Digital technologies, reading for pleasure and adult learning - The Reading Agency survey

1.

The Reading Agency is an independent charity with a mission to inspire more people to read more. We have been working with the learning and skills and library sectors to promote the use of reading for pleasure in formal and informal adult learning as away of engaging, sustaining and motivating less confident adult readers. We link closely with NIACE on the Quick Reads campaign, creating learning resources and practical schemes such as the Six Book Challenge and the Chatabout emergent reader group network to support use of the Quick Reads titles.

We are currently working on a feasibility study on the use of multi-media and digital technologies such as gaming to engage adults with literacy needs in reading for pleasure

As part of this we are keen to understand the views and experiences of practitioners and invite you to complete this short survey. Those returning completed surveys by the end of TUESDAY 9 MARCH will be entered into a prize draw for a copy of Screens and Pages: Technology and Reading for Pleasure by Sal McKeown, Mary Moss and Tracy Slawson (NIACE June 2009).

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* 1. Please give us your contact details:

Your name

Job title

Organisation

Your email address

Your daytime telephone number

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* 2. What do you teach?

Literacy to adults

ESOL

Family learning

ICT

Other (please specify)

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* 3. Do you use any kinds of digital technology in your work with adult learners?

Yes regularly

Yes occasionally

Yes I've tried a few times

Not at all

Any comments

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* 4. What do you think are the main barriers to using digital technologies with adult learners?
Please number in order of priority with 1 = high and 5 = low.

	1	2	3	4	5
Limited access to ICT	Limited access to ICT 1	Limited access to ICT 2	Limited access to ICT 3	Limited access to ICT 4	Limited access to ICT 5
Lack of confidence in using ICT	Lack of confidence in using ICT 1	Lack of confidence in using ICT 2	Lack of confidence in using ICT 3	Lack of confidence in using ICT 4	Lack of confidence in using ICT 5
Perceived lack of time in formal settings	Perceived lack of time in formal settings 1	Perceived lack of time in formal settings 2	Perceived lack of time in formal settings 3	Perceived lack of time in formal settings 4	Perceived lack of time in formal settings 5
Lack of ideas for using ICT	Lack of ideas for using ICT 1	Lack of ideas for using ICT 2	Lack of ideas for using ICT 3	Lack of ideas for using ICT 4	Lack of ideas for using ICT 5
Uncertainty about what would be appropriate for this audience	Uncertainty about what would be appropriate for this audience 1	Uncertainty about what would be appropriate for this audience 2	Uncertainty about what would be appropriate for this audience 3	Uncertainty about what would be appropriate for this audience 4	Uncertainty about what would be appropriate for this audience 5

Any comments

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* 5. What kind of digital technologies do you use with adult learners? Please tick as many as you like.

Websites

Blogging

Social networks (eg Facebook, Twitter)

Online games

Games (eg for PS3, Wii, Xbox)

Virtual worlds

Nintendo DS or other handheld devices

Mobile phones

Texting/instant messaging

Ebooks

Video production

Digital photography

Podcasting

Other (please specify)

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* 6. What kind of games do you use with adult learners? Please tick as many as you like.

