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This paper presents a comprehensive study and analysis of the intelligent grouping of papers in adult higher education using a random matrix approach. Using the results of random matrix theory on the eigenvalues of the sample covariance matrix, the energy of each subspace is estimated, and the estimated energy is then used to construct a subspace weighting matrix. The statistical properties of the sample covariance matrix eigenvectors are analyzed using the first-order perturbation approximation, and then, asymptotic results from random matrix theory on the projection of the sample covariance matrix signal subspace to the real signal parametrization are used to obtain the weighting matrix based on the random matrix eigenvectors. Dynamic adjustment according to the fitness of individuals in the population is performed to ensure population diversity, while the combination of the small habitat technique can avoid the algorithm from falling into early convergence. The algorithm introduces chaos theory to optimize the population initialization process and uses the dynamic traversal randomness of chaos to select individuals in the population so that the initial population is close to the desired target solution. The design of the fitness function in the genetic algorithm generally maps the objective function of the problem to the fitness function. A good fitness function can directly reflect the quality of the individuals in the group. Based on the in-depth study of the basic attributes of the test questions and the principles of test paper evaluation, the mathematical model and objective function of intelligent paper grouping are determined by the difficulty, knowledge points, and cognitive level of the test questions as the main constraints, and NCAGA is applied to the intelligent paper grouping method, which better completes the intelligent paper grouping session for the computer system architecture course. In the process of designing the intelligent grouping algorithm, for the situations of premature convergence and convergence to locally optimal solutions that easily occur in the traditional genetic algorithm, this paper adopts the approach of adaptive adjustment of crossover probability and variation probability to improve the algorithm and achieves satisfactory results. Based on extensive business research, this paper completes the requirement analysis of the online practice system based on the intelligent grouping of papers and presents the functional design and database design of the key functional modules in the system in detail. Finally, this paper conducts functional tests on the system and analyses the test results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Programme planning models found in the current body of literature provide some practical strategies for developing effective adult education programmes, but how political and economic systems of a country shape the nature and scope of planning is missing. This paper aims to fill this theoretical void by bringing political economy perspective into scholarly discussion. The paper theorises that the state, the market, and the civil society are key components for undertaking political economy analysis. It focuses on how different coordination mechanisms among these components affect the way adult education planners define and undertake needs assessment. The main argument of the paper is that since strengthening democracy is one of the key objectives of adult education, planners should prioritise the needs of marginalised adults over the needs of the state and the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-directed learning is a core theoretical construct of adult learning. Importantly, self-directed learning represents a fundamental meta-competence for living and working in our increasingly complex and unpredictable world. Nonetheless, the construct of self-directed learning has become obfuscated. In order to redress this concern, this theoretical paper presents a model of Four Dimensions of Self-Directed Learning. The present paper highlights two original theoretical points (1) that there are four key dimensions of the self-directed learning construct, and (2) responsibility and self-regulation required for self-directed learning is not equivocal to that required for teacher-directed learning. Theoretically, the latter point may, in part, explain why practice of years of teacher-directed learning in formal schooling does not prepare persons for competent self-directed learning in adulthood. So, adult education represents a primary opportunity to foster self-directed learning competence in adult learners, but adult education practitioners must be ready to provide support to facilitate the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term tertiary education has gained prominence in recent policy debates in the UK [Morgan (2023). “Labour ‘would review whole landscape’ of tertiary education.” Times Higher Education, 28 November. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/labour-would-review-whole-landscape-tertiary-education]. This paper presents findings from a review of the use of the term in academic and policy papers in the UK over the last 80 years. The analysis reveals the role of international organisations in defining this term initially as a synonym for post-compulsory education before using it as a statistical measure which became a normative guide for many member states. More recently, the term tertiary education has been used as a descriptor of systems of educational governance and by the World Bank for specific systems of organisation. Using these definitions as a guide, the review demonstrates differences in government policy in the four nations of the United Kingdom: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Here there is evidence of periodic and partial policy change, but little sustained full engagement with this agenda. The review suggests that if future tertiary education policy initiatives are introduced they should cover all potential learners once they have left the compulsory phase of education and should be advanced by regional bodies with involvement from learners, employers and community representatives allocating funds from a single tertiary education budget. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As European societies become continuously more diverse, understanding the dynamics of minority rights endorsement becomes increasingly crucial. This paper investigates the variations in citizen support for minority rights and how these endorsements differ across various minority groups and purposes. This study focuses on minority organized supplementary schooling for minoritized youth in Flanders, Belgium as a case study for examining the endorsement of rights. Using new observational evidence, we first show that there is significant variation in citizens' opposition to community education. Subsequently, we conduct a survey experiment to unravel what explains public opposition to certain minority-organized initiatives, but not others. Specifically, we examine the causal effect of the organizing ethnic community (i.e. Italian, Chinese, or Moroccan) and the school's stated purpose (i.e. heritage language training or math tutoring) on public support. The study reveals that public approval of such minority-organized spaces is not uniform across initiatives. It is influenced by the perceived cultural threat posed by specific minority groups and the nature of the initiative. This research is the first to comprehensively examine public perceptions of minority-organized spaced. The findings indicate that deeper research into the support for minority rights and freedoms is imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building resilience is a key concern for adult educators today as we face unprecedented global challenges such as the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). Nowhere is this more apparent than in educational initiatives with health