Stimulating thinking related to mathematical content is the focus of many tasks in the mathematics classroom. Beyond such content-related thinking, promoting forms of higher order thinking is among the goals of mathematics instruction as well. So-called hybrid tasks focus on combining both goals: they aim at fostering mathematical thinking and…

Recent research on the relationship between reading and writing in foreign language (FL) context is limited. However, an examination of the issue is critical for FL literacy curriculum design. The present study, contextualized in an English as a foreign language (EFL) test preparation program in China, explores the reading-writing relationship by…

The teaching of English as a second language (ESL) to adult learners in the 21st century focuses on a combination of oral and written skills geared toward success in a variety of settings, including the workplace and post-secondary institutions. The study was intended to determine if specific curricular components recommended for syllabus design,…

This article argues for a flexible model of learning for adults which allows them to make choices and contextualise their learning in a manner appropriate to their own professional practice whilst also developing as a member of a learning community. It presents a design based around online "learning activities" which draws on ideas of…

This paper describes application of innovative practice and procedures in relationship to recognized principles and theory of adult education used in college math instruction. Adult learning principles provide the theoretical constructs and foundation of the practice supporting a learner-centered approach to learning. The purpose was to explore…

This publication summarizes research from AspenWSI's Courses to Employment project, which studied how six community college-nonprofit partnerships work together to help low-income adults succeed in the classroom and the labor market. The report provides an overview of the approach and strategies these partnerships use, how these partnerships are…

This article is based on results from a research project which focused on chemistry teachers and student narratives from lived experience. The purpose was to find a way to make abstract chemistry more meaningful. The project began with six experienced teachers who used narratives and stories as a didactic tool. These narratives stemmed from the…

It is argued that a positive response to lifelong learning policies involves the use of imaginative curriculum design in order to attract learners from disadvantaged backgrounds who are otherwise alienated from higher education. In this article a case study is presented based on the popularity of science fiction within popular culture, beginning…

This series of statements offers a synthesis of the body of currently available knowledge about adult learning in the areas of motivation to learn, curriculum design, and the classroom environment. The section on motivation focuses on the role of life-event changes in encouraging adults to seek out learning experiences, adults' motivation to…

The following six ideas relating to the work of the Cooperative Extension Service are presented: (1) Giving instruction is the Service's major function; (2) Tyler's curriculum and instruction principles are a good guide in developing the instructional function of the organization; (3) Instruction is the principle tool used in influencing behavior…

The use of a developmental curriculum design to teach a direct practice methods course is described. The design is based on the principles of andragogy, which highlights self-motivated adult learning. Students and faculty collaborate in setting and implementing course objectives. (Author/LBH)

An exploration of Project Transition, an outgrowth of the University Without Walls program for adult learners, is presented. The development on nontraditional educational thinking is recounted from a personal standpoint, including the realization that return to education in mid-life often signaled a larger decision to reshape personal identity,…

This planning guide and collection of resources is designed to help higher education faculty become more aware of current research and thinking on adult learning and to participate actively in institutional changes that make campuses, particularly in the California State University system, better able to meet the needs of adult students. Each of…

This preservice manual is intended to help new teachers in the field of adult literacy education understand the dimensions of their teaching situation and provide the education their students need. (Adult literacy education includes adult basic education, high school completion, and English as a second language.) Part I defines adult education and…

This handbook is designed to assist classroom teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) in meeting the needs of their adult students. The handbook is intended for use in a variety of settings and with a variety of teaching styles. The first chapter discusses adult learners' characteristics and the factors affecting their learning. The second…