Practitioners would benefit from three areas of proficiency--a perspective on the field, an understanding of adult development and learning, and certain personal qualities, such as commitment to lifelong learning and interpersonal effectiveness. (Editor)

Responses of students in an adult development course who wrote five chapters of their life stories suggest that autobiographical writing leads adults through a process of self-exploration and meaning making. The result is a transformed view of themselves and their world. (SK)

This paper explores the psychological shadow--the disowned self--as one of the hidden, unconscious elements in adult and continuing education, often underlying those inexplicable emotional reactions that transpire in instructor/learner interactions. Drawing on the literature related to the psychological shadow, teaching/learning, and adult…

Over 90 papers focus on adult education research. Selected titles include "Karl Marx's Theoretical Contributions to Radical Adult Education" (Allman, Wallis); "Educating Educators" (Armstrong); "Comparative Study of Philosophical Foundations of Adult Education in China and United States" (Bao); "Ethical Value Dilemmas of Professional Adult…

Many of the great successes in the history of American education have been in the adult learning area. Some examples include the Americanization of immigrants, the public library movement, cooperative (agricultural) extension, continuing professional education, and distance education. Despite these achievements, adult education has enjoyed little…

This paper compares and contrasts the author's adult learning experiences with those of another adult learner in order to understand the inter-relationship between the domains of education and "work and love" (Merriam, 1993) imbedded in adult development theory. The author interviewed a female colleague of similar age and place of…

Autobiography has generally been recognized for its literary and artistic aspects, and as a result has been largely overlooked as an instructional method in adult and continuing education. This paper argues for a wider use of autobiography in adult and continuing education programs, proposing that autobiography actually encompasses not only the…

As enrollments decline and financial pressures increase, many institutions have developed an interest in older learners as an alternative market for continuing education. Demographic and social factors behind this rising concern with adult education are examined. (JSR)

The increase in the numbers of adult students studying on college and university campuses has created a new set of ethical and administrative challenges for those institutions. Projections for the nineties suggest 50 percent of enrollment will be adults. Characteristically, adult students perceive themselves to be responsible for their own lives;…

Trends in college enrollment patterns, along with reference to the historical development of the university, are considered, and the university's response to population shifts and the role of life-span development in that response are addressed. It is proposed that the response of higher education to declining number of youth should not be simple…

Patterns that emerged from reviewing course syllabi on adult and continuing education are discussed, and a sample syllabus is presented. These courses are offered as part of graduate level studies in the field of higher education administration. Seventeen professors provided syllabi from 43 courses taught at 9 universities. Modest agreement on…

The conference provided a forum for practitioners and researchers to discuss practices, concepts, evaluation and research studies in order to improve practice in adult education. Included are the following: "Realizing the Potential for Grounded Theory in Adult Education" (Babchuk et al.); "Behind the Smoke and Mirrors of Reorganization" (Benson);…

These proceedings contain 50 papers. Selected brief titles include: "A Comparative Analysis of Costs and Perceived Effectiveness of Postgraduate Continuing Education for Mississippi Pharmacists" (Bellande); "A Conceptual and Empirical Perspective on Adult Education Program Planning Theory" (Boshier); "Self-Directed Adult Learning" (Brookfield);…

Selected college and university programs established to assist adults in continuing their education, earning their degrees, and learning about whatever interests them are described, and an essay on lifelong learning is presented. In "Curriculum Development for Lifelong Learning," Charles S. Claxton describes how life cycle research,…

A study collected information about research on adult education conducted in Canada from 1983-1988 and identified themes that emerged from the research studies, projects, and activities. Sources of information searched were electronic databases, bibliographic compilations of reports and articles in adult education and related fields, journals, and…