Adult Education Research Articles

A Study on the Path of Improving the Performance of Autonomous Learning in Adult Education in Universities under the Concept of Lifelong Learning

In today’s rapidly developing education, the concept of lifelong learning has penetrated adult education systems in various countries. The attention paid by leaders and major educational institutions to lifelong learning has, to some extent, promoted the reform and development of adult education. This article analyzes the role of adult education in universities and the problems in improving self-directed learning performance in adult education. It explores the path of improving self-directed learning performance from three aspects: management, learning subjects, and teaching subjects, for reference only.

How arts-based adult community learning transforms community well-being: from isolation to belonging

ABSTRACT This paper explores the pivotal role of arts-based adult community learning (ACL) in the UK, highlighting ACL’s broader impacts on well-being, including social, emotional, and mental health, and belonging for diverse groups of adult learners. ACL has a social role at individual and group levels; future research might tackle the latter potential in more detail. ACL in the UK is an alternative provider of adult education, usually for learners aged 19+, often delivered by local authorities, or general further education colleges. ACL faces underfunding, and its benefits remain largely unexplored. The study is based on interviews of 17 artist-teachers in ACL. Data collection was carried out between 2021 and 2022, online, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Artist-teachers in ACL are understood as professional artists and teachers, who are dedicated to both, and have the competencies needed to work in and through art and ACL. The paper highlights ACL’s distinctive qualities, challenges, and its impact on community well-being, and makes comparisons to global ACL contexts. The paper concludes by recommending that access to ACL may be improved through increased funding and better access to ACL centres for learners.

A national cross-sectional study on breakfast skipping-related factors and comparison of nutritional status according to breakfast skipping in older adults based on the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2020)

ObjectivesThis study aimed to compare the distinct socio-ecological characteristics, nutritional status, and nutrient intake quality of the older adults based on breakfast skipping (EBF, eating breakfast vs. SBF, skipping breakfast). This study also investigated the association between breakfast skipping, socioecological features, and quality of nutrient consumption. MethodFrom the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2020), data of 92,093 subjects aged ≥ 65 years old (male: 43,910 and female: 48,183) having data with eating habits, such as nutrient intake and skipping breakfast were analyzed. ResultsThe average age of SBF was markedly lower than EBF. EBF had a lower employed status, education level, heavy alcohol intake frequency, smoking, and eating out regularly than SBF. Compared to EBF, SBF showed a significantly higher BMI and waist circumference. Moreover, EBF showed a markedly higher average intake in energy, protein, fiber, calcium, and iron compared with SBF, while SBF had a noticeably higher mean intake in fat, saturated fat, and sugar. In addition, SBF had a significantly reduced mean adequacy ratio (MAR, adjusted OR: 0.260 [95% CI: 0.245−0.276]) and the value of index nutritional quality (INQ, adjusted OR: 0.847 [95% CI: 0.799−0.898]) compared with EBF. DiscussionThere were distinct socioecological features and nutritional conditions of older adults relying on breakfast skipping; and a strong association between breakfast skipping, socioecological parameters, and nutrient intake quality. These observations provide the significance of breakfast skipping in the nutritional status of older adults and offer fundamental information for nutritional education and implications for older adults.

Ethical dilemmas of translanguaging pedagogy in L2 and basic literacy education for adults: social justice and ethics of care

ABSTRACT This paper explores the ethical challenges and possibilities of conducting responsible and transformative translanguaging pedagogy in adult education for second language learners with limited previous experience of schooling. We identify and explore ethical dilemmas in teachers’ interaction and multilingual teaching practices. The data was produced in a linguistic ethnography and action research project. It consists of classroom observations and interviews with teachers who teach in the programme Swedish for Immigrants (SFI). The teachers express and embody ambivalence in relation to the students’ use of their whole linguistic repertoires and the students are not always treated as competent to make informed decisions about their own use of linguistic repertoires. This touches on issues of citizenship and democracy and here the framework ethics of care offers context-specific ways of understanding and responding to the ethical challenges of multilingual teaching.

