Product Description

In this updated landmark book, the authors have gathered the seminal work and most current thinking on adult learning into one volume. Learning in Adulthood addresses a wide range of topics including: Who are adult learners? How do adults learn? Why are adults involved in learning activities? How does the social context shape the learning that adults are engaged in? How does aging affect learning ability?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2524 in Books
• Published on: 2006-10-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 560 pages

Review
"An essential volume in adult education." -- Choice

"Merriam and Caffarella provide an excellent resource whose value will last until the appearance of the third edition." -- Continuing Higher Education Review

"Such an important and complete guide on the subject of adult learning that it is now in its second edition. Merriam and Caffarella have done a monument work of pulling together the current research and thinking on adult learning." (ForeThought)

"Merriam and Caffarella provide an excellent resource whose value will last until the appearance of the third edition." (Continuing Higher Education Review)

"An essential volume in adult education." (Choice, (praise from 1st edition))

"[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, (praise from 1st edition))

"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, (praise from 1st edition))

Review
"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

From the Inside Flap
Since it was first published in 1991, Learning in Adulthood has been lauded as the most authoritative and comprehensive guide to adult learning. The revised and expanded third edition reflects the latest research and practice in adult learning, making it an essential resource for the field.

In this updated landmark book, the authors have gathered the seminal work and most current thinking on adult learning into one volume. Learning in Adulthood addresses a wide range of topics including: Who are adult learners? How do adults learn? Why are adults involved in learning activities? How does the social context shape the learning that adults are engaged in? How does aging affect learning ability?

Drawing from a background of work in sociology, philosophy, and critical social theory as well as psychology and education, the authors construct an inclusive perspective on adult learning, guiding readers toward new ways of thinking about teaching, learning, and the broader social implications of adult education.

Customer Reviews

Indispensible!
An all-inclusive study of adult learning by two of the field's leading writers, this text covers substantial ground in exploring the theory and practice of its subject. All facets of learning are covered: psychological, social context, process, theories, models, and key concepts. The book provides up-to-date information on topics such as andragogy, self-directed learning, and transformational learning, and on important background theories like post-modernism, feminism, emotional intelligence, spirituality, and critical theory. The text is enriched with tables and diagrams, 69 pages of references, and author and subject indices. The authors' personal reflections on ethics and the integration of theory and practice help enliven the factual chapters. This rich text is arguably the most important single-source resource in the field of adult learning. Never far from reach (I refer to it as my "bible"), seldom a day goes by when I do not refer to it for clarification of a theory or concept, to discover background reading, or to compare or cross-reference resources. Easy to read and offering depth as well as breadth, adult educators of all stripes-students at all levels, novice and veteran practitioners-can benefit from this book. I am pressed to think of a single negative remark-only that it will grow dated quickly if it is not regularly revised (nearly a decade lapsed between the 1st and 2nd editions), as the adult learning field is in a growth spurt and changing rapidly.

Excellent Study - Superb Reference
Learning in Adulthood is one of those "classic" text/reference books i.e., the kind that you actually read and return to time and again. I am particularly taken by the way the authors summarize the major thinking in the various content areas. They extract the key thoughts of hundreds of research works, compare and contrast, synthesize. They are careful to present dissenting views. Most of their references are recent. I also like the fact that their own voices are heard and they are strong, experienced voices. This is an ideal source book for graduate students that are writing or will be writing a thesis or dissertation.

excellent for studies
I'm doctoral student and I found this volume extremely useful for getting to the primary resources in the topics of interest. Previuosly I've studied the 2nd edition and it was very good. But the 3rd ed. I like ver much, as it expanded my approch to some new issues in adult education. I'd highly recommend this Guide to everyone who wants to get an understanding about tendencies in AE and who's watching for valuable reference resource in AE