This guidebook is a practical reference for people working on the development and use of literacy materials, such as planners, administrators, writers, illustrators, and producers. Section I on rationale and principle of learning materials covers the following: categories of learners, learning behavior of adults, steps in curriculum development,…

This two-part article discusses the role of the physical environment in adult learning. In the first part, two activities--environment introduction and visualization--are discussed as ways to develop an awareness for improving the learning environment. In the second part, two planning activities--mapping and geometric coding--are discussed as ways…

This report, a review of literature combined with two case studies, poses the question of whether tactual resources-hands-on, manipulative materials--help reduce college attrition and foster development of necessary academic skills. At George Mason University (Virginia), an exploratory, embedded case study was designed to investigate experiential…

This publication is a workbook for those attending a "Helping Adults Learn" Workshop designed to assist higher education faculty and staff in promoting greater access and success for adult learners in higher education. An overview of the workshop describes the purpose, goals (to increase understanding of theory and research on adult…

This book presents a comprehensive survey and analysis of the concept of self-direction in learning. Part 1 (Chapters 1-3) distinguishes uses and meanings of the term self-direction and provides an historical introduction. Part 2 (Chapters 4-7) contains a more careful analysis of the four principal domains of self-direction: personal autonomy,…

Emphasizing the "people" context of the work of librarians in off-campus libraries, this paper argues that intelligent use of technology ought to drive librarians toward a more sophisticated approach to the existing strengths, learning goals, and living and learning style preferences of distance learners as they cope with the stresses of their…

A Livingston, Montana, study on lifelong learning was conducted in two parts. The first part gathered data about the following: (1) what respondents had learned in the previous 12 months; (2) their sources of information and how they rated them; (3) why they initiated learning activities; (4) economic costs and benefits; (5) what they might like…

A study examined the sources of motivation of adults participating in the adult literacy program at the Bob Steele Reading Center (BSRC) in Hartford, Connecticut. The "life cycle" approach used to explore motivation throughout the stages of the literacy learning process included brief case studies focusing on the importance of socioemotional…

This chapter on designing and implementing effective staff development programs is taken from a guide to instruction and services for students with disabilities. The chapter focuses on assessment of staff development needs and identification of priorities for training. Staff development options are discussed in terms of formats (such as workshops,…

Designed for use by adult basic education (ABE) teachers and directors, this publication presents a general overview of the major areas incorporated into the Oklahoma ABE program. Contents include a schematic diagram of ABE administration; ABE philosophy; state and federal guidelines; map of percentages of population 25 years and over with less…

Theories of human cognition and language suggest that there is a gap between the phases of perception and the phases of production of language. Unfortunately, this is often forgotten in language teaching, so that beginners' courses too frequently contain simplified and non-authentic linguistic input to assure that output does not lag too far…

The purpose of this annotated bibliography is twofold: (1) to identify which educational and library science literature deals with the learning needs of college students in libraries, and (2) to identify the extent to which library services have been integrated into the educational objectives and learning practices of Canadian community colleges.…

Some factors that should be considered when administering tests to adults include the following: (1) adults have a difficult time adapting to new things; (2) everyone resists change to some degree; (3) change requires new learning; (4) various things influence a person's ability to learn new things and make changes; (5) childhood events can…

This review provides a picture of what is known about adults' participation in education and training, with a particular emphasis on the vocational. Section 1 focuses on definitions and examines what the literature has to say about who counts as an adult learner and what counts as adult education and training. Section 2 reviews the literature on…

The monograph provides a systematic explication of the underlying standards and principles that have been developed to help adult learners articulate what they know and can do, to clarify their claims to creditable achievement, to help assessors improve the reliability of assessment, and to save assessor time. Ten academic and administrative…