The paper reports on the findings of a Learning and Skills Research Centre (LSRC) funded study investigating the impact of different modes and methods of assessment on achievement and progress in post-secondary education and training. Data were collected across Advanced-level academic and vocational preparation programmes in schools and colleges,…

This article was originally presented as a position paper at the Symposium on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Social Development held in Jakarta by the ASEAN Foundation Collaboratory (May 2006). Its main premise is that, while there is growing use of open and distance learning (ODL) in formal and nonformal education and training…

At the invitation of UNESCO in 1997, more than 1,500 representatives of governments and non-governmental organizations attended the Fifth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA V) in Hamburg, Germany. They laid out a strategy for lifelong learning that omitted rights for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender, Two Spirit, and…

This study examined adult students' informal knowledge of percent and its relationship to their computational skills. Sixty adults studying in urban and suburban adult education programs were interviewed to ascertain: (1) their ideas of the meanings of benchmark percents, 100%, 50%, and 25%, as they appear in advertising and media contexts; (2)…

The Medicine Wheel is a Native American legend in which a circle contains countless points each of which represents a different, yet valid, perspective on the nature of reality. According to the Medicine Wheel legend, the north offers the gift of wisdom, the east offers illumination, the south offers innocence, and the west offers introspection.…

This report analyzes the employee training program at the Outdoor Program Centre (OPC) of the University of Calgary and offers recommendations that may be of benefit to other outdoor recreation centers. The OPC offers products and services such as facility access, equipment rentals, instructional and recreational programs, and repair services for…

Lifelong education is a critical issue for higher education. The number of adult learners in university classrooms is and will continue to increase. This paper addresses: (1) the impact of the changes in the cultural diversity of university students; (2) motivations of adult learners for continuing their education, with its implications for…

This study investigated the mental models acquired by adults who were novice Logo learners with particular attention given to their concept of variable. The study focused on two questions: (1) What mental models are apparently employed for the prediction of Logo events by adult students who are able to write and edit simple Logo procedures? and…

Colleges and universities are being challenged to meet the diverse needs of the increasing numbers of adult learners enrolling in developmental education courses. Some administrators have responded to this challenge with administrative units called University Colleges. These units are infrequently discussed in the literature. This article briefly…

Native nonverbal voice properties may interfere with the learning of vocalics of a second language; this is especially true for adults. Without proficiency in and understanding of these patterns, practice of the language will be uncomfortable and frustrating. (MSE)

Andragogy continues to generate discussion and capture the imagination of many adult educators. However, early critics have been joined by an increasing number of educators, researchers, and practitioners who question andragogy's theoretical and practical efficacy. This article reviews the nature of the andragogy debate and advances a revised…

With so much of the student population in the adult learner category, by virtue of age alone, the "mainstream of students" is nearly indeterminable: yet, at many institutions, the "mainstream" of classroom teaching style is not adapted to the adult learner. First, there are the common logistical constraints for adult learners…

Supervision based on self-initiation and self-analysis (SSISA) is realistic and has great possibilities. This manuscript presents a thought process fostering the user's reliance on observed data solicited from another person when making decisions. In this context, supervision helps a supervisee attain professional status most efficiently, using a…

As new types of volunteers come into the field--working people, retirees, executives--new methods are needed to hold their interest and ensure their cooperation while preserving the goals of the organizations they serve. Some of those organizations, especially museums, are using volunteer service agreements to attract and hold volunteers and to…

This paper reviews work completed during the second year of a three-year project on postsecondary learning opportunities for adults. Background information includes perspectives on adult learning, issues of scope and definition, and a brief review of Postsecondary Education Commission projects related to project objectives. A review follows of…