This study presents the first comprehensive examination of disadvantaged adults’ participation in Nonformal Education and Training (NFE) across 30 European countries. It investigates how disadvantaged participants differ from their nonparticipating peers within the same social groups, the influence of multi-level factors on their participation, and the specific characteristics of their participation in NFE. Drawing on data from the 2022 Adult Education Survey, the study yields three key findings. First, their participation is shaped by a multilayered structure of age, education, labor market, and country-level variables. Second, their likelihood of participation varies significantly between national adult learning systems. Third, patterns of engagement differ with respect to the type of NFE, mode of delivery, learning initiation, and the provision of guidance. These findings underscore the enduring structural inequalities in NFE and point to the urgent need for policy frameworks that address the multilayered nature of factors influencing participation among disadvantaged adults.
This article offers a post-structural perspective on the formation of community-based research (CBR) facilitators, critiquing the dominant humanist tradition that neglects the power dynamics shaping everyday life and the invited spaces where facilitators are produced. Working within/against narrative inquiry, it examines the lived experience of a queer CBR facilitator from Southeast Asia to show how subjectivities are constituted within power/knowledge relations. The analysis highlights tensions between subjection and subversion, as facilitators act simultaneously as targets and vehicles of power within informal pedagogical processes that extend beyond invited spaces. Introducing the concept of the pedagogy of the subject, the study advances a framework for understanding facilitation as an embodied, discursively constituted practice, while challenging the university-centric focus that continues to dominate CBR literature and practice.
Stimulating adults to learn is a significant challenge, particularly for vulnerable groups with limited education, socioeconomic disadvantages, or marginalized backgrounds. While research highlights barriers and motivations for adult learning, less attention has been given to the transitions adults undergo and the factors shaping these processes. Based on 69 interviews with underrepresented learners in the Netherlands and informed by the capability approach, this study identifies three key movements: learning imposed, driven by coercion; learning through agency development, primarily enabled by external factors; and learning through agency, mainly initiated by intrinsic motivation. These movements are shaped by different combinations of agency factors, life events, and social or institutional support. The findings provide a framework to understand these transitions and inform policies for inclusive adult learning.
No universally accepted tool currently exists for assessing self-directed learning (SDL), and few studies have focused on validating new SDL instruments to achieve broad consensus regarding their psychometric rigor and applicability. This study examines the concurrent validity of two SDL tools: the SRSSDL_adult for middle-aged and older adults, and the SDLI for nursing students. These tools were administered to participants in Taiwanese senior learning centers, who were predominantly female (78.8%) and aged 65-74 years (45.6%), with many holding undergraduate degrees (43.8%). The highest scores were observed in "Needs assessment" (SRSSDL_adult) and "Learning motivation" (SDLI). A strong positive correlation (Pearson coefficient = 0.783, p < .001) confirmed the concurrent validity of the SRSSDL_adult against the SDLI. The two SDL assessment tools examined in this study can concurrently provide valuable insights into the identification of SDL abilities. The findings indicate that both scales are directly applicable to middle-aged and older learners.
This study explores how academic support staff in a multilingual university context developed self-directed learning (SDL) behaviors through participation in the Language Clinic Program, a structured workplace English self-development program. Guided by narrative inquiry, it traces the learning journeys of four participants through SDL readiness questionnaires, learning contracts, reflective assessments, personalized consultations, satisfaction scales, and stimulated recall interviews. The findings reveal that SDL was cultivated not only through these structured, narrative-informed tools but also through emotional trust, self-recognition, and workplace relevance. Participants reported enhanced communication competence and language confidence while redefining their learning identities. The study offers new insights into how SDL develops not only from strategic planning but also through relational trust and narrative engagement, particularly in resource-sensitive workplace settings. It underscores how narrative-based support can strengthen both language development and confident learner autonomy among adult learners in higher education.
Digital literacy education is widely recognized as a crucial means of bridging the digital divide among older adults. Applying communities of practice (CoP) to digital literacy education, as implemented by an older adult school in China, has proven to be an effective model. Three teachers and thirteen older learners were observed and interviewed to uncover the characteristics and impacts of this model. The findings reveal that CoP-based digital literacy education fosters positive outcomes in skills, actions, and cognition by cultivating multidimensional interaction, enabling legitimate peripheral participation, and facilitating role transitions.
Adult education in general, and literacy acquisition in particular, is often viewed as an empowering personal growth process. However, the extent to which basic literacy acquisition in adult life can be disempowering and induce devaluation and self-deprecation has remained under-explored. This study analyzes the reading and writing learning processes of a group of Moroccan migrant women in Spain. Using an ethnographic approach based on the observation of literacy classes and interviews with learners and teachers, the analysis focuses on the interrelation and coexistence of self-deprecation and self-enhancement as expressions of the ambivalences of the learning experience. These ambivalences are discussed considering the intersections of gender, education, and migration and in the context of the analysis of three forms of self-deprecating expressions: disclosure, infantilization, and humor.
