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John Niemi Papers

An inventoryof his papers at Syracuse University

The adult education holdings are collectively known as the
Alexander N. Charters Library of Resources for Educators of Adults.

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Niemi, John A.
Title: John Niemi Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1963-2000
Quantity: 7 linear ft.
Abstract: Professional papers from the adult education scholar and teacher
Language: English
Repository: Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

John Niemi (1933-2004) was born in Michigan to parents who emigrated to the United States from Finland. After graduating from Gogebic Community College in Ironwood, Michigan in 1952 and from Michigan State in 1954, he later earned a Master's Degree from the University of Alaska in Fairbanks and a Ph.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles (1967).

Niemi spent more than fifty years in the field of adult education, much of it at Northern Illinois University (NIU). His early experience teaching functionally illiterate Army enlistees in Alaska began a lifelong interest in adult education for military personnel, and led to a 25-year partnership between NIU and the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. In addition to his work at NIU, Niemi taught and conducted research at the University of Helsinki and other Finnish universities, and organized congresses that brought together American, Finnish, Russian, and Scandinavian adult educators. He wrote more than 150 articles and four books on adult literacy, mass media and adult education, and the use of technologies in the classroom.

He was a constant advocate for and inspiration to his students, and was recognized numerous times for his deep dedication to both the field of adult education and the individual students whom he encountered over his career. His honors include a Fulbright scholarship, an honorary doctorate from the University of Helsinki (1986), Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award from Gogebic Community College (1999), Distinguished Teaching Professor at NIU, Distinguished Teaching Alumnus at the University of California-Los Angeles, and Honorary Professor, Shanghai Second Institute. In 2001 he was named a Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland by the Republic of Finland. NIU's John A. Niemi Memorial Scholarship is named in his honor.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The John Niemi Papers includes a considerable amount of writing by Niemi, including course outlines, bibliographies, articles, papers, clippings, speeches, and presentations. Other material relates to topics relevant to Niemi's research and work, including volunteerism, cross-cultural communication, educational television, graduate programs at NIU and other colleges, and adult education in Finland, Russia and China. Three-quarters of one box relates to NIU's management of Clearinghouse ADELL, a central repository and disseminator of materials useful to educators of adults.

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Arrangement of the Collection

The collection remains in original order and in original folders. The inventory below is a box list; folder titles are those supplied.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Special Collections Research Center has more than 50 collections of both individuals and organizations related to adult and continuing education. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete listing. See also the Charters Library of Resources for Educators of Adults.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Niemi, John A.

Corporate Bodies

Commission of Professors of Adult Education.
Clearinghouse ADELL.
Northern Illinois University.

Subjects

Adult education -- Alaska.
Adult education -- Archival resources.
Adult education -- Canada.
Adult education -- China.
Adult education -- Finland.
Adult education -- History.
Adult education -- Research.
Adult education -- Russia.
Adult education -- United States.
Adult education teachers -- Training of.
Continuing education.
Elementary education of adults.
Universities and colleges -- Graduate work.

Genres and Forms

Articles.
Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence.
Course outlines.
Dissertations.
Minutes (administrative records)
Theses.

Occupations

Educators.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

John Niemi Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of John Niemi.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: MRC
Date: Mar 2008
Revision history:

