Understanding Adult Learners

The explorations of adult learning in this chapter are based on three assumptions: (1) there is no generic theory of learning; (2) learning is not a mental process occurring in a vacuum; and (3) the 'learner' is not an object separable from the 'educator' in teaching-learning situations. Given these assumptions, the authors offer various theories of adult learning grouped into four perspectives: learning as acquisition; learning as reflection; practice-based community learning; and learning as embodied co-emergent process. Each perspective advocates a different approach, shaped by particular situations and processes. The authors reiterate that there is no single theory of adult education that works in all situations. It is suggested that educators need to be open to the the variety of theories available.