Teaching adults should be different if adults learn differently than children do. Theories or perspectives on adult learning, such as andragogy, make a number of assertions about the characteristics of adults as learners. If there are indeed distinctive characteristics of adults, on which claims for the uniqueness and coherence of adult education…

From ancient Greece to the rise of modern science in the 18th and 19th centuries, liberal adult education was a predominant philosophy. Progressivism, which developed in opposition, had the greatest impact on adult education. It viewed the teacher as a guide, consultant, and resource; the learner as responsible for learning in partnership with the…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of an evaluative case study that used an electronic portfolio to enhance the employability of older adults. The evaluation sought to identify programme effects and highlight the factors that were instrumental in generating them. Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative inquiry methods…

This document contains four papers from a symposium on adult learning in the workplace. The first paper, "Measuring Critical Thinking: Is There a Single Instrument?" (Patricia K. Leitsch, Carol A. Lentz), examines two issues: the relationship between tests measuring critical thinking and those measuring readiness for self-directed…

This publication, the first in a series on theory, innovation, and practice in andragogy, is a reproduction of two papers first published in 1971 by Coolie Verner and Catherine V. Davison. The first paper in this booklet explores psychological factors in adult learning and instruction, while the second discusses physiological factors. In the five…

Enrollment statistics and projections confirm the importance of focusing community college student recruitment and retention efforts on re-entry students. Re-entry students are a distinct and growing population whose educational requirements often differ from those of younger, traditional students. The literature on adult learners indicates that:…

This course text outlines the objectives and content for a professional continuing education course on teaching skills for health science librarians. It is intended for librarians planning to teach as peer instructors in library science continuing education, instructors or internship mentors in graduate library school education,…

This paper describes a competency-based program to train local adults as school counselors in the remote areas of Manitoba (Canada). In 1983, the program selected 6 men and 12 women from 15 communities for training; candidates were 23 to 48 years old, with educations ranging from grade 5 to first year university, were well respected in their…

The following 26 papers, with abstracts and references, are included in these proceedings: "Panel: Continuing Professional Education in Cooperative Extension" (Robert L. Bruce, G. L. Carter, Jr., Ronald Jimmerson, Joan S. Thomson); "New Farm Families: Implications for Extension Educators" (Jane W. McGonigal, Robert L. Bruce);…

This manual is designed to provide trainers with detailed information on designing and implementing workshops concerning lifelong learning. The handbook is intended for trainers working as educational, staff development, and organizational development consultants in such orqanizations as human service agencies, business and industry, self-help…

Four main areas are addressed in this guide for learners and mentors in internship experiences in postsecondary education: (1) career orientation and planning; (2) experiential learning theory; (3) individual learning and development; and (4) program implementation and evaluation. Part One of the text identifies the structure of work in…

The Educational Development Questionnaire (EDQ), a 60-question rating scale, was designed to measure the teaching behavior of adult educators in terms of Malcolm Knowles' descriptions of andragogical (self-directed) and pedagogical learning processes. The EDQ was first used during 1978 winter classes by 961 students who rated the teaching behavior…

This book introduces newcomers to the concept of facilitation, and it presents a critical analysis of established and current theory on facilitation for existing practitioners. The following are among the topics discussed: (1) emergence of the field of facilitation; (2) development of facilitation in management; (3) development of facilitation in…

The purpose of this monograph is to serve as a primer for practitioners on the foundational theories of adult learning. It begins with an explanation two lenses through which learning theory is viewed: behaviorism and constructivism. The next section defines andragogy and delineates Knowles's five assumptions about adult learners. This is followed…

This guide is designed for those teaching return-to-study courses for adults. It is divided into two parts. A course guide begins by explaining why past approaches for equipping students for academic success are unhelpful. The approach used in this guide is described by drawing on cognitive psychology, especially about short- and long-term memory,…