OBJECTIVE: To estimate the effectiveness of patient education and self-management interventions for osteoarthritis (OA) in adults aged ≥ 18 years. DESIGN: Overview of intervention systematic reviews LITERATURE SEARCH: Eight databases (Medline, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Epistemonikos, Web of Science, Scopus, PEDro, and CINAHL) were searched from inception to June 26, 2024. STUDY SELECTION CRITERIA: We included intervention systematic reviews (SRs), with or without meta-analysis, that evaluated patient education or self-management interventions for adults with OA, reporting pain or functional outcomes. DATA SYNTHESIS: Data were extracted using a standardized template. We extracted intervention effects on pain and function. Methodological quality was evaluated using AMSTAR 2 checklist. We assessed the overlap of studies included in the SRs using the Corrected Covered Area (CCA) method. RESULTS: Nineteen SRs (12 with meta-analysis) encompassing 171 trials were included. Patient education interventions had modest effects on reducing short-term pain (SMD = −0.22 to −0.35). There were no sustained or consistent effects of patient education interventions on function. Self-management interventions yielded small and consistent effects on reducing pain (SMDs ranging approximately from −0.20 to −1.51) and improving function (SMDs up to 1.95), especially over the long term and when combined with patient education. Methodological quality was generally low; 1 SR was rated as high quality. There was slight overlap among included trials (CCA 1.5% for patient education and 4.6% for self-management). CONCLUSION: Self-management interventions, particularly when integrated with patient education or other therapies, may offer more robust and lasting benefits for OA management than patient education alone.

This paper investigates aspects of informal and non-formal learning that emerge through adults’ participation in collective actions and social movements. Drawing on qualitative data derived from interviews with members of social collectives in an urban area of Athens (Greece), the study illustrates how these spaces function as dynamic learning environments. Participants develop practical knowledge, social skills, critical awareness, and a deeper understanding of social issues. Moreover, engagement in collective actions also fosters emotional bonds, solidarity, and processes of personal transformation. The findings underline that learning is not confined to formal settings but emerges meaningfully through participation in civic life. The study highlights the pivotal role of collective action in promoting adult learning and self-awareness, contributing to the broader dialogue in the field of adult education by demonstrating how involvement in social groups constitutes a significant site for both individual and collective transformation.

ABSTRACT Critical pedagogy, grounded in Paulo Freire’s practical, experience-based work, is an approach to education focused on social justice and critical consciousness as a tool for liberation and resistance against oppression. In today’s climate, with a growing wave of attacks on democratic values and the deliberate spread of misinformation via social media, critical pedagogy provides educators with a framework to equip citizens to face these challenges. Identifying the key principles of critical pedagogy that remain relevant today is crucial to understand its implementation. This study explored how adult educators successfully implemented critical pedagogy principles in non-formal settings, examining their practices and successful approaches. Twelve adult educators were interviewed, sharing the fundamental principles that guide their current teaching and learning approaches. Findings revealed that social transformation, democracy and focus on inclusion and community were fundamental principles. The study also identified insightful practices, including collaborative lesson planning, community engagement, ongoing critical reflection, and learner-centred approaches that integrate participants’ lived experiences. By amplifying the voices of adult educators, this study inspires critical reflection and innovation among adult educators who wish to implement socially just practices and want to address the challenges of an ever-changing world.

Predicting Attrition in a Public Nutrition Education Program: A Machine Learning Approach.

Education is the process of the facilitation, learning or the gaining of knowledge, skill values beliefs and habits. Education plays a vital role in the shaping individual, societies, and nations. So, Adult education is important those who dropout the education in different levels. Different motivational factors motive them to rejoin the school in different levels. This research explores the challenges faced by the adult students in re-entering formal education and to analyze the key motivational factors motivating adult students to pursue further education. This study is based on qualitative method. In-depth interview was conducted with 8 participants who are studying in different grades. Interpretative research paradigm and exploratory research design are used to collect the information. This study highlights the intrinsic motivational factors like Desire for personal growth and development, Self-fulfillment and achievement, Family encouragement, and Self-Efficacy and Confidence to enroll in the school in various levels.

Cardiovascular diseases represent a significant public health challenge, especially among older adults. Educational strategies that provide clear and accessible information can positively influence outcomes for older patients undergoing invasive procedures such as cardiac catheterization. This methodological study aimed to evaluate the evidence of content and appearance (face) validity of an educational video for older adults undergoing cardiac catheterization. The research was conducted in 3 stages: development of the video based on the 12 principles of the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning; content validation by 11 multidisciplinary experts using the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) instrument; and face validation with 10 older adults assisted in the hemodynamics unit of a university hospital, using the Health Educational Technology Appearance Validation Instrument. The final video consisted of 49 scenes, lasted 5 minutes and 55 seconds, and achieved a global SAM score of 97.1 and an Appearance Validity Index of 0.97. It was considered an appropriate and accessible educational resource by participants. The video constitutes an innovative tool to support health education for older adults and contributes to professional practice in interventional cardiology. Future research should evaluate its effectiveness and verify its impact on hemodynamic parameters, anxiety levels, and adherence to therapeutic guidelines.