Older Chinese adults’ social participation and happiness: the mediating effect of spirituality

ABSTRACT This quantitative study explored the relationship between social participation and happiness among older adults in a Chinese context by introducing the mediator of spirituality. The Howden Spirituality Assessment Scale (SAS), the Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness (MUNSH), and the Frequency of Social Participation Scale, which was developed specifically for this study, were used to measure older participants’ spirituality, happiness, and social participation. Data were collected from a sample of 658 older participants located in sixteen cities across nine provinces in China and were subsequently analysed via structural equation modelling. Three main conclusions were obtained. First, Chinese older adults’ frequency of social participation was low, their level of spirituality was high, and their sense of happiness was fair. Second, older Chinese adults’ social participation, spirituality, and happiness were positively correlated with each other. Third, older Chinese adults’ spirituality fully mediated the relationship between social participation and happiness. Our data suggest that, first, it is fundamentally necessary to promote social participation among older adults with the aim of improving their happiness; second, older adults’ need for spiritual development and spiritual growth should be viewed as the core goal of the design of social activities; third, spiritual education should be included in the focus on older adult education.

Post-COVID-19 European Country-Specific Recommendations on adult education, training, and skills: Content, focus, shifts, and patterns

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted economic and social life across Europe and the wider world. Currently, the European Commission is heavily investing in recovery and resilience facilities to encourage economic and social reforms in Member States. As part of the European Semester, the Commission formulates annual Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs) to steer and advice Member States on their policy directions. This paper aims to investigate to what extent the European Commission’s recommendations include advice on education, training, and skills development to boost economic and social progress. Four specific aims were to investigate (1) the content of CSRs that mention the need for actions relevant to adult education, training, and skills development, (2) the extent to which these CSRs focus on economic versus social goals, or both, (3) the extent to which the content and focus of these CSRs shifts over years, and (4) the extent to which there are visible patterns within the content and focus of CSRs across the 27 EU Member States. Results indicate that CSRs in the first year of the COVID-19 lockdowns – 2020 – heavily focussed on the need for digital skills development. CSRs in 2022 were not dominated by advice on education, training, and skills development apart from the focus on skills mismatches in some countries. The 2023 CSRs were strongly targeted towards the need for green skills development. In line with previous academic debates around education and training, CSRs contained text on economic and social goals, although social aspects tend to lead back to the integration of vulnerable adults in the labour market for economic purposes, instead of treating education holistically. While CSRs are country-specific, it is clear from the analyses that core recommendations feature across Member States, linked to broad European agendas such as the Twin transition to a green and digital economy.

Peran Andragogi dalam Mempersiapkan Orang Tua sebagai Pendidik Anak Usia Dini

Many parents still lack the necessary knowledge and skills to support optimal child development. The purpose of this study is to describe the role of Andragogy, as an adult education approach, offering a solution by customizing learning based on parents' needs and motivations. This approach can overcome three main challenges faced by parents: lack of knowledge about ECD, limited time for training, and low motivation and support in the process of learning and shaping children's spirituality and character. The researcher uses a qualitative method or literature study where the researcher provides solutions to the problems raised by collecting various theories and information from literature materials such as books, dictionaries, journals, Bibles, and online media.

Assessing the ability of self-directed learning as a prerequisite for active aging among middle-aged and older adult learners: cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT This study provides insights into the self-directed learning (SDL) abilities of middle-aged and older adult learners engaged in senior adult education. The study aims to explore both the levels of SDL abilities and the factors associated with these abilities. Additionally, this study delves into the demographic variations in SDL abilities, considering factors such as gender, age, and educational attainment. While active aging encourages middle-aged and older individuals’ engagement in social, physical, and intellectual activities, existing SDL scales mainly focus on healthcare, neglecting the learning needs of middle-aged and older adult learners in fostering active aging. A cross-sectional study approach was adopted. A purposive sample of 866 middle-aged and older adult learners (80.4% female) enrolled in senior learning centers. The data collected from the participants revealed an average SRSSDL score of 3.36 out of 5, indicating a moderate to high level of SDL proficiency. Furthermore, the results indicate significant differences between age groups and educational attainment levels. The study can help educators identify middle-aged and older adult learners enrolled in senior learning centers who lack SDL ability and design tailor-made educational interventions to promote self‐learning management and/or enable active aging.

From Shared RE to a Shared Digital RE Strategy: Navigating the Post-Digital Transformation of RE Organizations—Results of a Swiss Participatory Research Project

Religious adult education, characterized as non-formal religious education (RE) that has often been established over many decades, is frequently marked by patterns of institutional separation, local conditions and denominational divisions. This is also the case in Switzerland, where in each canton various church academies and RE organizations generally offer their respective programs along both denominational and cantonal lines. The increasing digitalization of society, and consequently of education, alters the original situation for these actors, both on an individual and organizational level. This article discusses the challenges of religious adult education in navigating the post-digital pivot. It addresses the issues of changing forms of teaching and learning, dealing with shifts in authority, and the growing need for collaboration and shared strategies among RE organizations in post-digital society. A participatory research project involving nearly 60 Swiss RE organizations investigated how these organizations are dealing with digitalization, analyzing the perspectives of the organizational leaders, the teachers, and learners through mixed methods. The findings provide insights into factors influencing the intent to offer or use digital RE courses, as well as factors contributing to the readiness to cooperate in the digital educational field.

