A study examined how older employees themselves assess the effects of age on their learning at work and job competence and how older workers rate the importance of different aspects of competence. Then the study compared the results of the first two questions by looking at the subjective age-effect ratings on competence aspects of various…

The resurgence of "lifelong learning" has renewed consideration of the nature of "working knowledge." Lifelong learning has many aspects, including construction and distribution of individuals' very self-hood, educational institutions' role in capturing informal experiences, and the juggling required between family and…

A large majority of the world's people are denied access to learning. The link between technical and vocational education (TVE) and individual and workplace economic productivity is well documented. Many countries are experiencing combinations of increasing populations of young people and high unemployment rates. Existing traditions of training…

A study investigated whether adult learners of a second language would judge grammaticality differently in visual and aural judgment tasks. Four groups were tested: English first-language, French first-language, English second-language, and French second-language. Results indicate judgments were slower and less accurate in the aural condition,…

Describes criteria developed to determine which of three existing computer-based training lessons could be repurposed into a multimedia format. Reasons for repurposing, types of criteria generated to determine the instruction's repurposeability, and lessons learned from the evaluation experience are covered. (Contains 13 references.) (KRN)

This article describes the origins, development, and changing directions in the oldest peer-reviewed online journal in adult education. An analysis of journal issues by the first author provides evidence of the impact and legacy that "New Horizons in Adult Education" has had on the field of adult education around the world during the past two…

In Northern Ireland there has been a dearth of evidence on the role of further education colleges in relation to educating adults. Given the existence of a system of education based on academic selection, it has emerged that the "losers" in this process grow up to become adults with reduced self-esteem in relation to how they perceive…

It's that time of year again and "Adults Learning" has once more asked some of the outstanding authors who have contributed to the journal over the past 12 months to nominate their best and most valuable reads of 2004. The authors are: (1) Judith Summers; (2) Thomas Sticht; (3) Alison Wolf; (4) Tom Schuller; (5) Linden West; (6) Brian…

National policy in higher education requires higher education institutions to widen access to adult learners alongside other previously excluded groups, yet gives few indications as to how this should be done. The assumption seems to have been that broadening access is sufficient in itself. In this article we argue that it is possible to construct…

This article reviews current literature and discussion about the policies and sites of Australian adult education and training and their potential impact on the development of social capital in a regional context. The review stems from a current research project examining the impact of participation in adult education by people from diverse…

Environmental adult education (EAE) is a viable solution to the world's mounting environmental problems. EAE is a new and emerging field that is faced with constant changes and challenges. While this change presents practitioners with options for dynamic research possibilities, EAE is such that theory and practice in the field face a potential for…

The importance of feedback as an aid to self-assessment is widely acknowledged. A common form of feedback that is used widely in e-learning is the use of model answers. However, model answers are deficient in many respects. In particular, the notion of a "model" answer implies the existence of a single correct answer applicable across multiple…

The current paper examines the design process that led to an unusually successful interactive tutorial for older people. The paper describes the issues that make designing for older people different. These include differences between the designer and the target population and the difficulty that older people have in interacting with low-fidelity…

The collection of essays on aspects of Vygotskian theory focuses on the theory's application to research on second language learning. Articles include: "Theoretical Framework: An Introduction to Vygotskian Perspectives on Second Language Research" (James P. Lantolf, Gabriela Appel); Collective Scaffolding in Second Language…

This guide for developing programs for adult learners is called "interactive" because it involves cooperation among planners, organizational sponsors, and program participants. The following are among the topics covered in the guide's 14 chapters: understanding the program planning enterprise (who plans programs and how); using the interactive…