Authors: Petra A. Robinson and Maja Stojanović
Louisiana State University and Kansas State University, USA
Edition: Volume 64, Number 3, Special Edition, November 2024
Introduction: The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of an analysis of course titles and descriptions which are part of core adult education university curricula in the United States. The focus of the analysis was on understanding how well these adult education programs, and their curricula, address the need for developing critical literacy and critical literacies for advancing diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and social justice. Further, we discuss strategies for promoting critical literacies and DEI in adult education degree programs. The research process included a content analysis of course/class titles and descriptions pertaining to courses/classes offered in adult education programs in almost 50 US higher education institutions, most of which were at the graduate level. The findings revealed that references to the development of critical literacies with a focus on DEI were notably limited among adult education program offerings at identified institutions. Building on these findings, we propose an increased effort in integrating critical literacies (e.g., intercultural literacy, information literacy, racial literacy, etc.) and DEI-related topics that align with critical literacy goals into adult education curricula, which would contribute to adult education students’ career success by preparing them to navigate contemporary global, multicultural, and multilingual contexts. By developing critical literacy and related critical literacies, students would engage in critical thinking in a way that supports DEI and promotes social justice within organisations and communities globally.
Keywords: critical literacy, critical literacies, adult education graduate programs, adult education curricula, United States, critical literacies advancement model (CLAM)
[feather share] Share a copy of this abstract.
This article is part of AJAL, Volume 64:3. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.