Supporting Self-Directed Learning in Science and Technology Beyond the School Years (Teaching and Learning in Science Series)

This is a book of great lucidity and relevance by three world-leading academics. It examines data from a wide range of countries and powerfully shows the great potential for adult science education. The case studies it analyses are fascinating. This is a book that deserves to be read by all those who strive for a more scientifically literate society.

- Professor Michael J. Reiss, UCL Institute of Education, UK

This book is unique in that it reviews the knowledge and skills that adults need to update and further their understanding of science and technology. Rooted in theories of adult learning, the authors describe how work or personal interests can spark a need-to-know, which then forms the starting point of a learning trajectory. The authors of this book bring a lifetime of expertise to the topic, and have the ability to write about it in a very accessible and engaging way. As such, it is highly recommended for educators, but also, and more importantly, for every person who thinks that they may be missing out or losing touch with science and technology.

- Professor Jan van Driel, The University of Melbourne, Australia

This book, by three of the leading scholars in the field, provides an important and much overdue look at the way in which adults learn about science and technology. Through a series of case study accounts of adult engagement with science and technology, the authors build a strong argument for the importance of self-directed learning in science education.

- John Wallace, University of Toronto, Canada