This chapter focuses on the role of online educators as mentors and addresses the potential impact of a mentoring relationship on the development and persistence of adult learners in the online medium.

Transfer of learning continues to be a need among adult learners. All too often, professional development planners, trainers, and educators are criticized for planning and delivering learning experiences with little to no attention rendered to how participants will apply their newly-acquired knowledge and skills. This criticism can be adequately…

The adolescent and adult population with learning disabilities (LD) continues to be underserved and underprepared to meet the demands of postsecondary education. Evidence pertaining to postsecondary education outcomes for the population with LD is extremely bleak. One purpose of this article is to situate thinking about adolescents and adults with…

In this study of peer instructors in three Learning in Retirement Programs, the constructivist elements embedded in Mezirow's theory of transformational learning are examined at the theoretical intersections of transformational learning and developmental constructivism, specifically the work of Robert Kegan, resulting in a suggested developmental…

This article describes a study that examined the lifelong learning of information systems academics in relation to their normal work. It begins by considering the concept of lifelong learning, its relationship to real-life learning and that lifelong learning should encompass the whole spectrum of formal, non-formal and informal learning. Most…

This study examined the nature of power manifestations in a specific online learning setting. The two online classes selected for this study were Master's level courses in a professional school at a large state university in the United States. A total of 1340 postings were made in the two classes over the span of the semester. To test the research…

Mountain Empire Community College (MECC)'s service region covers the extreme southwestern corner of Virginia and includes four counties and one city: Dickenson, Lee, Scott, and Wise Counties, and the city of Norton. With a service region population of 93,000 residents, MECC currently serves over 5,000 students annually (Mountain Empire Community…

The 2011 International Pre-Conference of the Commission on International Adult Education (CIAE), American Association for Adult & Continuing (AAACE), was successfully conducted from October 30-November 1, at the Hyatt Regency, Indianapolis, Indiana. This publication presents the papers presented during the proceedings. These are: (1) Adult…

The expanding field of adult learning encompasses the study and practice of utilizing sound instructional design principals, technology, and learning theory as a means to solve educational challenges and human performance issues relating to adults, often occurring online. This book disseminates current issues and trends emerging in the field of…

Drawing from Bloom's 1956 Taxonomy and Western theories on adult learning, the authors argue that adult teaching methods in China feature a teacher-centered, information-based and test-driven instructional format. An author-designed survey instrument called Lower-Order Thinking Skills and Higher-Order Thinking Skills (LOTSHOTS) was used to…

A study was conducted to determine whether wine experts, already trained in the traditional oenology method, would be interested in learning about wine through multimedia and distance learning. Data were gathered from 113 of the 502 members of the American Wine Society who attended a national conference in November 1995. About 58 percent were male…

This study evaluated the effects of DISCOVER for Adult Learners and System of Interactive Guidance and Information (SIGI) PLUS on career decidedness, vocational identity, and perceptions of computer use for 116 adults seeking services at a self-help oriented career center. Adults were randomly assigned to either DISCOVER for Adult Learners (DAL),…

Adult students learn effectively only when there evolves, in the course which they attend, a framework of reference to experience of the world outside the meeting room by which they can orient, assimilate and make use of what it is they are learning. (Author)

This collection of four papers (each with a response) given at a 1987 symposium focuses on a renewed consideration of literacy in America and its implications for national, state, and local policy. The papers include "Definitions of Literacy" (Richard L. Venezky); "Literacy for What Purpose?" (Larry Mikulecky); "Measuring…

Fairleigh Dickinson University developed a University Core Curriculum which it initiated in the 1987-1988 academic year (the pilot program was operational in the fall 1986 semester). The University Core is composed of four 3-credit liberal education courses: "Perspectives on the Individual," which deals with works ranging from Plato's "Crito" to…