Linking Adults with Community: Promoting Civic Engagement Through Community Based Learning


Book Description

Employing community-based learning with adults presents unique challenges and opportunities; it requires an analysis of the adult-learning literature as well as identification of service-learning practices that will be effective with adults. In this volume, drawing upon adult-learning and service-learning literature and case studies, scholars and practitioners articulate best practices in community-based adult learning and illustrate its implementation. Adults are increasingly called upon to become involved in the body politic Strengthening their communities promoting change enlivening our democracy Competing with the call for civic engagement are the demanding priorities of modern life that adults face in the workplace, at home, and in their community. In community-based learning, universities partner with local organizations and nonprofits to provide experiences that promote the growth and development of both students and community residents. Careful project design is crucial to the accomplishment of these laudable outcomes. This volume provides a valuable guide to service-learning professionals meeting these challenges. This is the 118th volume in the Jossey-Bass quarterly report series New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, an indispensable series that explores issues of common interest to instructors, administrators, counselors, and policymakers in a broad range of adult and continuing education settings, such as colleges and universities, extension programs, businesses, libraries, and museums.




Counselling for Maternal and Newborn Health Care


Book Description

The main aim of this practical Handbookis to strengthen counselling and communication skills of skilled attendants (SAs) and other health providers, helping them to effectively discuss with women, families and communities the key issues surrounding pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, postnatal and post-abortion care. Counselling for Maternal and Newborn Health Careis divided into three main sections. Part 1 is an introduction which describes the aims and objectives and the general layout of the Handbook. Part 2 describes the counselling process and outlines the six key steps to effective counselling. It explores the counselling context and factors that influence this context including the socio-economic, gender, and cultural environment. A series of guiding principles is introduced and specific counselling skills are outlined. Part 3 focuses on different maternal and newborn health topics, including general care in the home during pregnancy; birth and emergency planning; danger signs in pregnancy; post-abortion care; support during labor; postnatal care of the mother and newborn; family planning counselling; breastfeeding; women with HIV/AIDS; death and bereavement; women and violence; linking with the community. Each Session contains specific aims and objectives, clearly outlining the skills that will be developed and corresponding learning outcomes. Practical activities have been designed to encourage reflection, provoke discussions, build skills and ensure the local relevance of information. There is a review at the end of each session to ensure the SAs have understood the key points before they progress to subsequent sessions.




Communities in Action


Book Description

In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome.







Understanding and Supporting Adult Learners


Book Description

Understanding and Supporting Adult Learners offers faculty and administrators a hands-on guide to the myriad issues adult learners face in their enrollment and participation in higher education. This comprehensive resource is filled with the analytical and practical skills that can help faculty make sound decisions relative to adult learners. The book also includes techniques and frameworks for assessing, implementing, and evaluating practices within the institution—at the classroom, department, school, and campus levels—to nurture and support responsiveness to adult learners. Praise for Understanding and Supporting Adult Learners "This timely book provides a clear road map for institutions to attract, retain, and graduate adult learners. It will provoke discussions among faculty and administrators on the best ways to serve and assess this important demographic."— John V. Moore III, associate director of institutional research, Temple University "A must-read for everyone serving adults in higher education! The book's wonderfully insightful and provocative cases bring to life the real dilemmas facing adult learners and the institutions that support them. It provides an enlightened analysis of the issues and an effective framework for creating and improving programs that ensure the success of adult learners in higher education."— Tai Arnold, assistant vice president for academic programs, SUNY Empire State College "This book is a must-read for community college faculty and administrators. Community college adult learners span several generations and even decades and bring different levels of learning skills and student support services needs. This is an excellent practical guide to addressing the varied needs and issues of the twenty-first century adult learner."— Christine Chairsell, vice president, Portland Community College




Investing in the Health and Well-Being of Young Adults


Book Description

Young adulthood - ages approximately 18 to 26 - is a critical period of development with long-lasting implications for a person's economic security, health and well-being. Young adults are key contributors to the nation's workforce and military services and, since many are parents, to the healthy development of the next generation. Although 'millennials' have received attention in the popular media in recent years, young adults are too rarely treated as a distinct population in policy, programs, and research. Instead, they are often grouped with adolescents or, more often, with all adults. Currently, the nation is experiencing economic restructuring, widening inequality, a rapidly rising ratio of older adults, and an increasingly diverse population. The possible transformative effects of these features make focus on young adults especially important. A systematic approach to understanding and responding to the unique circumstances and needs of today's young adults can help to pave the way to a more productive and equitable tomorrow for young adults in particular and our society at large. Investing in The Health and Well-Being of Young Adults describes what is meant by the term young adulthood, who young adults are, what they are doing, and what they need. This study recommends actions that nonprofit programs and federal, state, and local agencies can take to help young adults make a successful transition from adolescence to adulthood. According to this report, young adults should be considered as a separate group from adolescents and older adults. Investing in The Health and Well-Being of Young Adults makes the case that increased efforts to improve high school and college graduate rates and education and workforce development systems that are more closely tied to high-demand economic sectors will help this age group achieve greater opportunity and success. The report also discusses the health status of young adults and makes recommendations to develop evidence-based practices for young adults for medical and behavioral health, including preventions. What happens during the young adult years has profound implications for the rest of the life course, and the stability and progress of society at large depends on how any cohort of young adults fares as a whole. Investing in The Health and Well-Being of Young Adults will provide a roadmap to improving outcomes for this age group as they transition from adolescence to adulthood.




