Learning Environments for Women's Adult Development - Bridges towards Change Issue 65 - New Dir for Adult & Cont Education (Paper Only): Bridges toward Change

This volume of New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education explores emerging theory and practice in adult development, adult learning, and feminist pedagogy for learning environments designed to meet women's needs. Adult women learners face special challenges as they enter or reenter higher education. Research and experience suggest that historical and current education approaches may not serve men and women equally. The central aim of this book is to help make learning environments more supportive of reentry women in their ongoing development. Many of the practices showcased in this sourcebook emerged from programs of alternative higher education as they Andeavored to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population of learners. The different pedagogical approaches described herein help a woman learner shape the narrative of her evolving self in multiple life contexts. Ultimately, the kinds of educational practices described in this volume will prove effective in promoting lifelong learning and development for both women and men. This is the 65th issue in the journal series New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education.
For more information on the series, please see the Journals and Periodicals page.

Table of Contents:
Bridging practice and theory for women's adult development / Kathleen Taylor, Catherine Marienau -- Journal writing / Phyllis Walden -- Sitting beside herself / Kathleen Taylor -- Prior learning assessment, critical self-reflection, and reentry women's development / Jan Droegkamp, Kathleen Taylor -- In their own voices / Catherine Marienau -- Teaching to the developmental needs of nonmainstream learners / Linda Gajdusek, Helen Gillotte -- A developmental core curriculum for adult women learners / Rosemarie Carfagna -- Multiple roles of the mentor supporting women's adult development / Mayra Bloom -- Linking learning, teaching, and development / Morris Fiddler, Catherine Marienau -- Speaking her mind / Kathleen Taylor.

About the Author :
GORDON E. SMITH is associate professor in the School for New Learning at DePaul University and is active in the Alliance (an association for alternative degree programs for adults). She has worked in alternative higher education for adults for over twenty years, serving as teacher, adviser, mentor, program developer and administrator, research, writer, and consultant. CATHERINE MARIENAU is associate professor at Saint Mary's College of California, chair of the Department of Portfolio Instruction, and a consultant on women's development and education. She returned to college to complete her bachelor's degree twenty years after starting it.