Bows and Arrows is an Australian parent education program that seeks to provide a supportive environment for discussion and exchange, opportunities to reflect on parenting behavior, development of skills and strategies, and awareness of community supports for families. The course recognizes the range of learning styles and the value of adults'…

Presents an interview with Stephen Brookfield, an expert in the field of critical thinking. Defines what a critical thinker is, according to Brookfield's perceptions. Emphasizes that critical thinking is an open-ended process. Concludes with a plea for critical thinking to be promoted both within and outside of the classroom. (PA)

The metaphor of the learning society is in danger of being reduced to recurrent education and training for vocational skills, focused on the learning of individuals. What is lost is a focus on how societies learn and adapt or fail. (SK)

Principles are (1) develop a philosophy; (2) understand the uniqueness of adult learners; (3) eliminate load factors; (4) provide vision; (5) be authentic and credible; (6) provide challenges; (7) foster praxis; (8) know how learners experience learning; and (9) encourage independence. (SK)

Attendance at conferences provides opportunities for developing listening, notetaking, and questioning skills as well as confidence and self-esteem. Planning conferences provides other experiential learning through such roles as entrepreneur, administrator, troubleshooter, and organizer. (SK)

Heuristic research is a highly autobiographical investigation of one's experience with a question or problem. This article examines the basic concepts and processes of heuristic research (in adult education), including self-dialog, tacit knowing, inverted perspective, intuition, indwelling, and focusing. Heuristic research design phases involve…

Cooperative extension agents in four areas (agriculture, 4-H/youth, family living, county directors) completed Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (n=211) to identify learning style preferences to develop the best ways to present state-level inservice education. (SK)

Effective learning environments for older learners should (1) be based on constructivist principles; (2) recognize adults' attachment to their world view; (3) realize they are accustomed to setting priorities; (4) involve facilitating and coaching; and (5) introduce newer teaching-learning methods. (SK)

ExecutiveLink(TM) is a learning community of farm businesses engaged in nonformal education. Social capital is developed through shared language and experiences, the building of trust, self-development, and identification with the community. (SK)

An action research project sought to create a learning culture in a hospital. Adult learning principles and facilitation of learning at and from work were emphasized. Although the hospital's top-down management eventually ended the project, active staff participation in learning was begun. (SK)

Constructivism is congruent with adult learning theory and has potential for self-directed learning and development of metacognitive skills. Nursing education within a constructivist framework can help nurses develop into experienced practitioners by tapping their knowledge base from life experience. (SK)

Lists resources on African-American adult education in three categories: 12 in history, 6 in philosophy, and 8 in adult learning and development. Suggests using the sources to provide culturally grounded African-American perspectives in adult education. (SK)

Examines differences among types of critical reflection, the role of critical reflection of assumption (CRA) in the transformative theory of adult learning, and philosophical foundations of CRA. (SK)

Women participating in a management development program (n=25) and 19 of their mentors identified the dynamics of the mentor relationship and positive/negative outcomes. A conceptual framework for mentoring was developed, including statement of objectives and processes of selection/orientation, goals/tracking, networking, and closure. (SK)

A British project to develop a learning community had to overcome challenges of trust, lack of participation by young men, and the tendency to be led by funding. Project lessons include the following: community learning is community development; providers are co-learners; and information technology is an inspirer and an equalizer. (SK)