While retrieval practice has been studied for over a century, it has gained a significant body of research within the past fifteen years in cognitive psychology and the learning sciences. However, there is little discussion in its study and application within topics of adult learning. In this article, we examine the historical and philosophical…

This article presents the results of a national study of 39 higher education institutions that collected information about their practices for faculty development for online teaching and particularly the content and training activities used during 2011-2012. An instrument of 26 items was developed based on a review of literature on faculty…

This paper attempts to explain the various concepts related to self-directed learning and also the various theories and models regarding adult participation and also non-participation in self-directed learning programs. Because of the extensive amount of previous literature and research findings dealing with self-directed learning, it is necessary…

The purpose of this article is to present various findings on self-directed learning (SDL). The article contains three main parts: historical foundation of self-directed learning, a summary of various literature reviews on self-directed learning, and an analysis of current research on self-directed learning. SDL has been a significant factor in…

Only eight recent studies clearly fit the parameters of qualitative research on self-directed learning. Four of the studies appear to fit the more traditional notion of what the qualitative paradigm is all about, in that they are exploratory in nature. The remaining four studies focus more on the expansion of earlier ideas that had been generated…

This issue contains interviews with adult educators on contemporary topics in the field. "Beyond the Adult Learner's Dependency" (Shannon Whelan) is an interview with Malcolm S. Knowles, who introduced the term andragogy, the notion that teaching adults is fundamentally different from teaching children. "Self-Directed Learning: The Role of the…

The results of this study suggest that the components of individual methods of adult education should be examined carefully to determine whether they are essential to adult learning, and in what form they should be provided if shown to be necessary. (Author)

The findings of the 1974 study indicated that all nurses surveyed (in Vancouver, Canada) participated in some kind of continuous learning, and more participated in self-directed learning (reading and using audiovisual resource materials) than in group-oriented programs with an instructor. Motives, attitudes, and socioeconomic characteristics were…

A study reanalyzed the 1977 original form of the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) developed by Guglielmino. It questioned whether there is an intracultural and intercultural factorial consistency, whether raters would reconfirm the eight-factor solution, and whether raters would reconfirm the main characteristics of a "highly…

A model is presented to help clarify the concept of lifelong learning. Constructed on the idea that an operational definition of lifelong learning should be based on the locus of control for making decisions about the goals and means of learning, the model is a two-by-two matrix of learner and institution that represents four identified situations…

The functioning of the semi-autonomous learning system (SAAS) at the Centre de Recherches et d'Applications Pedagogiques en Langues (CRAPEL) was surveyed for the academic year 1980-81. Detailed data were collected about learners' aims, language level, and their assessment of the SAAS, as well as about the way they actually used the system. This…

A qualitative analysis of adults' descriptions of their learning activities was conducted to determine those factors that organize nonformal learning but which apparently lie beyond the consciousness of the learner. It was hypothesized that the organizing circumstance (organizing factors external to the learner), rather than preplanning by the…

A study examined the relationship of personal control-of-learning beliefs (learning locus of control) and three separate components of self-directed learning: cognitive strategy use, metacognitive self-regulation, and resource management. Subjects were 88 undergraduate and 2 graduate students from 3 institutions of higher education in Western New…

Describes four experiments conducted in Brazil which used programed instructional materials and compared three instructional approaches--independent study, student-directed study, and the Keller method. Subjects were high school students and adult learners seeking high school equivalency certificates. (JJD)

A study of 97 adult distance learners introduced and evaluated the effectiveness of an embedded study strategy. Determined less experienced learners embraced the strategy and more experienced learners rejected it if it conflicted with existing study strategies, time constraints, or their need for self-direction. Appendices includes the evaluation…