Originally aimed at young learners, Robert Schumann's maxim that "There is no end to learning" also applies to increasing numbers of people beginning and continuing to learn music as adults. This article presents a discussion on how researchers in the field of adult education discuss the adult learner and learning. Topics include: (1) adults'…

The online educational environment is increasingly being used by adults and should be designed based on the needs of adult learners. This article discusses andragogy, an important adult learning theory, and reviews three other adult learning theories: self-directed learning, experiential learning, and transformational learning. During this…

To determine the optimal uses of educational hypermedia for older adult learners, it is prudent to conduct research focusing on this particular participant group. However, the value of research findings, especially in cross-sectional studies, may depend on attentiveness towards the specific needs of older adults. Ignoring these needs may lead to…

An important issue for adult education teachers is the capability of the instructor to choose appropriate methodology to suit both the student and situation. A review of research dealing with adult learners is presented along with implications for adult preparation programs. (DF)

The adult learner can profit from instruction and novel experience. A number of educational delivery models were discussed. Aids in learning coupled with teaching strategies were suggested for inclusion in the design of learning environments. The emphasis is on maximization of capacity through recognition of individual differences. (Author/RD)

One way to approach the question of whether teaching adults is different is by examining the types of learning in which adults engage. Adult learning has been classified as subject oriented, consumer oriented, and emancipatory. Only emancipatory education has been described as unique to adulthood, but even that claim has been challenged. As a…

Malcolm Knowles is attributed with developing the most cogent model underlying the assumption that teaching adults should differ from teaching children and adolescents. His andragogical model is based on the premise that adult learning differs from preadult learning. Two studies have examined whether teachers do actually use a different style when…

The symposium celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Division of Continuing Education at the State University of New York at Buffalo; changes in higher education during those 50 years have moved adult learning into a primary area of attention. Traditional lines of learning are bluring and assumptions about the adult learner are rapidly changing.…

Malcolm Knowles claims andragogy is the art and science of teaching adults and sets out six assumptions. However, andragogy is not all about learning--the assumptions demonstrate how the theory lays out a humanist view of learners and their potential for growth, with implications for teaching, social philosophy, and human relationships. Andragogy…

This paper examines what is known (and not known) about adult college students. It reports on a study which compared different age groups in different types of institutions and reviews the research about how adults learn and methodologies for teaching adults. The study compared age distributions at four Texas institutions: the University of North…

Discusses the basic concepts of andragogy, or the teaching of adults. Topics include differences between children and adults; characteristics of adult learners, including time perspective, motivation, being self-directed, and experienced in life skills; and effective program design for adults. (LRW)

There are 900 million illiterate people in the world. Because of reflective insights and creative research during the last two decades, the literacy process is no longer conceived as a training process that concentrates exclusively on implanting specific mechanical skills. It is now recognized as an educational process, as an unfolding of human…

Examines the perceptions of instructors and administrators regarding self-directed learning modules for adult and younger students, comparing the modules' perceived effectiveness, benefits, and challenges. Addresses the issue of personal freedom versus the need for focus and guidance, finding that adult learners reported no freedom versus focus…

Teaching adults should be different if adults learn differently than children do. Theories or perspectives on adult learning, such as andragogy, make a number of assertions about the characteristics of adults as learners. If there are indeed distinctive characteristics of adults, on which claims for the uniqueness and coherence of adult education…

This guide is designed for those teaching return-to-study courses for adults. It is divided into two parts. A course guide begins by explaining why past approaches for equipping students for academic success are unhelpful. The approach used in this guide is described by drawing on cognitive psychology, especially about short- and long-term memory,…