The Critical Literacies Advancement Model (CLAM): A Framework for Disrupting Bias Through Adult Learning

Abstract

This article introduces the Critical Literacies Advancement Model (CLAM) as a practical and theoretical framework designed to disrupt bias through adult learning. Grounded in critical literacy and critical thinking traditions, CLAM integrates diverse literacies (e.g., racial, human rights, media literacy, etc.) into a unified model that empowers educators and learners to recognize and challenge systemic inequities. This paper situates CLAM within current scholarly conversations on critical pedagogy and adult education, illustrating its use for both curriculum analysis and pedagogical innovation in adult learning contexts. Notably, CLAM emerges as a powerful tool for scrutinizing hidden curriculum and informal learning platforms like social media, where biases often thrive unchecked. The CLAM draws from critical literacy and critical thinking, integrating these essential competencies into a cohesive model that empowers learners to analyze, question, and reshape the social narratives that influence their lives. Critical literacy expands traditional notions of literacy (listening, speaking, reading, writing) by encouraging learners to challenge power structures embedded within texts and media, while critical thinking provides the cognitive tools necessary to evaluate information objectively, make informed judgments, and foster independent thought. This paper focuses on exploring teaching innovations as the authors emphasize CLAM’s efficacy in cultivating critical thinking and social justice literacies, addressing underlying causes of inequities within adult education contexts. The authors offer practitioners actionable opportunities for how CLAM can be used to help disrupt biases in adult education and as such, help in dismantling systemic barriers and fostering inclusive learning environments.