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Sharan B. Merriam, Rosemary S. Caffarella, and Lisa M. Baumgartner (Eds.). Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide (3rd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2007. 533 pp. Cloth: $60.00. ISBN: 13:978-7879-7588-3.
For many years, popular belief reflected the notion that learning ended with the completion of formal education and adulthood was regarded as a period of the gradual decline and diminishment of abilities. Yet historically, many adults have continued to engage in various forms of learning. In contemporary society, developing and providing education and training for adults is now a billiondollar industry in the United States, and the idea of lifelong learning has rapidly become a reality across the world. In American higher education, the overall percentage of undergraduates classified as adult learners now hovers around 50%, with the largest increases occurring in community colleges, so-called career colleges, and online programs.
Learning in Adulthood helps those of us in higher education appreciate the implications of these trends. In this third edition, Merriam, Caffarella, and Baumgartner "strive 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 developmental theory in adult learning, and other issues relevant to understanding adult learning" (p. x).
The authors indicate that this book is intended for educators who work with adults in a variety of settings and contexts and is organized to be easily used in courses, workshops, and seminars. It consists of four parts. Part 1 provides an overview of the contexts of adult learning in contemporary society. Chapter 1 discusses demographic, international, and technological changes occurring in society and their implications for adult learning. Chapter 2 explores the various environments in which adult learning occurs, especially the emergence of...