Field Of Adult Learning Research Articles

Collaboratively reimagining higher education: enacting posthuman feminist practices

ABSTRACT Helping people to better understand and respond to the complexities and multiplicities of twenty-first century realities requires higher education systems to break free from persistent hierarchical binaries and knowledge silos. Rosi Braidotti’s posthuman feminist vision, rooted in radically relational ways of being, offers a generative lens for reimagining higher education. As scholar-educators working in academic spaces, we have responded to Braidotti’s call to engage in creative experimentations for disrupting Humanism’s individualistic, competitive, and cogni-centric framings of learning and teaching. In this dialogue, we co-authors share stories about how ruptures in our experiences as educators led to rethinking theories from our field of adult learning through posthuman feminist concepts. We discuss how the theoretical resonances we found inspired us to reimagine our own research and teaching practices in ways that present possibilities for how posthuman feminist lenses can help us collaboratively reimagine higher education.

The paradox of the teacher‐driven professional learning community in a hierarchical organization: A Chinese school case

AbstractProfessional learning community (PLC) has drawn global attention in the field of adult learning. This study applies paradox theory to examine how a group of Chinese school teachers transform their teaching practices in a self‐organized PLC without school policy support. The researchers applied the biographic‐narrative‐interpretive method (BNIM) to conduct 19 one‐on‐one interviews with eight teachers who were members of the PLC. The results showed that teachers who perceived their experiences through a paradoxical lens had a longer commitment to the PLC. The findings also revealed that the headteacher and school principal's informal leadership practices empowered teachers to navigate barriers caused by oppositional forces. The study offers insights into how a teacher‐driven PLC can be sustained in a hierarchical organization and suggests a three‐step iteration emphasizing the criticalness of learning‐by‐implementation.

Insider Perspective: Streamlining Life Science Corporate Training by Embracing AI

In this dynamic exploration of the transformative impact of generative AI in the field of adult learning and employee education, the author, a seasoned professional at MilliporeSigma, sheds light on the rapidly evolving landscape of biotechnology. Emphasizing the pivotal role of employees, the article outlines the challenges faced by commercial sales professionals in keeping abreast of the ever-expanding knowledge landscape. The introduction of generative AI, represents a step change in creating efficient training materials at enterprise scale by enabling a shift in the role of high-value SMEs from content creators to reviewers.

Pandemi ve Yetişkin Eğitimi: Covid-19 Deneyiminden Yansıyanlar

Covid-19 pandemisi, insanlığın yaşadığı önceki pandemiler ile karşılaştırıldığında daha hızlı biçimde, dünyada pek çok ülkeye yayılmıştır. Bu süreçte ülkelerin ve sağlık sistemlerinin pandemi ile beş etme stratejileri buzdağının üst kısmını oluştururken, geri kalan daha geniş kısımda ise pandeminin çeşitli alanlardaki olası etkileri, pandemi sonrası dünya üzerine öngörüler ve tartışmalar yürütülmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Covid-19 pandemisinin ortaya çıkışını, etkilerini ana hatlarıyla ele almak ve bu deneyimden yetişkin öğrenmesi ve eğitimi alanında çıkarılabilecek sonuçları tartışmaktır. Bireyin tutum ve davranışı ile topluluk arasındaki ilişkinin yeniden tanımlandığı pandemi sürecinde, yetişkin eğitiminin önemi ortaya çıkmaktadır. Covid-19 pandemisi, yaşam boyu öğrenmenin bir parçası olarak sağlık okuryazarlığına ek olarak olası afet süreçlerinin yönetilmesinde eğitimin kilit bir role sahip olduğunu göstermektedir. Sonuç olarak vatandaşlara sağlık okuryazarlığı konusunda bilgi ve farkındalık kazandırılmasında, yetişkin eğitimi alanından yararlanılmalı; yetişkin eğitimi ve öğrenmesi, ulusal afet stratejisinin ve ulusal afet eylem planının bir parçası olmalıdır.

