[NLA] Measuring demand and latent demand

[Sheryl Gowen]

David,

It seems to me that you and Tom are defining demand differently.  You seem to be asking asking how many adults might want literacy services (learner demand).  Tom is asking how many literate workers employers want (labor market demand). Policy and allocation of resources seem to be more responsive to labor market demand than to learner demand.  Advocates seem to be, by definition, more concerned with learner demand. The trick seems to be in convincing policy makers that responding to learner demand is of benefit to the labor market. That will require more case-based, longitudinal data on the outcomes and impact of adult education.

Sheryl Gowen, Associate Professor
Research, Measurement, and Statistics  
Department of Educational Policy Studies
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA 30303-3083
(404) 651-1152
sgowen at gsu.edu
>>> DJRosen at theworld.com 03/05/02 19:31 PM >>>
Tom and other NLA Colleagues,

Thomas Sticht wrote:

>All these various research studies seem to set up conflicting and
>sometimes contradictory messages about the scale of need for adult
>education and literacy development in the United States. What is an
>advocate to do? Can anything be done to provide advocates with accurate,
>valid, consistent, and convincing information about  how many adults in
>the U. S. need adult education and literacy development, and how many
>want it? Does anyone care?
>

I think it would be fruitful to find out what the actual demand is for 
adult education services, as measured by enrollment waiting lists (where 
they exist) and to try to get a measure on "latent demand," that is,  a 
measure (or measures) that would represent the number of people who -- 
if they knew the services were available, and if the  services wer 
available at convenient times and places -- would enroll. Tom, I wonder 
if you -- or if other researchers on the NLA list -- have some thoughts 
about how we could get a reasonably accurate measure of latent demand.

David J. Rosen
<DJRosen at theworld.com>

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