This study (N = 427) examined perceived attitudinal learning gains (i.e., cognitive, affective, and behavioral learning) related to the course topic by comparing a self-paced version of a Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) with a fixed-scheduled version. Independent samples t-tests revealed that those in a self-paced classroom were more likely to…

With reports continually demonstrating increased demand and severity of student mental health needs, it is important to gain a fuller understanding of the impact on embedded student counselling services. The aims of this research were to identify (a) service similarities, (b) factors which impact on services, (c) characteristics of service users,…

Context: Aiming at gaining knowledge about students' thoughts and actions in deciding to stay in or drop out of an educational programme, an empirical study was conducted on dropout among 18-24-year-old students in VET and basic general adult learning. Approach: In order to pursue this aim, the study combined two sets of data--weekly student…

The Children and Families Act (2014) has seen the extension of the role of educational psychologists (EPs) to cover the age range from birth to 25 years. EPs have had to develop and extend their practice to meet the needs of post-16 young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Research on transition from compulsory education to…

Level 4 and 5 qualifications--including Foundation Degrees, Higher National Certificates (HNCs) and Higher National Diplomas (NHDs)--are an excellent route for those not interested (or not yet ready) to embark on a full degree, for mature learners who want to take only a limited amount of time out of the labour market and for employers looking to…

Policymakers at the state and federal levels have expressed concern over the emerging "skills gap"--the mismatch between the job skills employers are looking for and the skills that applicants in the labor market possess. The skills gap is most acute for middle-skilled jobs; that is, jobs that require training beyond high school but less…

This study investigated educational provision and learner self-report factors associated with exam success for adult learners of British Sign Language (BSL) who were enrolled in either Level 1 or Level 2 courses. These levels are equivalent to the first and second year of a United Kingdom General Certificate of Secondary Education qualification.…

This paper reports on research into the operation of English further/higher education, with a focus on the role of partnerships in supporting the massification of higher education. The research draws on the bottom-up policy implementation tradition to provide analysis of the effects on partnerships of a quasi-marketised environment. The rationale…

In this paper, the authors seek to disentangle what they see as contradictory uses of the term "professionalisation" with reference to adult educator development and training (AEDT). They set out to distinguish "professionalisation" from "professionalism," and to identify the locus of control of AEDT in Germany, the…

This concluding chapter discusses the important contribution Black men's voices have made and can make to adult education theory and practice. Particular emphasis is placed on troubling the various factors that contribute to the silencing of those voices.

This chapter addresses the transitions and changes occurring because of technological innovation, how these changes are affecting the workplace, and the skills needed to thrive today. It also presents generational characteristics of adult learners and strategies for adult educators and higher education institutions for effectively dealing with…

This chapter describes the changing nature of adult education theory and practice in the face of complex, disruptive change and explores theories that are suited to tectonic shifts in a period of what we describe as "liquid modernity" in the midst of complex sociocultural-economic-political change in a global environment.

The idea of "sustainability" as a core value has slowly permeated policy and practice at governmental and institutional levels, in public and private policy. However, at times when social and economic crises have revealed the fragility of existing institutions and policies, it is important to consider how sustainability is -- and could…

In Chile, adult education has drastically transformed in recent decades, both in the curriculum reform and in the age of their students. Today, users of this education are no longer working adults who need to complete their studies to work, but they are mostly young teenagers who dropped out of regular education. The problem is that because their…

This article examines the extent to which Access to Higher Education courses can be defined as communities of practice. Other studies have already revealed the importance of mutual engagement and supportive relationships between students and between students and tutors in facilitating learning. While previous studies carried out on Access to HE…