Canadian Council on Learning | Conseil Canadien sur l'Apprentissage

Reports

State of the Field Reports

The State of the Field Review is a literature review of adult learning within English Canada, completed in December 2005 by a team of adult learning researchers, under the leadership of Dr. Jim Sharpe, Mount Saint Vincent University.  Conducted for the Canadian Council of Learning, the research was designed to provide a review of existing literature and to identify gaps in the knowledge base.  The topics that were investigated include: literacy, barriers and access, culture, e-learning, gender, learning communities, and social movements.

The State of the Field of Adult Learning Reports

1. Adult Literacy, Allan Quigley
   
   The 94-page Adult Literacy review done by B. Allan Quigley, of St. Francis Xavier University, with research assistants Sue Folinsbee and Wendy L. Kraglund-Gauthier, is the most comprehensive that has been done in Canada in decades. While the research team's primary goal was to provide a comprehensive picture of adult literacy in Canadian literature, they also reviewed selected literature from the United States, Great Britain, and Australia. They looked at practitioner-based research, academic literature and government reports. With the help of a 15 member panel of literacy experts from across Canada, they consulted organizations and literacy experts in Canada as well as some in the U.S.
   
   » Summary (PDF, 127 KB)
   » Report (PDF, 427 KB)
   
   
   
2. Barriers and Access to Participation, Dorothy MacKeracher
   
   A research team for the University of New Brunswick -- Dorothy MacKeracher, Theresa Suart, and Judith Potter -- prepared the 68-page State of the Field Report on Barriers to Participation. Literature from the fields of adult and higher education, gerontology, literacy, and lifelong learning was searched using the terms "adult learning," "adult learners," "barriers," and "access."
   
   » Summary (PDF, 124 KB)
   » Report (PDF, 365 KB)
   
   
   
3. Culture and Education, Darlene Clover
   
   Team Leader Dr. Darlene E. Clover and research assistants Odette Laramee and Kathy Linker from the University of Victoria prepared the culture survey. The purpose of this study is to bring together the diverse sources of information on arts and adult education across Canada in order to understand the issues, identify gaps in the knowledge base, and identify strategies to address the gaps. Each chapter in the 80-page document lists studies, organizations, reports, programmes, and publications on a particular theme. The team also did interviews and conducted focus groups.
   
   » Summary (PDF, 110 KB)
   » Report (PDF, 487 KB)
   
   
   
4. Gender and Adult Learning, Leona English
   
   The Gender and Adult Learning document team is led by Dr. Leona English (St. F.X. University), with Kerrie Kennedy as primary researcher and coordinator, and Catherine Irving and Tina Davidson as researchers. The works they examined are in English, and, for the most part, heterosexual themes. Their 85-page document includes their insights and questions, suggestions for collaboration with other disciplines, and research opportunities. There is also an extensive bibliography, lists of resources, government reports, list of researchers across the country, and conclusions and recommendations.
   
   » Summary (PDF, 144 KB)
   » Report (PDF, 457 KB)
   
   
   
5. E-learning, Hélène Fournier
   
   Team Leader Dr. Hélène Fournier and Research Assistants Cornelia Dragne (University of Victoria) and Daniel Romila (City University) prepared the e-learning report. Their findings are based on information from database searches, major works in the literature, national reports, research centres and organizations, communities of practice, funding bodies and current research agendas.
   
   » Summary (PDF, 136 KB)
   » Report (PDF, 544 KB)
   
   
   
6. Learning Communities, Donovan Plumb
   
   To create the state of the field report on Learning Communities, Donovan Plumb and Robert McGray conducted an extensive review of academic and professional literature, government reports and documents, research centres and organizations, practice-based research organizations, and research funding bodies. They investigated the indicators used to assess learning communities, discovered gaps in theories and practices, and suggested future research to address those gaps.
   
   » Summary (PDF, 137 KB)
   » Report (PDF, 385 KB)
   
   
   
7. Social Movement Learning, Budd Hall
   
   Academic Leads Dr. Thomas Turay (St. Francis Xavier) and Dr. Budd Hall, Team Leader Winnie Chow, and Research Assistants Cornelia Dragne and Ellie Parks, (all from University of Victoria) have prepared the Social Movement Learning field report. They have developed a comprehensive set of references from both Canada and international sources. They have created strong lists of English-language journals, Canadian research and training centres, and Canadian and international researchers. They have focused on social science, education and community development, but because of time restraints did not investigate social movements associated with health.
   
   » Summary (PDF, 130 KB)
   » Report (PDF, 564 KB)

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