U. opens new center for adult literacy work

The rooms which used to house excited sports fans are now home to adults quietly practicing a life skill. The former home of Speedy's Sports Bar at 39th and Chestnut streets now houses the National Center on Adult Literacy, which moved there after spending almost three years in the basement of the Graduate School of Education. The new location will offer much needed space, according to Wagner. Before the move, NCAL was "crammed into a space about one-third the size." NCAL's opening ceremony took place on Friday morning and included speakers Michael Aiken, provost, and Michael Tierney, associate dean and professor of education. Before cutting the ceremonial ribbon and officially opening the new center, Tierney said that the center represents an important effort in increasing the understanding of adult literacy. One of the goals of NCAL, according to Wagner, is to better understand how adults learn and what kind of programs work best for them. "Adults learn differently than children," said Wagner "We hope to find ways to access [their] skills of literacy." The Center plans to guide local, state and federal policy by determining what policies are effective or ineffective, according to Wagner. NCAL also plans to develop a strong link with actual training centers, by keeping them informed about NCAL's research. "[We hope to] bring people together and foster new ideas," Wagner said. NCAL is also the first center to be funded by three federal departments, according to Wharton and College senior Sonny Abrol, who works as an administrative assistant for NCAL. The funding departments include, Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor and the Department of Education. "That really allows us the kind of visibility that no other center has," Abrol said. "It's really quite an honor for [the center] to be at Penn." Although NCAL's main focus is on national illiteracy, the center also works on an international level. "We have a strong international literacy and training program," Wagner said. "We're currently collaborating with three African countries, Nigeria, Botswana, and Tunesia." NCAL was created eighteen months ago through a grant of over $10 million by the U.S. Department of Education. The main purpose of the center, according to Wagner, is to research adult illiteracy and narrow the gap of ignorance. "We're not a direct service program," Wagner said. "It would be a good idea to train here, but then we wouldn't have time for research." NCAL plans to utilize the latest technologies in research, with a principle focus on computers. NCAL also plans to experiment with other tehcnical possibilities, such as VCRs and radio, according to Wagner. "The National Center on Adult Literacy will be the catalyst for fundamental change in the national effort to improve literacy skills," Wagner said.