Book Review: Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide

This book review is part of a series that covers the topic of Learning. Learning is the act of gaining knowledge through study, instruction or experience. Pat Wyman is the Official Guide to Learning. Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide, by Sharan B. Merriam, Rosemary S. Caffarella and Lisa M. Baumgartner, is a valuable resource for people interested in Learning Objectives and it is available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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"An essential volume in adult education."nn--Choice

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"Merriam and Caffarella provide an excellent resource whose value will last until the appearance of the third edition."nn --Continuing Higher Education Review

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The second edition of Learning in Adulthood integrates the most important contributions to adult learning in the last decade. The result is an updated, comprehensive synthesis of what we now know about adult learning--including the context in which it takes place, who the participants are, what they learn and why, the nature of the learning process itself, major theoretical developments, and much more. Sharan Merriam and Rosemary Caffarella reveal how sociocultural influences can create specific developmental needs and interests, and how such social factors as race, class, and gender can shape learning. From this background, they construct a more inclusive perspective on adult learning, guiding readers toward new ways of thinking about teaching, learning, and the broader social implications of adult education.

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SHARAN B. MERRIAM is professor of adult education at the University of Georgia, Athens. Her research and writing focus on the foundations of the adult education field, on adult development and learning, and on qualitative research methods. An acclaimed scholar in her field, she has served as author, coauthor, or editor of seventeen books and was coeditor of Adult Education Quarterly for five years. ROSEMARY S. CAFFARELLA is a professor in the Division of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Northern Colorado. A preeminent authority on adult learning and development, training, and program development, Caffarella is author or coauthor of five books on adult and continuing education.