Older Learners: The Challenge to Adult Education

These 11 papers consider the older learner as a consumer of education and examine how the concepts of education, educators, institutions, and learners must be revised if educational involvement in later life is to be regarded as the norm. Following a prologue, "Education and the Interpretation of Life Experience" (Michel Philibert), the four papers in part I examine the needs of the older learner and assess the response that institutions and non-formal networks are making or might make. Topics include "Continuing Education and the Older Learner" (Arthur Stock), "Education and the Older Learner: Current Developments and Initiatives" (Chris Phillipson), "Unemployment and Redundancy: Implications for Pre-Retirement Education" (Phillipson), and "Institutional Care: The Creation of a Learning Environment" (Ian Walker). Part II is composed of reports of seven projects that illustrate the practical application of progressive thinking. The projects are "Learning in Later Life" (Joanna Bornat) at the Polytechnic of North London; "The Creative Crafts Project," an experiment in informal learning for children and older adults (Laura Gamble); "Senior Service: An Experiment in Broadcasting on Local Radio for Older Listeners" (Bornat); "Outreach Education in Day Centres" (Cynthia Wyld); "Outreach Education from an Adult Education Centre" (Allin Coleman); "Recall, An Audio-Visual Stimulus to Reminiscence" (Susanna Johnston); and "Pre-Retirement Education: A Biographical Approach" (Bornat). (YLB)