R06: Learning can serve family and personal goals

E-024. Patterson, Lee, Soricone and Gerdeman, Adult Literacy Education, fall 2025. “What We Came For,” pp. 17–30.

Method: Survey of 793 current foundational-education learners, October–November 2022. Recruitment used organizational networks and referrals. Paper/online forms were available in English and Spanish.

Learning: People reported goals across learning, work, confidence, family and community life. Frequent selections and the most important choice within each domain are different measures. They do not establish one ranked list of universal needs. [Article pp. 23, 26 and 29.]

Limits: Non-random sample, not fully representative of national programs. Lower reading/English levels and other languages are underrepresented. Foundational education is adjacent to the project; its presence in a study does not establish NCSIM scope.

Confidence: Moderate for broadening research questions; tentative for SUNY priorities.

Coverage: Article abstract, context, methods, goals, discussion and limits: PDF pp. 17–21, 23, 26, 29–31. Other articles and detailed outcome/classification analysis not reviewed fully. Retrieved October 26, 2026.