Linking Literacy and Libraries in Global Communities


Book Description

Libraries in today's global world have emerged as key players in building a culture for reading in communities while enhancing the literacy development of children, youth, adults and seniors. Whether one lives in a modern city with sophisticated library services or in a remote region of the world where access to books and literacy services may be limited, librarians and libraries are contributing to the development of learning communities. This book captures some of the essence of this work in libraries in order to inspire and support all those who value the role of libraries in building global communities. The authors highlight the emerging role of libraries and community partners in literacy development and provide concrete examples via case studies drawn from global communities, demonstrating how libraries are working to support local literacies. They also suggest recommendations for supporting the critical role for libraries in supporting global literacies. The book will become essential reading for all those interested in literacy and libraries throughout the world.




Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults


Book Description

Social isolation and loneliness are serious yet underappreciated public health risks that affect a significant portion of the older adult population. Approximately one-quarter of community-dwelling Americans aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated, and a significant proportion of adults in the United States report feeling lonely. People who are 50 years of age or older are more likely to experience many of the risk factors that can cause or exacerbate social isolation or loneliness, such as living alone, the loss of family or friends, chronic illness, and sensory impairments. Over a life course, social isolation and loneliness may be episodic or chronic, depending upon an individual's circumstances and perceptions. A substantial body of evidence demonstrates that social isolation presents a major risk for premature mortality, comparable to other risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, or obesity. As older adults are particularly high-volume and high-frequency users of the health care system, there is an opportunity for health care professionals to identify, prevent, and mitigate the adverse health impacts of social isolation and loneliness in older adults. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults summarizes the evidence base and explores how social isolation and loneliness affect health and quality of life in adults aged 50 and older, particularly among low income, underserved, and vulnerable populations. This report makes recommendations specifically for clinical settings of health care to identify those who suffer the resultant negative health impacts of social isolation and loneliness and target interventions to improve their social conditions. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults considers clinical tools and methodologies, better education and training for the health care workforce, and dissemination and implementation that will be important for translating research into practice, especially as the evidence base for effective interventions continues to flourish.




Facilitating Learning with the Adult Brain in Mind


Book Description

Practical "brain-aware" facilitation tailored to the adult brain Facilitating Learning with the Adult Brain in Mind explains how the brain works, and how to help adults learn, develop, and perform more effectively in various settings. Recent neurobiological discoveries have challenged long-held assumptions that logical, rational thought is the preeminent approach to knowing. Rather, feelings and emotions are essential for meaningful learning to occur in the embodied brain. Using stories, metaphors, and engaging illustrations to illuminate technical ideas, Taylor and Marienau synthesize relevant trends in neuroscience, cognitive science, and philosophy of mind. Readers unfamiliar with current brain discoveries will enjoy an informative, easy-to-read book. Neuroscience fans will find additional material designed to supplement their knowledge. Many popular publications on brain and learning focus on school-aged learners or tend more toward anatomical description than practical application. This book provides facilitators of adult learning and development a much-needed resource of tested approaches plus the science behind their effectiveness. Appreciate the fundamental role of experience in adult learning Understand how metaphor and analogy spark curiosity and creativity Alleviate adult anxieties that impede learning Acquire tools and approaches that foster adult learning and development Compared with other books on brain and learning, this volume includes dozens of specific examples of how experienced practitioners facilitate meaningful learning. These "brain-aware" approaches can be adopted and adapted for use in diverse settings. Facilitating Learning with the Adult Brain in Mind should be read by advisors/counselors, instructors, curriculum and instructional developers, professional development designers, corporate trainers and coaches, faculty mentors, and graduate students—in fact, anyone interested in how adult brains learn.




Learning Transfer in Adult Education


Book Description

Learning transfer is the use of skills and knowledge acquired in one situation or setting in a different environment. It is, fundamentally, the point of education. By consciously building it into our curricula, syllabi, and practice, we can greatly enhance the likelihood that students will integrate their learning and their lives. This issue examines learning transfer across the breadth of adult education. The authors approach the question practically, looking at techniques such as experiential or problem-based learning and the use of classroom technology as well as the perspectives of brain research, the effects of race and culture, and the context and complications of personal change. Each chapter offers practitioners a thoughtful outlook that will help them plan for and implement learning transfer in their particular area of focus. This is 137th volume of the Jossey-Bass quarterly report series New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. Noted for its depth of coverage, it explores issues of common interest to instructors, administrators, counselors, and policymakers in a broad range of adult and continuing education settings, such as colleges and universities, extension programs, businesses, libraries, and museums.