Analysis of data on adults who left school before age 17 and later enrolled in university (New Zealand, n=953; England, n=762) identified factors that influenced reentry. A typology emerged: (1) academically able with financial or other constraints; (2) those uncertain about academic abilities or usefulness of schooling; and (3) alienated,…

Reports on a study of e-readers, or electronic book readers, that investigated strategies adult users applied to reading in the new medium, kinds of texts users read, and text characteristics for e-reading. Discusses the process of reading, purposes of reading, and whether e-readers are viable instructional delivery systems. (Contains 63…

Interviews with participants in extramural archaeology in British universities reveal growth in field-based involvement of adult students from 1943-1975. Since the 1970s, archaeology has been increasingly professionalized, leading to its decline in extramural adult education. (Contains 55 references.) (SK)

Successful accelerated degree programs should be learner focused, market sensitive, accessible, and high quality. They should offer a variety of options and excellent customer service. Key elements include institutional purpose, decision-making process, curricular design, adjunct faculty, marketing, and promotional materials. (SK)

Defining teaching as the facilitation of self-directed learning, the author describes three decision modes for the teacher--direction, negotiation, and delegation--and discusses teacher and student roles in determining the objectives, program, methods, resources, and assessment of learning. (SK)

Math anxiety has serious consequences for those who experience it in daily life, at school, or at work. A cognitive process approach makes knowledge work for the learner, joins skill and content, links motivation to cognition, and uses social communities. (JOW)

The Adult Classroom Environment Scale measures seven dimensions of teacher behaviors or style: involvement, affiliation, teacher support, task orientation, personal goal attainment, organization and clarity, and student influence. Comparison of profiles of students' actual and ideal environments showed that students most wanted involvement,…

The bibliography lists 875 citations from over 40 professional journals and reports on diverse aspects of higher education for adult students. A brief introduction discusses the developmental stages of adult learners and the challenges of researching this diverse population. (MSE)

Vocational education for adult educators should be based on understanding of adult education's philosophical orientations; respect for persons; sensitivity to students' prior experiences, expectations, and sociocultural background; and responsiveness to students as adults. Vocational education programs that are liberal in philosophical orientation…

Discusses a broad spectrum of role expectations and negative assumptions thrust upon the communications consultant hired to teach business communication to adult employees of companies. Suggests useful tactics to deal with these behaviors. (SR)

Models of counseling and training that are sensitive to adult developmental needs are necessary. Peer coaching is being implemented within a traditional counselor training program at California State University. This program integrates the concepts of mentoring and developmental career counseling to promote the career and educational development…

Explored the relationship between personality type and self-directedness in learning in 76 adult degree students. Results showed two personality dimensions strongly correlated with self-directed learning: an intuitive approach toward information gathering and a judging orientation toward subsequent action in the outer world. (Author/ABL)

Describes the application of case analysis to a learner-centered microcomputer-based instructional model. Topics discussed include the use of computer-based case analysis with adult students; case planning; and two sample cases, one a decision-making model and one a technical model. (21 references) (LRW)

A British study of teacher training and staff development needs concluded that there is an urgent need for training community education program coordinators; tutors working with adults with learning disabilities need a foundational training program; and providers should ensure that disability issues are addressed at all stages and levels of staff…

Professionalization, accreditation, and a shift in government support toward work-based skills mean that learner-centered literacy learning is in danger of being subordinated to unsatisfactory purposes in order to retain funding. (SK)