Conversations about Adult Learning in Our Complex World

Edited by:
Carrie J. Boden, Texas State University
Kathleen P. King, University of Central Florida

A volume in the series: Adult Education Special Topics: Theory, Research and Practice in LifeLong Learning. Editor(s): Kathleen P. King, University of Central Florida.

Published 2012

We recognize that our society and demands for lifelong learning changes rapidly, and needs to continue to be rapidly effectively infused in changing forms into the teaching and learning process. Conversations about Adult Learning in Our Complex World focuses the study of adult learning to address the issues of living and learning within a complex world- the epitome of the 21st century.

Readers will find that this book is valuable for a wide variety of professors, researchers, practitioners, and students in fields related to adult learning and adult education as it reveals emerging research and trends relevant for today and tomorrow. Moreover, this publication represents some of the most innovative and thoughtful scholarship resulting from the work of the Adult Higher Education Alliance and, arguably, the field of adult education.

The book is arranged thematically in five sections, each one dealing with a domain where intercultural competence and other fundamental skills may improve the learning experiences for adult learners. The sections include, The Learning Environment and Authentic Teaching, Interculturally Competent Classroom Practices, Programming for Adults—Redesigning University to Serve Adult Learners, Professional Development, Teacher Training, and Leadership Development, and Meaningful Assessment of Programs for Adults.

CONTENTS
Foreword, Tessa McDonnell. Acknowledgments, Carrie J. Boden-McGill and Kathleen P. King. Introduction, Carrie J. Boden-McGill and Kathleen P. King. SECTION I: THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND AUTHENTIC TEACHING. The Importance of Authenticity in the College Classroom, Marilyn Lockhart and Lynn Kelting-Gibson. Trust in Learning—Makes all the Difference, John A. Henschke. Faculty Development for Interculturally Transformative Education, Anne M. Shibata. SECTION II: INTERCULTURALLY COMPETENT CLASSROOM PRACTICES. Building an Ethic of Collaboration: Moral Development In and Out of the Classroom, Catherine McCall Marsh. The Learning Environment Preference Inventory: Measuring Pedagogy, Mesagogy, and Andragogy in a Community College Setting, Jonathan E. Taylor, Joseph H. Reynolds, David E. Laton, and Ted N. Davis. The New Classroom of Multigenerational Learners: Using Andragogical Principles in 21st Century Online Learning, Susan Isenberg and Fletcher Glancy. “Learning by Teaching” and “Research Informed Teaching” for Adult Authorship in Learning: A Collaborative Learning Experience of Undergraduate Students in a Human Service Program, Emmanuel Jean Francois. SECTION III: PROGRAMMING FOR ADULTS—REDESIGNING UNIVERSITY TO SERVE ADULT LEARNERS. The Lived Experience of Graduates of an Adult Accelerated Degree Program, Carrie Johnson, Wytress Richardson, and August Lamczyk. Differences Between College Student-Parents’ and Nonparents’ Factors of Motivation and Persistence, Elyse D’nn Lovell. Can Adult Students Transform Our Universities?, Xenia Coulter and Alan Mandell. Redefining Success: The Postcollege Career Experiences of First-Generation Adult College Graduates, Joann S. Olson. Forcing a Square Peg Into a Round Hole: Asynchronous Online Education Credit Hours Based on Seat Time, Frederick Carl Prasuhn. Mentoring Doctoral Students: Challenges and Models for Success, Catherine A. Hansman. SECTION IV: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, TEACHER TRAINING, AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. The Journey From Novice to Expert: Toward a Model of Purposeful Ongoing Mentoring, Kathy Peno and Elaine M. Silva Mangiante. Improving Faculty Development Through Peer Coaching, Learning Communities, and Mentoring, Kathryn A. McAtee and Catherine A. Hansman. Technical and Teacher Training Challenges in Uganda: An Instructional Technology Approach to a 21st Century Development Issue, Charles Kyobe and Kathleen P. King. Learning to Lead: Leveraging Social Capital, Social Learning, and Social Media in Leadership Development, Carmela R. Nanton. SECTION V: MEANINGFUL ASSESSMENT OF PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS. Demonstrating the Value of Lifelong Learning Through Outcomes Assessment Research, Frank D. Silvestro and Henry S. Merrill. The Power of Collaboration in Promoting Adult Student Learning Outcomes, Cynthia Benn Tweedell and Audrey Kelleher. Conclusion, Kathleen P. King and Carrie J. Boden-McGill. About the Contributors.