In this article the authors explore the notion of 'common good' in relation to adult education. They do this by drawing upon the experiences of working-class family members who were both social learners and autodidacts, and who engaged in learning for their own sake and for what they believed to be the common good. The authors use diaries, letters…

There is a dearth of knowledge regarding how self-directed learning and inclusion relate as concepts. In this paper, we explore how self-directed learning and inclusion are discussed together in the educational literature. With the aim of advancing our conceptual and theoretical understanding in this regard, we present the findings of a systematic…

Purpose: As learning at the workplace is predominantly self-motivated, this study is aimed to identify and categorize the motivational drivers for working professionals to pursue self-directed learning (SDL) at the workplace. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 23 variables were identified as drivers for working professionals to initiate,…

Self-directed learning is a core theoretical construct of adult learning. Importantly, self-directed learning represents a fundamental meta-competence for living and working in our increasingly complex and unpredictable world. Nonetheless, the construct of self-directed learning has become obfuscated. In order to redress this concern, this…

A student of self-directed learning provides a perspective commentary on the use of fiction to foster discussion of themes, studies, and theories related to self-directed learning. The novel used is Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451," set in a future dystopian society where books are outlawed and any that are found are burned by government…

Research on learning strategies and learning motivation in different educational contexts has provided valuable insights, but in this field, low-educated adults remain an understudied population. This study addresses this gap by means of a person-oriented approach and seeks to investigate whether quantitatively and qualitatively different learner…

Based on observations of a rural community and in-depth interviews with five rural women, this paper shows how access to smartphones enables marginalised rural women to engage in digital literacies in their everyday life practices. The research shows that rural women learn digital skills, communication skills, and literacies in an unplanned and…

Biography can be a valuable tool in understanding historical perspectives on adult learning. The purpose of this study was to look at three examples of times throughout Abraham Lincoln's life when he demonstrated a high level of self-directedness in learning in order to solve problems that he faced. Specifically, we examined (a) Lincoln's youth,…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of online self-leadership training (OSLT) in promoting leaders' self-leadership skills and recovery experiences. Design/methodology/approach: A non-randomized controlled trial was conducted under two conditions--a standardized seven-week OSLT (N = 43) and a control without any…

Adult's self-direction and self-directed learning (SDL) have become topics in the discussion of work-related adult learning and an autonomous approach, emphasizing responsibility and independence, has received increasing attention in studies of learning. In the context of SDL, in contrast, the importance of the learning environment and community…

The article is devoted to the development of adult education, its andragogical principles and the impact on the quality of lifelong pedagogical education. The authors examined the mechanisms for improving the quality of lifelong pedagogical education by updating the content, developing and implementing innovative teaching technologies following…

While retrieval practice has been studied for over a century, it has gained a significant body of research within the past fifteen years in cognitive psychology and the learning sciences. However, there is little discussion in its study and application within topics of adult learning. In this article, we examine the historical and philosophical…

Considering the significance of lifelong learning in advancing active aging in aging societies, the ability to engage in self-directed learning plays a crucial role for adults. There are many self-directed learning (SDL) tools available that measure the SDL abilities of nursing students and healthcare professionals. However, fewer SDL tools…

Learning is not static but dynamic and it is not restricted to an externally imposed direction of learning. Thus, helping an individual to actualize self-direction in learning is a potential model for enhancing information literacy skills and learning outcomes. This study, therefore, employed the theoretical framework of self-directed learning…

This study aimed to understand the behaviors of older adults in rural areas at all stages of active aging after participating in senior self-directed learning groups. This study adopted a qualitative research method and conducted one-on-one semi-structured interviews with six members of a senior learning center in a rural area. The themes…