Three years of helping faculty members at a state university learn computing technology yielded the following lessons: (1) for faculty members, the ownership of a computer is an emotional event during which computers are viewed successively as glorified typewriters, status symbols, and tools; (2) even to highly knowledgeable individuals, learning…

This guide builds on the framework for evaluating technology effectiveness in K-12 schools as described in the Council for Educational Development and Research's publication, "Plugging In: Choosing and Using Educational Technology." The revised framework is designed to provide encouragement and some rudimentary guidelines for critical thinking…

Aimed at adult education practitioners engaged in graduate study, this book draws on the field of developmental psychology to provide new insights into the critical connections between experience and learning in adult education and training. Chapter 1 introduces the role of psychological development in adult learning, investment of "self" in…

A team of three organizers and a panel of five experts representing scholars and practitioners from multiple disciplines participated in an innovative session that explored performance at multiple levels in organizations. The session objectives were as follows: (1) raise participants' awareness of multilevel approaches to the study of…

Malcolm Knowles claims andragogy is the art and science of teaching adults and sets out six assumptions. However, andragogy is not all about learning--the assumptions demonstrate how the theory lays out a humanist view of learners and their potential for growth, with implications for teaching, social philosophy, and human relationships. Andragogy…

These four newsletters focus on issues related to adult basic education and the challenges faced when teaching adult learners. The first issue looks at the characteristics of learning disabilities, providing information to help teachers determine whether a learner has a learning disability and who might be appropriately referred for testing. The…

This document is the final performance report for a Field Initiated Studies (FIS) project that addressed the need for a better assessment of public library services for adult lifelong learning in majority-minority and lower income library market areas. After stating the major educational problem addressed by the FIS project, the report lists the…

This monograph describes a professional development model that supports educators and families in learning and growing together. It offers a theoretical framework and practical guidance for renewing the capacity of schools to produce positive results for all children. It embraces principles of collegiality, inquiry, learning, and community. Part…

The impact of travel on older adults was examined through semi-structured interviews of a purposively selected sample of eight individuals ranging in age from 56 to 89 years. The interviews were designed to determine whether interviewees' travel had resulted in any transformative learning experiences. The participants (three Caucasian married…

This paper outlines the background of an early years training program being implemented in inner city and rural settings in the United Kingdom. The paper is based on 5 years of observations, interviews, meetings, and training initiatives with educators and parents. In their comments, educators and parents often attributed their lack of…

This paper examines what is known (and not known) about adult college students. It reports on a study which compared different age groups in different types of institutions and reviews the research about how adults learn and methodologies for teaching adults. The study compared age distributions at four Texas institutions: the University of North…

This statement examines the nature and impact of foreign language proficiency and personnel shortages in the Army, State Department, Central Intelligence Agency, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), discussing strategies used to address these shortages and efforts made to address current and projected shortages. All four agencies reported…

This paper discusses motivation of adult learners. The first section discusses the adult learner, including the concepts of andragogy and pedagogy, as well as student-centered learning. The second section summarizes changing student demographics and predictions. The third section presents principles of adult learning. The fourth section covers…

Recently, the topic of reflection and the development of reflective practitioners have received a great deal of attention. Four elements are central to critical reflection: assumption analysis, contextual awareness, imaginative speculation, and reflective skepticism. Definitions of critical reflection often reveal differing theoretical…

The impact of the war and its sudden ending has increased the need for educational readjustment work among veterans and industrial workers who desire more secondary education or need high-school credit or diplomas as prerequisites for entering various occupations or for further training. In an effort to ascertain what policies were being put into…