Effectiveness of Social Practice Approach for Academic Achievement of Adult Learners in Basic Literacy: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract

This study explores the effectiveness of social practice approach by integrating social practices along with modern teaching strategies, and teacher training to address the challenge of low academic achievement among adult learners in basic literacy programs. For a 4-month experiment, two of a metropolitan city's fourteen adult literacy centres were chosen as intact groups. There were 35 adult learners in each group, which included a control group and an experimental group. A mixed-methods study design was employed to experimentally ascertain the impact of social practices along with modern teaching strategies, and teacher training on learners' academic attainment and explore the underlying elements influencing this effect. While the control group got conventional teaching utilising a literacy book and a chalkboard, the experimental group's literacy activities were incorporated into their daily tasks as adult learners. For quantitative data, a pre-test and post-test based on worksheets with items pertaining to the social setting and daily chores were used to gather data from both groups. For qualitative data, 10 learners from the experimental group were interviewed to obtain a better understanding of how the social practice approach had improved their academic achievement. Thematic analysis was used to examine the qualitative data, while independent-sample t tests were used to assess the quantitative data. According to the results, the experimental group outperformed the control group in terms of knowledge, comprehension, and application. The experimental group's learners credited their improved academic achievement to the regular practice of acquired skills in the classroom and in real-world scenarios, as well as to interactive, engaging, and everyday reading exercises. This study emphasises the need for socially inclusive and contextually relevant adult literacy programs in by integrating real-world issues and fostering collaboration among various stakeholders. It also highlights the importance of active community involvement in the design and implementation of literacy programs, as this approach can enhance educational opportunities, address disparities, and ensure that the programs are relevant to the needs of local populations.