Jack Mezirow's (1978, 1991, and 2008) transformative learning (TL) theory was developed with transforming society in mind. However, that intent has been overshadowed by a dominant focus on individual transformation and a rational cognitive approach to critically assessing assumptions as the path to transformation. We (the authors) wonder what…

Aristotle serves as a valuable, and practical, model for mentors of adult learners. His writings give insight into mentoring even as we practice it today. Although he lived in ancient Greece (c. 384 BCE to 322 BCE) and his audience was aristocratic males, the tenets of his philosophy for adult learning hold true in the present age for learners of…

Dimensional ontology is Viktor E. Frankl's theory that contends humans are composed of their biological, psychological, and noological (spiritual) dimensions. Frankl maintains that it is in the noological dimension where humans freely choose their responses to the environmental, psychological, and biological conditions that befall them. Frankl's…

While andragogy varies in meaning and practice from one country and context to another, it usually refers to the field of educating or guiding adults. This article reflects on a novel viewpoint and role for andragogy, taking as its starting point the broader European tradition that includes social welfare and community development. Central to its…

The bifurcation of nature, taken as a gap between the scientific conception and the subjective experience of the world, is according to Alfred North Whitehead, one of the major epistemic fallacies of modernity. This paper draws on insights from Whitehead's process philosophy to map some analytical trails that the author followed in her work on the…

Over 2000 years ago, Aristotle wrote of four distinct causes at play in the world we know. Those causes, the material cause, the formal cause, the efficient cause, and the final cause, were meant to refer to ontological and, by extension, epistemological concerns, and were powerful enough to be seized upon and used in some form by those of very…

Our current cultural climate is marked by a convergence of pressing issues, including the rise of the post-truth situation, which has recently been described as an epistemic crisis (Hoggan-Kloubert & Hoggan, 2023). This conceptual paper outlines why adult education institutions must reclaim the pursuit of truth as undergirded by rationality,…

Adult educators and scholars have long recognized the Highlander Education and Research Center in Tennessee as a model for adult civic education that is transformative for individuals and society. In 2004, researchers at Harvard University identified Highlander as one of the most successful initiatives worldwide with long-term impact on societal…

While contemplative approaches have recently garnered much attention in different areas of transformative education, the interpersonal and relational aspects of contemplative training have received less scrutiny. This article examines the relational dynamics involved in contemplative education from a Lacanian viewpoint. The concept of transference…

Discussions surrounding incarcerated juveniles, education programs, and recidivism are difficult to find. In fact, gathering data is incredibly difficult in juvenile facilities because of high turnover rates and difficult of obtaining permission to conduct studies in juvenile facilities (Calderone, Bennett, Homan, Dedrick, & Chatfield, 2009;…

With school budgets at their tightest and a wealth of choices for teacher Continuing Professional Development (CPD), how do senior leaders make the right decisions on training which will deliver real change to classroom practice? CPD must go beyond adding content and resources to an already overwhelmed curriculum but also consider how teachers…

By repositioning the salonniere as a progressive, feminist educator who employed a constructivist framework to regulate the discourse of the male philosophes who frequented her salon space, this article offers a new vantage point from which to examine her influence on the Enlightenment cause. Feminist historians have insightfully analysed the…

Grundtvig programme are activities aimed at providing adults with ways to improve their knowledge and skills. This study examined the opinions of adults who participated in four workshops on history and culture organized throughout Europe between 2009 and 2014 under the Grundtvig Adult Education Programme and Lifelong Learning Programme of the EU.…

Many adult learners are spouses, significant others, parents, and/or employees with conflicting priorities while they pursue a higher education degree. The attainment of a higher education degree can be difficult for any learner regardless of age and education experience. To find balance in life, one must inventory his or her life activities and…

This chapter presents mindfulness relaxation activities used in a first-year seminar, discusses Eastern ancient meditation methods as alternative Western contemplative inquiry, and suggests teaching practices in adult and higher education for holistic education and well-being.