An Update On Adult Development Theory New Ways Of Thinking About The Life Course

Our approach to adult learners and the learning process is shaped by our knowledge of how adults change and develop across the life span. This issue of New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education reviews the latest work in adult developmental theory in the biological, psychological, sociocultural, and integrated domains, and explores the implications of this work for adult education. Chapters examine how gAnder, race, and sexual orientation affect our sense of self; explore spiritual development and theories of aging; and offer a way of understanding development in terms of how people use narrative to organize and make meaning of their experiences. This is the 84th issue of the quarterly journal New Directions for Adult and Continuing Development.

Dilemmas and Decisions distinguishes “problems”, which have rational solutions, from “dilemmas” which do not, aiming to prepare students for decisions required at work, rather than in TV quizzes. It argues that constantly seeking the “right answer” merely leads to extremism and totalitarian thinking.

In the twenty-first century, a developmental phase of life is emerging as significant and distinct, capturing our interest, engaging our curiosity, and expanding our understanding of human potential and development. Demographers talk about this new chapter in life as characterized by people—between fifty and seventy-five—who are considered "neither young nor old." In our "third chapters" we are beginning to redefine our views about the casualties and opportunities of aging; we are challenging cultural definitions of strength, maturity, power, and sexiness. This is a chapter in life when the traditional norms, rules, and rituals of our careers seem less encompassing and restrictive; when many women and men seem to be embracing new challenges and searching for greater meaning in life. In The Third Chapter, the renowned sociologist Dr. Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot offers a strong counterpoint to the murky ambivalence that shrouds our clear view of people in their third chapters. She challenges the still prevailing and anachronistic images of aging by documenting and revealing the ways in which the years between fifty and seventy-five may, in fact, be the most transformative and generative time in our lives, tracing the ways in which wisdom, experience, and new learning inspire individual growth and cultural transformation. The women and men whose voices fill the pages of The Third Chapter tell passionate and poignant stories of risk and vulnerability, failure and resilience, challenge and mastery, experimentation and improvisation, and insight and new learning.

Since it was first published in 1980, Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession has become a classic reference in the field. In the fourth edition of this important resource the contributors'—a stellar panel of student affairs scholars—examine the changing context of the student experience in higher education, the evolution of the role of student affairs professionals, and the philosophies, ethics, and theories that guide the practice of student affairs work. Comprehensive in scope, this book covers a broad range of relevant topics including the development of student affairs, legal and ethical foundations of student affairs practice, student development, learning and retention theories, organizational theory, dynamics of campus environments, strategic planning and finance, information technology in student affairs, managing human resources, multiculturalism, teaching, counseling and helping skills, assessment and evaluation, and new lessons from research on student outcomes.

Rev. ed. of: Handbook of adult development and learning / edited by Carol Hoare. 2006.

An authoritative overview of the current state of the field of adult and continuing education Drawing on the contributions of 75 leading authors in the field, this 2010 Edition of the respected Handbook of Adult and Continuing Education provides adult education scholars, program administrators, and teachers with a solid foundation for understanding the current guiding beliefs, practices, and tensions faced in the field, as well as a basis for developing and refining their own approaches to their work and scholarship. Offering expanded discussions in the areas of social justice, technology, and the global dimensions of adult and continuing education, the Handbook continues the tradition of previous volumes with discussions of contemporary theories, current forms and contexts of practice, and core processes and functions. Insightful chapters examine adult and continuing education as it relates to gender and sexuality, race, our aging society, class and place, and disability. Key Features Expanded coverage of social justice, the impact of technology, and the global dimensions of adult and continuing education provides a useful update on theories and practices in the field as they have evolved during the last decade. An invaluable introductory overview and synthesis of key aspects of the field of practice and scholarship acquaints new readers to the field The centrality of social justice in adult and continuing education is addressed in a new section. The broader global context of contemporary adult and continuing education is covered in a final section.

This is the first New Directions volume related to young adult learners since 1984. Then, as now, young adults are an important segment of the adult population but have received scant attention in the adult education literature. Increasingly, youths and young adults are enrolling in adult education programs and in doing so are changing the meaning of adulthood. Given the significant demographic, technological, and cultural shifts during the past 30 years, there is an increasing need for practitioners and program planners to reconsider what constitutes "adult" and "adult education." An understanding of the changing meaning of adulthood is fundamental to developing programs and policies that will address the needs of younger learners, and we believe it is time for an updated discussion among adult educators and scholars in other disciplines. This sourcebook is designed to reignite the discussion related to meeting the educational needs of young adults along with a timely and interdisciplinary discussion that highlights the transitional needs of young adult learners. Table of contents: 1. Conceptualizing Transitions to Adulthood (Johanna Wyn) This opening chapter lays the groundwork for this volume by providing an overview of adult development theories as they relate to the transition to young adulthood along with a discussion of the blurring between youth and adult due to the ambiguity encountered when trying to define adulthood. 2. Culture, Conditions, and the Transition to Adulthood (Brendaly Drayton) An individual's culture shapes both the definition of adult and the experience of the transition to adulthood. Furthermore, the transition to adulthood may serve as a time when an individual's cultural identity is more consciously defined and more personally salient. This chapter explores the intersection of culture and adulthood. 3. Vulnerable Youth and Transitions to Adulthood (Rongbing Xie, Bisakha Sen, E. Michael Foster) This chapter discusses recent research conducted that identified challenges youth in the mental health system, the foster care system, and the juvenile justice system face in their transition to adulthood due to limited support systems. 4. Young Adulthood, Transitions, and Dis/ability (Jessica Nina Lester) A discussion focusing on the social transitions to adulthood and independent living of an often forgotten population in adult education, young adults labeled with (dis)abilities. 5. Becoming an Adult in a Community of Faith (Steven B. Frye) The vitality and ongoing existence of any community of faith-- regardless of the specific religious tradition--depends on incorporating the "next generation" as full participants. This chapter focuses on how the transition to adulthood is transacted within various religious traditions and the extent to which that transition is a place where non-formal learning takes place. 6. Youths Transitioning as Adult Learners (C. Amelia Davis) This chapter conceptualizes transitions with a focus on Adult Basic Education/GED students as they transition from high school to adult education. 7. Transitions From Formal Education to the Workplace (Joann S. Olson) This chapter frames the transition to adulthood in the context of the moving from formal educational settings (e.g., high school, postsecondary education) to the often less-structured learning that occurs in workplace settings. 8. Themes and Issues in Programming for Young Adults (Joann S. Olson, C. Amelia Davis) In this final chapter, recurring themes from the preceding chapters are identified and discussed as they pertain to program planning and instructional practice.

Foundations of Student Affairs Practice is an essential resource that explores the purposes of higher education, the theories that provide a foundation for student learning and growth, and the experiences that contribute to student learning. Florence Hamrick, Nancy Evans, and John Schuh—three preeminent leaders in the field—show how student affairs professionals can provide a more meaningful and holistic educational experience for their students.