events that put the country in difficult positions.  The three most notable events were World War I and II, and the Great Depression.  But with all the soldiers returning back home in the late 1940’s, the 1950’s presented it’s self with new opportunities that we have not seen to years previous.  One opportunity changed the future for many families across the country was when Congress passed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, which became popularly know as the “G.I. Bill.” For at least a temporary period, this generous and flexible financial aid program enabled an unprecedented number of veterans to attend colleges, universities, and an array of "postsecondary" institutions. This legislation also gave energy to civil rights cases linked with educational access.  In addition to federal funding, growing states with enthusiastic governors and legislatures sought ways to work with their state's educational leaders to accommodate an impending enrollment boom. (Thelin)  The G.I. Bill also enabled veterans to buy homes with a home loan with a low cost mortgage, which in must cases became cheaper for families to move to “suburbs” rather live in the expensive apartments in larger cities.  Another new creation that made traveling more prevalent was the creation of the Interstate Highway system that President Eisenhower help lead, the new road system spread from coast to coast and promoted people to travel more between states.

            Although, United States had so many things going great for its’ self, the country was still under constant tension with Soviet Union, known as the Cold War.  The Cold War would affect United States diplomatic policies for decades and even with domestic policy being passed in fear of communism to take over the country.  While United States was dealing with this tension with the U.S.S.R, the country was also dealing with a growing movement called the Civil Rights movement that would shape our twenty forever.  People were becoming tired of racism and segregation, more specifically in the Southern States, to the point that it was becoming part of American mainstream part of life. ()  All these factors in society during the 1950’s, would help influence Adult Education grow.

Highlights

            During a time of much change within the society there are a few events that proved to have a significant importance on Adult Education.  One event, that helped Adult Education to become prevalent in society, especially with people from Middle or Lower economic class, was the G.I. Bill.  The G.I. Bill gave the opportunity for veterans to go to college or other secondary level education in order to help to provide the brave men with opportunities that had always been reserved for the higher economic status individuals.  With this newfound opportunity, many young men took this opportunity to attend colleges and universities.  With all the young brave men back home, colleges and universities witnessed a boom in attendance.  In 1930, enrollment for private and public schools combined was at 1,100.737. In 1950, the enrollment raised to 2,659,021, and raised to 2,996,000 in 1956. (Book source)  With all these new individuals participating in education, there were more ideas and perceptions on education; it also helped to foster new ideas.  Which is always good for education.

            With more and more people becoming educated the more people started to realize that there was an injustice still going on within its’ own country.  People were becoming tried of the racism and segregation that was still going on, primarily in the Southern States.  One event that could not have made a bigger impact is Brown vs. The Board of Education.  In 1954, in the landmark case, the Supreme Court declared that “separate educational facilities” for black children were “inherently unequal.” Many Southern whites resisted the Brown ruling. They withdrew their children from public schools and enrolled them in all-white “segregation academies,” and they used violence and intimidation to prevent blacks from asserting their rights. In 1956, more than 100 Southern congressmen even signed a “Southern Manifesto” declaring that they would do all they could to defend segregation.(cite source) Even with all the resistance to this change, it could not overcome the Civil Right Movement.  Although, African-Americans were already attending colleges and universities, more and more were attending.  Yet again, by having more people getting involved in Adult Education, new perspectives were continually add to the field of education. 

            With all these significant events happening within the United States and the World, Adult Education was able to reap the benefits by adding new perspectives and new ideas to education that it was not able too in the past. Anyone in education would agree that this type of change occurring within the field, does nothing but good things can Adult Education.  This is just one way that the culture and perspective change for Adult Education shifted in our country.

