CPCS Professor Receives National Academy of Education Award for Adult Literacy Research

By Leigh DuPuy

One of the greatest predictors of a child's success in school is a parent's educational level, says Lorna Rivera, professor of sociology and community planning in the College of Public and Community Service. Yet adult literacy education is largely ignored in discussions on the importance of K-12 and higher education. With the award of a postdoctoral fellowship from the National Academy of Education (NEA) and Spencer Foundation, Rivera hopes to rectify this neglect.

She will use the fellowship to write a book analyzing ethnographic data she gathered while interviewing formerly homeless women of color throughout Greater Boston and New England from 1995 to 2000. She has been primarily interested in examining the positive changes that adult literacy education has on their lives.

"Are they engaged in healthier lifestyles? Invested more in their children's education? Has their participation improved their socioeconomic status? Do they vote?" Rivera asks. "Are they more likely to leave violent relationships?"

This last question is especially important, as family violence is one of the biggest impediments to adult literacy education. Rivera also found that women felt pressured to give up their pursuit of education to enroll in welfare-to-work programs while others rallied to use their education to become more politically aware.

"Many of the women living in shelters were dedicated and focused on getting their high school diploma--they believed that education brings opportunity," Rivera says of those she spoke with for her 1995 -- 2000 study. She will use the data she collected to conduct follow-up interviews with both groups to see where they are now.

"The book will also discuss the qualitative differences in life circumstances and socioeconomic status for the women who completed their General Education Diplomas (GED) compared to those who did not," says Rivera.
Rivera became interested in adult literacy education while researching her master's thesis on how illiteracy affects women's health. In working with Puerto Rican elderly women living at La Alianza Hispana in Boston, she found many of the women were on medications but couldn't read the labels. This work also inspired her doctoral research about the impact of popular education on homeless mothers.

To further women's literacy, Rivera works as co-chair of the Board of Directors for WE LEARN (Women Expanding/Literacy Education Action Resource Network) and has helped to bring a "Women and Literacy" conference to UMass Boston for teachers, researchers, writers, and community activists. "The conference will address the lack of relevant reading materials available for women," says Rivera. The conference, to be held on March 27, will hold workshops, panel discussions, and solicit contributions for the Change Agent newspaper.

"Adult literacy education doesn't receive a lot of attention," says Rivera. "I'm excited for this kind of exposure."

Image: Lorna Rivera, professor of sociology and community planning in the College of Public and Community Service, is one of 23 scholars internationally to receive the prestigious NEA award that funds innovative research in education. (Photo by Harry Brett)

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