Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide, 3rd Edition

by Merriam, Sharan B.; Caffarella, Rosemary S.; Baumgartner, Lisa M.

• ISBN13: 9780787975883
• ISBN10: 0787975885
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-10-27
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Summary

In this updated landmark book, the authors have gathered the seminal work and most current thinking on adult learning into one volume. Learning in Adulthood addresses a wide range of topics including: Who are adult learners? How do adults learn? Why are adults involved in learning activities? How does the social context shape the learning that adults are engaged in? How does aging affect learning ability?

Author Biography

Sharan B. Merriam is professor of adult education at the University of Georgia. Merriam's research and writing activities have focused on the foundations of adult education, adult learning, adult development, and qualitative research methods. She has won the Cyril O. Houle Award for Outstanding Literature in Adult Education for three books, including one for Learning in Adulthood.

Rosemary S. Caffarella is professor and chair of the Department of Education in the College of Agriculture and Life Science at Cornell University. Her research and writing activities have focused on adult development and learning, program planning and evaluation, and leadership development. She has authored or coauthored a number of books, including the award-winning Learning in Adulthood.

Lisa M. Baumgartner is an associate professor of adult education at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb. Her research and writing focus on adult learning and development and women's contributions to the field of adult education. She is a recipient of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Cyril O. Houle Scholars Research Grant for Emerging Scholars in Adult Education.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
The Authors	xv
PART ONE: ADULT LEARNING IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY	1	(78)
1 The Social Context of Adult Learning	5	(22)
2 Learning Environments and Learning Concepts	27	(26)
3 Adult Learners: Who Participates and Why	53	(26)
PART TWO: ADULT LEARNING THEORY AND MODELS	79	(108)
4 Knowles's Andragogy, and Models of Adult Learning by McClusky, Illeris, and Jarvis	83	(22)
5 Self-Directed Learning	105	(25)
6 Transformational Learning	130	(29)
7 Experience and Learning	159	(28)
PART THREE: NEWER APPROACHES TO ADULT LEARNING	187	(84)
8 Embodied, Spiritual, and Narrative Learning	189	(28)
9 Learning and Knowing: Non-Western Perspectives	217	(24)
10 Critical Theory, Postmodern, and Feminist Perspectives	241	(30)
PART FOUR: LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT	271	(168)
11 Traditional Learning Theories	275	(23)
12 Adult Development	298	(27)
13 Cognitive Development in Adulthood	325	(34)
14 Intelligence and Aging	359	(32)
15 Memory, Cognition, and the Brain	391	(30)
16 Reflections on Learning in Adulthood	421	(18)
References	439	(65)
Name Index	504	(13)
Subject Index	517