When adult learners return to formal education after a period of absence, coping with change is a constant and often omnipresent challenge. As they come to break down previous barriers to success in an educational arena, many adult learners are able to change the perceptions they have of themselves as learners. Previously held assumptions are…

A proposed model for adult art education focuses on helping adults learn and practice art throughout their lives. Emphasis is on enhancing self-direction or learner control of the learning process and continued learning. This new construct encourages art educators to recreate their classrooms based upon an appreciation of the varied and…

In teaching adult education classes today the need is no longer for a method of teaching but a method of learning. Classroom procedures should center on the adult student rather than revolve around the teacher. (DS)

The study attempts to demonstrate movement in adult learning from particularization to symbolization to internalization (value choice) through use of a Counseling-Learning Model. Adult resistance to learning is dealt with through application of counseling awarenesses to the learning situation. If the adult learner can be freed from threat to…

Three relatively simple conceptual frameworks are suggested to help trainers diagnose optimum learning situations. At their present stage of development, the models are theories that have not been empirically tested. The models are titled the Integral Learner, Understanding versus Application, and the Diagnostic Cube. (CT)

This paper proposes a model framework, The Ecology of Human Performance (EHP) framework, for organizing adult basic education to utilize the skills of occupational therapists. The paper also includes two responses to the proposed framework by Janet S. Stotts and Cheryl Keenan. Reasons for the inclusion of occupational therapy in adult education…

Describes as research project that examined the types of professional development activities that best meet the needs of instructors involved in online course development. Discusses barriers that prevent instructors from participating, activities that were most helpful, and a collaborative model that allows instructors to learn actively while…

Three factors affecting the paradigm shift in adult education are the exponential growth of information, changing demographics, and emergence of a philosophy of adult development. The focus is changing from adult education to adult learning, from adult education practitioners to facilitators. Professional organizations must convince funders and…

This chapter describes a four-lens model for understanding adult learning theories and provides adult educators and administrators with a useful conceptual framework for working with adult learners in adult degree programs.

This research is part of a larger study of the factors affecting part-time adult learners. It covers a literature review dealing with three areas of factors that might affect adult learners: (i) social and environmental, (ii) traumatic and (iii) intrinsic factors. This produced 36 factors and was followed by a qualitative study to validate and…

This book addresses the "warrior" who rises to the challenge of teaching the adult learner. The discussion is designed as a catalyst for dialogue about the adult learner and to uncover the complexities of teaching this rare and riveting species. This book is organized around three interlocking themes: some things we know about the adult learner;…

Adults have specific and unique motivational needs in instructional settings. As a result, motivating instruction for adult learners should be designed with special considerations. This paper uses an adult motivational instructional design model to demonstrate the application of prescribed strategies into instructional software designed to teach…

This study was designed to explore relationships between type and token frequencies and contextual position effects; specifically, the major question was whether or not vowel cluster pronunciation preferences of adult readers were more affected by frequency of occurrence than by graphemic environment. Two opposing hypotheses were tested regarding…

Provides an interpretative review of the literature of conforming behavior with special attention to implications for adult education. Eight different research areas of conformity research are summarized, and five reasons for conformity and three different kinds of conforming behavior are identified and discussed. (SH)

By locating three possible fallacies associated with the conventional "needs approach" of program planning for adult learners, the present paper proposes a theoretical model that accounts for a possible evolution of real educational needs of learners and identifies varying impacts of the process upon learners' perceived need changes. (Author)