The 47th annual conference of the Adult and Higher Education Alliance (AHEA) was held online and in person in March 2023. This year's conference theme is "Workforce Development: Micro-Credentials, Badges, and CEUs." The proceedings are comprised of the following papers: (1) Investing in Adult Learners and Creating Learning Environments…

The world of work is changing. Digitalisation, deepening globalisation and population ageing are having a profound impact on the type and quality of jobs that are available and the skills required to perform them. To what extent individuals, firms and economies can harness the benefits of these changes critically depends on the readiness of adult…

Raising skills is critical to Portugal's economic success and social well-being. As globalisation and digitalisation are transforming how people work, how societies function and how individuals interact, Portugal needs to equip its entire population with strong skills so that they can benefit from new opportunities. Portugal has put education and…

A well-coordinated adult learning system will be essential to support the achievement of Slovenia's long-term development goals. The transformational effects of globalisation, technological progress and demographic change on life at work and outside of it amplify the importance of getting adults' skills right. OECD research shows that individuals,…

Literacy for Life is the second report from the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey. It presents additional results on the nature and magnitude of the literacy gaps faced by OECD countries and how these gaps have evolved over the medium term. It offers new insights into the factors that influence the formation of adult skills in various…

This book presents a comprehensive survey and analysis of the concept of self-direction in learning. Part 1 (Chapters 1-3) distinguishes uses and meanings of the term self-direction and provides an historical introduction. Part 2 (Chapters 4-7) contains a more careful analysis of the four principal domains of self-direction: personal autonomy,…

This book, which is intended for new training professionals and others asked to provide training, lists the critical elements of training and details an eight-step process for providing training in the workplace. The book begins with a brief introduction explaining the purposes of training and why it has become so important. The next eight…

This handbook introduces a new training model that reflects the complexity of organizational life, changes in the human resources (HR) function, and the need to involve line management. Part I outlines the new context in which training must be delivered. It discusses the changing organizational requirements for training and the changing position…

This compilation of the knowledge and experience of 49 training and development professionals is a guide to the most important aspects of training and development (T&D), ranging from the environment in which it operates to detailed suggestions as to how it can be done. Contributors' notes appear first. Part 1 on the world of T&D contains seven…

This document is intended to assist adult educators in helping their students develop the confidence and test-taking skills required to overcome test anxiety. Section 1 contains the following items: an instrument designed to help students privately assess their standing on the anxiety scale; a play which explores flashing back to earlier negative…

This book studies how structural factors may contribute to determining both the volume and the composition of educational activities for adults. It then examines results or outcomes from work-related training. Part I outlines the agenda of the book. Chapter 1 introduces the metaphor of the shadow educational system, which describes an educational…

Building equity into Australia's vocational education and training (VET) system is a key component of the National Strategy for Vocational Education and Training 2004-2010. This book of readings aims to contribute to this important facet of the national strategic plan. The book reviews the achievements equity groups have made, reports on the…

This document examines competitiveness in the developing world. Chapters 1 through 3, which are largely conceptual, examine the following topics: the concept of competitiveness and why it is important; market-stimulating technology policies in developing countries, and the relationship between import liberalization and industrial performance.…

This book focuses on applying instructional design to development of classroom learning for adults. Chapter 1 presents an overview of the model and addresses concerns about use of instructional design in adult education. Chapter 2 deals with assessing and developing skills as an adult educator; a literature review on behavior, beliefs, knowledge,…

This book contains 15 papers on the following topics related to lifelong learning: lifespan development and education, capacity to learn in the lifespan, skills formation in the workplace, learning to learn in the lifespan, and implications for policy and practice. The following papers are included: "Learning for Life: New Ideas, New…