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Inventory

Papers
Box 1 Graduate programs: theory building
Box 1 Graduate programs: theoretical model
Box 1 Comm. of professors correspondence
Box 1 Microfiche collection
Box 1 Mich. study
Box 1 NAPCE conference: Synergy
Box 1 Nat. multi-media center
Box 1 Models (2 folders)
Box 1 Mature learners (2 folders)
Box 1 Mach II
Box 1 Maryland tapes
Box 1 Niemi: ABE
Box 1 NIACE
Box 1 Niemi: Book reviews (6 folders)
Box 1 Niemi: CEGEPS
Box 1 Niemi: Certification
Box 1 Niemi: China speech
Box 1 Niemi: Communication
Box 1 Niemi: Corrections
Box 1 Niemi: Cross-culture
Box 1 Niemi: Cultural characteristics
Box 1 Niemi: Culturally different adults
Box 1 Niemi: Distance education
Box 1 Niemi: ERIC
Box 1 Niemi: Finnish adult ed.
Box 1 Niemi: Higher education
Box 1 Niemi: History of NIU program
Box 1 Niemi: HRD
Box 1 Niemi: Internat'l HRD
Box 1 Niemi: Internat'l
Box 1 Niemi: Learning
Box 2 Neimi: News stories
Box 2 Niemi: Newstart
Box 2 Niemi: Niemi manuscript
Box 2 Niemi: Niemi decision making
Box 2 Niemi: Nova Scotia
Box 2 Niemi: Nurse education
Box 2 Niemi: Older adults
Box 2 Niemi: Osh Kosh
Box 2 Niemi: Personal
Box 2 Niemi: Pictures
Box 2 Niemi: Pioneers in Alaska
Box 2 Niemi: Professional presentations
Box 2 [title "Adult Education USSR" scribbled out]
Box 2 Niemi - Publications
Box 2 Problems in comm.
Box 2 New dev. in ad. & voc. ed.
Box 2 Inst. strat.
Box 2 Class - Foundations of AE
Box 2 Counselor education
Box 2 Comprehensive exams: Adult Ed (UBC)
Box 2 Research: Historical references (Canada)
Box 2 Graduate programs: competencies
Box 2 Graduate program University of Chicago
Box 2 Reading
Box 2 Concordia University
Box 2 Univ. District of Columbia
Box 2 West Virginia
Box 2 East Carolina University
Box 2 Program planning
Box 2 Class rosters
Box 2 LEAC 590
Box 2 LEAC 480
Box 2 Admission criteria
Box 2 [untitled]
Box 2 Adult education: prospective students
Box 2 Andragogie - University of Montreal
Box 2 Douglas College
Box 2 Rationale for beginning graduate programs
Box 2 [spiral notebook labelled "Evaluation," not in a folder]
Box 2 Graduate pro. UBC
Box 3 AC[E?] eval.
Box 3 Copies - data - dr. prog. ma. prog. stud. eval.
Box 3 Student evaluation
Box 3 Course data
Box 3 Minutes of meetings on eval
Box 3 Issues
Box 3 [green folder, untitled]
Box 3 Writing for Publication - S. G. Elkins [red binder]
Box 3 Lecture notes
Box 3 Notecards
Box 3 Research critique
Box 3 Short guide for writing term papers
Box 3 Tomkins, Sandy's papers
Box 3 Tomkins, Janet's paper
Box 3 Treatment of sexes publication
Box 3 Wright/Niemi paper
Box 3 Teaching adults
Box 3 Teaching techniques
Box 3 Techniques
Box 3 Technique
Box 3 Writing - Muriel
Box 3 Writing - journal articles
Box 3 Niemi's papers
Box 3 The Dev of the Human Resource Developer
Box 3 [blue folder, untitled, "Salzburg" written on front]
Box 3 Niemi - Dec making
Box 3 Niemi - Gogebic
Box 3 Great Lakes
Box 3 Fostering learning (CAHA 400)
Box 3 Finnish oversight committee
Box 3 Niemi: Futures
Box 3 Libraries
Box 3 Niemi
Box 3 Niemi: Publications
Box 3 Russia and China in trans.
Box 3 Finland
Box 3 History: Ad Ed
Box 3 Liberal adult education
Box 3 Career Int'l
Box 3 Value clarification (2 folders)
Box 3 Mgmt./Hist. perspect
Box 3 McDonald's University HRD
Box 3 Smith, Robert
Box 3 Russia
Box 3 OISE
Box 3 Niemi's writings
Box 3 Niemi's philosophy
Box 3 [green folder, untitled]
Box 3 University of Helsinki
Box 3 Erwin Township
Box 3 Critique of conf. papers
Box 3 Christmas letters
Box 3 Finnish-Americans: DeKalb
Box 3 Adult Learning in the New Millennium: Conference Papers Part II (University of Helsinki) [not in a folder]
Box 4 Copper River
Box 4 Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Box 4 Liberatory education
Box 4 ALL correspondence
Box 4 Mature learners
Box 4 Lifelong learning
Box 4 Recruiting and training volunteers
Box 4 [3-ring binder with handwritten notes, untitled]
Box 4 Maps
Box 4 "Executive Development from Specialist to Generalist" by John Niemi [PhD dissertation, bound] 1967
Box 4 "A Proposal in Fundamental Literacy Education for Undereducated Adults in the Outlying Areas of Alaska" by John Niemi [Master's thesis, bound] 1963
Box 4 "Fundamental Literacy Education" by John Niemi [second copy] 1963
Box 4 Volunteerism
Box 4 Stress
Box 4 Teacher education
Box 4 Self-disclosure questionnaire
Box 4 Teacher
Box 4 Research profiling flow chart analysis
Box 4 Needs assessment
Box 4 Myers-Briggs type indicator (learning org.)
Box 4 Motivation
Box 4 Learning theories
Clearinghouse ADELL
Box 5 Clearinghouse ADELL plans [blue 3-ring binder]
Box 5 Matrix
