Theorizing in adult education has been primarily concerned with questions of social philosophy which contribute little to improving the quality of professional activity. This essay suggests a rationale and strategy for developing a research based body of theory, indigenous to adult education and of practical utility to practitioners. Central to…

Suggests some ideas that could stimulate and be incentives for defining programs of adult education in the future. These involve changing priorities, developing a framework which allows adult education programs to be established, and managing decision-making processes. (CT)

Describes a recent community education pilot scheme organized by Islington Adult Education Institute in North London. Also discusses the process of learning in adults, economic factors affecting a neighborhood, criticisms of community work, the "process" view of learning, and the challenge for adult educators. (CT)

Needs assessment is an integral part of designing instruction for adults. However, more work needs to be done to strengthen the definition and theory. Needs assessment will be served by carefully designed studies that analyze the extent and type of impact needs assessments have had on subsequent program development activities. (CT)

This article is concerned with short-term residential adult education conferences of four to five days duration--approximately the time normally allocated to large-scale national conferences. The author offers suggestions for enhancing the effectiveness of short-term residential conferences and touches on some of the theoretical concepts that…

Author discusses guidelines on objectives, evaluation, and cooperative planning essential to good educational practice. (GB)

Suggests a rationale and strategy for the systematic development of an integrated body of inductively formulated generalizations with which educators can understand and predict behavior of adults in educational situations. Research-based qualitative theory, indigenous to adult education and capable of indicating dependable and practical guidelines…

This article describes some of the factors that will facilitate or retard the use of microcomputers, some of the theoretical problems that will have to be faced, and some of the possible applications of the microcomputer in adult education. (CT)

Over the past 10 years an effort has been directed toward developing a new conceptual formulation related to the professional development of and functions performed by the adult/extension educator-practitioner. The purpose for such a new formulation is one of providing a more adequate conceptual basis for: (1) designing professional development…

This paper presents a codification of theory-based approaches that are applicable to adult learning situations. It also lists some general guidelines that can be used when selecting a particular approach or theory as a basis for planning instruction. Adult education's emphasis on practicality and the relationship between theory and practice is…

Career development has become very pertinent for adult educators inasmuch as career development programs have been shown to increase effectiveness and efficiency in the field of adult education. Career development programs can vary widely in their content, approach, and philosophy. Various theories have been proposed to explain career development.…

A theory of vocational education and training (VET) somewhat different than that currently accepted is a set of beliefs about the purpose, practices, and principles associated with producing occupational competence. VET institutions need to be aware of and responsive to work force requirements. An analysis of information about current and future…

A study was done to discover and generate a theory of instructional design based on procedures currently used in selected adult education agencies. The methodology used was to generate grounded theory in four stages as follows: (1) discovery of a number of categories into which the collected data are coded, (2) integration of the categories and…

This guide for current and prospective adult educators is a comprehensive, practical conceptual framework for planning, designing/implementing, and evaluating/accounting for adult education programs. Chapter 1 describes the programming process. Chapter 2 describes 13 nationally recognized models of the adult education programming process, the…