professionals who experience many stressors in their work, now amplified by the pandemic. This paper reports the results of focus groups with three interprofessional primary healthcare teams in rural Nova Scotia, Canada, in the fall of 2021. The aim was to learn about their lived experience during the first year of the pandemic, as a basis for considering how resilience could be nurtured and supported in rural team-based collaborative practices settings. Findings reveal that, while each collaborative team experienced recognized COVID-19 workplace stressors, they leveraged a store of collective resilience to navigate the pandemic. The trust, sense of purpose, and shared problem-solving skills they derived from working in collaborative structures over time enabled them to regain equilibrium and to adapt to new norms, and to transform thier practices. The study highlights the power of collaborative learning to strengthen overall ability for resilient performance, and the adaptive capacity that is required to deliver and sustain quality healthcare. The study highlights the need for continuing professional education that values naturally occurring practice-based learning. Adult educators are well positioned to support health professionals and health systems to nurture and support resilient action. They bring an understanding of effective collaborative tools and processes that foster dialogue and collective awareness that leads to a shared identity and understanding. As this study reveals, it is this shared identity and capacity arising within a group that enables them to draw on their collective sources of support to deal with adversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature reviews map the research landscape in a topic area, identify gaps that new research can address, or frame a future research project. Literature reviews inform research and are integral to developing evidence-based policies. In adult education, systematic, critical, integrative, and historical reviews have been conducted. Scoping reviews, however, have yet to be widely adopted, although they can provide adult educators with a systematic process for reviewing a heterogeneous body of literature in adult education. This article explores why scoping reviews are a good fit for adult education and presents a systematic approach to conducting scoping reviews. The paper presents an expanded nine-step scoping review process that begins with the conception of an idea and ends with writing a manuscript for publication. The article discusses best practices, highlights challenges, and provides suggestions to help adult education researchers avoid common pitfalls when conducting scoping reviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rising aging population, there is a pressing need for effective public policies and academic initiatives tailored to older adults, educational aspirations, and needs. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the intersection between older adults and university education on a global scale, highlighting the critical role of education in enhancing the quality of life for this demographic. Through a Scoping Review, this study examines the existing body of research to understand the dynamics of older adults, engagement with higher education, identifying existing gaps, and paving the way for future inquiry. The findings reveal significant benefits of higher education for older adults, including improved mental health, enhanced cognitive function, and encouragement of active aging, signaling an increasing scholarly interest in this domain. The paper emphasizes the unique challenges older adults face, such as health decline and social isolation, advocating for developing policies and academic programs that promote their active participation in higher education. Such interventions are essential for boosting older adults; self-esteem, facilitating social integration, and ultimately, elevating their overall quality of life. This study underscores the necessity of a novel approach to the integrated analysis of inclusive education, having aimed to inform and inspire the development of public policies and academic extension projects that support lifelong learning among older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using many years of experience in the UK's state primary schools, I consider that a limited understanding of time has damaging implications for both pupils and adults within the education system. The sector neglects the fact that time has much potential, many definitions and is a powerful influence on man. I share how education took clock‐time and manipulated it to an extreme, leading to the rule clock‐time now has over our schools. We are being held to account by time, and it has become our foe; however, I believe that it can become our friend. I explain why education should accept time's many facets and use them to help reshape its structure and practice. Time, in educational spaces, could be understood and experienced differently, taking in to account the human and all manner of other relevant things, for the greater good. This article began as a combined work of spoken word, poetry recital and research paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many countries across the world education for deaf people is limited and sign languages are undervalued. In this paper we discuss insights from an initiative to support deaf education for young adults in India, Ghana, and Uganda. Reporting here on the work in India, our project used a bilingual approach, with Indian Sign Language as the main means of communication while developing students' English literacy through a multiliteracies pedagogy (Cope, Bill, and Mary Kalantzis, eds. 2000. Multiliteracies: Literacy Learning and the Design of Social Futures. London: Routledge) and the use of authentic texts in lessons. Our approach was designed to invite learners' agency and input. Responding to students' engagement with the approach, we encountered their demand for formal grammar teaching and we offer an example of how one of the tutors engaged with this. Illustrated with visual data from the lessons, we discuss two insights from the project: the importance of the students' 'semiotic repertoire' (Kusters, Annelies, Massimiliano Spotti, Ruth Swanwick, and Elina Tapio. 2017. "Beyond Languages, Beyond Modalities: Transforming the Study of Semiotic Repertoires." International Journal of Multilingualism 14 (3): 219–232.) ; and the centrality of an inclusive educational approach that is supportive of students' agency and aspirations for learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality (VR) based simulation is emerging as an innovative tool for the training and education of healthcare professionals. However, pedagogical frameworks specific to this type of simulation are yet missing. This paper explores participants' experiences with VR-based simulation training in non-technical skills (VR-SIMI) and integrates them with established pedagogical theory. Non-technical skills refer to cognitive, social, and personal resource skills such as effective communication, relational competence, and stress management. An observational study was conducted involving 11 healthcare professionals in children and adolescents' mental healthwho attended four VR-SIMI sessions over one year. Data were collected through field notes during participant observation and informal conversations with the participants. Directed content analysis was conducted, informed by the established practice of VR-SIMI (including INACL standards of best practice simulation), Jeffries simulation theory, Kolb's experiential learning theory, and adult learning theory. The findings indicate that the participants positively evaluated the use of VR-SIMI. However, they also reported that the implementation and learning outcomes should be further refined. Based on these findings, an evidence-based and theory-driven pedagogical framework is proposed to guide and enhance the quality of VR-based simulations of