Self-regulated learning skills have been shown to have a positive impact on achievement in the academic setting, enabling graduates to become lifelong learners in professional settings. Although the importance of lifelong learning skills is well articulated in the accounting education literature, this study is the first to address concerns that class time devoted to developing such skills might impair students' acquisition of content knowledge. This study uses a quasi-experimental design within the context of the introductory accounting course. The treatment group received self-regulated learning interventions designed by the researcher and based on Zimmerman's model of the academic learning cycle. Results of this study were obtained using multiple regressions and suggest that students' acquisition of technical knowledge, as measured by conventional exam scores, was not compromised when class time was allocated between self-regulated learning interventions and content instruction. Although benefits of the treatment were not immediate, the treatment group outperformed the control group in terms of scores on exams administered near the end of the course. This study found no evidence of a "ceiling effect" but does provide limited support for the "Matthew effect," whereby higher ability students often reap the greatest benefit from interventions.

Lärande organisationer har sedan slutet av 80-talet kommit att få mycket plats inomorganisationsforskning och begreppet har blivit synonymt med hur företag anpassar sig efter denomvärld de verkar i. Forskningen har visat hur givande lärandet kan vara för företag både i termer avvinst och välmående hos medarbetarna, men empiriska undersökningar har samtidigt visat att lärandeorganisationer inte fått fäste i praktiken. Parallellt med detta finns vissa rön som stödjer det traditionellasynsättet att vissa individer är mer kapabla att fatta strategiska beslut, medan andra är mer lämpadesom enbart utförare, och därmed är i behov av styrning. Vårt syfte var att i detta arbete undersöka hurlärande inom en organisation kan förstås genom en grupp chefers upplevelser. Studien designades somen fallstudie inom ett företag och empirin inhämtades från sex kvalitativa intervjuer. Genomklassificering av resultaten i enlighet med Senges discipliner, visade studien att intervjupersonernasupplevelser till stor del sammanföll med det aktuella företagets profilering som lärande organisation,då arbetssättet beskrevs som adaptivt, både inom den egna organisationen och gentemot omvärlden. Imaterialet kunde vi skönja en bakomliggande människosyn, vilket kunde möjliggöra en diskussion påett aggregerat plan. Vilka implikationer detta har för lärandet kan inte identifieras utifrån studiensresultat, utan kräver vidare undersökningar, förslagsvis innehållande både observationer ochintervjuer med fler medarbetare. / Since the end of the 1980s, learning organizations have gained a lot of space in organizational researchand have become synonymous with how companies adapt to the world in which they operate. Researchhas shown how rewarding learning can be for companies both in terms of profit and well-being of theiremployees, but empirical studies also show that learning organizations have not gained foothold inactual practice. In parallel with this, some evidence supports the traditional view that some individualsare more capable of making strategic decisions, while others are more suited to following orders andtherefore need to be controlled. The present study was designed as a case study within a company andthe empirical evidence was obtained from six qualitative interviews. By categorizing the results inaccordance with Senge's disciplines, the results showed that the interviewees' experiences by and largewere consistent with the company's profile as a learning organization, as the work methods weredescribed as adaptive, both within the organization and vis-à-vis the outside world. The materialshowed an underlying attitude towards colleagues, which made a discussion on an aggregated levelpossible. The implications of this relationship for learning could not be identified on the basis of theresults of the present study, and would require further investigations, including both observations andinterviews with more employees. / <p>2021-06-07</p>

The work presents Romani women as one of the disadvantaged groups for whom, according to transnational organizations, lifelong learning should be an opportunity to improve employability and improve social position in society. Today's society is working to make primary, secondary and terciary education accessible to disadvantaged children and youth, and adult education should also be prepared for diverse groups of learners. Inclusive education should respect the specific needs of its target group. The diploma thesis, based on fifteen years of experience in the education of Roma women, available data and knowledge gained through quantitative and qualitative research, specifies the perceived educational needs and expectations of this specific disadvantaged group in relation to further education. The thesis describes the intersectionality with which Romani women cope in life, and which must be perceived as the background and cause of the barriers they face in accessing further education. The last chapter outlines appropriate methods of making further education accessible to adult Romani women. Findings captured at work can also be related to other groups on the margins of society and at risk in the labor market. Key words: Roma, women, lifelong learning, further education, education, inclusion in...

