Older women find fewer opportunities for learning offered in communities in Mississippi, yet these women are still active cognitively and physically. This gap can be filled by quilting guilds, groups that satisfy the older woman's need to challenge her mind and create camaraderie with other older women who have a common interest. Quilting allows…

Professional learning communities (PLCs) positively influence students' and teachers' success. Yet, traditional professional development, involving passive learning, is still widely used. The problem addressed in this qualitative case study is little is known about administrators' perceptions about PLCs as replacements for traditional forms of…

Neighbourhood Houses are significant sites of community-based adult learning spaces that are empowering, supportive and caring. They embody inclusive community development processes and adult learning practices that facilitate formal, informal, and incidental learning. Practices in these sites of social inclusion support relationships and shared…

The purpose of this study is to explore how social networks impact learners' knowledge sharing in the context of a learning community. The findings indicate that the various networks collaboratively support learners' knowledge sharing in a local community. A better social position gives rise to more networks and correspondingly more knowledge…

Workplace experiences are central to adults' learning and development, providing opportunities for significant and valuable lifelong learning. Research into adults' learning in volunteer work attests to its significance and value across the spectrum of adult learning, serving instrumental, social, and altruistic purposes for the learner and…

Grassroots organizations have a critical role in supporting learning within many urban communities (Sobeck, Agius, & Mayers, 2007). Unfortunately, many informal organizations are short-lived as funding disappears and volunteer participation wanes. The Unspun Heroes, an informal fibre arts group committed to learning and developing skills…

In 2018, the author embarked on Master of Education research to investigate how mature adults were affected by regular participation in visual art classes. Visual art education is reported to have a positive effect on the cognition of mature adults in various contexts (Schindler et al., 2017; Wali et al., 2001), so this research investigates…

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the levels of the sense of community among students enrolled in online student communities at Anadolu University Open Education System (OES), as well as their motivations for joining these communities and their expectations. Design/methodology/approach: An explanatory sequential design incorporating mixed…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to learn from the perspectives of adult secondary learners (ASLs) and transition navigators (TNs) regarding how K--12 adult education programs serve ASLs as they prepare to transition to community college. In this study, ASLs are defined as adult students working towards their high school diploma or…

In this study, I examined adult learners' experiences and perceptions of barriers to interactions and engagement in online community college courses. Adult learners enrollment in online courses in postsecondary institutions continues to grow due to the flexibility and convenience they offer to learners who often have to juggle multiple…

The literature indicates that collaborative activities can support professional learning (PL) for academics teaching in higher education (HE). Nevertheless, limited approaches for collegial PL exist that can be embedded in the day-to-day work of busy academics. This paper reports on an evidence-based approach to practice that was undertaken to…

Many students who enroll in online universities will never graduate. Attrition in higher education is accepted and expected; however, in exclusively online programs, it is prolific, with more than 80% of those students who begin an online program leaving before graduating. It is well known in the academic literature that isolation is related to…

Mature students transitioning into their first year of higher education face many difficulties that affect their motivation, participation and success. Their feelings of being disconnected from their peers and from their institutions are among the key barriers to the successful completion of their courses. Encouraging online student engagement…

Nearly one-quarter of American adults have low-level literacy skills. Existing research provides a great deal of quantitative information about skill levels and attainment, but little information exists that highlights the contextualized experiences of adult learners. In this phenomenological study, we explored individual adult learners'…

It has become increasingly difficult for individuals with only a high school diploma to earn a living wage. It is vital for individuals to have more education and training to increase their earnings and be competitive in the marketplace. Adults needing to enhance their skill set or to learn a new skill are enrolling in community colleges, which…