Date Approved
8-11-2026
Graduate Degree Type
Project
Degree Name
Education-Literacy Studies: Reading (M.Ed.)
Degree Program
Literacy, Educational Foundations, & Technology
First Advisor
Elizabeth Stolle
Academic Year
2025/2026
Abstract
Low adult literacy skills have been a pervasive and persistent challenge in the United States for more than a century. One in five adults (21%) possesses low literacy skills (National Center for Education Statistics, 2026), a finding consistent with statistics reported by the National Literacy Institute (2024). Despite decades of educational reform, many adults continue to experience limited access to coordinated, community-based literacy support. The purpose of this master's project was to develop a community-based Literacy Hub framework designed to increase access to adult literacy learning opportunities through coordinated partnerships and community engagement. An extensive review of educational research, community literacy initiatives, and evidence-based practices informed the development of the framework and its guiding principles: Access to Literacy, Collaboration, Coordinated Services, Empowerment, and Civic Engagement. The project includes a Literacy Hub Framework, mission and vision statements, a community partnership model, literacy learning opportunities, a referral model, outreach materials, and an evaluation plan. This project contributes to the larger literacy community by providing a community-centered, collaborative, and replicable framework that communities can adapt to expand literacy opportunities, strengthen partnerships, and promote lifelong learning. Literacy Hubs offer a human-centered and sustainable approach to advancing adult literacy because literacy is a human right.
ScholarWorks Citation
Marzolf, Alexandria M., "Literacy Hubs: Human-Centered, Coordinated Approach Towards Advancing Adult Literacy in a Community" (2026). Masters Projects. 744.
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gradprojects/744