Influential Factor

            With all the events going on the world: end of World War II, Cold War, the race to space, and eventually Korean War in the horizon.  The nation started to put more money towards education, more specifically mathematics, science, and engineering. Realization of how important education would be to our country in the future, education needed funding.   With an economic boost during the 1950’s, more and more organizations were able to help fund education, even Adult Education.  The 1950’s and 1960’s are singled out as a special period because so many changes related to adult education occurred. Foundations began to take notice of the needs of adults throughout the country and gave support for a variety of adult and continuing education activities. The Carnegie Corporation, the Kellogg Foundation, and the Mott Foundation were some of the leaders in promoting adult education at the state and local community level. In addition, the Ford Foundation established and supported the Fund for Adult Education, an organization that promoted research, program and materials development, and a variety of experimental programs.  The Adult Education Association of the USA (AEA) was formed in 1950. The National Association of Public School Adult Educators (NAPSAE--eventually called the National Association for Public Continuing and Adult Education, NAPCAE) was established in 1952. Together those two organizations were primary forces in shaping the field as it is today. They supported research, developed or supported much of the recent literature of the field, provided a base for study and discussion pursuant to the growth of the field, and established a liaison relationship with federal and state programs. (cite source) 

            With new organizations forming during this decade, many educators became more popular, but no individual was more popular than Malcolm Knowles.  Malcolm Shepherd Knowles was born August 24, 1913, in Livingston, Montana. His A.B. degree from Harvard University in 1934 was followed by positions as director of related training for the National Youth Administration; director of adult education for the Boston YMCA; director of the Detroit United Services Organization; duty as an officer in the U.S. Navy; and executive secretary of the Chicago YMCA. He received an M.A. degree from the University of Chicago in 1949. With these experiences as a foundation for his work in adult education, he served as executive director of the Adult Education Association of the U.S.A. in its years of early rapid growth, 1951-1959.(cite source)  Knowles is most known for Andragogy.  Andragogy is most commonly known as the science of understanding and supporting lifelong and life-wide education of adults. (cite source)  Knowles is still relevant to Adult Education, and students are still studying his theories and practices.

             It’s amazing to look back at the history of Adult Education and see how much occurred during the 1950’s.  From famous foundations like The Carnegie Corporation, the Kellogg Foundation, the Mott Foundation and the Ford Foundation to organizations like The Adult Education Association of the USA (AEA), The National Association of Public School Adult Educators being started to that time.  And one of the most famous educators, Malcolm Knowles was one of the influential educators of the decade. This was an awesome time period in Adult Education.

Implications

            By studying history of Adult Education by focusing in on one decade in history, I have learned how much society and politics plays a role Adult education.  Imagine if the country would have never had the G.I. Bill? Imagine if our country didn’t have the Brown vs. the Board of Education trial till later in time?  With the rise in attendance of college and universities, and more people realizing that our country needed a change in thought about how we treat people of other races.  Our country would have been completely different, if our country did not have all these events like the World War II, Civil Rights Movement, G.I. Bill, funds from foundations, and creation of organizations.  We are truly blessed for the opportunities we all have now in education.  No matter our economic status, race, or religion we have the opportunity to expand our education.

Summaries of Adult Education 1950 to 1959

Areas	Summaries
Social Background	World War II, Cold War, and Civil Rights Movement
Highlights	G.I. Bill, Brown vs. the Board of Education
Influential Factors	Funding and Organizations for education
Implications	Equal opportunity for education

References

Gelbrich, J. (1999, January 1). AMERICAN EDUCATION. Retrieved September 14, 2014, from http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/ae8.html

Hiemstra, R. (1976). Ch. 2 The Societal Role of Adult and Continuing Education. In Lifelong learning. Lincoln, Neb.: Professional Educators Publications.

"Malcolm Shepherd Knowles." Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2nd ed. Vol. 9. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 62-64. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 14 Sept. 2014.