Educational games to support specific skills, eg spelling

Commercial games

Commercial games adapted for adult learners

Game authoring technology

Other (please specify) including names and urls of games used if possible

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* 7. What are the main benefits of using digital technologies with learners?
Please number in order of priority with 1 = high and 8 = low.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Engages the learner	Engages the learner 1	Engages the learner 2	Engages the learner 3	Engages the learner 4	Engages the learner 5	Engages the learner 6	Engages the learner 7	Engages the learner 8
Supports their reading skills	Supports their reading skills 1	Supports their reading skills 2	Supports their reading skills 3	Supports their reading skills 4	Supports their reading skills 5	Supports their reading skills 6	Supports their reading skills 7	Supports their reading skills 8
Supports their writing skills	Supports their writing skills 1	Supports their writing skills 2	Supports their writing skills 3	Supports their writing skills 4	Supports their writing skills 5	Supports their writing skills 6	Supports their writing skills 7	Supports their writing skills 8
Introduces them to text in an accessible way	Introduces them to text in an accessible way 1	Introduces them to text in an accessible way 2	Introduces them to text in an accessible way 3	Introduces them to text in an accessible way 4	Introduces them to text in an accessible way 5	Introduces them to text in an accessible way 6	Introduces them to text in an accessible way 7	Introduces them to text in an accessible way 8
Allows them to explore a topic of interest	Allows them to explore a topic of interest 1	Allows them to explore a topic of interest 2	Allows them to explore a topic of interest 3	Allows them to explore a topic of interest 4	Allows them to explore a topic of interest 5	Allows them to explore a topic of interest 6	Allows them to explore a topic of interest 7	Allows them to explore a topic of interest 8
Encourages them to read more online	Encourages them to read more online 1	Encourages them to read more online 2	Encourages them to read more online 3	Encourages them to read more online 4	Encourages them to read more online 5	Encourages them to read more online 6	Encourages them to read more online 7	Encourages them to read more online 8
Encourages them to read more printed material	Encourages them to read more printed material 1	Encourages them to read more printed material 2	Encourages them to read more printed material 3	Encourages them to read more printed material 4	Encourages them to read more printed material 5	Encourages them to read more printed material 6	Encourages them to read more printed material 7	Encourages them to read more printed material 8
Relates to their everyday world	Relates to their everyday world 1	Relates to their everyday world 2	Relates to their everyday world 3	Relates to their everyday world 4	Relates to their everyday world 5	Relates to their everyday world 6	Relates to their everyday world 7	Relates to their everyday world 8

Other (please specify)

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* 8. What do you think are the three main benefits of using gaming in particular?

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* 9. What top three factors need to be taken into account to enable adults with literacy needs to use digital technologies such as gaming?

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* 10. Do you feel there's a need for more digital content specifically made for and targeted at adult literacy learners?

Yes

Please comment

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* 11. Provide a brief summary of any experience you have had in using digital technologies and/or gaming with learners. Please specify if this involved adults with literacy needs or other learning difficulties.

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* 12. Would you be prepared to provide a fuller case study if we contact you?

Yes

Other (please specify)

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* 13. Please add any further comments about how you feel use of digital technologies and gaming can encourage reading for pleasure.

Thank you for your time in completing this survey.

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* 1. Please give us your contact details:

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* 2. What do you teach?

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* 3. Do you use any kinds of digital technology in your work with adult learners?

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* 4. What do you think are the main barriers to using digital technologies with adult learners? Please number in order of priority with 1 = high and 5 = low.

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* 5. What kind of digital technologies do you use with adult learners? Please tick as many as you like.

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* 6. What kind of games do you use with adult learners? Please tick as many as you like.

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* 7. What are the main benefits of using digital technologies with learners? Please number in order of priority with 1 = high and 8 = low.

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* 8. What do you think are the three main benefits of using gaming in particular?

Question Title

* 9. What top three factors need to be taken into account to enable adults with literacy needs to use digital technologies such as gaming?

Question Title

* 10. Do you feel there's a need for more digital content specifically made for and targeted at adult literacy learners?

Question Title

* 11. Provide a brief summary of any experience you have had in using digital technologies and/or gaming with learners. Please specify if this involved adults with literacy needs or other learning difficulties.

Question Title

* 12. Would you be prepared to provide a fuller case study if we contact you?

Question Title

* 13. Please add any further comments about how you feel use of digital technologies and gaming can encourage reading for pleasure.

* 4. What do you think are the main barriers to using digital technologies with adult learners?
Please number in order of priority with 1 = high and 5 = low.

* 7. What are the main benefits of using digital technologies with learners?
Please number in order of priority with 1 = high and 8 = low.