This study aims to understand how farmers in a rural agricultural co-operative shape their identity development experiences through social interactions. Based on the community of practice approach, this qualitative study uses a case study methodology and examines the G & ouml;dence Agricultural Development Co-operative in a mountain village in western Turkey. Data were collected through interviews, participant observation and document analysis and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings show that farmers experienced movement from the periphery to the center during their participation in the co-operative and that this movement, combined with learning experiences, contributed to identity development. The study reveals that co-operatives in rural communities can function not only economically but also in community-based learning and identity construction. In this respect, the study makes theoretical and practical contributions to the fields of adult education, rural development, and community-based learning.
What is transformation if we are constantly becoming? Posthumanist theories offer new perspectives on the discussion of learning and transformation in our complex and interconnected world. This article provides a primer on posthumanism for scholars of transformative learning and wonders what new potentials are produced by bringing together posthumanism and transformative learning. Posthumanism challenges the boundaries of the human and the utility of prioritizing the cognitive over other ways of knowing, but posthumanism does not leave the human behind: It seeks new paths forward. In that spirit, this article shares a few potential paths forward for posthumanist approaches to transformative learning in theory and practice.
Polarization among people in the United States and countries around the world has been intensifying in the twenty-first century. The purpose of this article is to explore how adult educators can address divisive polarities by using adult development theory as a guide for learning initiatives that develop empathic connection between people divided by polarities. We present John Heron's theory of personhood and the distinction he makes between feeling and emotion in shaping the arc of adult development. We discuss how affective and cognitive empathy contribute to wholistic learning under polarizing conditions. Drawing from the literature and our experience as practitioners of cooperative and synergic inquiries, we describe a framework for practices to enable wholistic learning in divisive settings. Our purpose is to describe practices that can support dialogue across polarities, not to create a specific design. We close with an example from a synergic inquiry of how the practices can be applied with agility.
This study examines the work of activist-educators in South Korea striving to deepen democracy by teaching democratic citizenship within a hybrid national context shaped by coloniality, neoliberalism, and Cold War legacies. Based on ethnographic fieldwork across three organizations, this research critiques the developmental assumptions of Engeström's expansive learning, which insufficiently captures the ambivalence and hybridity that characterize these activists’ efforts. Drawing on Homi Bhabha's postcolonial theory, this study proposes a new approach called “enunciatory learning,” which emphasizes the navigation of ambivalence, transcendence of fixed signifiers, and consideration of the double temporality in pedagogical processes. This approach captures the work of activist-educators, who create in-between spaces that challenge homogeneous notions of democracy and citizenship, thus fostering alternative identifications and participatory practices. This study argues for the importance of undertaking continuous but nuanced efforts to disentangle hybridity as valuable steps toward transformative democratic alternatives in contexts marked by cultural and political complexities.
Canada is often held up internationally as a successful model of immigration and multiculturalism. For over half a century, multiculturalism as national policy and normative framework has been the subject of discussion focusing on social divisiveness, clash of cultures, and ethnic marginalization and stratification. Recent debate has shifted to the future of Canadian multiculturalism in an age of transnational migration and hyperdiversity characterized by multiple and circular movement across transnational spaces. Critiques claim that Canada's official multiculturalism is showing signs of crisis since it is no longer theoretically attuned to the demands of a rapidly changing and highly mobile complex world. As an alternative, transculturalism has been presented as a more complex mindset reflecting the dynamic interplay, diversification of diversity, and multiversality of belonging. Drawing on the concept of transculturalism, this article explores how people constructed meanings of transculture and transcultural learning out of their lived experiences in an era of transnational migration. Findings from a qualitative study reveal that transcultural learning is a holistic and transformative process that connects local to global, challenges taken-for-granted frames of reference, expands worldviews, integrates new practices, and transforms individuals. A holistic transformative approach of transcultural learning takes into consideration the stabilizing or destabilizing effect, social conjunction, historical conditions, integration or disintegration of groups, cultures, and power experienced on micro, meso, and macro levels.
This paper conceptualizes a form of silence employed by immigrant learners in adult education. Based on an episode occurring during an educational study on nonprofit and community-based organizations, this paper highlights adult immigrant students' use of silence simultaneously to object to teachers' practices and to protect themselves. A review of interdisciplinary scholarship demonstrates limitations in conventional views of silence as a communicative lacuna signaling students' processing, inability to participate, experiences of marginalization, or resistance. Drawing upon insights from political science, social movement studies, and international relations, the author conceptualizes politically agentive communicative silence as a multivocal form of expression employed by immigrant students in heterogeneous learning contexts to disrupt power asymmetries while maintaining membership. Apprehending immigrant students' use of politically agentive communicative silence draws attention to practitioner authority and occasional missteps, inviting consideration of how culturally and linguistically dynamic students contribute to the epistemic, ethical, and political realities of adult learning.