The OECD solutionism and mythologies in adult education policy: skills strategies in Portugal and Slovenia

ABSTRACT The role of international governmental organisations (IGOs) in global policymaking has received significant attention in the field of adult learning and education (ALE) in the twenty-first century, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was recognised as one of the most influential IGO due to its skill surveys – such as the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). However, while the majority of empirical studies in the field have focused on the analysis of PIAAC data, little attention has been given to the influence of the OECD skills strategies on the development and/or improvement of national ALE systems. This study addresses this gap in two OECD member states – Portugal and Slovenia – by applying the ‘what’s the problem represented to be?’ approach to policy analysis and using the theoretical concept of myth in defining policy problems. Our findings indicate that although both countries’ ALE systems differ, they share problem representations that reinforce several policy myths: ALE is a solution to tackle socioeconomic problems; unemployment is a problem of low-skilled adults; the learner-centred approach is a way to raise participation in ALE, and improved governance is a means to advance national ALE systems.

Social Media Revisited. User Generated Content as a Social Innovation for eInclusion

The paper raises the question whether Web 2.0 can be seen as a technological or a social innovation and describes interdependencies between these two phenomena. The paper argues that the core innovation of Web 2.0 is the communication of “user generated content” as a new social routine, which is largely congruent with the definition of “Web 2.0” in the communication science discourse (which the authors speak for). The authors distinguish between a technological and a social layer of this innovation. The concrete usage by a broad and heterogeneous audience of the different technologies is seen as the main driver for the spread of web 2.0 and the paradigmatic changes it exerts on numerous fields of life. While technology is seen as a “catalyst”, the innovation itself (user generated content) is considered a social one. In a final step, the paper describes the usage of social media in the field of adult learning and the way web 2.0 based learning principles can contribute to social inclusion. In “telecentres”, social media have started to prove their potential as easy-to-use applications for activating and integrating target groups with low ICT skills into the “digital society”.

Competences of adult learning facilitators in Europe: Analyses of five European research projects

AbstractQuality of educational services is highly dependent on competent teachers. Thus, the competency-based framework for teacher education has become an important issue across Europe. This approach in Europe has greatly reflected in the field of adult learning and education. There are five research projects dedicated to identifying competences of adult learning facilitators, involving regional countries or all the Member States of the European Union. Based on the results of the five research projects, this paper has a twofold aim: 1) to describe those research projects and their identified competences for adult learning and 2) to analyse the common competences identified by all the five research projects. The distinct scopes of teacher's competences and teaching competences are offering the framework for analysis. We found ten common competences that are particularly relevant to teaching roles of adult learning facilitators in Europe. Moreover, the analyses revealed that adult learning facilitators need to possess teacher competences that are relevant to institutional administration. Our conclusion is that there are common competences for adult learning facilitators which are relevant to both teaching and teacher competences.

Development of the ICT competence of the teacher within the framework of teacher-centered e-learning in the system of professional development

The purpose of the study. The purpose of the study is the development and experimental approbation of the complex of organizational and pedagogical conditions for the development of the teacher’s ICT competence in the system of professional development in terms of solving professional problems in working with modern schoolchildren. The authors suggest that the improvement of the quality of additional professional programs can be ensured by the implementation of the teacher-centered e-learning model, which is built taking into account the diagnostic results and the andragogical principles of instruction. Materials and methods. The research is based on the data of normative documents in the field of professional requirements for the teacher, the materials of foreign and domestic scientists in the study of the distinctive characteristics of representatives of the generation - Z and the adequate ways of their education and upbringing, in the formation and development of the professional ICT competence of the teacher, the field of adult learning and andragogy. Results. Based on the identified deficiencies of teachers in the Krasnoyarsk Territory in the field of achieving the required level of ICT competence and the need to take measures for its equalization, a model and environment for the implementation of teacher-centered e-learning aimed at developing and aligning the teacher’s ICT competence, taking into account andragogic features, was designed. The developed model is implemented through a distance course in the Moodle system on the basis of the Regional State Autonomous Additional Professional Education Institution “Krasnoyarsk Regional Institute for Advanced Training and Professional Retraining of Educators”. Conclusion. The developed model and the environment for the implementation of teacher-centered e-learning is aimed at developing and aligning the teacher’s ICT competence in the context of continuing education, taking into account the andragogical features of the additional professional educational program for advanced training in KSAU DPO “Krasnoyarsk Regional Institute for Advanced Studies and Retraining of Educators”.