Box 5 Mission statement
Box 5 Review - Congress
Box 5 Final report
Box 5 ADELL (3 folders)
Box 5 Review and support
Box 5 Branneke's plan
Box 5 Consultants
Box 5 Contract
Box 5 Correspondence
Box 5 Profile
Box 5 Review - letters of support
Box 5 Review consultant team
Box 5 ADELL
Box 5 Clearinghouse ADELL
Box 5 Review: Delker
Box 5 Review: Pres. Nelson
Box 5 Distance ed - Finland
Box 5 Mgt. - theory
Box 5 Brainwashing
Box 5 Niemi - Vita
Box 5 Publications
Box 5 Speeches (3 folders)
Box 5 Niemi: Publication
Box 5 Niemi: SISU
Box 5 Niemi - Roth: workplace basics
Box 5 Denmark
Box 5 American Univ.
Box 6 Second thoughts
Box 6 Manuscripts
Box 6 Research
Box 6 Privy Council Office
Box 6 Policy handbook
Box 6 PLS
Box 6 Philosophy II
Box 6 Rockford report
Box 6 Commission of Professors of Adult Education [CPAE]
Box 6 1975
Box 6 1979
Box 6 1971
Box 6 Erwin Township
Box 6 Possibilities and limitations of cable tv for adult education
Box 6 Programs for culturally different adults: the potential of outreach centers
Box 6 Niemi: Publications
Box 6 Qualifying and assessing trainers for the Girl Guides of Canada
Box 6 Recruitment and retention of the hard-to-reach adult
Box 6 Niemi - sabbatical leave
Box 6 SISUI: A system for automated data processing
Box 6 Some facets of cross-cultural communication and their implications for ABE and ESL teachers
Box 6 Techniques for teaching material handling to adult students
Box 6 Tech and media for lifelong learning: what can ERIC contribute (2 folders)
Box 6 The open channel
Box 6 The role of national clearinghouses in the dissemination process
Box 6 Niemi: Map residence
Box 6 Niemi: Publications
Box 6 Dissertations
Box 6 Alaska Call
Box 6 Adult education diplomas
Box 6 1972
Box 6 1973
Box 6 1980
Box 6 1982
Box 6 1984
Box 6 [miscellaneous unfoldered items]
Box 7 2000
Box 7 Standards
Box 7 Canadian studies faculty research
Box 7 Video conferencing
Box 7 Pioneers in Alaskan adult education
Box 7 Mentoring
Box 7 Mass media and adult education: what's happening in Canada
Box 7 Man in a changing society
Box 7 Lifelong learning: does TV have a part?
Box 7 Learning as a way [of] life
Box 7 Facilitating learning for the disadvantaged adult
Box 7 Dissemination models: dynamic ways to get the message out
Box 7 Defining educational objectives
Box 7 Some problems of communication as they affect the disadvantaged
Box 7 Selection criteria: Adult & cont ed workshop: The community in the community college
Box 7 Resources and sources for curriculum development
Box 7 Residential exp: as a mod of comp ad ed
Box 7 Principles and problems of adult learning
Box 7 Outreach centers
Box 7 Meaning of lifelong learning
Box 7 Mature woman student
Box 7 Mature students
Box 7 Mass media and adult ed
Box 7 Letters about publications
Box 7 Learners, agencies, program development in ad & cont ed (Nagle and Niemi)
Box 7 ETV in Canada: Three scenarios
Box 7 Fostering participation in learning
Box 7 ETV for basic education & life skills: searching for an interface
Box 7 Classroom experiments
Box 7 The development of HRD: A comparative study of three case studies
Box 7 ERIC: New vistas for research
Box 7 Dissemination models
Box 7 Iowa model: Planning, testing and disseminating 309 project
Box 7 Information retrieval systems
Box 7 Implications for North Americans
Box 7 HRD
Box 7 Niemi: speech
Box 7 Advancing adult basic education in prisons
Box 7 Annotated and quotational bibliography on participatory research
Box 7 Niemi: Consultant assignments
Box 7 A theory of decision-making and its implic. for res[earch] in ad. ed.
Box 7 A selected bibliography of recent ad. ed. publications in the U.S.
Box 7 Adult education and the disadvantaged adult
Box 7 Adults and their learning: Transforming our perspectives
Box 7 Canada: Into the Brotherhood of ANIK
Box 7 Cross-cultural education for native adults in Alaska: An overview of programs
Box 7 Characteristics of the adult learner
Box 7 Career possibilities in international adult ed
Box 7 Comparative study: Sci. mgmt. vs human rel. movement (Briscoe) by Niemi
Box 7 The community college educator: A new role?
Box 7 Communicating with the so-called disadvantaged: Can we find a common ground?
Box 7 Continuing education in the two-year colleges of British Columbia: Three mosaics
Box 7 Concerns and trends in ABE signpost of the future
Box 7 Conflict or accommodation? The needs for articulation between the evening school and the community college
Box 7 Cross-cultural communication and the adult educator
Box 7 Alaska Pacific University
Box 7 University of Alberta

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