This paper explores the role of autonomy in teachers' Continuing Professional Development (CPD), specifically through practitioner research in the UK Further Education (FE) sector. By addressing challenges such as performativity and 'best practice,' it argues for a model of CPD that emphasises teacher autonomy, allowing for self-reflection,…

This paper uses a thematic narrative analysis approach to explore the experiences of individuals who support those living with literacy gaps in Australia. Themes of collective shame and responsibility surrounding adult literacy gaps, as well as the communicative expertise and critical reflexivity developed by supporters in their roles, are…

This article engages in an examination of reflecting upon a researcher's honesties within the context of conducting an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The purpose of this article is to outline how a researcher's reflexivity and awareness of emotions is central to IPA research which investigates Further Education practitioners' lived…

Adult education takes place in various contexts. Prisons are one of them. This article reports on research carried out in a prison of Portugal, which sought to understand and answer the following question: given the lack of prior academic and, in many cases, professional training that prepares teachers to work in such an educational context, how…

Workplace learning is a critical aspect of both continuing professional education and human resource development. However, often providers, scholars and even the learners themselves pay little attention to the learning that actually happens in the workplace. The study sought to obtain insights into workplace learning of Adult Education and…

Despite the clear and obvious need for adults to be proficient in numeracy, international studies suggest that many continue to struggle in this area. In Ireland, one of the main challenges continues to be the availability of effective adult numeracy education. This is a diverse sector, and little is known about the varied provision of adult…

A key commitment of the Adult Literacy for Life Strategy (2021) is to reduce the number of adults in Ireland with unmet numeracy needs from 25% to 12%. One of the main challenges in achieving this is the varied provision of adult numeracy education. Many numeracy practitioners are either employed parttime or are volunteers with few opportunities…

This article provides an overview of major dimensions of the professional development of adult educators identified in European policy documents, relevant reports and research. The author reviews the relevant policy visions of the past two decades, aiming to determine the extent to which professional development of adult educators is visible in…

Anchored on Mondlane's biological mother's advice that he ought to 'go to school in order to understand the witchcraft of the white man, thus being able to fight against him' and on the argument that what he learned as a child informed his learning as an adolescent and as an adult, this study developed a profile of Eduardo Mondlane as a lifelong…

Purpose: Mentoring processes and relationships can prove crucial to teachers in the initial phases of the teacher education continuum. Limited research exists regarding mentoring in further education and training (FET) in Ireland. This paper attempts to address this gap, illuminating and unpacking the "mentoring stories" of five teachers…

Understanding early school leaving (ESL) remains a key issue on political and academic agendas. Most research focuses on the experiences of young people who intend to leave or have left school early without a qualification from secondary education. In addition, most studies focus on regular secondary schools. We aim to add to this literature by…

This article draws together the diversity of practices and experiences presented in the previous articles. We identify the challenges and opportunities facing adult educators in Latin America and the Caribbean in a context of growing social movements and discuss the potential relevance of these practices and experiences for US adult educators.

Singapore, like many other countries in the world, is on a journey towards a culture of lifelong learning to keep its workforce competent, resilient, and future-ready in the rapidly changing world of work. In order to realise this, a significant amount of resources has been invested to the training and adult education (TAE) sector. The TAE sector…

As Australia's population becomes increasingly diverse, this paper examines how adult education can foster belonging, community, and empowerment for CALD learners -- a critical issue with broad societal implications. While Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) adult education aims to empower learners, this paper uncovers the complex…

In Pakistan, adult literacy programs are designed to empower individuals for personal, familial, and societal development; however, these programs continue to struggle with persistently low participation rates. This study uses a descriptive qualitative approach to explore the underlying factors contributing to this issue. Forty-five participants,…