Identifying the Underlying Assumptions of an Interdisciplinary Collaboration on Curriculum Development

This reflective analysis focuses on a successful interdisciplinary collaboration between two academics from two different areas of expertise, chemistry and education, who worked together on a curriculum development project. The authors identify three underlying assumptions integral to their successful partnership (being ready for learning, having a commitment to collaborative learning, and seeing each other as peers) and state that their partnership led to new ways of knowing and learning. This article is framed within the field of adult learning and development, and views the authors as learners, thus offering insights into understanding the value of interdisciplinary research partnerships in higher education.

Is it time to take learning design to task?

Context drives learning design, but too often context is not considered within learning design literature. Reported skill gaps lead to considerations around learning design and the security, completeness and depth of learning developed by learning designers in adult learning. Frequently learning is linked to context, where learning environments are often described as complex. However, rarely do studies consider disorder, created by a lack of consideration for multiple contexts or learning domains (simple, complicated, complex and chaotic) and their governing principles. We draw upon literature from the fields of learning theory, complexity theory and risk governance to illuminate this challenge, suggesting that a lack of security, completeness and depth of knowledge attainment could impact the fitness of learners entering uncertain labour markets. After signposting gaps in existing thinking, we introduce a direct content analysis of a systematic review, comprised of 384 aspects of literature from the fields of pedagogy and andragogy, to demonstrate a lack of conscious consideration for the multiple learning contexts that exist in adult learning design. This gap illustrates an opportunity for learning designers in the field of adult learning to improve the depth, completeness and security of learning experiences. To this end, we present a new Learning Awareness Framework as a feedback mechanism to guide learning design. Our approach is distinctive in the way we link literature in the field of learning to complexity theory and risk governance, where our perspective appears to be unique to the field of adult learning. Finally, our recommendations for a Learning Awareness Framework to guide learning design according to multiple contexts seem to be the first of its kind.

Exploring the Adult Learning Research Field by Analysing Who Cites Whom

In this article we report on findings from a large-scale bibliographic study conducted based on the citation practices within the field of research on adult learning. Our data consist of 151,261 citation links between more than 33,000 different authors whose papers were published in five leading international journals in the field of adult learning during the time period 2006–2014. By analysing the composition of the dominating citation clusters we are able to construct a telescopic view of the research field based on an accumulation of bibliographic citations. The results consist of two parts. First we go through the dominating players active in the field, their position and mutual relationship. Secondly, we derive two main structural oppositions inherent in the citation networks, one connected to the research object (studying education or work) and the second to the level of analysis (cognition or policy). We find that the most dominating tradition within adult learning the last few decades – sociocultural perspectives on learning - occupies a very central position in the space of citations, balancing between these opposing poles. We hope that this analysis will help foster reflexivity concerning our own research practices, and will reveal the relations of dominance currently prevailing within the field of adult learning.

Adult Learning – Providing Equal Opportunities or Widening Differences? The Polish Case

ABSTRACTEducational activity among adults is not only a key factor of social development but also one of the most important priorities of public policies. Although large sums have been earmarked and numerous actions undertaken to encourage adult learning, many people remain educationally passive, a particularly acute problem in Poland. We point to the main cultural and economic determinants of educational passivity: the family environment, education, low earnings and job. Based on several years of research conducted within the Study of Human Capital in Poland project, we conclude that the Matthew effect is visible in the field of adult learning: better-educated people increase their educational capital, moving further away from those with a lower level of education. Comparison of the levels of self-evaluation of competences between educationally active and non-active adults of various levels of education indicates that the highest increase in evaluation occurs among less educated people. Owing to this group’s very low level of education, however, the scale of using the potential for educational activity is very low. The outcome of this is that the opportunities created by adult educational activity are not exploited to reduce social differences and instead it sometimes reinforces these differences.

Examining the Influence of Learning Style and Demographics on Instructional Method Preference

The emerging demographic dividend offers India a latent potential for attaining economic prosperity. With the rise of globalization and the rampant use of technology in our everyday lives, learning has become an indispensable part of our society as well. Albert Einstein aptly said that Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death. Consistent with this thought, it is widely accepted that in the contemporary age, any individual, organization or a country would cease to progress, if it fails to acknowledge lifelong learning. Individuals are the foundation of any society and country, and an understanding of how they learn plays a crucial role in their growth and development. Since learning is a vital ingredient of organizational growth that provides momentum to a countrys economic development. So this study is an attempt to provide better insight in the field of adult learning. With India boasting of the largest youth proportion of the world, it is evidently important for us to cater to the needs of this young populace to facilitate global competitiveness and achieve the power of demographic dividend. The aim of this paper is to identify potential factors that may help trainers to adopt the most suitable method for training adult learners.

