The Adult Learner, Sixth Edition: The Definitive Classic in Adult Education and Human Resource Development (Paperback)

by Malcolm S. Knowles Ph.D. (Author), Elwood F. Holton III Ed.D. (Author), Richard A. Swanson Ph.D. (Author) "In the early 1970s when andragogy and the concept that adults and children learn differently was first introduced in the United States by Malcolm Knowles,..." (more)
Key Phrases: training delivery problems, adult learning transaction, core andragogical principles, United States, Carl Rogers, World War (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"This book is the definitive classic in both adult education and human resource development." --Dr. Harold W. Stubblefield, Professor of Adult Learning and Human Resource Development, (retired) Virginia Tech

Praise for Previous Editions:

"...Malcolm Knowles was among the first people to recognize the special needs of adult students. . . . These discussions will help a company effectively raise the skill level of its workforce." -HR Magazine

". . . assists trainers in developing effective programs by explaining how adults learn, and it should provide a solid foundation for the creations of adult learning programs."-Training News

"...It cuts through the bewildering, often conflicting profusion of learning theories, research findings, and analysis to reveal why so many commonly accepted teaching methods are ineffective with adults." -Personnel Administrator -- Review

"This book is the definitive classic in both adult education and human resource development." -- Dr. Harold W. Stubblefield, Professor of Adult Learning and Human Resource Development, (retired) Virginia Tech --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"A great update of a classic. Should be requred reading for anyone involved with adult learning in schools, businesses and communities."
Sam Stern, Professor & Dean, The New School of Education, Oregon State University, USA

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 390 pages
• Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann; 6 edition (February 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0750678372
• ISBN-13: 978-0750678377
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #21,337 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

125 of 129 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential read for HRD professionals and adult educators, March 18, 1999

By	[e-mail] (Darren Short) (London, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Adult Learner: The Definitive Classic in Adult Education and Human Resource Development (Managing cultural differences) (Paperback)

For those new to Knowles work, this book really is a 'must'. It takes the reader through the essentials of adult education, both in the traditional environments of adult education and in settings such as the workplace. It provides a theoretical framework for understanding the adult learning issues faced by professional educators each day, and also offers significant guidance on future practice. To those who have read past editions of the book, as I have, you will find the Swanson and Holton work true to the spirit of Knowles, and the two authors have introduced more than enough new material to justify buying this Fifth Edition.

63 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent primer of Adult Learning Theory, March 22, 2000

By	Steve Semler (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Adult Learner: The Definitive Classic in Adult Education and Human Resource Development (Managing cultural differences) (Paperback)

Malcolm Knowles is known as the "Grandfather of Adult Education" in many circles, and this update of his original book does him justice. I recommend the book as a primary resource for people looking for information about how adults learn (adult learning theory), as well as what works and how to make it work in different situations.

47 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars very comprehensive look at adult learning theory, May 10, 2001

By	M. H. Bayliss "book queen" - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Adult Learner: The Definitive Classic in Adult Education and Human Resource Development (Managing cultural differences) (Paperback)

This book is like a one-stop shopping guide to Adult education. It is so comprehensive that I doubt it leaves out one development in the history of adult education. My only warning is that the opening chapters which basically trace many theories of learning (both adult and traditional) are hard to get through -- it reads more like a research paper that summarizes every major educational theory since the beginning of time. But, if you don't want to know that much, you can simply skip these chapters and get right to the meat of the adult learning theories which are more appropos. For those who need a quick primer on learning theories, you'll love the first few chapters for their abundance of quick summary information. A useful guide to adult education.