Book Review: The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development by M. S. Knowles, E. F. Holton III, R. A. Swanson, & P. A. Robinson

Abstract

The 2020 publication of The Adult Learner: The Definitive Classic in Adult Education and Human Resource Development by Knowles, Holton, Swanson, and Robinson is the ninth edition of a 1973 book by Malcolm S. Knowles, The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species. Although the foundational idea and concepts have remained, expectedly, much has changed since the first edition of the book. This review will address the changes made to the volume between the publication of its eighth (2015) and ninth (2020) edition. Most notably, the ninth edition features a fourth author, Petra A. Robinson, in addition to Knowles, Holton, and Swanson. Given Robinson’s research agenda, which focuses on issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice, it makes sense that a chapter on diversity and inclusion in adult learning (Chapter 11) was added. Another chapter added to the 2020 edition focuses on andragogy and the online adult learner (Chapter 13), discussing a highly relevant topic in a period in which online learning has become a norm, especially if learners are self-directed. Unsurprisingly, minor edits in chapter order and within chapters were also made (e.g., Chapter 17, “The Future of Andragogy,” was updated to include a section on andragogy and qualitative research) and some sections and chapters (e.g., Whole-Part-Whole LearningModel) were removed. As in the previous edition, the content is organized into five parts, each comprised of several chapters. The first two parts, “Adult Learning” and “The Backdrop of Learning and Teaching Theories,” which examine foundational concepts and theories, have remained the same between the two editions. The primary audience of these two parts has also remained the same as these sections are particularly useful for graduate students and novice researchers in the field. The two new, practice-oriented chapters are included in the third part, which focuses on the advancements in adult learning, placing andragogy within the context of contemporary practice. Chapters in this part examine andragogy in relation to diversity and inclusion, neuroscience, and technology. Part four now includes narratives regarding international and future perspectives, while the concluding part is dedicated to tools and resources for implementing andragogy. By reorganizing sections Book Reviews