W. Nejdl and K. Tochtermann (Eds.): EC-TEL 2006, LNCS 4227, pp. 213 – 226, 2006.
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006
Adult Learners and ICT:
An Intervention Study in the UK*
Maria Kambouri, Harvey Mellar, and Kit Logan
Institute of Education, University of London, 20 Bedford Way, London
{M.Kambouri, H.Mellar, K.Logan}@ioe.ac.uk
Abstract. The study’s aim was to develop effective ICT based teaching
strategies through a series of trials using theoretically grounded ICT task
designs targeted at specific adult literacy, numeracy and ESOL learning
objectives. Both the development of literacy skills through the use of ICT and
the acquisition and development of ICT skills were examined. Working with a
group of nine practitioners who agreed to participate both as teachers and as
action researchers, we developed nine teaching interventions based on schemes
of work that embedded ICT literacy within adult Literacy, Language and
Numeracy classes as well as introducing new pedagogical techniques. Seven of
these projects were taken into an intervention phase were the approaches and
strategies employed were evaluated. Involvement of tutors was a key element of
this process, both in deciding on the development of the ICT interventions and
in the research process through reflection on their developing practice using
ICT. Participants were, interviewed, observed, and the learners were assessed
at the start and end of their 8 week course for attainment in reading and
listening skills in English, as well as background, attitude and attainment in ICT
literacy through bespoke questionnaires and assessment materials matched to
the Skills for Life ICT curriculum. Findings support hypotheses that use of ICT
boosts adult learners’ confidence in learning as well as rapidly gain ICT skills
and double the value of study time by acquiring two sets of skills.
1 ICT to Support Skills for Life: The UK Case
One important aspect of the strategy proposed by the Moser report [1] was the use of
ICT to support delivery of basic skills, “At the heart of improved quality in delivery
and materials must be increased use of Information and Communication Technologies
(ICT) to improve basic skills”. Specific claims were:
- ICT is a powerful tool to raise levels of literacy and numeracy.
- Computers and multimedia software provide attractive ways of learning.
- The Web enables access to the best materials and the most exciting learning
opportunities.
- ICT offers a new start for adults returning to learning.
And:

*
This project was part of a group of Effective Practice Projects supported by ESF and NRDC
(the National Research and Development Centre for adult literacy and numeracy).

214 M. Kambouri, H. Mellar, and K. Logan
- Learners who use ICT for basic skills double the value of their study time
acquiring two sets of skills at the same time.
By 2003, ICT was itself coming to be seen as a “Skill for Life”, in the White Paper,
21st Century Skills: Realising Our Potential [2], ICT skills are for the first time
included within the Skills for Life programme:
“Until now, basic skills have referred to literacy and numeracy. In today’s
society, we believe it is as important that everybody can also use Information
and Communications Technology (ICT), particularly in the workplace. So we
shall offer basic ICT skills as a third area of adult basic skills alongside
literacy and numeracy within our Skills for Life programme.”
This has been a time of great change in adult education in UK and the use of ICT
in Skills for Life. During the period that the present study was being carried out, the
standards for adult ICT user skills were developed [3], a pilot project looking at the
implementation of these standards was carried out [4] leading to the development of a
draft for the ICT Skill for Life Curriculum [5] and the ICT Skills for Life Pathfinders
project which is currently under way in England. These measures and strategic
developments are part of a series of changes the present UK government has
implemented as technology is recognized to play a major part in the solutions to each
of three major challenges which globalization is setting modern governments -
economic productivity, social justice and public service reform.
2 ICT, Teaching and Learning
The issue of how to teach ICT skills in adult education has not been explicitly
addressed. Tutors who adopt a wide range of strategies for developing learners’
literacy and numeracy skills sometimes adopt a purely didactic form of teaching when
approaching ICT skills, or alternatively adopt a time intensive strategy of individual
tuition. There is little research in this area of how best to use ICT to teach basic skills
and this study has sought to fill this gap.
We have based our thinking about the role of ICT in teaching and learning on the
framework developed by Ivanic and Tseng [6], summarized in Fig. 1. We
incorporated within this framework some of the insights derived from the literature on
ICT and learning. (An overview of approaches to learning and ICT can be found in
Mayes and de Freitas [7]).
Ivanic and Tseng classify the use of ICT under ‘use of resources’ in the context of
teaching/learning events. However, in this study we are focusing on the learning and
teaching of ICT skills themselves as well as the learning of language supported by
ICT, so each aspect of the framework (which originates in linguistics) has
implications for our study. We would argue that ICT is actually implicated in most, if
not all, of the factors identified by Ivanic and Tseng, and so has a much more
significant role in learning and teaching than is implied by describing it merely as an
educational resource. Below we will indicate some of the ways that we believe ICT
further adds to the density of each of the factors they have identified. Evidence from
our case studies (see appendix 1 for a summary and a full account shortly in
www.nrdc.org.uk) provides additional illustration for these interactions. Within the