Trends in Canadian adult education include outreach to new target groups (the undereducated, poor, ethnic groups, retirees, women), growth of teleconferencing, lack of government support for nontraditional clientele and formats, vocationalization and institutionalization of adult education, and shift from adult education to adult learning. (SK)

In social work literature, explanations for new graduates' difficulties include role-organizational conflict, problems with learning transfer, assumptions about theory and practice, and experience of oppositions. Three modes of discourse (technical rationality, practical reflectivity, critical reflectivity) have different ideas and ideals about…

The social ideology that gave rise to the Reading University Extension College in 1892 eroded as the college became more conventional and lost touch with the working class people it was designed to reach. (SK)

Completion of the Vocational Preference Inventory by 97 British continuing educators showed their vocational interests were primarily creative and intellectual and least preferred activities were administration, marketing, and accounting. Because the latter are increasingly part of the job, conflicts and barriers to change could arise. (SK)

Case studies of three new Japanese graduate business programs demonstrate limitations of traditional off-the-job training in changing social and global environment. New programs reflect the shift from industrial to service industries and increased need for technical specialization. (SK)

Outlines three possible futures for higher education: "nonuniversities" that modify courses and offer distance learning to adult reentry students; increasing involvement of business/industry in postsecondary education delivery; and technologically delivered nontraditional and nonsponsored education. (SK)

A two-year study of 57 nontraditional disadvantaged students in a preuniversity summer school found that success could not be predicted by family and educational background. Dropouts were less motivated and less suited to academic work and had poorer attitudes, whereas persisters were highly motivated and integrated into the institution. (SK)

Outlines theoretical perspectives of neo-Piagetians (Kohlberg, Peel, Labouvie-Vief), synthesizers (Kolb, Biggs, Pascual-Leone), and alternative theorists (Perry, Gilligan). Considers their applicability to adults and the implications for adult and higher education. (SK)

Describing incidents of racial tension on college campuses, the author presents the efforts of University of Memphis's Office of Diversity to increase dialog, critical thinking, and a democratic environment among students. Shows how Freire's conscientization and the philosophical perspectives of Mezirow and Lindeman were used in the process. (SK)

A first-year philosophy of education course encouraged students to challenge definitions of education as "schooling" and of relevant learning as that with an institutional or vocational focus. Critical analysis of the individual's social learning was the first step toward personal growth and social transformation. (SK)

Describes the adult and higher education system in France in terms of institutional boundaries, increased proportion of adults in universities, and the chaotic system of qualifications. Examines procedures for articulation and transfer between the various components of the educational system. (SK)

Examines the educational context in which the 1999 elections for the new Scottish Parliament took place. Outlines key educational policy issues, especially access to and provision for further and higher education. (SK)

Comparison of the first-year performance of 100 adults who entered the University of Glasgow via the Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP) with 89 who attended both SWAP and preuniversity summer school found few differences in persistence. However, patterns of prediction emerged, which could form the basis for interventions for those whose…

Clarifies the concept of professional development in the context of lifelong learning. Considers professional development as essential for researcher/teachers in higher education and discusses teaching as scholarship. (SK)

Interviews with 53 part-time college students in Hong Kong indicated they felt greater affiliation with students and teachers than the department or university. Ways to cultivate a sense of belonging were identified: cohort learning, high-quality interactive teaching, and better access to resources and facilities. (SK)