Given the median age of today's workforce and the aging of the workforce, it was appropriate to examine learning styles of adults. This knowledge is necessary for facilitators of adult educational programs to provide adults a learning environment that can provide maximum opportunity for adults to learn. The research problem, that learning styles do not change as people age, was addressed. People will resort to different styles when situations necessitate they do so to learn a particular item. The data revealed that environmental factors have different effects on people's learning styles. Implications of this study are far reaching into many areas of research. An implication is in the area of child psychology, as to &quotwhen are learning styles acquired?" This research has implications of holistic education theory of the individual learners and with added factors that may be influencers of history and conditions. The complexity of learning styles is influenced by background experiences of learning, as opposed to the basic cognition acquisition generally utilized. There are undisputed facts that: no thing succeeds llke success, and nothing improves the likeliliood of repeated actions llke a value added or a &quotgood" feeling about an experience. Learners will try to replicate situations they find to be successful as much as possible. The things learners can control are: selecting the course as close to the time they like for study purposes, day of week, length, etc., and choosing an instructor, which may be influenced by gender, nationality etc. Also, the style of the class format influences their choices. Learners may not understand the mechanics of &quotMatching Their Learning Style to the Teaching Style", but 'they do understand their llkes and preferences. Learners will not understand all they are attempting to accomplish in their search for achieving this match, but professional educators must recognize these influences and assist the learners by helping match the style of instructional techniques with the learning style of the adult learner to maximize the learning experience.

University of Technology, Sydney. Faculty of Education. / This study explores adult educators' working knowledge in the facilitation of transformative learning. It explores transformative learning from the perspective of the educators involved, considering their experiences and their descriptions of incidents. Although there is a growing interest in research into transformative learning, there are few studies that explore the ways educators foster transformative learning. This has been identified as a key direction for research (Taylor 1997, 2000). The theoretical framework for this study is developed through two approaches; namely, through the literature of transformative learning in adult education and through concepts of narrative, discourse and identity. This thesis argues that Mezirow's theory of transformative learning has limitations when considering social interactions involved in transformative learning. The narrative approach, developed from the literatures of social work, narrative therapy, organisational learning, discursive psychology and education, is introduced to explore issues involved in facilitating transformative learning. In this study I utilise narrative research because of its potential to explore working knowledge in a comprehensive, contextualised way. I investigate educators' working knowledge through in-depth interviews, inviting educators to relate stories of transformative learning from their practice. The educators' working knowledge is then analysed through metaphor analysis and case examples. The educators in this study used a range of metaphors when talking about their practice of transformative learning. The metaphors indicate that these educators provide a multifaceted role to foster transformative learning. Through writing and analysing selected stories of practice as case examples, this thesis presents the facilitation of transformative learning as narrative intervention. I conclude that facilitation of transformative learning requires capabilities in reading issues and positioning self within interactions. Further) I explore the ways that educators' professional identities are being produced through their working knowledge.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Idaho, 2006. / Abstract. "April 18, 2006." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 156-167). Also available online in PDF format.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Minnesota, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (72-77 leaves) Also available on the World Wide Web as a PDF file.

Thesis (M.S.)--Eastern Illinois University. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [58]-62).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Oregon State University, 1980. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references. Also available via the World Wide Web.

<p>This Research sets out to understand the participation experiences of a selected group of adult learners at one of the partner institutionsof the online Intercontinental Masters in Adult Learning and Global Change. The study offers an understanding of adult learners' experiences of success and persistence in relation to online study within a higher education context, and also offers insights into what may costitute successful learning communities. In relation to literature, , the student perceptions obtained via the study largely affirm what 'successiful' can mean to a group of postgraduate adult learners in an online learning environment. This stidy also contributes to the ongoing conversation in terms of the unique experiences of students in one particular cohort of the programme.</p>

Train-the-trainer is an educational method extensively used by organizations for capacity development. Despite the wide spread use of this method, there is little information regarding its use, role in educating adults, and participant perceptions of its utility. Healthcare service providers’ perceptions of a train-the-trainer educational method was investigated in this qualitative study. A focus group methodology was used. Content analysis revealed themes about participant perceptions. The overall theme identified was the need to address location-specific challenges, specifically, recognition by the trainer of the context of communities and programs in which the training occurs. Organizations using this method need be flexible and willing to revise the training plan based in adult learner needs. Service providers recommended that the provision of strategies and examples for transfer of learning into practice was critical as was the tailoring of train-the-trainer workshops in length, facilitation style, resources, and delivery modality to community capacity and needs. / October 2008

The purpose of the study was to identify and analyze factors affecting completion, non-completion, and non-participation in five Farmer Field Schools (FFS) administered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, and Marine Resources (MALMR) of Trinidad and Tobago. The research objectives used to accomplish the purpose of this study focused on the relationship between participation status and 1) personal characteristics, 2) individuals’ motivations for participation, 3) perceptions about selected farming practices, 4) individuals’ priority rankings of their sources of information regarding farming practices, 5) the deterrents to participation, and 6) perceptions of the usefulness of competitions as a means for increasing the popularity of FFS. This study employed an ex post facto, causal comparative research design. Three instruments were developed. The sample population (N=109) consisted of farmers classified as FFS completers (n=56), non-completers (n=15), and non-participants (n=38). Data were gathered from late May to late September 2007. Individuals with a greater number of participating friends are more likely to complete the program FFS completers 1) were more driven by social reasons to participate in FFS than were non-completers, 2) possessed a greater concern for the environment than did non-completers, 3) had higher expectations than did noncompleters that participation in a FFS would improve their occupational performance and status, 4) more likely than non-completers to be willing to take on the financial risks involved in the adoption of IPM on their farms, 5) believed more strongly than did noncompleters that IPM is compatible with agricultural practices and the market in Trinidad and Tobago. Completers most highly value the information received from MALMR whereas the non-completers and non-participants most highly value information received from the agro-shops. Completers vs. non-completers and non-participants held widely divergent views on the deterrents to participation in FFS. The contribution of this study to the field of agricultural and extension education is that policymakers and practitioners may use the information herein to employ strategies that impair or eliminate the factors leading to attrition and non-participation, thus making programs more accessible, prevent attrition, and may decrease farmers’ expenditures on pesticides, and increase income.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Michigan. / Bibliography: leaves 237-251.