ABSTRACT Background In older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), a decline in oral function can cause frailty and other issues, such as poor mental health and cognition. An intervention strategy that promotes oral self-care behaviors is needed to maintain oral function. Purpose This study aimed to examine the effects of an oral self-care education program on older adults with T2DM. Methods Sixty older adults aged 65 years or older with T2DM were included. The program included an oral health lecture and oral exercises held monthly for three months. The effects were evaluated one month after program completion. Results Frailty, oral dryness, oral diadochokinesis, dental floss use, and cognitive function improved significantly at follow-up compared with those at baseline. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that poor adherence to oral exercise daily at home was significantly associated with frailty. Discussion The program had a positive effect on the oral condition and changes in the frailty status in older adults with T2DM. In addition, the program may contribute to better oral self-care behaviors and cognitive function. Translation to Health Education Practice Health educators need to understand the effect of oral function on older adults with T2DM and support participation in appropriate self-management behaviors.

Background: Conservative treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain includes exercise, manual therapy, medications, physical agents/modalities, and Therapeutic Patient Education (TPE). Research on TPE has predominantly focused on spinal pain, so we do not know the extent and scope of clinical research in other areas, particularly lower extremities. This review aimed to map current research on this topic. Methods: We searched PubMed, PEDro, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library up to 1 April 2024. We included RCTs on adults with chronic lower limb musculoskeletal pain, written in English, French, Spanish, or Italian. Results: Fifty-two records concerning knee osteoarthritis (n.33), hip and knee osteoarthritis (n.8), hip osteoarthritis (n.3), chronic knee pain (n.3), patellofemoral pain (n.3), and gluteal tendinopathy (n.2) were included. TPE was delivered through self-management, disease-specific information, pain education, and the management of physical activity, load, diet, stress, and sleep. Interventions were both individual- and group-based; delivery methods included in-person intervention, telephone/video calls, and web tools/apps. TPE combined with exercise seemed to be more effective than exercise alone, information/little education, or usual care. The effects of TPE as a stand-alone intervention appeared uncertain. Conclusions: There is considerable variability in TPE in terms of teaching topics, providers, administration methods, and dosage of interventions. Future studies should investigate the effects of TPE in young adult populations and in ankle conditions. They should also investigate the effects of TPE on pain intensity versus pain interference with activities, by deepening TPE effects on disability and quality of life.

ABSTRACT In the last four decades, experiences of non-formal education for older adults began to unfold in some Latin American countries. These experiences were driven by the dissemination of the Third Age Universities movement which developed in the 1970s in continental Europe and then expanded according to the socio-political dynamics of Latin American countries. The purpose of this article is to characterize the salient features of the process of creation and expansion of older adult education (OAE) in some countries in the region that have a greater development in this field of intervention. Focus is put on analyzing these features in relation to the principles of educational gerontology formulated by Peterson and the criteria he presented for the organization of educational activities with AM (1976, 1983). The article proposes a description of robust national cases, such as Cuba, Argentina, Costa Rica, and Uruguay. To construct the national case studies, a review of scientific articles published in specialized journals on education, social gerontology, and social sciences from the selected countries will be done. Interviews will be conducted with national experts and managers of senior education organizations in each country.

ABSTRACT EU institutions increasingly frame education as a policy as a tool for economic growth under a ‘social investment’ approach. However, what this means in practice remains under-explored. We address this gap by examining over 1000 country-specific recommendations (CSRs) issued in the context of the European Semester in the period 2010–2021. Against our expectations, we found that over this period CSRs focussed more on early childhood, primary, and secondary education -areas that are less closely related to the European Semester economic framing- than on higher or adult education, and often had a social character. This signals ‘competence creep,’ where the CSRs have been used to target particularly education areas where EU’s formal competences are weaker. We explain this with reference to the socio-political, rather than economic-functional, nature of CSRs and the EU’s use of economic reframing and depoliticisation as key policy resources to normalise its ‘voice’ and expand its influence.

Childbirth education serves as a fundamental mechanism for women to comprehensively support their wellbeing during pregnancy, labour and early parenting. The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) advocates for parent-centred antenatal education, positioning midwives as critical educators in maternal healthcare. Despite the significant importance of this educational approach, limited research has systematically explored the integration of adult learning principles specific to childbirth education into pre-registration midwifery curricula. This article aims to explore this concept and discuss the further planned evaluation of midwifery students’ experiences with adult and childbirth education. The follow-up article – Part 2 – to be published in The Practising Midwife Australia Autumn 2026 issue – systematically analyses the innovative childbirth education curriculum’s impact on midwifery student learning outcomes and assess graduates’ perceived preparedness to facilitate childbirth education.

