Understanding the Adult Learner: Perspectives and Practices

Adults seek out learning for very different reasons in different contexts, and this book is intended to support adult educators’ development in responding to this rich array. Adults seek out learning for very different reasons in different contexts, and this book is intended to support adult educators’ development in responding to this rich array. There is no single way to be an adult learner, and so it should not be surprising that there is no single way to be an adult educator. However, the authors believe that all educators must demonstrate a commitment to meeting adult learners where they are. Adult educators should help learners move forward not only with new content knowledge, information, and skills, but also with new ways of making meaning and seeing themselves, their role, and the world. This volume introduces many theories and concepts that can help adult educators do this effectively.