The research reported in this study concerns older adults from Australia who voluntarily chose to learn the craft of woodturning. The paper examines the literature of adult learning under the themes of presage factors, the learning environment, instructional methods, and techniques for facilitators. The paper then reports on the analysis of two…

Effective learning environments for older learners should (1) be based on constructivist principles; (2) recognize adults' attachment to their world view; (3) realize they are accustomed to setting priorities; (4) involve facilitating and coaching; and (5) introduce newer teaching-learning methods. (SK)

Asserts that older adults can profit from teaching techniques that address their unique abilities and needs, and that the learning performance of older adults can be improved by helping them to organize better the material to be learned. Presents practical suggestions on how advance organizers can be used to facilitate learning among older adults.…

Three experiments were performed using unrelated digit materials and prose passages to evaluate whether an auditory or visual presentation of material would be best for an aged population. Data suggests that the choice of modality depends on the particular presentation condition rather than on the type of stimulus materials. (Author)