Szansa na lepszą przyszłość. Edukacja dorosłych w systemie penitencjarnym Azji Środkowej

Today it is hard to understand, what brought the human to the idea of imprisonment: punishment and hurting, use of convicted as cheap labour force or re-training of the violator. But in the 3rd Century one of the famous Rome lawyers wrote: “The prison should serve as a place of imprisonment not as one of a punishment”. United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners observes the convicted as personalities, being a part of the same society, which is existing outside penal institutions. Their return into the society’s life should be facilitated by providing opportunities for education, which could be continued after the release. During the last ten days DVV International gathered rich experience in the field of adult learning in the penitentiary system of Central Asia. The Author of the present article, Project Manager of those initiatives, describes the activity of DVV International in the field of Adult Education in the Penitentiary system on the example of three countries of Central Asia: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The Article contains approaches, methods and result of these actions.

An Investigation of Big Five and Narrow Personality Traits in Relation to Learner Self-Direction in Undergraduate Students

Self-direction in learning is a major topic in the field of adult learning. There has been extensive coverage of thetopic by theorists, researchers, and practitioners. However, there have been few studies which look at learnerself-direction specifically as a personality trait. The present study addresses the relationship between learnerself-direction and other personality traits of college students when the traits represented by the five-factor model ofpersonality (Digman, 1990) are differentiated from narrow personality traits. Archival data were used from anundergraduate sample at a large Southeastern U.S. university (sample size = 1981). Correlation and multipleregression analyses were used in examining the unique individual relationship between Big Five and narrowpersonality traits and learner self-direction. Analysis of the data revealed five significant part correlations betweenspecific traits and learner self-direction. The part correlations for Work Drive (.30), Openness (.19), and Optimism(.12) were significantly higher than all other part correlations. Neither Conscientiousness nor Agreeableness hadsignificant part correlations despite having significant zero-order correlations with learner self-direction.Extraversion did not have a significant zero-order correlation with learner self-direction but the part correlation wassignificant. Results were discussed in terms of the predictive relationship between personality variables and learnerself-direction. Study implications, some limitations, and possible directions for future research were noted.

Transformative Learning and Ancient Asian Educational Perspectives

Scholars and practitioners all seem to agree that andragogy is not the only perspective and model in the field of adult learning. We no longer think of learning as democratic styles and methods versus authoritarian styles and methods. Rather, we now think of learning as a reflective process where learners may engage their whole body and mind in a critical manner. Worldwide, there are many rich traditions that we can contrast the theory of transformative learning with to improve our understanding, appreciation, application, and further research of this theory to practice. This article explores the connections of Ancient Asian educational perspectives with transformative learning for these purposes.

Adult Learning in New Social Movements: Environmental Protest and the Struggle for the Clayoquot Sound Rainforest

During the summer of 1993, some 10,000 people, young and old, joined logging road blockades to protest the clear-cutting of old-growth temperate rainforest in Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia, Canada. By the end of the summer, more than 900 protestors had been arrested for acts of civil disobedience in refusing to leave the road. In subsequent mass trials, many were then convicted of criminal contempt of court and sentenced to jail terms and steep fines for their activism. Led primarily by women and espousing feminist principles of nonviolence and consensus decision making, the 1993 protests and Clayoquot Peace Camp became the focal point of an environmental movement that eventually spread far beyond the Sound. Framed by the field of adult learning in new social movements and environmental adult education, this article examines the history of Clayoquot Sound protest, its philosophy and practices of learning, education and activism, and its outcomes and significance to adult education.