ABSTRACT This study explores how teachers navigate the emotional, moral, and professional challenges that arise when spontaneous controversial issues (SCIs) surface in adult education. Drawing on interviews with 24 teachers in Swedish Municipal Adult Education (MAE), a thematic narrative analysis identified a recurring experience of ‘being at a loss’ when responding to unexpected classroom controversies. To illustrate this, a detailed narrative of Linda, an experienced Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) teacher, shows how experiences of teacher vulnerability and uncertainty are inherent in such moments. Her stories, centred on spontaneous classroom discussions of COVID-19 and Iran’s veiling laws, show how professional judgment and decision-making emerge from a liminal ‘in-between’ space where personal values, professional beliefs, and institutional discourses intersect. The analysis reframes ‘gatekeeping’ when addressing SCIs as an ethico-political practice of professional judgment within conditions of uncertainty and vulnerability. Accordingly, rather than treating teacher vulnerability and SCIs as problems to be solved, the study argues that narrative case-reflection on such liminal spaces offers opportunities for civic adult education to cultivate teachers’ capacity for wise professional judgment about ‘what matters’ in educational life.

This paper adapts a comparative critical theoretical analysis and synthesis of the theories of Paulo Freire, Jack Mezirow, and Stephen Brookfield, three seminal scholars whose work has shaped the concept of critical reflection in adult education. Although all three regard education as a site of human growth and democratic development, they articulate different pathways toward transformation. Freire advances a radically political pedagogy of critical consciousness (conscientização), situating reflection within collective struggle and action against oppression. Mezirow frames transformation as a primarily cognitive and individual process, through which adults reassess meaning perspectives via rational–critical discourse. Brookfield occupies an integrative position: drawing on critical theory, he emphasises ideology critique and the pervasiveness of power, arguing that critical reflection is inherently political and must expose hegemonic assumptions embedded in practice. By juxtaposing these perspectives, the paper shows that critical reflection is not a uniform construct, but a multifaceted practice shaped by distinct ontological, epistemological and ethical commitments. Synthesizing their insights points toward an integrative framework in which education as praxis unites meaning-making, ideological critique and collective action. In the face of growing inequality, authoritarian tendencies and the marketisation of adult learning, adult educators must cultivate spaces of dissent, reflection and solidarity where individuals and communities can imagine and enact more just worlds.

This scoping review will explore and chart the evidence relating to non-pharmacological interventions that support education and/or employment for adolescent and young adults (AYAs) following a cancer diagnosis. The number of newly diagnosed AYAs with cancer is increasing and so too is the number of AYAs living with and beyond cancer. In line with missed schooling and long-term side-effects of treatment, it is unsurprising that this group may under-perform academically and be at higher risk of unemployment in comparison to their peers. Developing an overview of existing interventions to support education and/or employment for this cohort, is therefore important. Studies that explore non-pharmacological interventions that support education and/or employment for AYAs (aged 15-39 years at cancer diagnosis) post-cancer diagnosis. Interventions can be group-based, individual, and/or online in format, and can be vocational, psychosocial, physical, educational or multidisciplinary in nature. Qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods studies, case studies, observational studies, reports and theses will be included. This scoping review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews. Databases to be searched include EMBASE, Web of Science, Medline (OVID), CINAHL, and PsycInfo, with no limitation on publication date. Grey literature will be searched, limited to the first 100 searches on Google Scholar. Titles and abstracts will be screened and two independent reviewers will review identified fill-texts. A data extraction tool will be used for data extraction.

Acceptance and commitment therapy versus progressive relaxation training for misophonia: A randomized controlled trial.

IntroductionSleep plays a critical role in maintaining physical and cognitive health in older adults, yet sleep problems are highly prevalent in this population. Conventional management strategies often rely on pharmacological interventions, which may cause adverse side effects, evidencing the need for safe, low-cost alternatives. Sleep hygiene education offers a promising approach, and this study evaluates the efficacy of a strategy combining a one-time educational video and daily automated text messages in improving sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and overall sleep hygiene practices among older adults.MethodsParticipants completed an electronic survey that collected demographic information and included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI), Perceived Stress Scale, and Numeric Pain Rating Scale. Each participant wore a Fitbit sleep tracker for 2 weeks to establish baseline data on total sleep time, time awake, time in rapid eye movement (REM)/light/deep sleep, and sleep efficiency. Participants were then randomly assigned to a control group, a video-only group, or a video-plus-text group. Sleep tracking continued for 4 additional weeks, and all assessments were repeated at the end of the study.ResultsA total of 119 participants (mean age 66.5 ± 7.2 years; 77 females) completed the study. Paired t-tests compared pre- and post-intervention scores. Both the video-only and video-plus-text groups showed significant improvements on the PSQI, ESS, and SHI compared to the control. No significant changes were found in measured objective sleep parameters.DiscussionFindings indicate that video-based sleep hygiene education, with or without supplemental text messaging, was associated with improvements in subjective sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and sleep hygiene behaviors. However, these improvements were not reflected in objective sleep measures, highlighting a discrepancy commonly reported in sleep research.ConclusionBrief, low-cost sleep hygiene education interventions, delivered through video or a combination of video and text messaging, may improve perceived sleep quality and sleep-related behaviors in older adults.

