The advent of the so-called "post-literacy" era imposes on an individual the need to master not only various verbal, but also visual, artistic and scientific languages that have been developed in modern culture, which requires an adult to constantly improve their general educational and cultural level and to constantly struggle against…

"Understanding Adult Intelligence" (Robert Sternberg) focuses on the nature of intelligence. It explains Sternberg's triarchic theory, in which he posits three main aspects of intelligence: its relation to the internal or mental world of the learner, its relation to experience, and its relation to the surrounding world. "Strategies and Learning"…

Considers adult cognitive growth within the social domain. Draws from Plato's writings and from current views to argue that in order to understand how the educational process is to be of use to adult learners, researchers must determine the kinds of cognitive processes most suited to the learner's stage of life. (Author/NB)

Since "adult learning" is not a well-defined field, the content of any graduate course called "Adult Learning" could be fairly arbitrary. Moreover, when such a course is aimed at applied psychology and education students, learning outcomes such as problem-solving and applications are of utmost importance. Two major curricular topics--course…

An experimental adult studies curriculum for adult students at Empire State is analyzed in terms of trends in adult participation in higher education and of four theoretical perspectives: life cycle theory, ego development, moral development, and adult learning style. (MSE)

Research has demonstrated that learning style preferences and how they are taken into account are closely related to learner achievement and satisfaction. The Learning Style Inventory (LSI) was the first comprehensive approach to the assessment of an individual's learning style in grades 3 through 12. The Productivity Environmental Preference…

A growing body of literature is questioning whether existing models of human development apply equally to men and women. Prevailing theories of human development have been criticized for being based on research with primarily male subjects of similar ethnic, racial, or class backgrounds. Some research supports the viewpoint that women have…

Combining literature and human development is seen as an effective strategy for enhancing personal and professional growth of the judiciary. Three theoretical perspectives provide a framework for understanding experiences associated with development in middle and later adulthood: adults' varied learning styles, the life cycle and age-related…

At each age learning is a complex interaction of motivation, cognition, and development. In older adults, motivation is often related to a lifelong personality construct or personal meaning that an older individual will seek to play out when given the opportunity in late life. The needs of the older adult learner can be discussed in terms of…

Research and theoretical literature about adult development and adult learning are synthesized within a conceptual framework that has three basic domains: life phase, developmental stage, and learning style. The life phase includes theories that identify age-linked periods of stability and transition throughout adulthood. The development stage…

The author reviews and discusses results of current adult education research in the areas of cognitive styles, learning strategies, adult learning, hemispheres of the brain, adult development stages, open learning systems, nontraditional forms of learning, social action, nature of adult participation, and other concepts. (MF)

Both the content and process of graduate education promote adult development. Graduate programs, particularly nontraditional programs, can both address the growing adult and uphold relevant standards of intellectual excellence and professional expertise. Life phases, developmental stages, and learning styles are three domains that are described.…

This booklet was developed to help literacy instructors of older adults become more knowledgeable about these students. The guide is organized in eight sections that cover the following topics: older adults--who are they?; characteristics of older adults; barriers to learning; older adult developmental stages; the older adult learner; finding…

When adult learners come to the learning program, they bring the individual "baggage" that they carry around--such as home problems, time constraints, employment problems, and positive or negative feelings about self. The baggage of an adult's life contains all that adults are, have been, and hope to be, as well as all that life means to them.…

The paper presents some of the organizing principles that have emerged in the process of designing higher education programs for adults. The analysis relies on some of the recent research and literature on adult development, life stages, and learning interests. The organizing principles were not predetermined, but have resulted from years of…