The 1950s. (2010, January 1). Retrieved September 14, 2014, from http://www.history.com/topics/1950s

Thelin, J., Edwards, J., & Moyen, E. (n.d.). Higher Education in the United States - HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT, SYSTEM. Retrieved September 14, 2014, from http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/2044/Higher-Education-in-United-States.html

Satin, J. (1960). The 1950's: America's placid decade. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Intro into E-Archive

This an audio and visual tour of some of the features of our E-Archive.  Hopefully this is helpful for all those interested in Adult and Community Education 

Ross Reynolds commented on: Group 2(Jennifer Warner) and Group 3

Joe Morris' EDAC 631 Survival Memo

I commented on Ross Reynolds (Group 1) and Becky Moening (Group 3)

To:  All future EDAC 631 students

From:  Joe Morris

Date:  December 8, 2014

Re:  A Survial Memo

From time to time, we could all use a little help on how to navigate an online class in graduate school.  Here are my Top 5 pieces of advice for you….

1:  Read your syllabus.  Chances are that all your questions will be answered in this document.  If not, you’ve got to reach out to your professor for clarification…they’re really nice people.

2:  Embrace new modes of communication.  Don’t be afraid to experiment with new technology.  For example, most smart phones these days are great for taking photos and making videos that can be embedded in your assignments for a more impactful presentation.  There are many free online templates available to you for creating blogs and websites too.

3:  Group Work - make sure you understand the rules and guidelines completely.  Group work can be a rewarding foray into collaborative learning and research.  It can also be vexing!  The key is to be clear in establishing the roles in your group and to distinctly define the expectation for modes of communication and research deadlines.  If you’re allowed to choose your own group members, try and find classmates with diverse points of view, but just make sure they are willing to follow the rules.

4:  Keep up on your assignments.  You’ll be a lot happier if you establish a schedule for reading and completing assignments on a daily and weekly basis.

 5:  Prioritize your work.  Your typical online class will have weekly reading, posting, and researching assignments.  For example, you may have a research paper due and several reading assignments and posts to complete.  You may want to focus on or prioritize a couple of the readings and skim the others in order to meet your deadlines.  Generally speaking, one of your classmates will have posted on the readings you skimmed, so you can learn about it through the synergy created through the class structure via Blackboard.

….this memo is especially dedicated to the adult learner who is returning to collegiate coursework after a long, long, long time.  You can do it.  BELIEVE!

November Monthly Summary

Janice Miller commented on:
Joe Morris commented on: Group 2 and 4
Ross Reynolds commented on: Group 2 and 3

The Highlander Effect Group 1

November Monthly Summary

Submitted by:  Joe Morris

The Highlander Effect Group 1 successfully completed two major projects; one on unique Adult and Community Education Organizations and one E-Archive.   We studied the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and the National Institute of Management and Administration (NIMA).   Each of us took on additional roles and responsibilities as we lost a group member.   Group 1 looks forward to completing the final assignments for the class during the coming week.

Roles and Brief Summary of Research

Joe completed research on the Barbara Bush Foundation and provided the introduction and summary portions while Ross completed  the discussions paragraphs and the summary table for the Adult & Community Education Organization project.  Operating from her location in Kabul, Afghanistan, Janice Miller completed research on NIMA.   The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and The National Institute of Management and Administration (NIMA) are the two outstanding adult education organizations we elected to profile.  The idea of the Barbara Bush Foundation is to reach children before they enter kindergarten by investing in low-literate parents.  NIMA was founded in 2008, in Kabul, Afghanistan.  After centuries of war including Soviet invasion and expansion, civil war and the Taliban, education was almost non-existent.   In addition, the country has a need for a skilled workforce.   NIMA was created to help fill this workforce need. 

Ross took the lead and created the Wix website for the E-Archive project.   Joe completed the 1-page paper and summarized and proofed each summary paragraph, and Janice created summary paragraphs from the research she completed during the semester. 

Group Process

As a group, we felt like were able to successfully complete our projects, as we met mutually agreed upon deadlines and kept the lines of communication open.  Janice is in Afghanistan, and the time zone difference is 9 ½ hours.  We had to rely on email to communicate with her.  Ross and Joe communicated via text messages, emails, and telephone calls.   Jan is living out her vocation to bring education to a vastly underserved group of people.  The institution she is working to build will be the first public higher education program since the Soviet era ended decades ago.  We’re grateful as a group to have this unique hands-on research to share with the class and the world.

