There is much talk about using research to guide policy and programmes. While it is now integral to most professions such as medicine and engineering, the record of sectors such as adult literacy and numeracy (ALN) is patchy at best.

Why is there so little overlap between how teachers teach and research findings ('many's the slip 'twixt lip and cup')? How can we increase this overlap and thereby increase the impact of our programmes for learners?

This session will explore these questions and propose some ways to increase research-informed practice not only for ALN teachers but also programme organisers and administrators.

Presenter | John Benseman

John Benseman has worked in adult literacy and related fields for over 45 years, primarily as a researcher and evaluator in the sector, but also as a teacher and administrator. John has a PhD in historical development of lifelong learning in New Zealand with a particular focus on adult teaching and learning. While most of his career has been in formal tertiary institutions, he has also worked extensively in non-formal settings with NGOs, membership organisations and voluntary groups.

John is widely published from his research and evaluation work, especially around his strong interest in research-informed practice where research findings are used to improve everyday practice. His most recent work was as the lead researcher in a series of large-scale evaluation studies of 18 workplace literacy programmes and identifying specific adult literacy and language programme and teaching strategies from research findings.

Now retired, John has been a member of the International Jury for the UNESCO Literacy Awards for the past six years, a research/evaluator for a local community development project and an occasional adult literacy teacher.

About the Manako Programme Webinar series

Each month the Ako Aotearoa Manako programme offers a free webinar featuring subject matter experts around topics that support educators working with adult learners.

Further information can be found on the Manako Communities of Practice Facebook groups. If you're not already a member, you're invited to join.