non-technical skills for various of healthcare professionals, as well as inform future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Like other professional training programs, social work pedagogy has long recognized the value of experiential learning for professional development. Despite social work's rich experiential learning literature involving field education, direct practice courses, and program evaluation, there is a dearth of literature examining how to make learning in the policy classroom experiential, particularly for large class sizes. Purpose: We asked, "How might electoral candidate debates provide experiential learning opportunities for large classes?" Approach: The authors organized municipal and federal election candidate debates attended in-person and online by over 300 undergraduate students in a social work policy class at a Canadian university. Integrating our experiences as instructors/organizers and a teaching assistant, within a social constructivist framework, we used Kolb's experiential learning theory, and critiques thereof, to analyze reflective assignments from 73 students. Results and Conclusions: Candidate debates, when facilitated appropriately, can encourage students in large courses to work through the stages of experiential learning and consider related concepts and possible links among social justice course content and social policy, social work practice, and political engagement. Implications: The paper contributes to a broader understanding of the opportunities and constraints associated with employing experiential learning in the large social work classroom and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Teaching and learning of nature of science (NOS) is an explicit goal in the core science curriculum in Norway. Yet there is little understanding of how the content of the current textbooks in certain educational pathways such as vocational training addresses NOS. Purpose: The aim of this study is to contribute to research on NOS in VET through exploring how the cognitive and epistemic aspects of NOS are addressed in end-of-chapter tasks in Norwegian science textbooks for vocational studies. Design and Methods: In this paper, we use a particular characterisation of NOS based on the Family Resemblance Approach (FRA) to investigate the cognitive-epistemic aspects of NOS in the science textbooks aimed at vocational education in Norway. The cognitive-epistemic aspects are about the aims and values, methods, practices, and knowledge in science. Three key textbooks have been selected and analysed with a focus on end-of-chapter tasks. Results: The results illustrate that NOS were almost absent in the tasks in all textbooks. Patterns across the coverage of NOS in the textbooks are discussed along with some implications for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the world's refugees live in Global South countries, where they struggle to find quality education and opportunities for decent livelihoods. This paper explores the underexamined yet highly relevant interlinkage between sustainable livelihoods and adult learning among urban refugees residing in three major cities in India. It speaks to the tight intersection of education, livelihoods and aspirations of five refugee communities: Afghan, Rohingya, Somali, Chin and Tibetan. Building on interviews, focus groups and participatory drawing sessions involving 66 refugee and staff respondents, the study highlights the refugees' extremely limited learning opportunities, which result in low skills and being forced to take discriminatory and undignified work in the informal sector. By integrating the capabilities approach with sustainable livelihoods, the paper argues for more diverse educational opportunities and a broader understanding of refugee livelihoods that goes beyond pure economics to encompass consideration of freedom and human dignity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Memorandum on Lifelong Learning was launched in October 2000 by the European Commission and has been debated ever since in all member states of the European Union, leading to the publication of a follow-up document in 2001 which promoted a "European area of lifelong learning". The Memorandum was a unique document in terms of both form and content, and its outcome and immediate impact were remarkable. But what is the long-term effect of this document, considering policymaking processes and scholarly debates in various EU member states and beyond? The authors of this article aim to answer this question by highlighting the Memorandum's "key messages" and analysing how it is referenced in academic papers and publications. Their main findings confirm the Memorandum's significant impact, including a long-term one, particularly in raising awareness of the importance of adult education in the political debate. Despite a decrease in explicit references to the document in policy papers over the past ten years, other more recent references to the Memorandum can still be identified in the latest policy documents and academic debates. Scholarly papers are particularly interested in critical content analysis, pointing out the strengths and limitations of the Memorandum and its follow-up document. During the past decade, the academic debate has become more active than in the first ten years since the Memorandum's publication, demonstrating its long-term impact on various sectors in the field of lifelong learning, even outside Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper responds to Ippolito et al.'s (2021) "wonder," "What preparation and in‐service support do coaches need to become systems thinkers, thought leaders, and change agents within their schools" (p. 182) by describing the obstacles and complexities experienced by two first‐year literacy coaches as they transitioned from classroom teacher to coach. They described challenges related to adult learning principles and communication (e.g., questioning) and understanding their role and position when working with teachers. Ultimately, they wanted to feel valuable to teachers but did not know what that looked like. The findings from this paper highlight the need for specific training in negotiating roles within relationships and adult learning principles. Coaches must understand adult‐centered communication and receive ongoing professional learning to develop a repertoire of adult communication strategies that will help them work with a broad swath of teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computational thinking (CT) is a set of problem-solving skills with high relevance in education and work contexts. The present paper explores the role of key cognitive factors underlying CT performance in non-programming university students. We collected data from 97 non-programming adults in higher education in a supervised setting. Fluid intelligence, crystallized intelligence, and visuospatial ability were assessed using computerized adaptive tests; CT was measured using the Computational Thinking test. The direct and indirect effects of gender and visuospatial ability through fluid intelligence on CT were tested in a serial multiple mediator model. Fluid intelligence predicted CT when controlling for the effects of gender, age, and visuospatial ability, while crystallized intelligence did not predict CT. Men had a small advantage in CT performance when holding the effects of cognitive abilities constant. Despite its large correlation with gender and CT, visuospatial ability did not directly influence CT performance. Overall, we found that programming-naive computational thinkers draw on their reasoning ability that does not rely on previously acquired knowledge to solve CT problems. Visuospatial ability and CT were spuriously associated. Drawing on the process overlap theory we propose that tests of fluid intelligence and CT sample an overlapping set of underlying visuospatial processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 21st century, with the spread of lifelong education and the