Joseph Morris November Summary

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!  The month of November was very productive for me as a learner.  I truly enjoyed the process of researching the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.  I felt energized at the renewed cooperation within the Highlander Effect Group on the Adult Education Organization paper and E-Archive projects.  I was able to communicate with Dr. Chang to overcome some challenges I faced.

I don’t like to label myself liberal or conservative politically.  However, I have always admired leaders; the ones who know where they stand on issues and have a sincere desire to change our world for the better for everyone, not just people of choice.  I believe in Barbara Bush’s effort to help build a literate America by focusing on families.  I believe that every adult learner has the ability within him or herself to succeed.   I also believe that most policymakers, even the ones I disagree with, have the ability to listen and consider new ideas when they presented with evidence.    I’ll need to continue sharpening my skills as a researcher if I want to advance the education policies and programs in which I believe. 

Today is Thanksgiving.  I am thankful for my classmates like my research buddy, Ross Reynolds, but also my group mate, Janice Miller.  She has been working in Kabul, Afghanistan, for the past several weeks.  There is a 9 ½ hour time difference between Indiana and Kabul.  She has managed to stay in touch via email and has contributed to group project research.  Through BSU’s affiliation with NIMA, Jan and her colleagues are standing up the first public institution of higher education in Afghanistan since the Soviet era.  This morning, I heard that there was a large suicide bombing in Kabul and that the Taliban claimed responsibility.  I feel it is important to acknowledge that some of our friends risk their safety to bring education and opportunity to learners. 

I thoroughly enjoyed working with Ross and Jan on the E-Archive project.  Ross is the technical expert and took the lead in creating the website.  I’m very pleased to learn that website templates are available online.  I was finally able to embed a video in a blog post that actually played when you clicked it!  I’m looking forward to helping to write the group summary and my reflection paper.  I am also eager to participate in the research project.  Mostly, I’m looking forward to successfully completing my first graduate course.

Adult and Community Education E-Archive

Joe Morris commented on:  Group 2 & 4
Janice Miller commented on:
Ross Reynolds commented on: Group 4 & 5

Responsibilities:
Joe Morris: One page summary and brief summaries on different topics
Janice Miller: brief summaries on different topics
Ross Reynolds: creating Wix Website

EDAC 631 Group 1 E-Achive

Adult and Community Education Organizations

Roles

Janice Miller: NIMA research and editing

Joseph Morris: Barbara Bush Foundation research, introduction, summary table, editing and proofreading

Commented on Groups 4 & 5

Ross Miller: Discussions and editing 
Commented on Groups 3 & 4

Adult and Community Education Organizations

Janice Miller, Joseph Morris, and Ross Reynolds

Ball State University

EDAC 631

November 9, 2014

Introduction

            This research compilation reflects a tale of two countries, vastly different in every perspective, yet dealing with similar education challenges. The United States and Afghanistan have a complex relationship and history. The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and The National Institute of Management and Administration (NIMA) are two organizations that operate in very different spheres, yet they strive for similar goals; to educate adults and children and to improve their standard of living.

The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy

The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy was established in 1989. Fervent in its mission to instill literacy as a value in every home with a goal of achieving 100% literacy in America, its trusted professionals strive to make literacy a right of every American. The idea is to reach children before they enter kindergarten by investing in low-literate parents. The Foundation helps families understand that “the child’s first school is the home, the parent is the child’s first teacher, and the child’s first subject is reading. To this end, the Foundation provides low-income families across the nation with scholarships to foster family learning. They partner with a network of high-performing local family literacy programs which help both young children and their parents learn how to read and write.” (Hirst, 2014).

