The current demand to meet the learning needs of adults in education and industry is unprecedented. Yet because of the extreme diversity of settings and purposes - from learning English as a second language and on-the-job training to graduate coursework - the literature of the adult learning field is diffuse. Using the work of K. Patricia Cross, J. Roby Kidd, Malcolm Knowles, and others - as well as recent adult learning theories and research, Merriam and Caffarella provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge about adult learning, including the context in which adult learning takes place, what the participants learn and why, the nature of the learning process itself, and the issues relevant to the practice of adult learning.
Learning in Adulthood "For this third edition of Learning in Adulthood we have paid particular attention to work published since the last edition of the book. This third edition of Learning in Adulthood builds on material in the 1999 edition, bringing together the important contributions of the past decade to our understanding of adult learning. While we have preserved important foundational material (such as a discussion of andragogy), we have also brought to bear the most recent thinking and research. We have strived to put together a comprehensive overview and synthesis of what we know about adult learning: the context in which it takes place, who the participants are, what they learn and why, the nature of the learning process itself, new approaches to adult learning, the development of theory in adult learning, and other issues relevant to understanding adult learning."
From the Preface
Previous praise for Learning in Adulthood
"An essential volume in adult education."
Choice
"This book is extremely useful in that it provides an informed overview of issues related to adult learning. It is very readable, yet packs considerable challenge for the more experienced adult educator."
Canadian Journal of University Continuing Education
"Learning in Adulthood′s greatest strengths are its coverage of the learning context, theory–building within adult learning, and how social and ethical issues offer special challenges to adult learning. It will be useful to both experienced and novice continuing educators, as well as laypersons."
Continuing Higher Education Review