increase in the aging population, the need for learning among older people has increased, resulting in a shortage of teachers for older learners. A literature review of both Western and Eastern cultures revealed that the turnover or shortage of older adult educators may be related to their attitudes toward aging and burnout. To confirm this hypothesis, this paper examines the mediating effect of burnout on the relationship between attitudes toward aging and turnover intentions among Chinese older adult educators. The Attitudes toward Aging Questionnaire, Turnover Intention Questionnaire, and Burnout Questionnaire were used to collect the data. Finally, a total of 774 samples from Shanghai, China, were analyzed through structural equation modeling. The results revealed that when three components of attitudes toward aging, i.e. psychological growth, physical change, and psychosocial loss, are considered, burnout in Chinese older adult educators fully mediates the relationship between psychosocial loss and turnover intention, which means that if Chinese older adult educators suffer considerable psychosocial loss, burnout increases, leading to increased turnover intention. In other words, the negative experience of psychosocial loss can be decreased through a holistic approach to teaching aging along with intergenerational interaction, which in turn reduces burnout and decreases the intention to leave. Future follow-up studies should focus on how to develop a holistic teaching curriculum to facilitate the practical implementation of the findings of this research. We believe that this research can be beneficial with regard to attempts to address the shortage of older adult educators and promote teacher development in the context of older adult education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the didactic landscape of adult education. To meet clients' ongoing demand for support, adult educators had to expand their didactic toolkit and enhance digital literacy. Relying on data gathered during a training series on digital adult education, this paper will examine the following questions: (1) How did adult educators manage to adopt digital methods despite pressing issues and hurdles in regards to the change? (2) Which conditions support efficient training of adult educators, aiming at 'nudging' digitalisation in adult education for families? To gain insight into this didactic transformation, we systematically analyse both quantitative and qualitative data collected during a training series fostering digital literacy such as technology handling, online counselling and the usage of social media. These events attracted 1,250 participants that specialise in parenting programmes, family counselling and institutionalised family welfare. Findings include how practitioners with different backgrounds and levels of digital skills assess different methods and didactic choices. Further, we will examine how providing accessible and applicable information can act as a nudge to spark intrinsic motivation for further learning and as a starting point for new ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial education represents a powerful tool for improving economic literacy of citizens. This paper presents results from an experiment providing a group of 136 workers in an Italian university (administrative staff) an online, synchronous course. Classes were organized in 5 sessions of 2h each and covered basic topics about personal finance. The effectiveness of the course is assessed through a rigorous randomized controlled trial (RCT). In addition to the analysis of improvements in financial knowledge, financial self‐efficacy and the role of prior attitudes and behaviors were explored. Participants obtained post‐test scores statistically higher than individuals in the control group, with an average effect size of 0.55 SD. The effect is particularly relevant for participants starting with low levels of financial knowledge. Moreover, two novel findings emerge: financial self‐efficacy increases (0.51 SD) after the course, and pre‐treatment individuals' financial attitudes and behaviors shed further light on the financial learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Adult Religious Education and Faith Development project (AREFD) was launched in 2018 at the Mater Dei Centre for Catholic Education, DCU. As part of the study, the research team consulted variety of people involved in AREFD across a range of contexts. The purpose of these consultations was to harness their 'lived wisdom', showcasing the wide variety of opportunities for engagement in and identifying possible new approaches to AREFD. When COVID-19 struck, the research team availed of the opportunity to discuss the impact of the pandemic on the religious education and faith development of this particular cohort of Irish adults. Thematically analysed, the data showed a spectrum of responses. The pandemic prompted deep reflection and a re-evaluation of the importance of religion and faith in their lives. Ranging from gaining comfort and solace from their faith to being moved to acts of compassion and altruism based on their religious beliefs, the impact of the pandemic on the faith lives of these Irish adults was diverse. This paper provides an account of how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the faith lives of some Irish adults, prompting reflection on how this impact might shape the future of AREFD in Ireland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the results of an intervention to improve the development of skills in students studying for a degree in Social Education, and more specifically in the subject of Adult Education, by completing a learning biography of an adult learner, an iterative task that is subjected to a peer assessment process. The paper shows the didactic sequence that was designed and the results obtained in terms of the quality of the feedback provided by peers, which is a key aspect to promote peer feedback in professional situations in the future. The results show an improvement in the quality of the feedback, the students' evaluation of the peer assessment process, and the development of skills linked to the development of evaluative judgement. However they also highlight the need for criteria relating to processes and not just to tasks, as well as the need to improve the evaluative literacy of both teachers and students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten years on from the formation of SOLAS (An tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaig agus Scileanna) and the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) in Ireland, it is appropriate to reflect on where adult education lies in the new Further Education and Training (FET) sector. This paper uses Denis O'Sullivan's schematisation of policy paradigms (2005) as an analytical tool, to explore the components of the new sector. New concepts have been introduced, such as 'FET' and 'active inclusion', others such as 'adult education' have disappeared, and others such as 'transversal skills', 'lifelong learning' and the 'needs of learners' have been adapted, introducing a language of doublespeak. The discourse has changed; a theme of performativity is now prioritised while the wider benefits of learning are mentioned, but not actioned. There is a new authority with bureaucratic social configurations and the identities of teachers and students are being reduced to producers and consumers of learning outcomes. This paper shows how these changes have resulted in a new neoliberal policy paradigm for adult education, with strong regulatory powers. Understanding this is the first step in questioning its authority and discussing if this is what we, as a society, want for the education of adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article pushes towards the integration of the history of Black Adult Education (AE) into the broader history of AE literature and it contributes a critique of the field's general omissions and misrepresentations of