Reviews the research on nontraditional (adult) college students. Discusses the recent growth of this student population, adult student characteristics and life situations, learning motivation and achievement of adult students, adult students' preferences in the classroom, and principles of andragogy. Contains 61 references. (SV)

Seeks faculty's understanding of and support for the Work Keys System, which is designed to determine the level of skill required for an occupation, assess the level of a skill of a prospective employee, and compare the skills requirements against the skills possessed. Describes how Work Keys supports various educational philosophies and Knowles'…

Discussion of self-direction in adult education, andragogy, and open learning focuses on a study that examined ways in which new students adjusted to part-time study in Hong Kong. Highlights include results of interviews with students; personal autonomy; time management; developing study skills; and assistance towards self-direction. (Author/LRW)

Describes three typical scenarios in which distance education (DE) is used. Defines elements of DE and provides a rationale for its implementation. Discusses important trends in DE related to technology (i.e., advances in signal transporting and communication systems) and to pedagogy and andragogy (i.e., instructional design and planning for…

Discusses differences in methods that are needed to effectively teach online courses as opposed to traditional classes. Considers the needs of online learners and suggests that andragogy, based on self-directed learning theory for adult learners, is more appropriate for distance education and nontraditional learners rather than traditional…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine the ways in which postgraduate study in vocational fields supports the development of advanced competences amongst mid-career professionals. Design/methodology/approach: The extensive written communications between health and safety professionals taking a postgraduate course in health and safety…

As our understanding of learning focuses on the whole person rather than individual aspects of learning, so the process of learning is beginning to be studied from a wide variety of perspectives and disciplines. This handbook presents a comprehensive overview of the contemporary research into learning: it brings together a diverse range of…

In most churches, Bible and other religious instruction is based on an evangelical model structured on a teacher-centered, lecture-oriented approach that involves treating adults as children and that is thus more consistent with unregenerate human nature than with the born-again nature of Christians. An emancipatory model of Christian adult…

Adults are the most rapidly growing population in American higher education. The National Center for Educational Statistics estimates that adult students will be 46% of all enrollments in the 1990s, which is good reason to give careful thought to their specific educational needs. M. Knowles, in "The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species,"…

Eduard Lindeman (1885-1953) is considered a major philosopher of adult education in the United States. Lindeman advocated the use of adult learning groups and believed that adult education was a force for constructive social action. In his most important work, "The Meaning of Adult Education" (1926), Lindeman discussed four principles of…

A project was conducted to help adult educators in graduate education courses to examine their notions of adult learning, to be lifelong learners, and to engage in self-directed learning. The course was conducted in small self-formed learning groups, and 19 adult learners were observed from various perspectives: through a survey measuring the…

Based on the assumption that something is fundamentally wrong at its definitional roots about the concept of adult education upon which the profession is organized, this paper identifies seven troubling characteristics of the profession. These characteristics, which stem from failure to root the definition in philosophical foundations, are (1) the…

A far-reaching reexamination of teacher education in the United States is underway, stimulated by reform initiatives from within the profession and by criticisms from without. This article raises questions about the place and form of educational psychology in the larger conversation about the thoughtful preparation of teachers. Recent research and…

A study of the attitudes, sensitivity, and institutional response to the educational needs of adults at the University of Wyoming 100 years ago indicates a high degree of concern for and understanding of adult learner needs. Evidence is seen in: (1) specific provisions that were made for adults; (2) sensitivity of faculty and administration to…

This booklet addresses two of the competencies needed by part-time faculty who teach adults. The competencies are adult learning and the need for quality in preparation to assure quality in instruction. The booklet begins with a discussion of just who the adult learners are. The next topic is adult motivation to learn at the beginning, during, and…