This article addresses major philosophical orientations and shows how they have practical import for practitioners of adult education. The philosophical approaches presented are conceptual (linguistic) analysis, phenomenology, hermeneutics, critical theory, and existentialism. References are made to selected works by writers in adult education who…

Malcolm Knowles is attributed with developing the most cogent model underlying the assumption that teaching adults should differ from teaching children and adolescents. His andragogical model is based on the premise that adult learning differs from preadult learning. Two studies have examined whether teachers do actually use a different style when…

For many people mathematics is something like a very huge and impressive building. It has a given structure with lots of levels and rooms. For many people this structure and therefore mathematics itself is independent from society, culture and history. It exists and mathematicians try to recover (not: to construct!) new parts of it. From this…

Most teachers of adult professionals have been teachers of a younger student population. The characteristics of adult learners and their learning process necessitates other considerations in the designing of learning experiences. Additionally, the content to be learned and the responsibilities of the teacher are essential considerations in…

The effectiveness for adults of several instructional television segments is assessed. The results have significant implications for those doing programming for instructional television for adults. (Author/DEP)

As a contribution to research on the reading behavior of adult beginning readers, two experiments were performed with adults reading on the first, second, and third grade levels. The experiments sought to determine whether the pattern of developing strategies in these adults differed from evolving patterns in children learning to read; differences…

A summary of literature concerned with the learning abilities of disadvantaged adults showed no definitive evidence to suggest that they have any less ability to learn than other adults. A paucity of research relating to this problem is noted. Recommendations for future research include the development of long-term, extended training studies to…

This document is a tentative effort to lay out some of the components and implications of the "learning how to learn" concept. It is intended to be used in theory building and practical applications in the realm of adult education. Four chapters are included: The Concept (with the subheadings Concerning Terminology, The Learner's Needs, Some…

Ways to motivate poor rural workers to establish organizations to promote their interests are discussed, along with a review of workers' education programs and methods of teaching adults. (MF)

Outlines the contents of a one-week course called "Survival Spanish," which was taught to retired persons in an Elderhostel program. Differences in learning strategies between and presentation of material to adults and children are discussed, with specific emphasis on the older learner. (SED)

Describes a San Diego Community College course on teaching techniques for vocational instructors. The course features six teaching competencies: (1) organizing course content, (2) using various instructional delivery techniques, (3) understanding the adult learning process, (4) using instructional media, (5) giving effective tests, and (6)…

Reviews the theoretical foundations of current-second language acquisition models. Draws upon this research as well as upon various studies of memory and verbal-input processing to present a theoretical model of adult second language comprehension. Discusses the implications of comprehension theory for second-language teaching. (Author/SED)

Analysis of 119 questionnaires showed that adult learners preferred an eclectic theoretical approach to teaching and learning, endorsed learning by insight, and favored instruction combining lecture and discussion. These results were similar for males and females, graduates and undergraduates, and three age groups (20-40, 41-60, and 61 and older).…

Argues that adult literacy instruction should develop slowly over time and begin in the expressive and poetic discourse modes. (HOD)

Why do some of adult learners successfully accomplish their learning while the others drop out? This has been an important question in the field of adult learning. For a long time researchers have been exploring this subject around learning barriers as well as motivations. Not until lately did some of the adult and distance scholars start to pay…