Teachers can nominate parents who have a variety of political and demographic characteristics to serve on school advisory committees. Administrators who have knowledge of group dynamics and of how adults learn will help committees succeed. Outlines basic principles for effective meetings. (MLF)

Discussion of adult learning and education highlights three main issues: foundations, licensure (i.e., certification), and design. Topics discussed include educational theory related to adult learning; the need for additional research in the field of adult education; benefits of certification; instructional design; and the future of adult…

Two studies involving 30 third graders and 26 adults, respectively, assessed whether success at learning to read is related to awareness of phonological structure of spoken language. Differences in phonological awareness appeared to account for much of the variance between good and poor readers at both age levels. (TJH)

In a collaborative approach to supervision of student research, students engage in key themes: mirroring, personal process of inquiry, appropriate methods, internal to external engagement, action to reflection, intellectual competence, and communication. Research supervisors engage in noticing, reflecting, scanning for other themes, and leaving…

Describes training and adult education resources available from ERIC: "Applications of an Adult Motivational Instructional Design Model"; "Visual and Digital Technologies for Adult Learning"; "Applications of Computer-Aided Instruction in Adult Education and Literacy"; and "The San Diego CWELL Project. Report of…

Presents a portfolio assessment model that encourages teachers' professional growth while helping them evaluate their subject-matter knowledge; intellectual and problem-solving abilities; pedagogical skills; curriculum knowledge, insight, and skill; knowledge of learners and learning; and attitudes and dispositions. States that when teachers…

The effects of feedback (explicit correction) on the learning of morphological generalizations were studied in 79 adult native speakers of English with varying levels of proficiency in French. Among the findings was that the learning of absolute exceptions was more likely among advanced learners. (69 references) (Author/LB)

Observation of and interviews with the instructor and seven learners in a retirement center painting class focused on the physical environment, student and teacher-student interaction, and the artwork. Findings revealed a classroom climate characterized by practices for facilitating learning: mutual respect, collaboration, critical thinking, and…

Planning for adult learning necessitates (1) identifying learner needs; (2) specifying aims and objectives; (3) rethinking content from learners' point of view; and (4) consulting and negotiating with adult students. (SK)

Dastoor discusses neurolinguistic programing (NLP), a model for understanding human behavior and a set of communication and learning techniques based on the belief that people have preferred modes of acquiring and processing information. Reed explores learner-centered learning. (JOW)

A group of 30 Nevada teachers participated in a summer institute to explore reservoirs and tributaries of the Truckee River. These river studies increased teachers' awareness of water as the life source supporting numerous living creatures and social, cultural, and political issues. Using their newfound cultural and ecological perspectives to…

A survey of 405 adults and interviews with 19 showed the majority of learning experiences were informal. For learning to be significant, it must personally affect the learner by expanding skills or causing a transformation, and it must be subjectively valued by the learner. (SK)

Five authors relate principles of learning to learn to adult education: "Self-Esteem" (Krupp); "Labor Education" (Nesbit); "Telecommunications Courses and the Distant Learner" (Takemoto); "Learning Techniques" (Rosenthal); and "ABE: Taking Control" (Spring). (SK)

In a survey of 289 adult continuing education students (90 percent response), subjects rated items related to attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction as motivating factors. Findings suggest that adult instruction should stimulate curiosity, be immediately useful, address expectations, be low risk, and allow practice of new knowledge and…

Discusses the role of the instructor in distance education programs and how that role differs from faculty in traditional educational settings. The impact of instructional technology is considered; methods of improving faculty receptivity to and attitudes toward distance education are described; and duties of faculty in distance education are…