Ebook Adult Learning In Groups

Group learning plays a central role in contemporary education and training. Studying collaboratively has been shown to directly enhance student learning, as well as being valued as a 'key skill'. This handbook covers the essential elements of groupwork in adult and post-compulsory education, in an accessible and practical format. It discusses the principles underpinning groupwork, looking at origins and developments in the field, and delves into the technical aspects of group development and the dynamics involved in working groups, drawing on key theoretical perspectives and embedding them in adult education. The chapters promote participative learning through dialogue, discussion and creative activities. With over twenty years real experience of groupwork, the author provides: A set of flexible resources that you can adapt and develop for your own learning environments A series of activities and exercises which can be linked into the stages of group development Ideas for innovative learning programme design Methods that integrate group dynamics with the learning needs of the group A comprehensive definition of key terms Adult Learning in Groups is a vital handbook for anyone working in adult, higher and post-compulsory education.

How do you tailor education to the learning needs of adults? Do they learn differently from children? How does their life experience inform their learning processes? These were the questions at the heart of Malcolm Knowles’ pioneering theory of andragogy which transformed education theory in the 1970s. The resulting principles of a self-directed, experiential, problem-centred approach to learning have been hugely influential and are still the basis of the learning practices we use today. Understanding these principles is the cornerstone of increasing motivation and enabling adult learners to achieve. The 9th edition of The Adult Learner has been revised to include: Updates to the book to reflect the very latest advancements in the field. The addition of two new chapters on diversity and inclusion in adult learning, and andragogy and the online adult learner. An updated supporting website. This website for the 9th edition of The Adult Learner will provide basic instructor aids. For each chapter, there will be a PowerPoint presentation, learning exercises, and added study questions. Revisions throughout to make it more readable and relevant to your practices. If you are a researcher, practitioner, or student in education, an adult learning practitioner, training manager, or involved in human resource development, this is the definitive book in adult learning you should not be without.

Solidly grounded in theory and research, but concise and practice-oriented, Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice is perfect for master’s-level students and practitioners alike. Sharan Merriam and Laura Bierema have infused each chapter with practical applications for instruction which will help readers personally relate to the material. The contents covers: Adult Learning in Today’s World Traditional Learning Theories Andragogy Self-Directed Learning Transformative Learning Experience and Learning Body and Spirit in Learning Motivation and Learning The Brain and Cognitive Functioning Adult Learning in the Digital Age Critical Thinking and Critical Perspectives Culture and Context Discussion questions and activities for reflection are included at the end of each chapter.

This is a practical handbook for all those who wish to offer high quality learning opportunities to adults with learning difficulties. It stresses the quality of provision throughout, and is illustrated by many examples of good practice from all areas of curiculum and delivery. The importance of the widest possible range of learning opportunities is also emphasized, and providers are urged to go beyond the limited menu of basic and social skills. For toolong education has been a process "done to" rather than with this group of learners. This book advocates a learner-centred approach based on choice and decision-making by people with learning difficulties.

How can we design networked e-learning courses to ensure students participate in them and engage in quality learning outcomes? What happens in an e-learning course that is designed to foster group work and a sense of ‘community’? How can we research e-learning practice in ways that will enhance the processes of learning and teaching? This book outlines approaches to networked e-learning course design that are underpinned by a belief that students learn best in these contexts when they are organised in groups and communities. As such, the book is one of the first to provide a detailed analysis of what goes on in e-learning groups and communities. But how do students react to working in e-learning groups and communities? What determines their willingness to adopt new forms of learning in order to participate in these new courses? What actually happens in an e-learning community, and what impact does this have on students and tutors? This book examines these key questions through a variety of research approaches aimed at exploring the experience of e-learners as they participate in successful e-groups and communities. It also offers ways in which learning outcomes may be achieved in these communities and outlines the specific skills that students would develop through e-learning. E-learning Groups and Communities is essential reading for teachers, trainers, managers, researchers and students involved in e-learning courses as well as people interested in improving the quality of the learning experience.

This book provides educators and facilitators with a comprehensive overview of the historical underpinnings and philosophical orientations of adult education and adult learning while attending to the various roles individuals play both within and beyond the formal constraints of the classroom. Positioning learners' and instructors' educational narratives as central to the theories that inform adult education, Pathways of Adult Learning opens up a dialogue among students, educators, community members, scholars, and working professionals about the many possible avenues toward knowledge sharing. Employing a personal, accessible tone, Janet Groen and Colleen Kawalilak take up a relational approach that encourages readers to reflect upon their own experiences as learners within the broadening context of adult education. Conscious of the power imbalances that can emerge in both institutional and professional work and learning environments, this text explores specific teaching and facilitation strategies that effectively generate ideas and accommodate adult learners of varying gender orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and ethnicities. Through their collaborative analysis of a diverse collection of first-person narratives, provided by both students and scholars working in the field, the authors construct a multi-faceted portrait of the status of adult learning today. Integrating a critical lens to explore how social, cultural, and economic factors influence and shape individual and collective pathways toward lifelong learning, this text is an indispensible guide for anyone studying or facilitating educational programming for adults in diverse work and learning contexts.

“Griff Foley has done those of us who are interested in adult learning a favour… Dimensions of Adult Learning provides an up-to-date, internationally relevant and comprehensive overview of an increasingly diverse field of study… an ideal introduction to the field for teachers, researchers and policy-makers." Journal of Education and Work “[The book] lives up to its ambitious name and has something to offer policy-makers and practitioners who want to take a fresh look at the expanding world of adult learning.” Talisman “This timely and valuable book makes an important contribution to our understanding of key recent developments in adult education and their significance. Reflecting the increasingly global nature of scholarship in the field, well-respected international contributors analyse issues facing practitioners today and consider how these can be most positively embraced to further the international cause of adult learning and social justice.” – Janet Hannah, University of Nottingham. This broad introduction to adult and post-compulsory education offers an overview of the field for students, adult educators and workplace trainers. The book establishes an analytical framework to emphasise the nature of learning and agency of learners; examines the core knowledge and skills that adult educators need; discusses policy, research and history of adult education, and surveys innovations and issues in adult education and learning. It also examines adult learning in different contexts: on-line learning, problem-based learning, organisational and vocational learning. Edited by internationally known academic Griff Foley, the book features chapters from leading contributors in the UK, North America, Australia and worldwide. Contributors: Damon Anderson, Francesca Beddie; Carmel Borg; Bob Boughton; Mike Brown; Shauna Butterwick; Tara Fenwick; Laurie Field; Keith Forrester; Vernon Galloway;Andrew Gonczi; Nancy Grudens-Schuck; Joce Jesson; Linda Leach; Peter Mayo; John McIntyre; Paul McTigue; Mike Newman; Tom Nesbit; Kjell Rubenson; Peter Rushbrook; Tom Sork; Barbara Sparks; Bruce Spencer; Peter Stephenson; Nelly Stromquist; Lucy Taksa; Mark Tennant; Shirley Walters; Michael Welton