This perspective examines the challenges and opportunities faced by neurodiverse individuals in adult education (AE) and human resource development (HRD) through an interview with attorney Maria Blaeuer, Director of Programs and Outreach at Advocates for Justice and Education. The semi-structured interview approach provided flexibility to explore key themes, offering valuable insights into neurodiversity in educational and professional environments. The article applies Critical Disability Theory, which critiques the medical model of disability, and Experiential Learning Theory to analyze systemic barriers, such as ableist practices and legal frameworks, that hinder neurodiverse individuals’ development. Additionally, the study highlights the transition challenges from K–12 education to higher education or the workforce, where legal protections shift responsibility onto individuals. The discussion emphasizes the need for inclusive environments, proactive accommodation strategies, and the importance of developing neurodiverse identities and self-advocacy skills. Recommendations for educators and HRD professionals include fostering rights-based approaches, challenging ableist language, and promoting continuous learning opportunities for neurodiverse individuals to thrive.

This study focuses on the role of play and imagination in the fostering of ecological literacy in education. The aim is to explore how playful learning activities in ecological fieldwork in adult education could support ecological literacy and what aspects of ecological literacy might be afforded. Theoretically, the study draws on the work of Donna Haraway, employing her concept of becoming-with, and symstories. The research questions are: (I) What characterises the forest encounters emerging in playful pedagogical activities during fieldwork? (II) What stories of encounters unfold in the participants’ conversations about the playful pedagogical activities afterwards? The study is based on ethnographic fieldwork in a folk high school course on nature connectedness. Twenty students participated in the course which ran part-time over a full year with activities one weekend a month. The data consist of video- and audio recordings during an overnight field trip. During the field trip, various play and awareness activities were intertwined with reflections and practical tasks. The play activities were both physically and emotionally challenging. The results reveal how the inhabitants of the forest become partners with the course participants and the teachers in fieldwork. The play activities included aspect of vulnerability and afforded possibilities for the participants to imagine new worlds.

This study examined the relationship between tutor support systems and student retention in distance learning programs at the Port Harcourt Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria. The research adopted a correlational survey design with a population of approximately 4,500 undergraduate students enrolled in various distance learning programs during the 2024/2025 academic session. Using the stratified random sampling technique, 350 students were selected as the study sample. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled "Tutor Support Systems and Student Retention Questionnaire." The instrument's validity was established through expert review by three specialists in adult education and measurement and evaluation, while reliability was determined through pilot testing yielding a Cronbach's Alpha coefficient of 0.70. Data were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and t-test analysis at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed significant positive relationships between all three dimensions of tutor support and student retention: academic support (r = 0.77, p < 0.05), administrative support (r = 0.80, p < 0.05), and communication/interaction support (r = 0.88, p < 0.05). The study concluded that tutor support systems are crucial determinants of student retention in distance learning programs, with communication and interaction support showing the strongest relationship with student persistence. The study recommended, among others, that administrators of the National Open University of Nigeria should establish one-on-one mentoring relationships between tutors and students, with regular meetings to discuss academic progress, address learning challenges, and provide individualized guidance based on student needs and career aspirations.

The article presents an innovative educational intervention implemented at the Public Institute of Vocational Training (S.A.E.K.) of Amaliada, within the framework of the Museology course, involving trainees from the specialty “Museum and Archaeological Site Guards.” The initiative was part of the thematic unit “The Social Role of the New Museum” and was based on an experiential approach to designing an accessible museum for people with disabilities. The aim of the intervention was to enhance trainees’ social awareness, creativity, and professional identity through participatory and transformative learning. The article outlines the theoretical framework of the intervention, its methodological approach, and the results that emerged from its implementation. It highlights the impact of the initiative on participants’ understanding of social issues, the strengthening of collaborative work, and the reshaping of their professional roles. Finally, it suggests ways in which the intervention can be disseminated and utilized within the fields of adult education, cultural pedagogy, and the local community.