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Through the joy of learning

Diary of 1,000 adult learners

What do we really know about the experience of adults learning? This book is based on a national project conducted during Adult Learners’ week to collect the diaries of 1,000 adult’s learners. Men and women from across Britain write about the joys and challenges of learning. Some write about courses such as those run be further education colleges or the Open University, the Workers Education Association and the Women’s Institute. Others describe serendipitous learning as volunteers, club members, in social or leisure pursuits, at work. Common to all is a sense of excitement, purpose and achievement in learning.

A selection of 28 whole diaries evokes the ways in which learning enriches and complicates everyday experience, and illustrates the enormous variety of opportunities available to the adult learner. A section of 2nd section of extracts from a larger number of diaries illuminates significant themes which emerged time and again in the diaries about the motivations, challenges, experiences and achievements of adult learners.

Through the Joy of Learning will be of interest to adult education practitioners, researchers and policy makers. Perhaps more importantly, readers will recognise themselves in the lives of the diarists, and will be inspired to explore the part that adult education might play in their lives.

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Reviews

“the book is very useful to those undertaking research projects for degrees, masters and doctorates…adult education practitioners would gain some useful insights into their students.”
(Glenda Collins, The Lecturer)

‘…interesting tales of overcoming difficulties, and satisfaction felt at achievement.’
(Townswoman)

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Contents

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