ABSTRACT
Much of the literature on adult learning relates to formally structured classes that have a prescribed syllabus. Adults in such classes have little choice in what they learn. This chapter describes a postgraduate class in which students were given free choice, within a formal assignment, to follow their own preferences to complete the work. The open-ended assignment had only one criterion – to keep a “Moon Diary”. The chapter outlines the initial confusion experienced by students in the formal system at a lack of guidelines, and their subsequent acknowledgement of the limitations of such rubrics. The pathways they followed were very diverse, ranging from conventional science through music and art. The results support the findings of the case story analysis – that people approach science learning in many different ways depending on their own skills, motivation, and inclinations.