Online courses for adults: do they replace or supplement on-site courses?

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic led to a marked increase in the number of online courses in adult education. However, such courses are viewed ambivalently because, on one hand, they are associated with digitalisation processes and an increased accessibility, reach, and flexibility of learning opportunities, whereas, on the other hand, there are concerns about acceptance issues and participation barriers. Given this context, the present study examines whether new online courses for adults have supplemented or replaced existing on-site courses by conducting a program analysis of online courses at public adult education centres (Volkshochschulen, VHS) in Germany. VHS are the largest providers of adult education in the country. A comparison of programs from the years 2018, 2019 (pre-pandemic), and 2024 (post-pandemic) shows that most online courses supplement the existing program, and that the content of approximately every second online course can also be learned on-site at the educational centre. In contrast, 29 per cent of online courses have replaced an earlier on-site course. Hybrid courses, which enable both online and offline learning, are rare. Results are discussed along with their implications for adult education centres and adult learners.

Quantitative Analysis of Unemployment and Government Funding for Adult Education

Quantitative Analysis of Unemployment and Government Funding for Adult Education

Gender inequality in adult education: a comparative study of four adult learning systems

Gender inequality in adult education: a comparative study of four adult learning systems

Studying the legacy of second-chance adult education in Flanders

Every year, third-year bachelor students participating in a course on adult education at the University of Leuven (Belgium) conduct an interview with adult educators working within a particular setting of adult education, such as civic integration courses, detention education, etc. In this article, we elaborate on one particular case, viz., adult educators working in second-chance education for adults who still want to obtain their secondary diploma. We show how their profession as an adult educator can become a common concern for both third bachelor students of educational sciences and for adult educators in second-chance adult education celebrating in 2021 their 40 years of existence in Flanders. This means that our analysis in this article will also show how a university can become a place where their daily professional practice as adult educators, viz., their ambitions and doubts, ambiguities and contradictions, can fully materialize as collective study material.

Professional Education of Adults: Technological Challenges in the Context of Neuroscience

The article explores neuroscientific processes underpinning today’s societal development, characterized by globalism, integration and informatization as technological challenges in adult professional education. Human development is viewed as an ongoing learning process, during which individuals constantly seek new experiences while transcending physical and conceptual boundaries across various industries, fields and styles. This extensive globalization serves as a dominant worldview and a guiding artistic direction. One lives in a new era marked by significant social advancements, scientific breakthroughs and extraordinary technological capabilities, particularly driven by the high-speed Internet, which play a crucial role in the evolution of neuroscience and highlights the importance of this research. In a world that is globalized and technologically advanced, ongoing learning and development are crucial to tackle integration processes and difficulties. Lifelong learning and self-enhancement are particularly vital for adults, especially in an increasingly competitive environment where individuals are expected to refine their knowledge and skills to deal with new social challenges effectively. This article aims to identify the neuroscientific factors that influence the evolution of adult professional education. It employs such methods as synthesis and analysis of adult extracurricular education in the context of neuroscientific insights. The findings indicate that competence in any field is cultivated throughout one’s lifetime.

Age grade association: a non state actor in the sustainability of community development projects in Southeast, Nigeria

Abstract Age grade association is a pattern through which members of the community are grouped into batches according to date of birth. The associations comprise people of equal or about the same age operating within a given community with the aim of individual and collective development. The age grade associations articulate and mobilize resources for the execution of community development projects. They are grassroots agents that serve as an organ for the maintenance of peace, law and order in the community. Some past attempts at community development failed due to the non-involvement of the community members in decision–making processes. This study explored age grade association as a non state actor in sustainability of community development projects in Southeast, Nigeria. Data was drawn from 56 respondents. The instruments for data collection were Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and In-depth interviews (IDIs). Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were employed in selecting the study participants. The study sample was drawn from four communities in four local government areas of Abia and Ebonyi States. The study examined the nature of age grade associations; the contributions of age grade associations and the challenges of age grade associations in sustainability of community development projects. It established that age grade associations are grass root agents that executed and sustained community development projects. The study also found that project site selection is sometimes problematic and this has implications for project sustainability. The study recommends adult literacy education for the social and political empowerment of members of age-grade associations.

