Ralf St. Clair

Designed to help the reader move through an empirical research project, this book describes how they can think like a researcher. Methods and methodologies are presented as pragmatic tools to address research questions. Research into adult learning is different from educational research more broadly as it recognizes and applies the power of narrative and experience. Adult learning is a localized and highly diverse endeavor, and inevitably reflects the life experiences and identity of those involved, making their stories essential. There is a fundamental link between adult learning and the lifeworld of those who are involved in that learning. Whether we are considering a community project supporting adults to tell their immigration stories in a new language, a university instructor encouraging students to think about the assumptions behind the economics curriculum, a group working to re-establish an Indigenous language in a community, or a corporate trainer delivering anti-harassment sessions, the vast majority of education for adults does not fit the taken for granted assumptions of school-centered educational research. One implication is the need for researchers in adult learning to apply the tools differently.The book is organized in four parts. A satisfying research project has coherence across the various parts (research question, methodology, methods, claim to knowledge) and the parts of the book reflect these four areas. Part 1 is about learning to think like a researcher, including ethical guidelines and how to work out the details of a research question. Part 2 discusses methods in a concrete way, to give readers a sense of what the activity of researching looks like. This book looks at a range of qualitative approaches but does not shy away from research with numbers as a way to generate knowledge. Part 3 discusses methodologies for connecting the data generated by methods to findings. Part 4 deals with communicating findings, and also looks at research proposals. A glossary helps readers encountering new terminology, and appendices include a sample research proposal and a sample consent form, as well as resources to learn more about the topic.

Designed to help the reader move through an empirical research project, this book describes how they can think like a researcher. Methods and methodologies are presented as pragmatic tools to address research questions. Research into adult learning is different from educational research more broadly as it recognizes and applies the power of narrative and experience. Adult learning is a localized and highly diverse endeavor, and inevitably reflects the life experiences and identity of those involved, making their stories essential. There is a fundamental link between adult learning and the lifeworld of those who are involved in that learning. Whether we are considering a community project supporting adults to tell their immigration stories in a new language, a university instructor encouraging students to think about the assumptions behind the economics curriculum, a group working to re-establish an Indigenous language in a community, or a corporate trainer delivering anti-harassment sessions, the vast majority of education for adults does not fit the taken for granted assumptions of school-centered educational research. One implication is the need for researchers in adult learning to apply the tools differently.The book is organized in four parts. A satisfying research project has coherence across the various parts (research question, methodology, methods, claim to knowledge) and the parts of the book reflect these four areas. Part 1 is about learning to think like a researcher, including ethical guidelines and how to work out the details of a research question. Part 2 discusses methods in a concrete way, to give readers a sense of what the activity of researching looks like. This book looks at a range of qualitative approaches but does not shy away from research with numbers as a way to generate knowledge. Part 3 discusses methodologies for connecting the data generated by methods to findings. Part 4 deals with communicating findings, and also looks at research proposals. A glossary helps readers encountering new terminology, and appendices include a sample research proposal and a sample consent form, as well as resources to learn more about the topic.

This book explores the implications of focusing learning in university leadership. While a range of external and internal factors push contemporary higher education leaders towards a reactive and transactional style, the author argues that placing learning at the centre of the decision-making process ultimately grounds higher education leadership in values. Illustrated by numerous case studies and informed by Peter Senge’s theory of learning, the author examines this central thesis across a variety of areas and functions of higher education that are vital to the development and success of this shared endeavour. This book will be of interest and value to both new and established university leaders, as well as scholars of leadership in higher education more generally.

This book explores the implications of focusing learning in university leadership. While a range of external and internal factors push contemporary higher education leaders towards a reactive and transactional style, the author argues that placing learning at the centre of the decision-making process ultimately grounds higher education leadership in values. Illustrated by numerous case studies and informed by Peter Senge’s theory of learning, the author examines this central thesis across a variety of areas and functions of higher education that are vital to the development and success of this shared endeavour. This book will be of interest and value to both new and established university leaders, as well as scholars of leadership in higher education more generally.

Become an effective adult educator by approaching teaching systematically As the author describes at the beginning of Creating Courses for Adults, "The big idea of this book is that education for adults has to be designed." Whether in basic skills training, English language classes, professional development workshops, personal interest courses, or formal degree programs, good teaching tends to conceal all the planning and decisions which had to be made in order to present participants with a seamless and coherent process for learning. The author posits that nobody is a completely intuitive teacher and that everybody has to make a series of choices as they put courses together. The decisions they make are important and far-reaching, and deserve to be considered carefully. Starting with the three core factors which must be taken into account when creating courses, Creating Courses for Adults walks readers through a manageable process for addressing the key decisions which must be made in order to design effective learning. Instructor factors are what the teacher brings to the teaching and learning process, such as experience and preferences.Learner factors are the influences that students bring with them, including their past experiences and expectations for the class.Context factors include the educational setting, whether in-person or online, as well as the subject matter. Readers of Creating Courses for Adults will learn a systematic approach to lesson and course design based on research into the ways adults learn and the best ways to reach them, along with pointers and tips for teaching adults in any setting.