Adult Learning. Linking Theory and Practice

Overview of Book Organization and Features Adult learning theory emerged in the mid-20th Century and has evolved with the development of theory and practice to understand how adults learn to be contributing family members, workers, and citizens. Several theories, models, and practices have been developed over the decades, making the landscape of adult learning and education theory rich and daunting. Partelow (2023) explained that disciplinary frameworks articulate a set of assumptions, values, concepts, and practices and provide a basis for inquiry, underscoring, “Frameworks are positioned within a theory of science. Understanding this positioning can guide scholars in comprehending how their engagement with frameworks contributes to the overall advancement of their field” (p. 512). Inspiration for the design of the second edition of Adult Learning Linking Research and Practice came from Merriam and Caffarella’s (1999) premise that “Learning in adulthood can be distinguished from childhood in terms of the learner, the context, and to some extent the learning process” (p. 389). Their “configuration of context, learner, and process” (p. 399) inspired Bierema’s (2008, 2019) framework of the context, educator, learner, process, and method, which was briefly introduced in the 7 first edition of this book (Merriam & Bierema, 2013). According to this framework, the second edition of The Adult Learner: Linking Theory and Practice represents a comprehensive exploration of adult learning. The Framework for Adult Learning summarizes its key components, including the: (a) Adult learning context, (b) Adult educator, (c) Adult learner, (d) Adult learning process, and (e) Methods for adult learning facilitation, essentially considering the where, who, how, and what of adult learning, presented in Figure 1. The framework melds key issues and ideas in adult learning and education, bridges theory and practice, and provides the organizing structure for the book. The adult learning framework captures the context or where learning occurs and how social dynamics impact individuals, groups, and learning systems. It considers the who, including adult educators, and how their values and approaches affect learning and learners and how best to honor their learning goals, motivations, and challenges. It also tackles the learning process or how learning unfolds in people’s heads, hearts, and bodies. Finally, the framework addresses what is required to effectively integrate the context, educator, learner, and process in methods for planning and facilitating meaningful adult educational programs.