Learning is a complex, subjective process. An important perspective on learning is that anyone, regardless of their level of education, can participate in learning about science and contribute to their community. The public increasingly looks towards online resources to find answers to challenges, so it is necessary that people become empowered to…

The development visions of universities, the growing heterogeneity of learners at all levels and changes in higher education are increasing expectations of academics' professionalism and their teaching practices. Learning experiences and teaching practices at university influence further choices and support continuing lifelong learning of…

The learning needs for adults that result from the constant increase in technology are rooted in the adult learning concepts of (a) andragogy, (b) self-directed learning, (c) learning-how-to-learn, (d) real-life learning, and (e) learning strategies. This study described the learning strategies that adults use in learning to engage in an online…

A generational shift is occurring in training environments worldwide, a shift that promises to bring with it a dramatic and long-lasting impact. Just as years ago, those of the Baby Boomer generation passed the torch to Generation X, today the process is starting anew with Generation X and those who have come to be known as the Millennials.…

This phenomenological study describes seven stages of learning to teach at the university level. Through the use of narratives, twelve Canadian university professors reveal their beliefs and attitudes about teaching and learning as they struggle to become better teachers within various academic settings. The purpose of the study was to develop a…

This book addresses the "warrior" who rises to the challenge of teaching the adult learner. The discussion is designed as a catalyst for dialogue about the adult learner and to uncover the complexities of teaching this rare and riveting species. This book is organized around three interlocking themes: some things we know about the adult learner;…

Adult students learn effectively only when there evolves, in the course which they attend, a framework of reference to experience of the world outside the meeting room by which they can orient, assimilate and make use of what it is they are learning. (Author)

The article considers some basic principles necessary for sound learning in adult basic education. Educational traditions prevalent in Quebec are also discussed and changes are suggested. (Author/MW)

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the nature of learning discovered by recent graduates participating in a symphony orchestra-initiated development program that is designed to nurture them through the transition to becoming professional orchestral musicians. Design/methodology/approach: Using a qualitative case study approach, the authors…

Training represents a significant portion of the adult education market, yet many believe the principles of training are not aligned with principles of adult education. A literature review supports the inclusion of training within the adult education field by comparing their respective philosophies and aims, their assumptions about adult learners…

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of distance education (DE) is that it is characterized by noncontiguous communication between the supporting organization and its students. A theory of DE must include phenomena and concerns that are internal to its practice and can also embrace external conditions influencing or being influenced by DE. In view…

This report examined adult learning principles which were developed through an analysis and synthesis of the literature in adult education, andragogy, teaching and learning, and other related fields. The report consists of six sections. The first section deals with background assumptions relevant to the field of adult education and adult learning.…

Despite the lengthy existence of the concept of lifelong learning, there is still no one generally accepted theory of education as a lifelong process. More than an extension of adult education, lifelong learning rests on the belief that learning occurs throughout life, in different ways and through different processes. The key notion in lifelong…

This paper presents the findings from a project investigating management development for SME managers using an action learning programme, combining both face-to-face workshops and a virtual action learning environment. This programme was undertaken as part of the ENSeL (Engaging Networks for Sustainable eLearning) project, which was supported by…

The "biography of place" can be available in the objective (currently valid and predominant) history of a given region of residence or it can be created by individuals in the process of reflections on their own social identity, which is defined by their place of living. Each perspective is conditioned by an epistemological and…