Black history. The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to critique the white-dominated history of AE texts and (2) to provide a historiographical essay that highlights works focused on the Black history of AE. In doing so, we offer a historical counternarrative rooted in the secondary historical literature that addresses the history of Black education. Ultimately, this paper critiques historiographical essays focused on AE, situates our discussion within debates on approaches to race in AE, and revisits works of Black AE from within the field as well as key works by educational historians that address issues related to Black AE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the importance of active citizenship in UNESCO policy documents on adult learning and education. It is based on the observation that interest in the topic of active citizenship has decreased and that it seems that active citizenship is also marginalized in the adult education policy papers of international organizations. The paper analyses key UNESCO policy documents of the last 25 years as well as the Global Reports on Adult Learning and Education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to engage critically with debates surrounding the mental health and wellbeing agenda for adult community learning (ACL), with particular consideration of creative arts provision. It draws on a qualitative research project involving five creative arts ACL groups in the English West Midlands and two mental health participatory arts organisations based in London. Of the ACL groups, one was targeted for mental health recovery, two were targeted for wellbeing, and two were mainstream. Fieldwork involved participant observation, interviews and group discussions with attendees, and interviews with volunteers, ACL and art therapy practitioners, ACL project organisers, and managers working in the organisations taking part in the research and other adult learning settings. The article outlines key critical debates. It then interrogates three related themes, drawing on a range of evidence from the study: (1.) the discourse of confidence and self-esteem; (2.) interactions between educational and mental health and wellbeing-related goals and outcomes; and (3) the role of creative arts subjects in the mental health and wellbeing agenda for ACL. Implications for policy and practice are set out in conclusion, including consideration of ACL curricula and pedagogical approaches in the area of mental health and wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with the rapidly changing social and economic context accompanied by COVID‐19, concerns have been raised for the less‐educated, low‐wage workers who disproportionately experienced disadvantages in accessing workplace learning or training opportunities essential for job placement or career development. In response to the challenges of increasing discrepancies in workplace learning opportunities, this paper suggested workplace learning as an area that needs more attention from multidisciplinary perspectives to support the needs of disadvantaged populations. The authors reviewed research trends on workplace learning from adult education (AE) and human resource development (HRD) disciplines and discussed common areas and research gaps. The paper suggested advancing workplace learning theories and building empirical evidence for disadvantaged populations in various workplace contexts through complementary collaboration between AE and HRD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Education is, after gaming, the second largest sector embracing augmented reality (AR) at an accelerated pace, yet studies on AR's potential as an efficient learning environment had mixed results. Objectives: This study's primary objective is to test students' interaction with graphical 3D elements in AR and its impact on information retention. The second objective is to compare information retention from AR engagement with information retention from exposure to identical 3D content delivered via instructional video. Finally, the third objective explores students' perceptions of AR as a learning environment. Methods: Sixty‐five college students participated in a two‐arm experiment followed by semi‐structured interviews. Results and Conclusion: AR can efficiently deliver a meaningful learning experience and promotes information retention. Nevertheless, AR's interactive features and novelty may distract learners while they engage with the virtual environment. Objective data obtained through eye tracking and video monitoring showed similar levels of engagement with a 3D model for both environments. While both AR and video groups showed significant knowledge gain from pre to post‐intervention, the video format was overall significantly more effective than AR in increasing topic‐related information retention. However, participants preferred the AR learning environment significantly more than the video. Takeaways: Although effective, AR is still a distracting instructional environment. Designing learning experiences tailored explicitly for AR environments requires additional research to ensure its successful deployment as a learning tool. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Education is the second‐fastest growing sector to adopt and experiment with augmented reality (AR).Hardware and software tools to create AR environments have reached the consumer level.The advantage of immersing learners in dedicated virtual environments seems obvious.Research has had mixed results in validating AR as a proper learning environment. What this paper adds: AR is a viable environment which supports information retention.For many students, the medium's novelty promotes engagement with the content.Students prefer AR to video lectures, but it may distract them from learning.Regarding information retention, video lectures do better than AR. The implications of study findings for practitioners: Learning experiences in AR should be reserved for some specific topics and designed purposedly.Progressive exposure of learners to AR environments may produce habituation and decrease distraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of the meaning of adult giftedness in nonformal education. Although the concept of giftedness is historically related to adulthood, then (Põlda, 2018) as nowadays public communication mostly talks about the gifts of children, whilst adults with their abilities, skills, and giftedness have been left in the background (Brown et al., 2020; van de Ven, 2022). The reason for the lack of discussion of a lifespan approach to giftedness is that existing models fail to understand adult giftedness primarily because (a) they do not take into account the social roles of adults; (b) they focus excessively on achievement and comparison with peers; and (c) they rely on external definitions, ignoring the individual's internal motivation (van Thiel et al., 2019). The aim of this paper is to clarify the term's content and describe how the development of adult giftedness is supported in non-formal education. The research questions fulfilling the purpose were: (1) How do non-formal education practitioners construct the meaning of adult giftedness, and (2) What opportunities do practitioners see in their work to support the development of adult giftedness and abilities? Rooted views present giftedness as a high level of people's mental abilities (high IQ) and also describe giftedness as different types of intelligence divided into cognitive modules based on sociocultural context (Theory of Multiple Intelligences) or as a system made up of different components (Kaufman & Sternberg, 2008). In order to fulfil these criteria, it is necessary to expand the understanding of giftedness as a phenomenon specific to children and formulate the meaning of giftedness over the lifespan, including defining the concept of adult giftedness (Brown et al., 2020). In order to comprehend the meaning of adult giftedness, it is necessary to consider an adult's