This study sought to a better understanding of the construct of problem solving in technology-rich environments and the effect of literacy and numeracy on problem solving. Data used in this study were drawn from Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies US data which includes 5010 completed cases and a total of 1326…

This comparative study examines patterns of inequality in participation in two different types of adult learning and education (ALE) -- job-related formal ALE (JFALE) and job-related non-formal ALE (JNFALE) -- as related to social origins at the micro-level and three categories of social inequality at the macro-level at the macro level (economic,…

Gender-based violence is a staggering but normalized global phenomenon, illustrated by the global reach of the #MeToo movement. Gender-based violence and the impacts of trauma enter learning spaces daily, acknowledged or not. Adult learners often respond to learning about gender relations with avoidance, denial, fear, defensiveness and…

The question of whether the potential short-term advantages of vocational qualifications are offset by disadvantages in later life is an important issue for policy debates. This paper analyses how the choice of vocational or general upper-secondary education affects future prospects of participation in non-formal education (NFE). It presents a…

Denmark has a strong and versatile tradition of adult education. Over a long historical period, adult education for public enlightenment and leisure, for continuing study and for vocational and professional competence have been developed, been made part of state policy and been used by citizens. But in recent years the public and political…

This article focus on how the Swedish population is shaped into desirable citizens as resources for the nation's prosperity. The aim is to analyse how health operates as a governing technique in discourses of lifelong learning. Within such current discourses the population is today described as generally well-educated and healthy, but not educated…

The paper reports on collaborative journal writing and dialogue sustained by two education professionals with a view to engaging in meaningful reflective practice. The transition from journal writing to reporting in this paper was underpinned by knowledge of the place of reflective practice in teacher education and continuous professional…

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the actual conditions of youth in social difficulties in Japan and to examine the characteristics and meanings of 'educational support' for them from the viewpoint of literacy theory as a social practice. My colleagues and I carried out a four-year qualitative study of several private groups supporting young…

This article critiques international assessment of adult literacy using research findings from students completing a Maori tourism certificate who achieved significant gains in assessment. It is argued that the focus of literacy assessments potentially forces educators to narrow their teaching and learning approaches, manoeuvring them into…

This paper focuses on the power dimension of social practices. The study sought to understand the literacy-related practices of a retired woman without a high-school diploma in everyday life and community activities. It drew on social practice theories, the New Literacy Studies, and transformative learning. The ethnographic approach chosen to…

This paper argues that Non-formal Education (NFE) has seen a remarkable revival of interest across both developing countries and the more highly developed countries. Among the factors causing this revival is the search for alternative educations to meet the needs of different groups in society. But in the process, NFE has been relocated -- not so…

Laclau and Mouffe have long argued the democratic possibilities of 'left populism' underpinned by their agonistic critique of liberal democracy. We are currently witnessing the attempted application of their theories by European political parties. However, there remains very little international scholarship taking up the challenge of situating…

To determine the resources baby boomers use or develop to strategise successful engagement as later life university students, informal semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 Australian baby boomers. The phenomenological data was analysed, themes identified and aligned with the volition phase stages of the adapted Health Action Process…

Assessing teacher job satisfaction is a recurrent theme in educational research. Given the forthcoming reform of the Croatian adult education system, a survey of teacher satisfaction in primary adult education was performed. Teachers exhibited two dimensions of satisfaction/dissatisfaction: one with the teaching programme and process, and the…

This paper considers the social significance of digital technologies in older adults' lives by exploring the impact the web has on their lived experiences. The study of digital literacies and digital cultures is mostly focused on youth, thus paying limited attention to older adults' engagement with the web. With this paper, we aim to contribute to…