Pre-university mathematics enabling courses can potentially change adult learners' perceptions and beliefs around mathematics, enhance self-efficacy, personal confidence, motivation, and enable achievements that support future study and career goals. Enabling courses, however, often require highly individualised curricula and approaches that can…

Purpose: The psychological theory of self-determination postulated that gamification enhances learning engagement by intrinsically motivating learners to undertake tasks spontaneously. Gamification has then been integrated into adult learning as part of the initiative of learner-centred pedagogies to curb the low retention rates of adult learners…

This article considers the potential benefits of integrating the knowledge base on adult learning with teacher inquiry. The first part of the article provides an overview of key concepts discussed in the literature on adult learning, including the characteristics of adult learners, self-directed learning, experiential learning, transformative…

From November 2015 to October 2020, Canada had welcomed 44,620 Syrian refugees to more than 350 communities across the country. In 2019, it further surpassed the United States and Australia in the number of refugees settled. Lacking the necessary language skills for living and working in a new country is one of the most critical barriers refugees…

In today's educational and workforce settings, the desire is for students to not only have "book knowledge" but also the ability to implement that knowledge into skills and abilities. Those desires are often met with decreasing time and money in order to help foster those knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA). Experimental Learning is a…

This position paper is intended to examine an assessment dilemma that is problematic to adult teaching in general but particularly problematic for the non-traditional learner wishing to enter the nursing profession. It is the position of this report that such dilemma is particularly problematic for the adult/non-traditional learner who enters the…

Coping in adult learning-based environments is a relevant phenomenon because stressful experiences are inevitable at times. Three main types of coping strategies are distinguished to either solve the problem (problem-focused coping), avoid the problem (avoidance coping), or reduce anxiety and other negative emotions (emotion-focused coping) in…

Online education continues to grow, and the application of theory to practice becomes increasingly important as practitioners examine the impact technology has on e-classroom interaction. Adult students, in particular, look for interaction that is collaborative and student-centered. A common area for dialogue within the online classroom is the…

This research synthesis analyzed qualitative depictions of adult literacy learners and identified five ways in which they are typically characterized: the Heroic Victim, the Needy (Problem) Child, the Broken (but Repairable) Cog, the Pawn of Destiny, and the Capable Comrade. These types do not capture the diversity or complexity of all adult…

"Delayed participation" in higher education (HE) is an increasingly important feature of modern HE systems in many countries. Despite this, surprisingly little empirical research has been undertaken seeking to better understand levels of delayed adult participation in HE across Europe. The present article responds to this gap by…

Low basic skills levels of adults are a complex policy problem which has neither straightforward causes nor solutions, and successful interventions are still relatively rare. Tackling serious literacy and numeracy weaknesses among adults is challenging, partly because the task itself is difficult, and partly because even if accomplished…

The purpose of this study is to examine Knowles' theory of andragogy and his six assumptions of how adults learn while providing evidence to support two of his assumptions based on the theory of andragogy. As no single theory explains how adults learn, it can best be assumed that adults learn through the accumulation of formal and informal…

The current literature review explores the factors that contribute to academic persistence for adult learners. The aim of the study is to identify current research-based strategies aimed at supporting learner persistence, particularly for low-skilled adults. Elements of three theoretical frameworks, namely, expectancy-value theory (EVT), goal…

Academic medical centers represent the intersection of higher education and workforce development. However residents often utilize traditional pedagogical approaches learned from higher education settings that fail to translate with adult learners. The purpose of this study is to synthesize literature on resident teachers from the perspective of…

Understanding what is lacking in the online teaching literature is critical to helping researchers and practitioners develop programs and support mechanisms for online teachers in higher education. This review formulates a critique of the standards- and competency-driven vision of online teaching from the perspective of transformative learning…