This book presents evidence on the nature and magnitude of the literacy gaps faced by OECD countries.

This book presents evidence on the nature and magnitude of the literacy gaps faced by OECD countries.

Based on the Adult Literacy and Life Skills survey conducted in Bermuda, Canada, Italy, Mexico (Nuevo Leon), Norway, and the United States of America in 2003 and 2004, this book presents an initial set of findings that shed new light on the twin processes of skill gain and loss.

The fast pace of technology in this day and age has made it difficult for individuals to stay informed without becoming lost in the folds of an information overload. Methods used to narrow down information are becoming just as important as providing the information to be discovered. The Handbook of Research on Multidisciplinary Approaches to Literacy in the Digital Age is a pivotal reference source that provides vital research on the significance of being literate in the age of speed and technology. While highlighting topics such as e-advertising, mobile computing, and visual culture, this publication explores the major issues society has in the information age and the methods of innovative achievements of public or private institutions. This book is ideally designed for researchers, academicians, teachers, and business managers seeking current research on a variety of social sciences in terms of the digital age.

This book is a collection of three independent but closely related studies. The focus is on the potential causes of skill mismatch, the extent of skill mismatch, the socio-demographic make-up of skill mismatch, and the consequences of skill mismatch in terms of earnings as well as employer sponsored adult education/training. A distinction is made between skill mismatch and education mismatch. All three studies use data from the Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey (ALLS) to investigate the relationships between select outcomes and skill supply-demand characteristics as well as their interactions which materialize into skill match-mismatch situations. The dataset contains direct measures of literacy skills as well as measures of the use of these skills at work which allow for a direct measure of literacy match-mismatch. The analysis points to the complex ways in which mismatch is generated and the need for an accurate and up to date measure of mismatch, one that reflects the possibilities for skill gain and skill loss over the lifespan, and reflects differences in the quality of qualifications. It also emphasizes that addressing mismatch requires a careful consideration of both the demand and supply sides of the labour market, so as to understand better the variety of factors which may have a negative impact on the effectiveness of skill formation, skill maintenance, and also skill use. Among the key findings: Skill demand characteristics appear to be as important as skill supply characteristics in explaining observed variation in earnings. There is a substantive association between the requirement to read at work and earnings, which is independent of whether individuals have high or low levels of literacy proficiency. Premiums associated with literacy skills are strongest in occupation types where they are most relevant, but premiums associated with the requirement to use those skills are nevertheless found to be strong within all occupational groups. The requirement to read at work seems to have a strong association with the incidence of participation in employer supported adult education/training. This has important implications for understanding better the relationship between how work is organized and the decision to further invest in human capital.