The sociocultural constructs of race, class, and gender combined with disability create a powerful influence on education and work for adults with disabilities. The emergence of disability studies, rights, and culture challenges adult educators to consider the sociocultural implications of disability. (Contains 34 references.) (SK)

A postgraduate diploma course for trainers offered by the University of East Asia is a learner-centered process in which participants select their own goals and evaluate their own learning experience. Although participants saw the value of an action learning approach, their learning preference was basically teacher centered and the process met…

Three factors affecting the paradigm shift in adult education are the exponential growth of information, changing demographics, and emergence of a philosophy of adult development. The focus is changing from adult education to adult learning, from adult education practitioners to facilitators. Professional organizations must convince funders and…

Focus group interviews with 18 adults in a weekend degree program produced metaphoric themes. Adult education was compared to "blessing" or "penance"; the primary difference between traditional and adult education was seen as a "juggling act"; and "addiction to learning" appeared to be a motivator. The…

Critiques the current debate on adult education. Discusses adult education as an academic discipline, the function of theory in adult education, the clientele, and questions of professionalization in the field. (RW)

Discusses teletraining as an instructional delivery system and provides recommendations for making it more effective. Topics discussed include distance education; research on teletraining; instructional effectiveness; motivational factors; acceptance of technological innovations; perception of teletraining by adult learners; and the importance of…

Essential to effective teaching is a critical examination of beliefs and values that guide practice. A framework for analyzing teaching practice involves examining beliefs about adults as learners, about the aims of instruction, about subject matter, and about the teaching-learning transaction. (SK)

A description is given of a doctoral program in staff development. The purpose of the program is to prepare professionals to become effective change agents. In order for professional staff developers to effect change and growth, they must fully understand the change processes. (JD)

Elaborative interrogation was compared to the construction of imaginary representations to determine its efficacy in fact learning. Four experiments, involving a total of 260 undergraduate students, indicated that elaborative interrogation is equally as powerful a learning procedure as is imaginary representation and that both are useful during…

Adult second language acquirers were asked to read the first two chapters of "A Clockwork Orange," a novel containing a number of slang words of Russian origin. Subsequent testing revealed modest but significant incidental acquisition of nadsat words. (Author/VWL)

The authors review the concept of andragogy and synthesize recent criticisms of this theory. The use of andragogical techniques in job training is discussed. The authors conclude that, despite some weaknesses, andragogy is important in that it makes the teacher sensitive to the needs and interests of the learner. (CH)

Emphasizes the need to encourage early childhood teachers to be active problem solvers and lifelong learners in their work with children. Suggests applying adult education theory to early childhood teacher education, including the concepts of autonomy, rich experience, and practical application of knowledge. Highlights implications and suggests…

Adult learning is problem centered, and adults are motivated by personal growth. Curriculum design should promote information integration, account for learning style differences, and include transfer strategies. Facilitators should offer a safe, comfortable environment, and exercises should have fidelity. (SK)

University adult education programs (n=83) surveyed by telephone indicated the following: 17% phased out the program; students are 12% full time, 88% part time; most offer required/elective courses in adult learning and development theory; only 43 knew of the Standards for Graduate Programs in Adult Education; and only 32 of those used the…

Professional associations are providers of updated and extended professional knowledge, builders of frameworks for enacting knowledge in practice, and change catalysts. Their roles are influenced by their content area, association structure, external linkages, and members' work organizations. (SK)