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Adult Center: Trends & Research
The Trends section is designed to keep you up-to-date on what's happening within our churches and in the broader culture and society that is having an impact on adult faith formation today. The Research section is designed to provide reports and summaries of social and religious research studies on adults that you can use in teaching and workshops, in program development, and in planning for adult faith formation. To select an article just click on the title. For some of the links you will be going directly to the research study's website.
Characteristics and Consequencesof Adult Learning Methods and Strategies - Carol M. Trivette, Carl J. Dunst, Deborah W. Hamby, & Chainey E. O’Herin
The effectiveness of four adult learning methods (accelerated learning, coaching, guide d design, and just-in-time training) constituted the focus of this research synthesis of 79 studies. Results showed that all adult learning method characteristics were associated with positive learner outcomes, but that learning methods and practices that more actively involved learners in acquiring, using, and evaluating new knowledge and practice had the most positive consequences. Results also showed that the adult learning methods were most effective when used with a small number of learners (fewer than 30) for more than 10 hours on multiple occasions.
(Source: Winterberry Research Syntheses, Vol 2, No. 2, 2009, www.wbpress.com)
Growing Old in America: Expectations vs. Reality (2009) - Pew Research
Getting old isn’t nearly as bad as people think it will be. Nor is it quite as good. On aspects of everyday life ranging from mental acuity to physical dexterity to sexual activity to financial security, a 2009 Pew Research Center Social & Demographic Trends survey on aging finds a sizable gap between the expectations that young and middle-aged adults have about old age and the actual experiences reported by older Americans themselves.
(Source: Pew Research Center, http://pewsocialtrends.org)
Older Adults and Social Media (2010) - Pew Research
Pew Research reports that social networking use among internet users ages 50 and older has nearly doubled—from 22% to 42% over the past year (2009). While social media use has grown dramatically across all age groups, older users have been especially enthusiastic over the past year about embracing new networking tools. Although email continues to be the primary way that older users maintain contact with friends, families and colleagues, many users now rely on social network platforms to help manage their daily communications—sharing links, photos, videos, news and status updates with a growing network of contacts. As of May 2010 half (47%) of internet users ages 50‐64 and one in four (26%) users ages 65 and older now use social networking sites.
(Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project, http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Older‐Adults‐and‐Social‐Media.aspx)
“We Break This Bread:” Christian Practices, Critical Reflection, and the Construction of Adult Religious Identity - Susanna Singer
This paper presents results from a research study of a series of classes on Christian practices of hospitality designed to respond to issues raised for adult Christian education by postmodernity. The classes built on Groome’s Shared Christian Praxis approach, using ethnographic observations, self-ethnography, and critically reflective engagement with Scripture, religious tradition and contemporary culture. Their purpose was to empower class participants in the construction and transformation of religious identity, both for themselves and for their faith community. The paper proposes some implications for praxis-based, transformative models of adult Christian education in a postmodern context.
The effectiveness of four adult learning methods (accelerated learning, coaching, guide d design, and just-in-time training) constituted the focus of this research synthesis of 79 studies. Results showed that all adult learning method characteristics were associated with positive learner outcomes, but that learning methods and practices that more actively involved learners in acquiring, using, and evaluating new knowledge and practice had the most positive consequences. Results also showed that the adult learning methods were most effective when used with a small number of learners (fewer than 30) for more than 10 hours on multiple occasions.
(Source: Winterberry Research Syntheses, Vol 2, No. 2, 2009, www.wbpress.com)
Growing Old in America: Expectations vs. Reality (2009) - Pew Research
Getting old isn’t nearly as bad as people think it will be. Nor is it quite as good. On aspects of everyday life ranging from mental acuity to physical dexterity to sexual activity to financial security, a 2009 Pew Research Center Social & Demographic Trends survey on aging finds a sizable gap between the expectations that young and middle-aged adults have about old age and the actual experiences reported by older Americans themselves.
(Source: Pew Research Center, http://pewsocialtrends.org)
Older Adults and Social Media (2010) - Pew Research
Pew Research reports that social networking use among internet users ages 50 and older has nearly doubled—from 22% to 42% over the past year (2009). While social media use has grown dramatically across all age groups, older users have been especially enthusiastic over the past year about embracing new networking tools. Although email continues to be the primary way that older users maintain contact with friends, families and colleagues, many users now rely on social network platforms to help manage their daily communications—sharing links, photos, videos, news and status updates with a growing network of contacts. As of May 2010 half (47%) of internet users ages 50‐64 and one in four (26%) users ages 65 and older now use social networking sites.
(Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project, http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Older‐Adults‐and‐Social‐Media.aspx)
“We Break This Bread:” Christian Practices, Critical Reflection, and the Construction of Adult Religious Identity - Susanna Singer
This paper presents results from a research study of a series of classes on Christian practices of hospitality designed to respond to issues raised for adult Christian education by postmodernity. The classes built on Groome’s Shared Christian Praxis approach, using ethnographic observations, self-ethnography, and critically reflective engagement with Scripture, religious tradition and contemporary culture. Their purpose was to empower class participants in the construction and transformation of religious identity, both for themselves and for their faith community. The paper proposes some implications for praxis-based, transformative models of adult Christian education in a postmodern context.
