Adult literacy education can contribute to the political change process in Scotland by shifting from a narrow functional approach to a more critical one. The critical approach recognizes vernacular literacies and focuses on developing competence in diverse literacies and on identifying the contexts in which they should be used. (SK)

Reflects on the cultural politics of knowledge production since World War II, in which the techno-scientific knowledge base was used to dominate cultural time and space. Examines the status of liberal education and adult education research as a source of productive knowledge, as well as the selection of which knowledge is valued. (SK)

Despite rhetoric about the Learning Society and learning culture, developments in the Open College Network suggest the emergence of opposing organizational and professional cultures and a qualifications culture. Instead of a learning culture, a learning market is developing. (SK)

A study shows adult guidance services in Fife, Scotland, responding to changing labor market conditions with a well-developed infrastructure and network. Although the skills-development model dominates the agenda of external funders, Fife providers tend toward personal development and social learning as the focus of adult guidance. (SK)

Analysis of patterns of participation of 1,104 adults in South Wales shows that socioeconomic background, more than educational attainment, plays a crucial role in educational participation. Over time, immediate and later patterns of participation are determined by separate influences. (SK)

Outlines social capital theories in functionalist and Marxist traditions and their implications for people with learning difficulties. Identifies multiple factors influencing their ability to access social capital, including ability/inability to conform to social norms and economic inequities. (SK)

Explores the postmodernization of society, increased social pluralism, altered biographical patterns, and the emergence of new learning environments. Concludes that the Learning Society is a political concept and there is a paradigm shift away from education and training toward learning. (SK)

Transcripts of interviews with trade union trainers in Australia identified contradictory discourses: discourse of struggle and discourse on the economy. Some training activities focused on consensus building in workplace relations, but trainers' informal theories acknowledged the power imbalance between the working class and management. (SK)

Expansion of higher education in Britain is driven by political expediency, resulting in imbalance between initial and recurrent education. To reach the goal of a learning society, there must be a better distribution between working time and education and recognition of learning as a social activity, not merely a human capital investment. (SK)

Development of knowledge occurs through participation in social practices throughout life. Knowledge is constructed through engagement in problem solving; knowledge has conceptual, procedural, and dispositional dimensions; and the nature of the problem and different social practices influence the type of knowledge that is constructed. (SK)

Describes the use of Personal Construct Theory and Kelly's Repertory Grid as a method for making explicit the tacit, implicit, and informal theories that underlie practice. Discusses the relationship between informal theory and formal theoretical frameworks. (SK)

Examines the problem-based perspective and the pedagogy of problem-based learning. Outlines alternative philosophical perspectives for professional education. (SK)

In interviews, nontraditional colleges students defined themselves against the stereotype of traditional-age entrants. They tended to choose subjects about which they had some knowledge. Women especially had difficulty balancing conflicting life demands. A need for change in the culture of higher education was identified. (SK)

Critically examines British policy statements, asserting there is a gap between participants and nonparticipants in lifelong learning, and learning is an economic imperative. Reviews methods and findings of studies of adult participation, and concludes with the need to bridge the divide between discourses of lifelong learning as defined broadly or…

Interviews with seven working-class adults suggest a need to understanding adult-learning patterns within the life context; they demonstrate how gender and class experiences affect learning and attitudes toward education. Pressuring adults into formal credentialing education would not necessarily be appropriate, and may be seen as oppressive. (SK)