John Dewey, arguably the father of Pragmatism, would applaud the progressive approach the Foundation uses to tackle illiteracy. Notably, he would point to principles that the Foundation upholds such as “a broadened view of education that goes well beyond liberal education, a focus on learners and their needs and experiences rather than predetermined content, a shift from teacher as authority figure to teacher as facilitator of learning, and the use of education as an instrument of social action and social change.” (Brockett, 2007)

Roles and Responsibilities

The strength of the Foundation lies in its ability to partner with literacy agencies and organizations that integrate learning into every family unit. For example, the Foundation funds programs which are involved in family-based activities. Programming may facilitate learning and literacy through shared activities whereby parents and children discuss storybooks together, work to make lunch-time meals, and engage in free play activities such as board books, blocks, and puzzles. Programs include ongoing assessments and although some projects required standardized measures, programs that encouraged families to establish their own goals and to assess their progress regularly with staff members helped to demonstrate the pay-off for their efforts. “Programs created social networks, as literacy is learned within a social context…as an extension of relations with other people. For example, parents formed social networks that were tied to everyday literacy activities. Some went comparison shopping on a trip to the mall…comparing features of products in three different stores. Together, they discussed the value of each and collaboratively made decisions on best buys.” (Examples of Family Literacy Programs Funded by the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, 1998). In this way, reading and writing were seen as extensions of day-to-day activities and related to the formation of personal and significant relationships with others.

Implications

There have been numerous studies on adult and youth illiteracy world-wide. Recently, survey results of a first-ever comparison of adults in the United States and those in other democracies found that Americans were below average when it comes to skills needed to compete in the global economy. “The survey released by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OEDC) measured the literacy, math and computer skills of about 5,000 U.S. adults, ages 16 to 65 and compared them with similar samples of adults from 21 countries. When it comes to literacy, adults in the U.S. trailed those in 12 countries and outperformed adults in five others. The top five countries in literacy were Japan, Finland, the Netherlands, Australia, and Sweden.” (Layton, Lindsey, 2013)

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, “the illiteracy rate in Indiana is near 8%, with a margin of error of 2%.” (IES, 2003). Mr. Cory Mahon, Assessments Manager of Adult Education/Strategic Initiatives at the State of Indiana, indicated that “in a typical year, 30,000 Hoosiers enroll in ABE classes across the state. Last year, there were approximately 15,000 examinees.” (Mahon, 2014). He explained that enrollments and HSE (High School Equivalency) exam applications are down, as the test was changed this year. Previously the pass rate for the GED exam hovered around 75%. Mr. Mahon was unable to provide impact statistics regarding the equivalency exam at this time.

Impact

The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family literacy is the nation’s leading advocate for family literacy by supporting a lifetime of learning from birth to adulthood. “$50 million in grants have been awarded to 1200 family literacy programs and almost 800 newly piloted Family scholarships support literacy efforts in all 50 states. Approximately 25,000 scholarships were awarded to families, giving children a head start on their education and mothers and fathers received a significant boost in their reading, writing, and English language skills.” (Hirst, 2014)

For instance, the Foundation funded the Intergenerational Literacy Lab in Alabama. “The program is a community-based holistic and reciprocal learning model. The targeted county population earned an average income of $4,500 per year, with most adults not having completed high school.” (Examples of Family Literacy Programs Funded by the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, 1998). To implement the program, individualized educational plans were established for parents through interviews. Parents attended classes two hours a day, while children spent time in preschool activities. The adult classes emphasized the ability to solve problems as a way of improving reading skills. Resume workshops, interviewing skills training, and job-seeking skills were offered. Parents joined their children in the classrooms and in the computer lab. Families were encouraged to use other resources in the community, like the library. “After the grant period, the program was able to continue as a result of effective collaboration with other agencies.” (Examples of Family Literacy Programs Funded by the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, 1998).

Like Miles Horton of the Highlander School and Cora Wilson Stewart of the Moonlight School, Barbara Bush used her good fortune to help thousands of Americans help themselves. Through the vision and mission of her foundation, she has enabled parents to participate in their children’s learning; the stigma and cycle of illiteracy is receding through the grass-roots efforts of non-profit agencies and organizations like the Bush Foundation.