The Discipline "Pedagogy and Psychology of Adult Education" in the Residency Program. Is it a Real Necessity or an "Accidental" Rudiment?

The Discipline "Pedagogy and Psychology of Adult Education" in the Residency Program. Is it a Real Necessity or an "Accidental" Rudiment?

Chinese older adult educators’ attitudes toward aging and turnover intention: burnout as a mediator

ABSTRACT In the 21st century, with the spread of lifelong education and the increase in the aging population, the need for learning among older people has increased, resulting in a shortage of teachers for older learners. A literature review of both Western and Eastern cultures revealed that the turnover or shortage of older adult educators may be related to their attitudes toward aging and burnout. To confirm this hypothesis, this paper examines the mediating effect of burnout on the relationship between attitudes toward aging and turnover intentions among Chinese older adult educators. The Attitudes toward Aging Questionnaire, Turnover Intention Questionnaire, and Burnout Questionnaire were used to collect the data. Finally, a total of 774 samples from Shanghai, China, were analyzed through structural equation modeling. The results revealed that when three components of attitudes toward aging, i.e. psychological growth, physical change, and psychosocial loss, are considered, burnout in Chinese older adult educators fully mediates the relationship between psychosocial loss and turnover intention, which means that if Chinese older adult educators suffer considerable psychosocial loss, burnout increases, leading to increased turnover intention. In other words, the negative experience of psychosocial loss can be decreased through a holistic approach to teaching aging along with intergenerational interaction, which in turn reduces burnout and decreases the intention to leave. Future follow-up studies should focus on how to develop a holistic teaching curriculum to facilitate the practical implementation of the findings of this research. We believe that this research can be beneficial with regard to attempts to address the shortage of older adult educators and promote teacher development in the context of older adult education.

Bioscience skills training and seminar on adult education program: Herbal products, vinegar making, homemaking livelihood skills development, and financial management through professor in the Barangay

Bioscience skills training and seminar on adult education program: Herbal products, vinegar making, homemaking livelihood skills development, and financial management through professor in the Barangay

COVID-19 and lifelong learning: older adult peer educators’ perspective on the pandemic’s effect on adult education

ABSTRACT Background The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in a period of unprecedented uncertainty, profoundly affecting societies worldwide. Older adults often faced heightened risks of isolation and health complications. As research in the aftermath of the pandemic has sought to understand its multifaceted impacts, there remains a notable gap in examining older adults’ access to education, particularly within the Lifelong Learning Institutes (LLIs) or Universities of the Third Age (U3A). Methodology In the course of a broader study focusing on older adult peer educators, the topic of COVID-19 emerged as a prominent and recurring theme of 14 interviews with US-based peer educators. Using a qualitative content analysis approach supported by WebQDA (Qualitative Data Analysis Software) we identified key themes and subthemes in the interview data. Findings Major themes included the impact of COVID-19 in the classroom and institution and also in the personal lives of the students and educators. A prominent subtheme was the introduction, or shift, in technology. Technology was seen as a powerful tool for expanding educational opportunities for older adults and engaging a broader audience. The resilience and adaptability of educators in navigating the challenges posed by the pandemic were also frequently discussed. Conclusion This study highlights the way in which the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped education within Lifelong Learning Institutes. The findings underscore the importance of addressing the specific needs and challenges faced by older adult peer educators and highlight the opportunities for enhancing specific person-based support and allocating resources effectively in the evolving post-pandemic educational landscape.

Is Adult Education Related to Community Development? An Exploratory Study in Ghana

This paper draws on Freire’s social philosophy arguing that adult education (AE) relates to community development (CD). The provision of AE opportunities serves as bait for community members (CMs) to participate in CD projects. This exploratory study undertaken in Ghana, interviewed 9 PhD students on how AE relates to CD, and how adult educators revive waning self-help spirit for CD projects, and networking to sustain communities. Data was analyzed using thematic, narrative and interpretivist approaches. The results revealed that AE create awareness in CMs to participate in self-help CD projects; yet, more inclusive and transformational dialogue and education among CMs are broadly required. The study recommends that adult educators’ leverage group learning and networking in CD projects to improve communities in Ghana.