Beyond questionnaires – Exploring adult education teachers' mathematical beliefs with pictures and interviews

Because of the impact that mathematical beliefs have on an individual’s behaviour, they are generally well researched. However, little mathematical belief research has taken place in the field of adult education. This paper presents preliminary results from a study conducted in this field in Switzerland. It is based on Ernest’s (1989) description of mathematics as an instrumental, Platonist or problem solving construct. The analysis uses pictures drawn by the participants and interviews conducted with them as data. Using a categorising scheme developed by Rolka and Halverscheid (2011), the author argues that adults’ mathematical beliefs are complex and especially personal aspects are difficult to capture with said scheme. Particularly the analysis of visual data requires a more refined method of analysis.

When do adults learn? A cohort analysis of adult education in Europe. CEPS Working Document No. 383, 21 May 2013

Adult learning is seen as a key factor for enhancing employment, innovation and growth, and it should concern all age cohorts. The aim of this paper is to understand the points in the life cycle at which adult learning takes place and whether it leads to reaching a medium or high level of educational attainment. To this end we perform a synthetic panel analysis of adult learning for cohorts aged 25 to 64 in 27 European countries using the European Labour Force Survey. We find, as previous results suggest, that a rise in educational attainment as well as participation in education and training happens mostly at the age range of 25-29. However, investment across the life cycle by cohorts older than 25 still occurs: in most countries in our sample, participation in education and training as well as educational attainment increases observably across all cohorts. We also find that the decline with age slows down or is even reversed for older cohorts, for both participation in education and educational attainment. Finally, we can identify a Nordic model in which adult learning is achieved through participation in education and training, a Central European model in which adult learning occurs in the form of increasing educational attainment and a liberal model in which both approaches to adult learning are observable.

National Household Education Survey of 1995 : adult education data file user's manual /

Mode of access: Internet.

In quest of knowledge; a historical perspective on adult education.

Mode of access: Internet.

The library in the TVA adult education program,

"Selected references": p. [67]-68.

Head Start and Even Start : greater collaboration needed on measures of adult education and literacy /

"GAO-02-348."

The public libraries & adult education, being an interim memorandum ...

Mode of access: Internet.

Christian adult education in rural Asia and Africa,

"References" at end of each of the chapters. "Book list": p. [203]-204.

Adult education and social class.

"Cooperative Research Project no. 1017."

Experimental classes for adult education; a report of the extension activities of the People's institute of New York,

Mode of access: Internet.

Adult education annual report /

Mode of access: Internet.