Adult Education in Afghanistan

Introduction

Afghanistan’s recent history and 30 years of war have left the country among the poorest in the world. It is ranked third-last in the UNDP’s Human Development Index. Life expectancy is 44 years; the infant mortality rate is 154/1,000, and the unemployment rate is 40 percent.

Education is seen as a key in changing the trajectory of this country. Significant advances have been made after the fall of the Taliban in 2001. From 2001 through 2009, primary school enrollment rose from 0.9 million to nearly 7 million and girl’s enrollment grew from virtually zero to 37 per cent. The number of teachers in general education has risen sevenfold, but their qualifications are low and only 31 per cent are women. (Sissgard, M., 2011)

In addition to education, Afghanistan needs a skilled workforce. The creation of Afghanistan’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) was developed in response to that need. However, TVET has been seriously hampered by a variety of factors including low enrollment, low participation of girls, curriculum that does not meet the needs of the labor market and lack of access to all of Afghanistan. (cesp/TVET)

Response

The National Institute of Management and Administration (NIMA) was founded in 2008 with funding from The World Bank. Like other adult education organizations, such as Highlander, NIMA was created with a purpose that education is a means to a goal. “ The project development objective (PDO) of the Skills Development Project of Afghanistan is to increase the number of immediately-employable graduates by building, in stages, a high quality Technical Vocation and Education Training (TVET) system that is equitable, market responsive, and cost-effective.” (World Bank)

NIMA is a two year institute with an emphasis on immediate employment for young adults in Management, Marketing and Information Technology. The institute has been charged to become a “center of excellence” in education in Afghanistan. To achieve this, The World Bank solicited an International Partner (IP) to support the institute in needed changes. Ball State University was awarded a two year grant to serve as the IP and provides key experts in teacher training, examination, curriculum development and administration.

Main Roles and Responsibilities

English is the Language of Instruction

The students who apply at NIMA are given English proficiency tests. According to Dr. Diane Harley, 2004 students took the Afghanistan Kankor Proficiency Test only a small percentage were ready for regular courses. An English refresher course has been established to bring young adults to a level to succeed in courses taught in English. This is a very important skill for employment. According to the BBC, English speaking Afghans have the ability to make 10 to 15 times more than those who do not speak English.

Representation from all Provinces

Afghanistan is divided into 34 provinces. The majority of the students who attend post-secondary education are from the capital city Kabul. NIMA has recently instituted recruitment in the outlying provinces and entrance exams are now being conducted in these regions. This produces another level of caution because of security in travel.

30% Female Representation in Student Body

UNESCO figures state that gender disparity remains high in Afghanistan, with only 18% of adult women able to read and write, compared to 45% of adult men. In a society where women are highly protected and escorted, this has produced even more barriers. NIMA is instituting hostels (dormitories) on the gated grounds of the institute to encourage female participation. In addition, the IP has women in key roles to provide an example and support to young women who attend the institution.

International Accreditation

One of the primary goals of NIMA is to become the first public institute of higher education to be accredited post-Soviet era. The institute is in the process of obtaining accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. This has been the guiding force for many changes instituted at NIMA. This includes changing from a cohort system to course system, examination transparency, effective student information systems, increased library systems, and clear syllabus and course instruction.

Impact

            The potential impact of NIMA to the country of Afghanistan is significant. Education plays a vital role in reconstruction and development. 70% of the population of Afghanistan is under the age of 25 (world population statistics), which makes quality education vital to economic and civil growth. The importance of education for girls is summarized in a report by the Bush Institute’s Afghan Women’s Project: “Educating girls and women encourages them to resist discrimination, vote, and participate in civil society. In nations where girls go to school, corruption decreases and conditions that lead to violent extremism are reduced. In short, female education has a tremendous impact on a country’s wealth and stability. That’s why the World Bank’s 2012 World Development Report argues that investing in women and girls is “smart economics.”

