The Commission on International Adult Education (CIAE) of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) provides a forum for the discussion of international issues related to adult education in general, as well as adult education in various countries around the globe. These papers are from the CIAE 2020 Virtual International…

Representatives from Manitoba seniors' organizations and the University of Manitoba collaborated on a proposal to examine the participation of older adults in learning activities. The initiative led to a series of studies on this theme, including an exploration of participation at a seniors' centre (Sloane-Seale & Kops, 2004), a comparison of…

The literature was studied to investigate some of the significant factors that affect participation of the non-institutionalized older person in lifelong learning programs. Sources were fairly recent (1975-80) abstracts, journals, textbooks, ERIC documents, and SCAN (The Social Gerontology Resource Center). The age-span under consideration was age…

To examine characteristics and needs of participants and potential participants of nineteen lifelong learning centers in Lake County, Ohio, a study was conducted. Because of the great variety of agency offerings, no attempt was made to summarize or analyze results. A descriptive format was used, and agencies were encouraged to examine performance…

This report reviews the research needs related to learning in the years beyond the age of compulsory schooling. The first of three sections provides a research overview and suggests research needs. The review is organized around three perspectives: learners, providers, and the societal context. It is stated that much early research focussed on…

In 1995, there were 107 universities of the third age (U3As) in Australia (up from 104 in 1994) and Australian membership in U3A groups totaled 26,346 (compared to 20,788 in 1994). U3A membership in New Zealand was also up. In view of the increasing popularity of U3As in Australasia and the success of U3A networks in a number of countries…

Factors influencing 834 Swedish men to participate in organized adult education programs on a life-long basis were studied. Indicators of social origins, cognitive ability, formal youth education, occupational status, job satisfaction, and attitudes toward education collectively explained little of the variation in participation. Factors possibly…

While recent research on why adults participate in continuing education programs does not provide educational planners with any easy prescriptions for programing success, it does suggest some broad directions for more effective program development, particularly in relation to needs assessment, the promotional aspect of marketing, and the design…

The recommendations are a product of the 19th General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization held in Nairobi, Kenya in 1976. They are intended to help member states give effect to the stated principles. In abbreviated form, a few recommendations from the ten sections are (1) adult education must be seen…

Three papers discuss the needs, interests, and participation of adults in learning activities. Generally, the papers deal with influences upon the possible demand for lifelong learning in the future. In the first paper K. Patricia Cross synthesizes findings from thirty-one state and national studies concerning the patterns of participation and…

Great Britain's National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) generally accepts the vision and analysis in the British government green paper "The Learning Age." The NIACE accepts the paper's analysis of the challenges facing Great Britain if it is to become a learning society, and it welcomes the government's commitment to…

In England, adult education became widespread as industrialization fed the demand for popular democracy. A marked shift from practical to leisure-based adult education occurred after World War II. More recently, policymakers have acknowledged the broader aims of education, including social inclusion and creation of a learning society. More than…

The 1999 National Household Education Survey (NHES) was a random-digit-dialed telephone survey of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population of the 50 states and District of Columbia. Respondents were asked about their participation in the following six types of adult education (AE): (1) English as a second language; (2) adult basic education,…

Participation in adult learning in the United Kingdom in 1996-2001 was analyzed by reviewing practitioners' views, the findings of national surveys conducted by the National Institute for Adult Continuing Education, and the findings from other surveys and research conducted over the past decade. The key conclusions analysis established that the…

Data from the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) were analyzed to compare the incidence and volume of continuing education (CE) and training among adults in the following countries: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The following were among the…