"An essential volume in adult education."


--Choice





"Merriam and Caffarella provide an excellent resource whose value will last until the appearance of the third edition."


--Continuing Higher Education Review





The second edition of Learning in Adulthood integrates the most important contributions to adult learning in the last decade. The result is an updated, comprehensive synthesis of what we now know about adult learning--including the context in which it takes place, who the participants are, what they learn and why, the nature of the learning process itself, major theoretical developments, and much more. Sharan Merriam and Rosemary Caffarella reveal how sociocultural influences can create specific developmental needs and interests, and how such social factors as race, class, and gender can shape learning. From this background, they construct a more inclusive perspective on adult learning, guiding readers toward new ways of thinking about teaching, learning, and the broader social implications of adult education.