            Afghanistan is entering a new era with the first democratic handover of power in its history. Newly elected President, Ashraf Ghani, stated that "Every Afghan, boy or girl, should know that they can be successful regardless of where in the country they are," he added. "Education can form and strengthen national unity and our goal in the next five years is to improve the quality of education." (Tolo news)

Discussions

            The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and The National Institute of Management and Administration are not linked to one another. However, both of these well-organized and intentioned adult programs have major impacts within their own countries by attacking the same problems as thus: literacy, learning English, employment opportunities, and eradicating poverty for families through education.

            Although English is not the national language of the United States or Afghanistan, it is a major common-thread globally spoken language. Regardless of your native tongue or location in the world, fluency in English can open doors to job opportunities.

            Both programs have the goal of educating individuals who are either minority or low-income families. By teaching individuals such skills as reading, skills training, resume writing, and interviewing techniques, learners are able to increase their profile in the job market and raise the standard of living for their families.

            The final goal that both programs have in common is fulfilling the need to set positive examples within the household that hastens the end of illiteracy and poverty in both countries. For example, parents that have completed programming are able to set positive examples for their children, illustrating the value of education through personal responsibility. Through these life-learning examples, each child can develop goals to achieve their hopes and dreams through education just like their parents did. When these kinds of examples for children we can truly make an impact in our own country and improve the quality of life for more people.

Summary of Adult Education Organizations

	Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy	Adult Education in Afghanistan
Founding Year	· 1989	· 2008
Missions and Goals	· To instill literacy as a value in every home with a goal of achieving 100% literacy in America	· Increase the number of immediately employable graduates by building a high quality Technical Vocational and Education Training (TVET) institution
Roles & Responsibilities	· Partner with leading literacy agencies/organizations in all 50 states · Include both ongoing standardized and self-assessments of programming	· Create the Center of Excellence in Afghanistan, becoming the first accredited public institution of higher education since the Soviet era
Other important information	· Nation’s leading advocate for family literacy	· English as the language of instruction · Increase literacy across male and female population
Impact	· Enable children to enter kindergarten reading-ready · Empower parents to participate in children’s education	· Training young adults under age 25 (70% of national population) in management and information technology
Implications	· Breaking the cycle of illiteracy · U.S. citizens remain competitive in global economy	· Eradicating poverty through literacy and educational opportunity…raising the national standard of living

References

Brockett, M. a. (2007). The Profession and Practice of Adult Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

(Unknown) (1998). Examples of Family Literacy Programs Funded by the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. In The Reading Teacher (pp. 248-249). Wiley .

Hirst, E. (2014, March 6). Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy Celebrates Silver Anniversary. Houston, TX.

IES. (2003). National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved from NCES.gov: http://nces.ed.gov/naal/estimates/StateEstimates.aspx

Layton, Lindsey. (2013, October 8). Study finds U.S. adults lag behind most countries in math, reading and digital skills. The Washington Post, p. Pg. A07.

Mahon, C. (2014, October 23). Assessments Manager, Adult Education/Strategic Initiatives. (J. Morris, Interviewer)

"Technical– Vocational Education and Training in Afghanistan.” TVET. Web. 8 Nov. 2014. http:/cesp.gov.af/anqa/Documents/TVET_Overview.pdf.

Abney, Hannah. "By the Numbers: Why Education Is Critical to Afghanistan's Success." Bush Center. George W. Bush Institute, 13 Nov. 2013. Web. 6 Nov. 2014.

"Population of Afghanistan 2014." World Population Statistics. 5 Oct. 2014. Web. 9 Nov. 2014. http://www.worldpopulationstatistics.com/afghanistan-population/.

The World Bank. Web. 7 Nov. 2014. Projects & Operations. (n.d.). Retrieved November 7, 2014.

Sigsgaard, M, (ed.)2011, On the road to resilience: capacity development with the Ministry of Education in Afghanistan, Education in emergencies and reconstruction, IIEP, Paris, viewed 08 Nov 2014,< http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0019/001915/191583E.pdf>.

"Every Afghan Should Have Access to Education: Ghani." Every Afghan Should Have Access to Education: Ghani. Tolonews.com, 15 Oct. 2014. Web. 8 Nov. 2014.