As a growing population ventures forth into the 21st century, people are living longer than ever before. Recent statistics indicate an ever-increasing adult population. With a larger and older population, communities will find themselves striving to ensure a high quality of life for these persons. Individuals, as well, will find themselves seeking out activities that will keep them actively involved and engaged in their post-retirement years. The purpose of this biographical study was to explore the motivations for lifelong learning and engagement in the life of Evelyn McQueen Cook, a seventy-five year-old resident of Johnson County, Tennessee. Her life is presented in the context of an educational narrative and analyzed within the contextual and theoretical framework of lifelong learning. Data were collected through a series of interviews with the subject. Interviews were recorded and tapes of the interviews were transcribed. Using interpretative analysis, data were examined to determine themes. Further information was collected through photographs, postcards, letters, and certificates. Findings were presented thematically within a chronological context. The importance of family, formal educational opportunities, the influence of teachers, the opportunity to travel extensively, self-directed learning, cultural experiences, career choices, and involvement in community all emerged as strong motivations for pursuit and engagement in learning opportunities over the span of her life. Financial concerns, lack of confidence, ability, or interest, long-held beliefs or feelings, loneliness and a sense of isolation, gender and being an only child, and age all emerged as distracters or barriers to learning. Recommendations included the need to provide adults more opportunities that allowed them to reflect upon their educational experiences, both formal and informal. Specific recommendations were noted for predominately rural communities. A need for further educational biographies was also suggested.

The purpose of this study was to determine the obstacles and motivators Evelyn Thompson Lawrence addressed in her thirst for lifelong learning and desire to share that learning through her life stories. The researcher also sought to understand how everyday events played a role in the outcome of Lawrence's life. More than just observing major events, the researcher considered ways the smallest moments made an impact on Lawrence's continued desire for learning. This study evolved through Lawrence's accounts. By allowing this African American woman, who was a lifelong Appalachian, to explore her past and present, a wide array of experiences emerged that would provide a more holistic view of a lifelong learner. The interviews with Lawrence were both video- and audio-taped to ensure proper acquirement of Lawrence's life stories told in narrative form. In addition to the interviews, Lawrence provided numerous primary documents such as awards, photographs, news clippings, and books to add a deeper dimension to the portraiture. To verify the information Lawrence provided, three subjects who had connections with Lawrence in specific areas of her life were interviewed. The interviews from this qualitative research with Lawrence and the secondary subjects were transcribed, coded, and considered for emergent themes. Three distinct areas appeared as the portrait of Lawrence's life was painted through her life stories: her connections to her family, her profession and academics, and her community. Through this research the researcher recognized that history was a factor in motivating Lawrence to become a lifelong learner, and there was a connection between research results on the characteristics of lifelong learners and the characteristics exhibited by Lawrence. Her desire to acquire knowledge, both formal and informal, continues to this day. Future studies might include provisions for the needs of the lifelong learner and the importance of looking at the individual's life in its entirety as a means for determining how best to nurture a love of learning as an adult. Throughout this research it became apparent that the adult could find meaning from the past and motivation for the future through life stories.

In this study the researcher's intent was to examine the initial academic goals and objectives of successful adult-degree completers in 4 baccalaureate-degree programs at East Tennessee State University. Although there has been much written about adult motivation to re-enter formal education, there have been few studies of adult students' goals as they entered degree-completion programs. The purpose of this study was to provide a framework for the understanding of the academic goals and objectives expressed by adult students as they were starting to return to college. Research questions that guided the study included exploration of student goals and objectives, an examination of differences among adult students' statements with regard to age, ethnicity, or gender, and an examination of differences in those statements of goals and objectives written over a range of years. An open an axial coding method was developed to analyze 637 statements written by degree-completion students who graduated between 1999 and 2008. Seven themes emerged among students' essays that describe those students' motivations to re-enter the university and their goals at the point of entry to those degree programs. First, students indicated they wanted to earn degrees. Second, some students identified trigger events that had prompted their return to the university. The third theme included professional goals and motivators that were included in students' statements of goals and objectives. Fourth, students cited personal motivators and goals for completing their undergraduate degrees. Fifth, students wrote about institutional barriers that led them to choose a degree-completion program over a more traditional model. Sixth, students wrote about attractive features of their respective adult-degree-completion programs. Seventh, students placed their learning in the context of a broader commitment to lifelong learning.

