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A narrative inquiry into the lives of nine environmental activists in nonprofit organizations depicted the role of learning in sustaining their commitment to and passion for the work. Resulting themes suggest they recognize their work as a calling or vocation. Transformative learning plays an integral role in sustaining commitment and passion. (Contains 59 references.) (SK)

Interviews with 20 people involved in Wiccan communities of practice revealed a trajectory of participation from the periphery to the center of the group, experiential learning that combines formal and intuitive knowledge, and a process of identity development in becoming a witch. To an extent, the community's marginality shaped learning and practice. (Contains 20 references.) (SK)

Self-directed learning experiences of 13 women with breast cancer were explored. Learning motivations included overcoming fear, needing to understand, and being able to make informed choices. They used print, Internet, networks, and support groups. They had difficulties locating resources and dealing with emotions. Learning outcomes included self-confidence, ability to help other patients, less stress and fear, and more knowledge. (Contains 28 references.) (SK)

A study framed by sociocultural theory involved 15 British Caribbean women immigrants in the United States. Home country culture and early schooling involved learning experiences in the host country. They faced challenges in negotiating language and identity. Length of time in the new culture, level of social support, and sociocultural environment influenced learning. (Contains 42 references.) (SK)

Erich Fromm proposed that learning to penetrate ideological obfuscation and overcome the alienation it generates is the learning task of adulthood. He believed adult education would make people aware of ideological manipulation and prepare them for participatory democracy. His was a Marxist humanism aimed at the creation of democratic socialism. (Contains 24 references.) (SK)

Eight adult students who completed experiential learning portfolios reported a marked increase in self-knowledge, greater recognition of the value of learning through work and mentors, improved communication and organization skills, and greater appreciation for the role of reflection. (Contains 73 references.) (SK)

A pragmatic perspective favors reflective discourse over affect. Heron's theory of personhood takes a phenomenological approach to affective learning. Strategies from this approach can be applied to the phenomenon of learning-within-relationship, in which individuals engage their own whole-person learning and that of others. (Contains 36 references.) (SK)

An Australian study analyzed contributions of adult learning to eight categories of well being. The analysis illustrates that the process of drawing upon social capital is intrinsic to learning and directly involved in realizing socioeconomic outcomes. Socioeconomic benefits of learning partly derive from learners' identity formation and reformation. (Contains 35 references.) (SK)

From interviews and site visits with 22 teachers, four environmental inhibitors to informal workplace learning emerged: lack of time for learning, lack of proximity to learning resources, lack of meaningful rewards, and limited decision-making power in school management. Ways to facilitate teachers' learning include strategic classroom assignments, unencumbered time, access to communications technology, and revision of reward systems. (SK)

Three interviews each with five people who had articulated a life mission and analysis of their journals delineated the relationship of life mission to self-directed and transformative learning. New learning experiences refocus mission. The stronger and more focused the mission, the stronger and more focused the learner's self-direction. (SK)

Interviews with a village chief, 6 key informants, and 38 residents of rural farming villages in Senegal showed how sociocultural norms and values influence adult learning in terms of what was learned, why, when and from whom. Hands-on learning and practice were preferred. (SK)

Malaysian adults aged 60-83 (n=19) were interviewed about aging and learning activites. They primarily engaged in nonformal and experiential learning. Learning was communal and religious/spiritual in orientation; it was shaped by cultural context and values. (SK)

Focus groups with 30 participants in a residential adult learning program identified descriptive themes of the experience: building relationships, learning, and individual change. Two overarching themes distinguished the phenomenon: detachment (physical and psychological isolation for the world) and continuity (uninterrupted learning). (SK)

Describes phases of project-based learning (PBL): diagnosis, data feedback, and organization of learning projects. Compares PBL to other action-based learning methods. Provides four examples of PBL, underpinned by learning network theory. (SK)

Compares theoretical underpinnings of three strands of feminist pedagogy--psychological, structural, and poststructural--in relation to four themes: knowledge construction, voice, authority, and positionality. Identifies five insights of feminist pedagogy: gender as category of analysis, gendered nature of experience, instructors' positionality, assumption that some learners have been more privileged, and deconstruction of binary pairs. (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)

A richer understanding of teaching adults would be gained by linking micro aspects of teaching and classroom interaction with macro influences of educational and social systems. This is illustrated by a study of adult basic math classes, in which teachers focused on the syllabus, dominated classroom decision making, and limited opportunities for learners to develop motivation. (SK)

Defines adult education as every adult's intentional efforts at self-education, alone and with others, in all human situations, including when the self-educator is facilitating the learning of other self-educators. Self-educating as an attitude, and a practice is offered as a sound basis for the profession of adult education. (SK)

