Stephen Brookfield

Stephen Brookfield (born 1949 in Liverpool, England) is a scholar in adult education who has held positions at the University of British Columbia, Columbia University, Harvard University and the University of Saint Thomas. He is currently Distinguished Scholar at Antioch University, Adjunct Professor at Columbia University, and Emeritus Professor at the University of St. Thomas.

Quotes

Independent Adult Learning (1980)

Thesis submitted to the Department of Adult Education, University of Leicester

• The independent learners in the sample surveyed were seen to adopt a number of possible learning styles, to engage in a planning of intermediate and terminal learning goals; to generate subjective and objective indices of evaluation and to devise patterns of problem solving. They were adept at using existing information sources to their advantage and created learning networks of fellow enthusiasts for the exchange of advice and information.

• For an activity to qualify as an instance of independent learning it must exhibit learner control over the direction of learning efforts, even if this is temporarily submerged in order to acquire specific skills.