At mid-life, many workers--including those in middle management jobs--face several decades of wearily repeating the same activities and are therefore boxed-in. Now there are signs of interest in breaking out of the box through industrial programs, educational programs, legislation, and counseling. (Author)

The New Careers for Adults program demonstrated that a large number of adults are looking for, and are responsive to, a group career exploration process designed to direct people into occupational educational training programs. (Author)

Examines differences between 70 more- and less-generative adults through a new coding system for analyzing themes of agency and communion in significant life-story scenes. The study revealed that highly generative adults express greater levels of the communion themes of dialog and care/help and greater levels of agency/communion integration. (LSR)

This article presents scenarios that rationalize a developmental approach to giftedness. It argues that in order to be gifted, one needs to be increasingly active in one's own development as an adult. The implications of viewing giftedness as developing from being to doing are discussed. (Contains references.) (CR)

Considers effects of physiological and psychological factors on aging and sexuality and addresses the needs of special population groups, such as single older persons and those residing in institutions. Discusses the importance of a holistic and developmental framework that stresses potential for personal growth, intimacy, and sensual enjoyment…

This article describes a collaborative research action study, Action Research on Change in Schools (ARCS). Findings indicate teachers at different developmental stages reacted differently to collaborative action research, behaved differently in action research teams, and understood the goals and outcome of research differently. (IAH)

Discussion of the field of adult education and its implications for practice and research in distance education focuses on general characteristics of adult learners. Highlights include individual change and development in adulthood; the impact of life experiences; the significance of the social context; and effective instructional practices for…

An approach to developing the technological skills of school personnel by promoting individual growth is explored. Considerations in planning technology staff development activities include focusing on instruction rather than hardware and software, involving everyone in the planning process, offering a variety of educational experiences, and…

Examined validity of Adult Career Concerns Inventory (ACCI) and Career Adjustment and Development Inventory (CADI) as measures of adult vocational development by comparing responses of 124 salespeople to inventories and to measures of work adjustment. CADI clearly seemed to measure vocational development; ACCI seemed to measure concern about…

Three strands of practice and theory--adult learning, women's development, and feminist pedagogy--contribute to development of a learning environment attuned to women's needs. Instead of concentrating on information storage/retrieval, alternative education should focus on requiring fourth-level consciousness: ability to choose how, whether, and…

Considers traditional approaches to identity across life span, then presents discursive perspective showing how, during interaction, individuals actively construct age-salient identities for themselves and others through talk. Conversational processes of age-identity management are explored in corpus of geriatric medical outpatient consultations.…

Interviewed Hindu religious renunciates living in Varanasi and Pondicherry, India. Analysis of excerpts from three representative interviews indicated that these men rated as highly mature by Western developmental models, but Western correlates of life satisfaction were not found to hold for these men. Considers implications for Western aging,…

This article reviews several research studies on the achievement of gifted females. Factors that appear to contribute to lower achievement in career and profession include lower aspirations, lack of mentors, pressure to put energy into family, and poor self-esteem. Stressed are the different timelines for achievement experienced by many females.…

Argues that adult education must be concerned with coordination of adult development and social development. Suggests that the functions of adult education are adjustment to social needs, economic growth, enriched intellectual content, and enhancement of individualization. (SK)

Describes the use of David Savageau's book, "Retirement Places Rated," as a tool for teaching U.S. regional geography. Discusses factors used to evaluate and rate regions as retirement destinations. Includes two project assignments used in a college-level course titled "Geography of the Aged." (CFR)