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This articles introduces some of the differing approaches to historical research that are utilized within adult education and lifelong learning. It discusses archives, types of sources, and approaches to interpretation. Whenever the author talks about history or historical research one of two things happen: People get excited and start telling her how fascinated they are by a particular aspect of history or their eyes glaze over. In this article, the author is hoping for a different kind of reaction.

This article describes the findings of a qualitative study that investigated the perceptions and views of faculty teaching adult accelerated courses. The analysis of the data revealed two overarching themes relating to the incorporation of innovative practice. It was discovered that these experienced faculty members all came to see their teaching in a different light. However, as they experimented and adopted new approaches, they also experienced intense professional isolation from their colleagues. We explore the meaning that these faculty members ascribe to their participation in an innovative program and the impact that these innovations have on faculty life.

This article looks at how administrators and teachers who consider themselves adult educators but who find themselves in a union environment come to think about their role and their context. This article is based on research conducted with administrators and teachers working in a joint union-employer sponsored program. Joint programs were developed in the steel industry to help steelworkers with the transition out of the steel industry. These career development programs (CDPs) grew out of the devastating retrenchment and downsizing of the steel industry beginning in the 1980s. Funded by both the unions and employers, they provided career and technical educational opportunities, classes to brush up on basic skills, and other classes that were more recreational. In addition, they made agreements with local colleges to offer on-site college programs and, in at least one case, a graduate degree. In short, these CDPs combined elements of a continuing education program with the career function of a career services program. These programs used a wide variety of teachers from many disciplines. They also utilized some full-time teachers and administrators who had an overview of the needs of the students and of the program. However, the CDPs tend to defy a straightforward characterization in part due to their funding structure (combination of company and worker contribution), how each center is managed and operated, highly individualized approaches to assessing and advising the steelworker clients, and the many types of educational programs they offer. This article is a result of the authors' broader study of these CDPs. Over several years, they have interviewed a number of teachers in the CDPs, observed classes, talked with steelworkers, attended the annual conferences of the CDPs, and participated in several action research projects to gain a nuanced understanding of the identity development of adult educators in the CDPs; and their views on the varied purposes of adult education. In this article, the authors look more closely at adult educators' views of the steelworkers as members of a union and as workers. (Contains 1 figure.)

Adult educators employed in steel mill career development programs offer the field a unique glimpse into the relationship between context and career trajectories. This article explores the lives of these adult educators against the backdrop of contemporary theories of career development, situated learning, and continuing professional development as a function of career identity. In particular, this article reports on a study that examined how teachers reflected on their practice and the implications this may have for the development of their professional identity. The specific questions this research addressed included: How did the teachers acquire the knowledge they feel they need to teach in the classroom or work in an adult education setting? How do they come to see themselves as adult educators? What does this mean to them? To what extent does reflection on practice lead to the development of identity as adult educators? Evidence suggests that although the field of adult education has explored career paths of its members in numerous contexts and theorized about how these elements come together, it has yet to describe, much less theorize, the path of those who locate themselves within and contribute to the practice of adult education outside of the mainstream.

Summarizes themes from the articles in this issue: distinction between evaluation and assessment, innovation, bias, integration into program delivery, and transfer. (SK)

Illustrates evolving concepts of leadership: set of individual traits, set of behaviors, transaction, manipulation of organizational culture, a transformative force. Considers gender and cultural differences, trends in leadership training, and constraints of productivity as a goal of leadership. (SK)

This journal issue about green jobs resulted from a preconference held at the 2011 American Association for Adult and Continuing Education Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. Interested in exploring the ways that green jobs training is being approached in the United States, this preconference seemed like an excellent way to introduce two new special interest groups (SIGs), Labor/Workforce Education and Sustainability and Environmental Adult Education. It was felt that this important aspect of the adult education world needed to be explored more fully. This author states that the current focus on green jobs is not really about an environmental discourse; rather, it focuses on careers, career paths, and job forecasting and improving the working conditions of low- to middle-skilled jobs. The initiative for green jobs training was a result of a confluence of two major concerns. The first was the increasing loss of jobs among workers whose skills had become obsolete. At the same time, increasing concern over environmental issues was leading to a growth of technological innovation in the energy field. Green jobs training seemed like a perfect combination of the two concerns. It combined job training with projected areas of growth. Federal grants promoted the idea that the jobs were there for those with the skills. This recent focus on careers and green jobs shifts away from advocacy about environmental issues and social justice to the promotion of green technology and a workforce development perspective. This issue of "Adult Learning" begins to consider the perspectives and issues of this topic.

The influx of veterans into higher education after World War II led to the development of a monumental system for testing and evaluation of prior learning through military service. The assumptions of the process continue to have implications for the assessment of adult life experience and its integration in college curricula. (SK)

The American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE)--the umbrella organization for the diverse field of adult and continuing education--is undergoing a transformation, and with it comes the opportunity and […]

The implications of the movement to individualize the curriculum in higher education are examined. The background and basic premises of the movement are explored and the realities and problems of the program at Empire State College are examined. The nature of contract education is discussed. (Author/MLW)

Through an examination of Carnegie Corporation archives and printed materials, the author examines reasons for the Carnegie Corporation's recommendation for the formation of the American Association for Adult Education in 1926. She also analyzes the preliminary stages of the founding process. (Author/CH)

Professional development and continuing training of adult education teachers are analyzed. Topics discussed include ongoing professional education, teaching satisfaction, and educators' views of their chosen profession.

We are living in an age that at once extols and deeply distrusts expertise. While this paradox is played out in many arenas, it is interesting that the field of […]

Being a pragmatic lot, adult educators often ignore philosophical issues, concentrating instead on what works. When we do discuss philosophy at all, it seems to be in terms of individual […]

Educators of all populations are constantly confronted with how to help individuals make meaning of their experience, both in informal and non-formal settings. Adults bring to their learning situations complex […]

New educational technologies offer the potential to affect service to all learners, but especially adult learners. Because of this fact, adult educators have become enamored by the possibilities offered through […]

Adult Education is more integrated into the general educational framework than ever before. Issues related to workplace learning, adult and family learning, continuing professional education, and international development are almost […]