Thematic Bibliography of Learner Presistence

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A Survey of Research on Persistence


Theme One: School Features (Institutional Barriers)

A. Persistence starts before enrollment (1): The value of getting a call back

  • Long, E. (2001). Enrollment and retention of adult basic education programs: Some theoretical implications of a national follow-up study. (In AERC 2001: Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Adult Education Research Conference).

B. Persistence starts before enrollment (2): The need to initiate contact

  • Quigley, A. (1998). The first three weeks: A critical time for motivation. Focus on Basics, 2, A, 6-10.

C. The impact of turbulence in the classroom

  • Sticht, T., McDonald, B. & Erickson, P. (1998). Passports to paradise: The struggle to teach and learn on the margins of adult education

D. The value of support from the school

  • Nikki Merritt, N., Miriam Spencer, M., & Lori Withers, L. (2002). Beyond the scope of the teachers: Deciding to employ a social worker. Focus on Basics, 6, A, 7-9

E. The impact of professional development

  • Topper, B. & Gordon, M.B. (2004). A comprehensive professional development process produces radical results. Focus on Basics, 7, A, 10-14


Theme Two: Student Features(Demographics, Dispositional barriers, Situational Barriers)

A. Immigrants more likely to persist (up through the system)

  • Young, M., Fleischman, H., Fitzgerald, N. & Morgan, M. (1994). National evaluation of adult education programs: Patterns and predictors of client attendance.

B. Those with kids/those who are older

  • Comings, J., Parrella, A. & Soricone, L. (1999). Persistence among Adult Basic Education Students in Pre-GED. NCSALL Report #12

C. Responses to prior schooling: Negative

  • Quigley, A. (1998). The first three weeks: A critical time for motivation. Focus on Basics, 2, A, 6-10

D. Responses to prior schooling: Not necessarily negative, not a determining factor

  • Stephen Reder, S. & Strawn, C. (2001). The K-12 experiences of high school dropouts. Focus on Basics, 4, D, 13-17

E. Conceptions of persistence

  • Belzer, A. (1998). Stopping out, not dropping out. Focus on Basics, 2, A, 15-17

F. The influence of conceptions of schooling/Desires for certain types of “school”

  • Alisa Belzer, A. (2004). “It’s not like normal school”: The role of prior learning contexts in adult learning. Adult Education Quarterly, 55, 1, 41-59

G. Cultural Issues/Identity and Roles

  • Buttaro, L. (2004). Second-language acquisition, culture shock, and language stress of adult female Latina students in New York. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 3, 1, 21-49
  • Ellen Skilton-Sylvester, E. (2002). Should I stay or should I go? Investigating Cambodian women’s participation and investment in adult ESL programs. Adult Education Quarterly, 53, 1, 9-26

H. The impact of sponsors/social support

  • Comings, J., & Cuban, S. (2002). Sponsors and Sponsorship. Focus on Basics, 6, A, 3-4
  • Cuban, S. (2003). ‘So lucky to be like that, somebody care.’ Two case studies of women learners and their persistence in a Hawai’i literacy program. Adult Basic Education, 12(1), 19-43.
  • Hubble, J. H. (2000). Intake procedures as a factor in identifying and addressing barriers to attendance of adult education students. (ED 443982)
  • King, C. (2002). Barriers affecting GED participation among recent high school dropouts. Adult Basic Education, 12(3), 145-156.

I. Situational Barriers

  • Belzer, A. (1998). Stopping out, not dropping out. Focus on Basics, 2, A, 15-17
  • Stephen Reder, S. & Strawn, C. (2001). The K-12 experiences of high school dropouts. Focus on Basics, 4, D, 13-17


Theme Three: Interventions

A. The need to have a clear goal;The benefit of having a goal to help others

  • Comings, J., A. Parrella, A. & Soriconne, L. (1999). Persistence among Adult Basic Education Students in Pre-GED. NCSALL Report #12

B. The benefit of working on re-clarifying goals

  • Giese, M. (2000). Look before you leap: Helping prospective learners make informed educational choices. Focus on Basics, 4, A, 11-14
  • Meader, P. (2000). The effects of continuing goal-setting on persistence in a math classroom. Focus on Basics, 4, A, 7-10
  • Snider, S. (1999). Developing an intense goal-setting portion of student orientation: Helping students to focus on their goals and remain with GPLC until those goals are achieved. Action Research Monograph. (ED440493)

C. The focus of schooling: The fit between school and goals

  • Jensen, J. Haleman, D. Goldstein, B. & Anderman, E. (2000). Reasonable choices: Understanding why under-educated individuals choose not to participate in adult education. (ED444025)
  • Sticht, T., McDonald, B. & Erickson, P. (1998). Passports to paradise: The struggle to teach and learn on the margins of adult education
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