Adults as Learners: Increasing Participation and Facilitating Learning

I dug this book out of a chest recently where all my textbooks for my education in education were stored and had been stored for 4 years. It was like finding an unexpected gold mine. K. Patricia Cross has provided an indispensable book in the field of education for adults in, "Adults as Learners." I recommend it for all thinking about getting into the field of educating adults, already in the field, and those that are on the receiving end of the education. Life long learning enriches life. Like an onion peeled away to reveal new layers beneath or a more apt metaphor would be like a caterpillar continuously ducking into the cocoon, recreating, metamorphosing. Cross explores all facets of bringing education to adults and bringing adults to education in plain simple and interesting language. She has incisive observations that go beyond a culling together of learning theory already out there. Listen to her sharp tongue and clear wit paving the way for the development of new education opportunities for adults, "There are explanations behind these apparent miscues, but the point is that only a dying and unimaginative industry would attempt to base its future on consumer demand. Consumers cannot respond beyond their experience; thus, responding to consumer demand usually means getting yesterday's answers to tomorrow's questions." This in response to adult education initiatives based only on consumer research feedback, she clearly hits the mark.Though, the text was written in 1981 and is at risk of becoming somewhat dated in its empirical findings the observations and principles transcend time and are still relevant. I will be reading this book again in preparation for going back to school to up my education on education.