Recapitulates the theory that adult learning involves projection of value-laden symbols into sense perceptions to extract meaning from experience. Responds to criticism by emphasizing that critical reflection and rational discourse are manifestations of culture. (SK)

Based on the Situational Leadership Model, the Staged Self-Directed Learning Model categorizes learners (dependent, interested, involved, self-directed) and teachers (authority, motivator, facilitator, delegator). Good teaching matches learners' stage, and teaching difficulties arise from mismatches. The model can apply to curricula, courses, and classes. (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)

Mezirow's theory of transformational learning--extraction of meaning from experience--fails to account for context. Locating perspective transformation in the individual and basing it on a decontextualized concept of rationality ignores the relationship between individuals and the sociocultural, political, and historical contexts in which they are situated. (SK)

Examination of the construct validity of Guglielmino's Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale points toward dislike of learning as the cause of low scores. High scores seem to result from positive attitudes toward learning in general and not specifically self-directed learning. Further studies are needed to distinguish between readiness for learning and readiness for self-directed learning. (SK)

Focus group interviews with 18 adults in a weekend degree program produced metaphoric themes. Adult education was compared to "blessing" or "penance"; the primary difference between traditional and adult education was seen as a "juggling act"; and "addiction to learning" appeared to be a motivator. The metaphor of family was considered ideal for adult education programs. (SK)

As a means of facilitating adult development, autobiography is based on (1) memory--an element in the construction of meaning in experience--and (2) imagination--the expression of what people believe themselves to have been and to be. Through autobiography, the self is something to be imagined and constructed. (SK)

In response to Cunningham's review of his book "Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning" in the Spring 1992 issue of "Adult Education Quarterly," Mezirow clarifies his transformation theory of how adults learn and points out how his meaning has been misrepresented. (SK)

A qualitative analysis of interviews of 78 adults with less than high school completion who were currently engaged in a learning project supported the hypothesis that self-directed learners, rather than preplanning their projects, tend to derive their structure and direction from resources available in the environment--the organizing circumstance. (SK)

Argues that the propensity and capacity of many adults to conduct self-directed learning projects is now well proven, and that researchers should now infuse a spirit of self-critical scrutiny into this developing field of research. Advances four criticisms regarding the current state of self-directed learning research. (Author/CT)

A content analysis of 1,462 written responses provided by the adult learners explaining their rationales for preferring differing learning interaction patterns was conducted. Eight major response categories emerged, including instructor-centered and collaborative rationales. The rationales found were compared to rationales suggested in the adult education literature. (Author/CT)

A study of relationship between teaching style (measured by Principles of Adult Learning Scale) and student achievement based on teacher assessment involved teachers and students in an adult basic education (ABE) program. Though teaching style and achievement are linked, approach in ABE and English as a second language settings differs from more teacher-centered approach in general educational development settings. (SK)

One hundred fifteen teachers (58 percent) at universities, community colleges, and public schools reported their teaching practices and beliefs in teaching adults and preadults. Though they reported differences, observation yielded little evidence of a more student-centered approach with adults. Interaction analysis provided an objective description of teaching behavior. (SK)

A conceptual basis for understanding the organization of continuing professional education across profession and type of parent institution is portrayed via three case studies of continuing professional education centers. The case studies reflect three orientations for organizing continuing professional education: a service orientation, an education orientation, and a hybrid orientation. (Author/CT)

Identifies predictors of participation in educational activities by active older adults and describes the educational needs addressed by their present participation and their future learning needs. Awareness of sites where educational activities were available was found to be the best predictor of participation. (Author/CT)

This study investigated whether using learning contracts in higher education enhances adults' readiness and competencies for self-directed learning. Findings suggest that the use of learning contracts has little impact on developing readiness for self-directedness, but does have some impact on developing competencies for self-directed learning. (Author/CT)

The author suggests that the specification of common literacy demands that are valid on the societal level, that is, which are applicable and meaningful to diverse adults living in diverse environments, is an impossible task. He further suggests that the development of a valid and uniform national curriculum for functional literacy is equally impossible. (CT)

The purpose of this study was to assess the long-term impact of career counseling on the career development of educationally disadvantaged adult education students. Eleven dependent variables were examined: educational participation, educational certificate attainment, dependence on public assistance, employment status, self-satisfaction, length of employment, employment gains, income, job satisfaction, length of unemployment and job-hunting confidence. (Author/CT)

In this article, it is argued that capitalism and empiricism are dominant and implicit social paradigms that profoundly affect adult education in the United States in often deleterious ways. (CT)

Joseph and Judith Davenport discuss the controversy surrounding the concept of andragogy: differing philosophical orientations, classification of andragogy, and general utility or value of the term for adult education. George Yonge examines the inappropriateness of the focus on teaching and learning and critical differences between andragogy and pedagogy. (CT)