The concept of lifelong learning is surrounded by competing myths or visions that represent very different perspectives about the purposes and goals of education. In recent years, policy statements and the learning initiatives resulting from them are based on a predominantly economic rationale. They argue that globalization and technological…

This brief describes action learning (AL), discusses some of its advantages and challenges, highlights its educational applications, and recommends practices for future implementation. Action learning may be characterized as voluntary learning that is centered around the need to find solutions to real problems, that is equally concerned with…

This monograph on the development of teachers' careers synthesizes researchers' prescriptions for early-, mid-, and late-career professional development; and describes successful programs that demonstrate sensitivity to the stages of teachers' growth. The first chapter, "Teachers' Career Development," reviews current adult- and career-stage…

Incidental learning is unintentional or unplanned learning that results from other activities. It occurs often in the workplace, during the use of computers, and in the process of completing tasks. Incidental learning occurs in many ways, including the following: through observation, repetition, social interaction, and problem solving; from…

Although evidence for the existence of multiple careers is limited, the literature of career development, training, and human resource development has predicted that individuals will have many careers as well as jobs across the lifespan, and small-scale studies and trend analysis suggest that individuals may need to plan and prepare for different…

This paper reviews and synthesizes reports about family literacy programs and practices, focusing on outcomes for adult learners. Emphasis is on resources available in the ERIC database beginning in 1990. Section 1 on programs reviews sometimes conflicting definitions of family literacy and finds that a common thread is strengthening…

Howard Gardner and others have continued to expand on Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences (MI), a broad range of abilities people use to learn, solve problems, and create. Whereas most past studies and practical applications of MI theory have focused on learners in grades K-12, recent projects are extending MI to adult education. For…

Because of its focus on improving work performance at the individual, group, organizational, and interorganizational levels, the field of human resource development (HRD) is affected by and responds to trends in work, organizations, and the global economy. A literature review reveals that the following themes recur throughout the HRD literature:…

This document examines the current state of workplace learning within the context of the changing workplace of the late 20th century. The document begins with an overview of the evolution of employer-dominated training from Taylorism to the rise of human resource development during the late 1970s and 1980s. The development of the concepts of…