Emotions play a pivotal role in adult learning because emotions significantly influence motivation, engagement, and cognitive processes, impacting learning outcomes. Understanding emotional dynamics helps educators create supportive environments and tailored interventions for successful adult learning experiences. This research article contributes to the scholarly discourse on emotions in adult learning through an examination of methodologies used in this field. The rationale for this literature review stems from the need to better understand existing trends in knowledge production within this specialized domain. We conducted a narrative literature review of four prominent journals in the field of adult learning from 2000 to 2023. Our review shows that qualitative methodologies, particularly using interview methods, are preferred. Most studies were conducted in Western contexts, focusing primarily on formal learning environments and with an emphasis on female participants. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating diverse perspectives to fully comprehend the role of emotions in adult learning.
This article explores adult dance education in China, investigating the motivations behind adults pursuing dance as lifelong learning. It examines how personal and consumer values shape adult learners' self-identity and affect their well-being and intentions regarding dance learning. Using structural equation modeling, the study surveyed 500 Chinese adult dance learners, gathering data from institutions and social media. The results show that personal values, such as gratification and self-esteem, positively influence self-identity, as do consumer values like social and emotional aspects. Self-identity, in turn, directly and indirectly impacts learners' intentions to continue dance education. These findings illuminate the complex dynamics of adult dance education, emphasizing the personal nature of dance for self-expression and development. Additionally, they underscore the role of consumer values, particularly social and emotional factors, in shaping individuals' identities within the dance context.
Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) caf & eacute;s, often hosted by universities, aim to create an engaging and stimulating environment that enhances adult participants' interest in various STEM disciplines. The contextual model of learning (CML), emphasizing the interplay between the personal, sociocultural, and physical-environmental contexts, served as a lens to elucidate the complex interactions of motivations underlying participants' experiences. The findings from interviews and observations underscored the significant influences on attending events, such as personal (e.g., prior interest and prior knowledge), physical (e.g., venue), and social aspects (e.g., socialization with other attendees). The attendees' interactions with the speakers were also instrumental in gaining more insight into the topics. These findings contribute to the limited body of seminal studies on science caf & eacute;s, emphasizing the pivotal role of STEM caf & eacute;s in increasing adults' interest in STEM and their understanding of the impact of scientific innovations on society.
Black adults’ beliefs about civic and political engagement are possible avenues toward social equality. Adult literacy skills are known to be linked with civic and political participation. Yet, in this context, relatively little is documented about the general Black adult population as well as within-group differences. The current study analyzed the data ( N = 1,720; n [Black women] = 950; n [Black men] = 770) from the 2012/2014/2017 U.S. Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies. Results from the linear regressions for frequencies of civic engagement and political efficacy identified literacy proficiency and college-level education were important predictors of civic engagement and political efficacy. Gender differences were identified.
Objectives: This study investigated the relationship between informal lifelong learning (ILL) and subjective wellbeing (SWB) among Chinese older adults, focusing on potential psychosocial mechanisms. Method: Using 2017 China General Social Survey data, SPSS and PROCESS were applied to analyze relationships between ILL, hope, social class identity (SCI), and SWB. Hope was tested as a mediator, and SCIs (past, current, and change over time) were tested as moderators. Results: SWB positively correlated with ILL (0.284), hope (0.474), early-life SCI (0.194), current SCI (0.368), and SCI change (0.186). Hope partially mediated the relationship between ILL and SWB ( indirect effect = 0.316, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.012–0.646). Current SCI moderated ILL–SWB ( co efficient = 0.466, p < .01) and hope-SWB ( coefficient = −0.064, p < .01) relationships, while SCI change moderated hope-SWB ( coefficient = −0.058 , p < .05). Conclusion: Older adults with lower current SCI or downward SCI mobility experience face inequities in accessing benefits related to ILL. Strategies such as “Nannagogy” and life-reviews are recommended to ameliorate these inequities.
This study utilizes the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies 2013 data, employing propensity score matching to examine the extent to which adult education and training (AET) improves literacy and numeracy skills, particularly among socially disadvantaged groups. The findings reveal that while both general and job-related AET participation correlates with slight improvements in literacy, these gains are significantly more pronounced within high-socioeconomic status (SES) groups. Specifically, job-related AET exhibits an effect size on literacy that is double that of general AET for the high-SES group, signifying an advancement equivalent to a rise from the 50th to the 55th percentile. In contrast, middle- and low-SES groups did not yield any positive advantage in literacy or numeracy skills, indicating an inequitable distribution of AET benefit. This study underscores the need to critically reassess the policy objectives of AET as a welfare strategy intended to reduce social inequality.
This study focuses on understanding how adult education faculty in higher education develop their knowledge and skills to accommodate adult learners with disabilities (ALDs). It explores how these educators learn about the accessibility needs of ALDs and their willingness to create inclusive learning environments. Adult education faculty were surveyed from various United States higher education institutions. Findings indicate that adult education faculty vary in accessibility knowledge and skills and are more willing to include ALDs when notified of their enrollment. Further, respondents desire greater institutional resources and training for developing inclusive practices. This study yielded an adaptable-inclusive-motivated (AIM) model for including adult learners with disabilities. The AIM model offers a comprehensive framework for understanding how adult education faculty navigate the interplay among institutional support, personal awareness, professional development, and proactive information-seeking. Findings contribute valuable insights for adult education faculty and higher education institutions to include ALDs more fully.