Educational Perspectives

The apprentice model, which has been used to educate physicians since the era of Hippocrates, has survived the test of time and become established as an effective methodology. Simulation-based training represents an evolution of this teaching paradigm in which the needs of adult learners are met more effectively. This type of training holds the potential to increase competency as well as promote and, more importantly, improve patient safety. Simulation involves immersion of the trainee in a realistic situation (the scenario) and the creation of a physical space designed to replicate real life (the simulator) that is sufficiently realistic to achieve suspension of disbelief on the part of the trainee. (1) The compelling effectiveness of simulation lies in the application of educational theory. According to educational research, the most significant learning experiences occur in authentic activity, during immersion in realistic settings, via hands-on training. (2) Malcolm Knowles pioneered the field of adult learning, acknowledging that “adults are self-directed, independent, and internally motivated to learn … they seek immediate application of newly acquired knowledge … they need to connect learning to their knowledge base … they are goal and relevancy oriented.” (3) Three hypotheses must be embraced to comprehend the true value of simulated teaching. The first is that learning is facilitated through experience. (4) The current paradigm of see one, do one, teach one does not afford the learner opportunities to practice or gain experience without risk to patients. …

The Cohort Model with Graduate Student Learners: Faculty-Student Perspectives

The cohort approach, a model whereby a group of students proceeds through an academic program together, is not a new phenomenon in the field of adult learning. Maher (2004) related that this educational format has been used in higher education since the 1940s. Yerkes, Basom, Norris, and Barnett (1995) noted that the cohort concept--after lying nearly dormant for several years (p. 3)--has resurfaced in at least one specific area: school leadership preparation programs. Overall, the design is aimed at attracting adult learners aged 25 and older, many of whom are employed full time and interested in a part-time program (Maher, 2004). The purpose of this article is to aid adult educators who may be considering the implementation of a graduate-level cohort approach. The intent is not to determine the superiority or inferiority of this approach compared to the traditional model of class enrollment that varies from course to course. It is also important to note that both student contributors to this article experienced the cohort orientation for either the entirety or vast majority of their graduate education. We recognize that differences likely exist among various cohort programs in graduate education (i.e., weekday vs. weekend cohort programs) and that facilitator and student perspectives vary as well. Furthermore, we also acknowledge that our reactions to the cohort approach are simply anecdotal. Nonetheless, given the paucity in the adult education literature on this topic, it is believed that this article represents a contribution to adult learning. The Cohort Model: A Summary from the Literature Cohorts in higher education are typically defined as a group of students who begin a program of study together, share the same sequence of classes, faculty members, and instructional activities toward completion of a specific degree or certification (Merino, Muse, & Wright, 1994). Recently, this definition has expanded to include the development of collaborative projects, self-directed goals, and a network of academic and social support (Merino et al., 1994). As the model increases in popularity, interest has arisen regarding the effect of this model on students' personal and professional development. Yerkes et al. (1995) described three types of cohorts: a) closed or pure, whereby students take all coursework together in a prearranged order; b) open or mixed, whereby students take a core set of courses together and then enroll in additional coursework to fulfill their needs; and c) fluid or course-by-course, whereby students may enter the cohort at various times instead of only one point of entry. In their study of U.S. universities implementing cohort programs, they found that a quarter of the institutions used more than one type of cohort. Over 70% of institutions indicated the use of closed cohorts, while over 60% of responding universities reflected the utilization of open cohorts. The use of the cohort learning model began to be used more often during the 1980s as a response to pressure for reform of the educational system (Yerkes, Norris, Basom, & Barnett, 1994). Many institutions began to investigate the academic, social, and collegial advantages of this design. Furthermore, in an effort to foster group interactions among adult learners, institutions and organizations implemented various educational formats, including accelerated classes, collaborative learning, learning communities, and team learning. Though differences exist among these specific approaches, each of them can be used within a cohort-based model (Saltiel & Russo, 2001). Despite this renewed interest in the use of cohort models, limited systematic, empirical data exist on this model. Cohort Teaching and Learning: Our Perspectives From our experience, two themes have been noted in our instructor and student perspectives of a cohort model. First, course facilitation is different in a cohort model than a traditional approach. …

Learner-Learning Environment Fit

ABSTRACT The person-environment paradigm is pivotal to our profession; however, few social work educators have utilized this theoretical perspective to shape curricula or to advance teaching practices that take into account what we know about the adult learner (Coulshed, 1993) and the learning environment (Knowles, 1972). In this article, the authors propose a model of social work education based on recent theoretical developments and research findings in the field of adult learning. The model consists of three phases of learning: the decision to learn, the learning process, and the learning outcome. Characteristics of the adult learner (motivation, personal attributes, cognitive development, learning style) and conditions of the learning environment (physical, interpersonal, and socio-cultural) are emphasized in the model.