ABSTRACT
Jarvis (1992), a long-time proponent of adult learning, contended that “the process of learning is located at the interface of people’s biography and the sociocultural milieu in which they live, for it is at this intersection that experiences occur” (p. 17). Few researchers or educators, however, actually address adult learning from a sociocultural perspective (Forman & McPhail, 1993). In this chapter, we point to changes in the uses of learning tools and institutions across adulthood that may compel educators to consider a sociocultural framework. Such changes have not come without warning. More than a decade ago, Cross (1981) indicated that in addition to traditional academic goals, the learning goals of adults often emphasize intrinsic knowledge, personal fulfillment (e.g., job or license), community service, religious well-being, social relationships, novelty, acceptance, and cultural knowledge. Given these social and cultural influences on adult-learning activities, attempts to understand adult learning from a sociocultural perspective should be both inviting and informative.