experiences, including gifted adults' experiences, in various contexts and stages of life (Brown & Peterson, 2022). It is claimed that supporting the development of an adult's giftedness strengthens and empowers the individual in daily work, improves people's mental and physical well-being, and improves relationships in the organisation (Nauta & Ronner, 2013). Thus, the need to conceptualise the development of giftedness over the entire lifespan is a key issue in the concept of lifelong learning. Non-formal education is one of the most suitable types of education, as it creates a supportive environment for individual development and considers people's individual development needs (Põlda et al., 2021a). Research shows that in non-formal education, the development of general competencies takes place continuously and essentially in every field and across the lifespan, including in adult education, and that through the development of general competencies, we also support the development of gifts and abilities (Põlda et al., 2021b). The requirements of this study called for a qualitative approach to be used for both data collection and analysis. The research material consisted of a secondary dataset of 17 focus group interviews with non-formal education practitioners (n = 64), who represented the fields of adult education, youth work, culture, well-being, economy, and environmental education. The research was based on interview material in which non-formal education practitioners describe their daily work in supporting learning. Representatives of these fields deal with issues of personnel development and career development support, including specialists, consultants, and adult trainers, as well as organisers and facilitators of interest in education and activities and youth work. We used qualitativedirected content analysis by Saldaña (2012) and grouped the marked codes by research questions based on common features. As a result of the answers to both research questions, a total of six main categories emerged: content of the term, personal characteristics, development, environment, practitioners' role, and responsibility. The findings revealed that practitioners of non-formal education describe their work by creating linguistic connections with the concept of adult giftedness and using three important constructions. The concept of giftedness is associated with the phenomenon's direct or indirect signifiers (gift, skills, abilities); with the personal characteristics of the bearer of the gifts (internal motivation, self-directedness, analytical ability); and with the developmental aspects of the giftedness, which can happen by itself but rather takes place with support and awareness. The prerequisites and unique features of adult giftedness are autonomy, professionalisation at work, being aware of one's giftedness or potential, taking responsibility for the development, and realising that it is possible across the lifespan. It must be understood that the recognition of gifts requires the individual's willingness to work hard in competition or for the sake of success and the willingness to stand out, requiring special attention and support from the surrounding environment. Our results show that in supporting the development of adult giftedness, the non-formal education environment is an enabler of good opportunities and interest-based activities, assuming that the created environment takes into account the changing world, is flexible, and enables a person-centred approach. In supporting the development of adult giftedness, both the role of the practitioner of non-formal education and the importance of the environment are highlighted. The study revealed the need for flexibility in the environment and the importance of transferable skills for individuals in the context of adult giftedness. According to the study, finding opportunities and resources for the development of one's giftedness and its transfer, as well as for coping with changes in society, is primarily the individual's own responsibility. Theorists refer to "adult giftedness" as the individual's struggle with isolation and social disapproval (Jacobsen, 2000). The study also confirmed the understanding that giftedness in adulthood is related to differentiation and competition, e.g., in a professional career and elsewhere. Giftedness is related to adult social roles, and non-formal education supports a person in the struggle between these roles. The study showed that non-formal education is a non-judgmental environment that an adult enters voluntarily, and it offers different options in various fields. This is where the main activities of supporting giftedness in non-formal education can be highlighted as important, which we venture to recommend based on the study. The results of the research allow adult educators (e.g., lecturers at universities and vocational schools) to understand the meaning of adult giftedness and to see opportunities to support the development of the gifts of their adult learners by offering specific activities and solutions. Both practitioners working in non-formal education as well as creators and developers of non-formal education opportunities, could benefit from the research results. The more clearly the importance of adult giftedness and the opportunities to support it are highlighted, the broader the benefits will be for the whole society. Its recognition is a priority in education codes and strategies of different countries (UNESCO, 2016). Glück and Tischler (2021) argue that 'Perhaps we should move from "giftedness" to "giftingness" from individualistic competition to collaboration. 'This is the idea we should follow. Based on the processed theoretical material for this research and the analysis of the practitioners' interviews, we are able to offer recommendations for supporting adult giftedness in non-formal education. A safe and supportive learning environment can be created through flexibility, freedom of choice and equal opportunities. From the lifespan perspective, the development of giftedness is the learner's responsibility. The practitioners' role is to consider the demands of a changing world and to support giftedness by noticing it and using a person-centred approach. When identifying giftedness, we should use the vocabulary referring directly to the phenomenon. It is important to consider all social roles of an adult and to support transversal skills and career competencies. Considering the above discussed, it can be summarised that the meaning of adult giftedness includes individual awareness, responsibility for developing one's gifts, safe and supported environment, professionalisation, and consideration of adult's social roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst the fourth industrial revolution, marked by swift technological advancements and changing economic environments, lifelong learning has risen as an essential cornerstone for developing people and society. Adult education, with a particular focus on skills learning, is vital in equipping individuals with the necessary competencies to navigate the dynamic demands of the modern workforce. This paper provides a qualitative analysis and commentary on the case study of Singapore's SkillsFuture movement, an exemplary national initiative to promote skills learning among adults. Intending to reach a wide audience in educational science, we investigate the effectiveness and impact of this comprehensive programme and its implications for other countries. This article contributes to educational science and policy development by illustrating the importance of investing in adult education and skills development. By comprehensively studying the SkillsFuture experience, we offer valuable insights into establishing effective and inclusive lifelong learning ecosystems to foster a culture of continuous learning, equipping individuals to adapt and thrive in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous global landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research paper we