This book describes the framework for an individualistic approach to learning--critical self-directed learning (SDL). A preface explains what is meant by "critical practice of SDL," describes educational streams that have fed into the concept, and situates the context within which the ideas about critical SDL developed. The order of the chapters…

This book describes several curriculum models currently used in the field of adult education in an effort to assist adult educators who develop curricula as a routine part of their jobs. The book is divided into 14 chapters that are grouped into 7 sections. Each section covers a type of educational program, and each chapter describes a specific…

In distance education to date, the nature of teaching and learning in all academic domains has largely been understood in terms of behaviorist theories, more recently drawing on cognitive science from which principles and models for course design have been derived. This paper takes as its starting point contemporary critiques of such 'traditional'…

From the smallest plankton to the most massive whales, marine biology is the study of the flora and fauna, the living creatures of the ocean. This Zephyr self-directed study unit was developed to bridge the gap between students as passive learners to students as active participants. Originally developed for gifted students, these units emphasize…

This study compared college seniors' self-evaluation of skills considered important for lifelong learning from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. The study used data from the College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CSEQ), a national database begun in 1983 which includes over 200,000 student records from over 600 colleges and universities. An index…

The question of what determines the appropriate use of self-directed learning (SDL) as opposed to teacher-directed learning (TDL) for midcareer professionals was examined through a review of the literature on SDL, SDL in professional development, and through interviews with 12 midcareer adults in a wide variety of professions. In general, the…

Based on a hypothetical situation in which second language learners must attain substantial skills in a very short time, the paper recommends intensive training not in the language itself, but in skills and strategies for learning the language. This requires achieving self-directed learning skills to: create a climate maximizing learning; identify…

A working model of self-regulated learning based on the literature was developed together with an inventory of 71 items designed to test the five dimensions of the model: metacognition, learning strategies, motivation, contextual sensitivity, and environmental utilization/control. A five-point Likert scale was used to rank the items. Subjects were…

Researchers at Rio Salado Community College (Arizona) directing an educational research project, called the Southwest Advanced Learning System for Adults (SALSA), placed personal computers in the homes of production line workers as a supplement to traditional classroom basic skills training. Objectives were to determine whether this supplemental…

Problems inherent in student evaluation of second language teaching methodology, particularly task-based instruction, are discussed and recommendations are made. It is argued that course evaluation by learners is based on their assessment of their own communicative performance, and that they are likely to attribute a general sense of progress, at…

A workplace literacy program for garment workers is described and evaluated. The program, a partnership between El Paso Community College (Texas) and Levi Strauss & Company, consisted of a three-level, job-specific, video-based curriculum for limited-English-speaking employees implemented at seven plants in El Paso. The 18-month model…

At San Diego State University, the training program for bilingual education teachers was developed to systematically accommodate changing needs in education, particularly the needs to educate students with academic proficiency in both Spanish and English and to have a multicultural perspective. The emerging teacher education model empowers…

This practicum was designed to: improve the skills of personnel working with students with severe and/or profound handicaps in junior high school; to improve staff development; and to increase the consistency of services offered in a community-based instruction program for K-12. A needs assessment survey of 10 staff members determined the level of…

These proceedings are presented in three parts. The first, "The CPAE (Commission of Professors of Adult Education) and Its Mission," contains seven presentations: "Some Observations on the Role of the Commission of Professors" (Collins); "Which Way? This Way and That Way: Recommendations from the Task Forces" (Blunt);…

A practicum tested the effectiveness of a learning-center approach in improving the overall academic achievement of kindergarten children who were speakers learners of English as a second language (ESL). The entire kindergarten class participated in the method, but only nine students were selected on the basis of their score on the Brigance Test.…