Digital learning solutions for improving adults' basic skills

One of the primary goals of adult basic education programs is to help individuals develop the reading, writing, and math skills necessary to access stable employment opportunities. In the US, this need has been largely overlooked by the burgeoning educational technology sector. To understand how learning technologies might support these learners and what challenges program providers might face as they implement technology platforms, we conducted a study of 5 learning technology products across 11 states in the US. The study involved the participation of 14 program sites, 105 instructors, and 1596 adult learners. We documented the intended use of each product, ensured that educators got the appropriate training on the products, and collected pre- and post-scores on literacy and numeracy assessments. Overall, the effects on learning estimated for math were slightly larger than for reading. Moderate to large statistically reliable positive impacts were found for one product within one program site, and a moderate to large statistically significant negative effect was found for another product also within a single site. We offer recommendations for future research on the use of technology to support teaching and learning in this important area of education.