explore the diversity of teaching practices of Natural Sciences that are carried out in the Primary Education of Youth and Adults in the province of Santiago del Estero. We conducted classroom observations and interviews with teachers and administrators and a feedback workshop with staff from one of the schools participating in the study. We found different tensions between curricular documents, teaching practices and unmet needs for continuous teacher training. We recognised the existence of hegemonic practices that are decontextualized, with an inductivist image of science that is far removed from the territories where the educational centers are located. At the same time, there are teaching practices with a problematizing directionality of situations of injustice that promote dialogues of knowledge and experiences. However, in the absence of institutional spaces for exchange and reflection among teachers, these practices are neither systematized nor disseminated to the whole, which reduces their transformative potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although some have attempted to appropriate elements of Montessori education to select groups of adults (e.g., for learning disabilities, second language acquisition, dementia patients), there have been no comprehensive attempts to validate the adaptation of this approach to the adult learner in general. This exploratory study attempts to provide a rationale as to why it is developmentally legitimate to adapt this pedagogical method to adult education. This is attempted through a consideration of the aim and purpose of Montessori education as well as Maria Montessori's concept of human development. This paper concludes by envisioning initial suggestions for Montessori adult education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the importance of feminist approaches in adult education, specifically in relation to gender, race, and class. It highlights the work of feminist scholars who offer a nuanced understanding of the intersectionality of these issues and the power dynamics within education. The article also discusses the limitations of intersectional approaches and proposes the inclusion of other inequalities and complexities. It includes various papers that delve into topics such as intersectionality, intimate partner violence, challenges faced by international women faculty, and the contributions of Black feminism. The overall aim is to promote social justice and create more equitable and transformative educational experiences. [Extracted from the article]

In this conceptual paper, I delve into the urgent necessity of reshaping adult education and advocate for the adoption of critical feminist theory as a foundational framework for the examination of adult education. Based on the theories of adult education and critical feminist theory, I argue that a critical feminist lens could help educators better support adult learners from diverse backgrounds and spark meaningful social change. Building on principles of ideology, consciousness, and standpoint from critical feminist theory, I propose a critical consciousness learning (CCL) model that challenges existing assumptions and inspires innovative research and practice. Ultimately, my objective is to empower adult educators to reimagine the landscape of adult education in a manner that champions principles of equity, inclusivity, and transformative learning, thereby ushering in a new era of adult education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latinas holding doctoral degrees are few and far between in the academic world as compared to their White female counterparts (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2020). We explore a crucial topic of Chicana/Latina feminism, which resists traditional theoretical concepts and methodologies in the field of adult education. Chicana/Latina feminism is a feminist theory that has transcended academic disciplines since its conception in ethnic women's studies. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to offer an in‐depth look at Chicana/Latina feminism by defining the origins of a Chicana feminist theory, exploring the need to decolonize adult educational research to allow a more inclusive space for women of color in academia, attesting to the application of a Chicana feminist epistemology with the use of testimonios, and discussing the implications of embedding Chicana feminist perspectives in adult educational research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nation states need effective, accessible, and broadly engaged provisions of continuing education and training (CET) to develop the capacities of their working-age populations. Understanding what constitutes accessible and effective CET provisions, is needed to enable informed decision-making about realising governmental goals of securing a skilled, employable, and adaptive workforce. To understand what comprises that efficacy, it is necessary to capture, analyse, and reconcile the perspectives of stakeholders including government agencies, education institutions, CET educators and, most importantly, working-age adults. Reconciliation of these perspectives is essential for establishing what constitutes an effective CET ecosystem, including what kinds of CET provisions can best meet the needs of working-age Singaporeans and their workplaces. Drawing on an investigation of CET provisions in the island nation, this paper seeks to illuminate and advance how CET provisions might be enacted through an ecosystem perspective to promote employability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contemporary #MeToo moment has led to renewed concern about issues of masculinity and gender justice. This moment provides a strong warrant for critically analyzing different programmes for boys and men in relation to their capacity for gender transformation. This paper presents three such programmes located in Victoria (Australia) as case studies (1) an Activist Programme, (2) a Sports Programme, and (3) a Rites Programme. The paper highlights some of the possibilities and contentions for each programme in relation to their capacities for gender transformation through comparative analysis. The paper draws attention to the complexity and diversity of 'promising approaches' for effectively engaging boys and men in respectful masculinities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looks at the experiences of school history education and explores the impact this education has had on the development of young adults and their sense of identity in England. Adopting a qualitative approach, this study used semi-structured interviews with twenty young adults, aged 18–22, some from white backgrounds, but most from minoritized ethnic backgrounds.1 Four broad categories were identified in the data, namely 'values and value', 'identity development', 'curriculum connections' and 'narrative templates'. In the majority of cases, these young adults felt that history was important and had a role to play in addressing societal issues such as racism. However, the curriculum largely ignored the histories of minoritized ethnic groups, as the dominant narrative template favoured a white, Anglo-centric view of the world, and so served to fuel a sense of disconnection to the curriculum and to the state more generally. This paper suggests there is a need to pay closer attention to the place of history education in shaping a sense of belonging and personal identity, through a multiperspectivity approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to tertiary education is a challenge for many people from refugee-backgrounds. In Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ), resettled refugees are entitled to access education alongside other New Zealanders, and NZ's resettlement policy material recognises education as a key pillar of resettlement. However, refugee-background students are not recognised as 'priority learners' in education policy, so educational institutions are not required to report