This article offers a historical analysis of the past sixty years of adult learning in Aotearoa New Zealand and critically appraises events which have shaped today's context. Drawing on a substantial body of research by key adult educators, researchers and scholars, the review assesses historical, socio-cultural, and political factors that…

Adult learning and open education have become key elements on the European Agenda. This paper presents the first results of a foresight activity that aims to contribute to an understanding of how "Opening up Education" can improve adult learning in Europe in the future. It argues that to open up adult learning two main challenges must be…

In this paper we review fifty years of articles published in Australian Journal of Adult Learning in its various iterations. We examine the different roles of the journal: to illuminate the history and trends of adult education authors; to be the flagship of the adult education profession in Australia; to reflect on significant national events;…

Writing recently in this journal, two of Canada's veteran adult educators contemplated the "death" of the Canadian adult education movement. I disagree and argue that adult education in Canada is as vital an activity as ever and one that still fully justifies being called a movement. Specifically, Selman and Selman (2009) list five…

NIACE's 2010 representative sample survey of adult participation in learning in the UK shows something of a sea change in adults' engagement in learning. After years in which the numbers reporting participation in learning fell overall, and the gulf between the learning rich and the learning poor widened dramatically, there has been a major…

Cedefop's report "Learning while working: success stories on workplace learning in Europe" presents an overview of key trends in adult learning in the workplace. It takes stock of previous research carried out by Cedefop between 2003 and 2010 on key topics for adult learning: governance and the learning regions; social partner roles in…

New research shows that adults with the lowest literacy and numeracy skills are likely to have experienced substantial disadvantage from early childhood. As the journeys of many adult learners attest, education can transform opportunity. What is more likely to motivate them to take up an educational offer is a life course transition or a new…

The expanding field of adult learning encompasses the study and practice of utilizing sound instructional design principals, technology, and learning theory as a means to solve educational challenges and human performance issues relating to adults, often occurring online. This book disseminates current issues and trends emerging in the field of…

The educational needs and concerns of midlife and older Americans are as varied as their demographics, family status, economic level, and educational backgrounds. One of the most consistent research findings in adult learning is that the more education people have, the more likely they will be to continue to participate in a wide variety of…

Despite the fact that people in the United States are living longer, research on the learning projects of the population of individuals 85 years old or older remains sparse and sporadic. The literature that does exist debunks a number of common myths about aging and learning by establishing the following: adults aged 65 and over are a highly…

Three publications on adult education (by K. Patricia Cross, Carol Aslavian and Henry M. Brickell, and Caryl Chudwin and Rita Durant) are reviewed and apparently indicate that American higher education is about to embark on a renaissance of adult learning. In an age of fiscal austerity, however, programs for adults have already been curtailed.…

The extent and distribution of self-reported learning activities in the current Canadian adult population was estimated on the basis of data collected during a 1998 telephone survey of a sample of 1,562 Canadian adults. Random digital dialing was used to give all provinces, households, and individuals within households an equal chance of…

The use of learning technologies in the workplace and their impact on lifelong learning were examined. Data were collected from three sources: the literature on learning technologies and labor market trends affecting the adoption, implementation, and success of learning technologies in the workplace; case studies of 8 Canadian firms with 100 or…

This document is the product of a study that was conducted to identify the target audience of Canada's Office of Learning Technologies (OLT), determine which stakeholders should be involved in developing the OLT's action program; and recommend specific actions for the OLT to take. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the study methodology, which…

Demographic trends, mid-life career changes, increased competition in the labor market, and the idea of learning for its own sake are contributing to new adult learning patterns. Adult information centers and educational brokering services are important links in addressing equal opportunity and effective utilization of learning resources.…