Adult learning in residential conference centers is enhanced when a philosophical basis underlies their design. Six integrated elements for the development of learning sanctuaries are historical context, educational program, physical environment, support services, technology, and human resources. (SK)

Romero's overview of adult developmental theory stresses the work of Erikson, Havighurst, Loevinger, Perry, Kohlberg, and Cross. Rossman and Rossman discuss the development of their Adult Learning Inventory with an extensive source summary for its 4 factors and a 62-item bibliography. (SK)

Rebutting responses by Guglielmino, Long, and McCune to his earlier criticism of the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale, Field reviews the effect of homogeneity in the scale's factor structure and of negatively phrased items and concludes that the scale does not measure readiness for self-directed learning. (SK)

In a community center, older adults developed and presented dramatic sketches illustrating quality of life issues such as health, employment, money, family life, leisure, and aging. The development process enabled group members to put their life experiences in a wider perspective and the presentation served as a tool to open discussion in the…

The biographical method derives information from life histories to understand how and why adults transform themselves. Three types of transformation are (1) old-new, transforming new information to a familiar, safe environment; (2) home-abroad, achieving emancipation by exploring unfamiliar environments; and (3) inside-outside, elaborating a…

A review of five obstacles to teacher change (poorly planned staff development, reluctance to change, teacher isolation, failure to address adult learner needs, and rigid expectations) offers suggestions for combatting them and describes one school district's program which overcame these obstacles. (Author/CB)

Responding to Field's criticism of the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS), Guglielmino cites evidence supporting the scale's validity and reliability, Long notes gaps in Field's literature review, and McCune critiques Field's approach to factor analysis in testing the scale. (SK)

Discussion of how learner and teacher communicate in distance education focuses on Morre's concept of transactional distance in light of recent developments in telecommunications. Integrated telecommunications systems are described, adult learning and instructional transactions are discussed, and system dynamics are presented as a tool for…

Discusses how to design interactive video materials for adult learners. Highlights include capabilities of interactive video; characteristics of adult learners; allowing adults to set their own goals; establishing a need to know; linking new information to prior knowledge; and individual responsibility for learning.(LRW)

The quality of marriage and family life depends on the quality of the relationship between the adult partners, who create the emotional environment. A marriage education program based on adult learning principles should be a continuing process reaching into each developmental stage of the family life cycle. (SK)

In a comparable case-study approach, 174 adults answered open-ended questions identifying that (1) degree of self-directed learning was not age related; (2) some emphasized mutual responsibility for learning; (3) learning experiences were largely problem centered; and (4) experience was integral to their learning. (SK)

Reviews current elements of administrative thought and practice, aiming to provide a comprehensive outline for new programmatic ventures in educating future principals. Describes an existing nontraditional leadership preparation program at Butler University that allows students to work cooperatively on projects, learn through self-direction,…

The biggest obstacle to democratic access to literature is cultural fear. Adult education may be an effective means of dispersing fear and ensuring common ownership of a cultural heritage. (SK)

Research since 1980 on gender and learning styles of students over age 18 is reviewed for commonalities in theory and research methodology. In addition, a quantitative meta-analysis was undertaken on two measures of learning style and study behavior to determine the direction and magnitude of gender differences in various samples. (Author/MSE)

Applications of the process model of experiential learning in various adult learning settings are illustrated: teacher education, settings using educational technology, adventure programs, adult literacy education, and diversity training. (SK)