As we enter the 21st century our population of elderly citizens is growing at a rate never seen before in our history. With the baby boomers retiring, society is realizing the vast potential of untapped resources. These individuals are also seeking opportunities to remain as active and engaged members of their communities. The purpose of this study was to examine the motivations for lifelong learning in the life of Hendrika "Henny" Schuster, an 81-year-old resident of Abingdon, Virginia. Her life story is presented in a narrative form and in a thematically organized chronological format. Interviews were conducted and recorded. These tapes were transcribed and analyzed to determine themes. Additional information was collected from personal journals, scrapbooks, and newspaper and magazine articles and photographs. The importance of family, formal educational opportunities, the influence of others, selfdirected study, and involvement in community all emerged as motivating themes in her pursuit of lifelong learning opportunities. For Henny, the factors identified as barriers to her quest included the internal stressors of family, gender, culture, and educational opportunities. Recommendations include the need to not only provide more educational opportunities for adult learners but also ensure that such opportunities are readily accessible. It is suggested that future studies look at the roles of gender and culture in regard to the ever changing populace and the global view of our world. There is a need to continue studies such as this in which older adult learners are provided opportunities to reflect on their experiences. Insight for learners of all ages can be gained from such studies.

In the postmodern Information Age (digital and wireless) with the expanded globalization of economies worldwide, there has been a vast transformation of workplace and educational systems. Thus, new meanings for educational practices and learning are evolving. Medical and social literature has suggested that learning throughout the lifetime is the key to successful living. The literature proposed that all types of education (formal, informal, and nonformal) may be a factor in the total well-being of the increasingly older adult population. Consequently, there is an increased need to understand the characteristics, traits, beliefs, and attitudes that generate the incentive for individuals to become lifelong learners. The purpose of this study was to examine the life of Elizabeth Armetta Gammon Pendleton and identify the characteristics, personality traits, beliefs, and attitudes that distinguish her as a lifelong learner. From an interpretivist perspective, this study assumed that all reality is internal. The rationale of this educational biography was to explore the phenomenon of lifelong learning while also celebrating the unique life of Elizabeth Pendleton. This study employed a detailed narrative description of her life and interviews with people who knew her to construct and develop a theory grounded in oral and traditional history under the framework of lifelong learning. As a native of a small rural community in the Appalachian Mountains, Pendleton lived a healthy and optimistic life as a student, teacher, leader, and role model for her family, friends, coworkers, and community members. She experienced formal, informal, and nonformal learning for 95 years. Although she never used the phrase "lifelong learner," she certainly had an inclination toward lifelong learning. The value of this study of Pendleton's life journey emerges in the form of naturalistic and user (reader) generalizations within the framework of lifelong learning. The study of Elizabeth Pendleton's life journey yielded valuable insights that provide an understanding of the phenomenon of lifelong learning and the challenges that researchers, educators, employers, and individuals face as new meanings for educational practices and learning evolve.

This thesis develops methods of task localization, task similarity discovery, and task transfer for eventual use in a reinforcement learning task library system, which can effectively “learn to learn,” improving its performance as it encounters various tasks over the lifetime of the learning system.

The purpose of this study was to increase knowledge about the experiences of adult amateur string players. Through narrative inquiry, this study presents the unique stories of two amateur string players who have sustained their active music-making throughout their adult lives. Leaders in music education have promised lifelong music-making and touted it as a benefit of supporting music in schools. This promise is part of vision statements, symposia, advocacy efforts, and guiding documents for the last century. Yet, the most common outcome for students who participate in school music programs is that they quit before they graduate high school, or soon afterward. The idea of school music segueing into lifetime music-making for large numbers of students remains an aspiration and not the outcome. I used narrative inquiry to explore and present the stories of these two players. Their experiences are unique, and it is not appropriate to generalize their narratives to others. However, I hope that by closely examining the experiences they considered impactful in their lives as music students and amateur musicians, music educators can better understand the ways their teaching practices might lead to students' enjoyment of music-making past their student years. Implications for practicing music teachers and future research are discussed.