When adult learners return to formal education after a period of absence, coping with change is a constant and often omnipresent challenge. As they come to break down previous barriers to success in an educational arena, many adult learners are able to change the perceptions they have of themselves as learners. Previously held assumptions are…

Superintendents are uniquely positioned to establish workplace condition where on-the-job learning can flourish. Given the myriad duties and responsibilities that consume superintendents' typical workday, it is sometimes difficult for them to devote time and resources necessary to stimulate powerful-on-the-job learning experiences for school…

This chapter describes a four-lens model for understanding adult learning theories and provides adult educators and administrators with a useful conceptual framework for working with adult learners in adult degree programs.

The 2010 International Pre-Conference of the Commission on International Adult Education (CIAE), American Association for Adult & Continuing (AAACE), was successfully conducted from October 24-26, at the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort, Clearwater Beach, Florida. This publication includes the papers presented during the conference. These are:…

Chormmunity is a group's collaborative, embodied text-making. It explores interfacings of intention, metaphor, empowerment, inspiration, vision, negotiation, collusion, the propositional, the practical, the experiential, the presentational, the tacit, the sociological, the psychological, epistemology, methodology, and ontology. Chormmunity is…

A participatory action research study of male former tradeworkers studying to be teachers showed how their cultural ideology of toughness, racism, and sexism was moderated through reflection on culturally specific narratives that influenced a transformation in cultural beliefs and practices. (SK)

Discussion of women as adult learners focuses on the adult learning theory of transformational learning as a framework to examine how women develop their careers, especially technology-related careers. Highlights include the role of voice; pathways of women's careers; gender and technology career issues; minority women; and suggestions for…

Autobiography is the imaginative construction of one's life story and the creative expression of lifelong transformative learning. Its use in studying adult transformation raises political and ethical questions and concerns about qualitative methods; it demonstrates the usefulness of conversation as a research process. (SK)

A common outcome of entering post-compulsory education as a mature aged learner appears to be development and growth of the self. However, this is often only viewed as an outcome or considered an added benefit, rather than an integral part of the academic process itself. This paper explores the relationship between academic growth and personal…

A relevant question for educators is how adult learning and education can cultivate change with individuals and groups. M.D. Hohn (1998) identifies four types of change: change by exception, incremental change, pendulum change, and paradigm change. A change agent tries to bring about a change deliberately. The change process is transformative, is…

This case study examines a group of archaeologists working at a new project that strives to be more environmentally friendly and community inclusive, and positions these archaeologists as adult learners who are simultaneously creating a new vision of archaeology and learning to enact new forms of archaeological practice. Using the framework of…

Although many agree that theory, research, and practice should be intertwined to support the type of schooling (and society) that values rather than marginalizes, few scholars offer ground-breaking, pragmatic approaches to developing truly transformative leaders. From a critical theorist perspective, this article offers a practical,…

The possible selves construct is presented as a useful and largely untapped perspective on adult learning. Special attention is given to the role of educational helping relationships in fostering positive possible selves among adult learners.

The theory of transformative learning, the process of making meaning of one's experience, emerged from the work of Jack Mezirow and has been explored through numerous research studies and critiques over the last 20 years. The purpose of this monographic is to provide greater insight into the transformative learning theory. The paper begins with an…

The escalating success of personal coaching and the significant potential it holds as a vehicle for effective learning, appear to have had little impact within educational contexts to date. In response, this paper therefore presents an introduction to personal coaching practice and its outcomes and examines its processes through a discussion of…