on refugee-background students' educational access or outcomes. At all levels of the education system, teaching and support practices for refugee-background students vary widely. Many barriers hamper refugee-background students' access to and success in tertiary education. However, refugee-background students are also necessarily-skilful border navigators. In this paper, we share data from an in-progress participatory action research project based in southern NZ that involves collaborating with refugee-background students at the secondary-tertiary education border. After describing the project, its rationale, and our theoretical framework, we draw on insights from seven of the students to illustrate how students represented educational navigation in NZ: as a resistance project, a subterranean project, and a relational project. We conclude by suggesting some implications from our study for research, policy and practice in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper extends well-established arguments for the liberal potential of vocational education by advocating for the necessity of craft learning in a liberal education curriculum. The case for the necessity of craft learning in liberal education is established in two parts, the first looking toward Aristotle and the second toward Heidegger. First, ideas from Aristotle are employed to articulate a vision of liberal education as that which supports the performance of our characteristic human activity. The paper then splits with Aristotle to suggest that such activity is not defined by rational contemplation, but rather by the circumspective engagement with materials through which our being-in-the-world becomes apparent to us. If, as Heidegger suggests, these practical engagements demonstrate our most fundamental mode of encountering the world and one another, then any liberal education focused on the fulfillment of our potential for understanding must include some craft learning by necessity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bandura's influential theory has been used to argue that teachers with high self-efficacy will be more effective at increasing pupil achievement—and a voluminous empirical literature has repeatedly documented associations consistent with this claim. However, few studies have considered whether these correlations reflect an underlying causal relationship. In this paper we utilise across-subject, within-pupil variation in teacher self-efficacy in the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2015 data to provide new evidence on this question. By focusing upon relative differences in teacher self-efficacy and pupil achievement within pupil-teacher pairs, our estimates control for more potential confounders than much of the existing literature. Contrary to that literature, we find no evidence of a relationship. Instead, this paper presents clear and consistent findings of null effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the international project „Enhancing Key Civic Competences for the Post-truth Era: News Literacy and Critical Thinking” dedicated to developing news literacy and implemented by the Belgrade City Library and three other partners within the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. The paper provides essential details related to the project, such as its goals, target groups, partners, duration, and main activities. Additionally, the paper emphasizes the achieved results and hints at the project’s future development. The project, known as ESSENTIAL, as the project’s acronym reads, has been recognized as a project of good practice in adult education in 2022. As such, it can be a paradigmatic example of how excellent results can be achieved through international cross-sector cooperation. The paper also showcases how libraries can utilize their potential and resources, such as good locations, space, technology, and highly qualified employees, to educate the local community. In a practical sense, the created and publicly available educational content and tools enable interested libraries (and other cultural institutions) to quickly introduce a new service – the education of citizens in news literacy. This is particularly important in the context of the development of public libraries as centres of non-formal education in their communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this paper is to show different program activities of the Marin Držić Library network which were created for the purpose of supporting cultural diversity, encouraging intercultural dialogue, and facilitating the integration of immigrants into Croatian society. Additionally, the paper emphasizes the benefits of the Erasmus+ Program - Adult Education, which enables expert training and improves the quality of adult education outside of the formal education systems. Approach/methodology/design. Taking into consideration the international and national, general and library documents, this paper first gives an overview of the definitions of multiculturalism and interculturalism, intercultural dialogue, intercultural education, and intercultural literacy, as well as an insight into the importance of libraries in a multicultural society. Next presented are the examples of the program activities implemented at the Savica Library and Marin Držić Children's Library, followed by the experience gained by participating in Let's Meet the Others project in Copenhagen, implemented within the framework of 2020 Erasmus+ program and for the purpose of exchanging experiences with librarians from other countries about the library programs and services intended for migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Results. The overview of the program activities of the two branches of the Marin Držić Library network and the public library in Copenhagen shows numerous and diverse modalities of how public libraries in a multicultural environment can contribute to the encouragement of multiculturalism and interculturalism, as well as to the facilitation of the integration of immigrants. Originality. This paper for the first time describes the program activities of the Marin Držić Library network intended for immigrants and migrants together with the program activities intended for the local population for the purpose of familiarizing them with different cultures. Including an overview of the Copenhagen Nørrebro Library programs intended for vulnerable user groups of immigrants and migrants, the described examples can stimulate and inspire other public libraries in developing and implementing similar program activities, as well as stimulate involvement in the European mobility programs focusing on adult education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the end of the Cold War, Germany has been considered a largely safe country. But increasing terrorism, the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and national flood disasters with serious consequences have led to growing attention to civil protection issues in politics and society. Thereby the reduction of possible risks is closely linked to rescue forces being well trained and the population being adequately informed about how to behave during disasters. Thus, adult learning is central to reducing risks associated with disasters. This paper, therefore, examines what works are available from adult and continuing education research on disaster protection in Germany after the 2nd World War. The results of this first comprehensive scoping review in this field show that pedagogical issues in disaster risk reduction are addressed by various disciplines. Most of these are practice-oriented and aim for the development of pedagogical concepts. High-quality scientific works that are empirically based or oriented towards the development of theoretical foundations, are hardly to be found. Overall, this in-depth research thus reveals a large research gap in the field of adult pedagogical research on the area of disaster education in Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]