Adults’ Perceptions of Knowledge Construction as Participants in Nonformal World Affairs Programs

Abstract

The purpose of this interpretive research study was to explore how adult learners perceive they construct knowledge in connection to their participation in nonformal world affairs programs. The study context involved the exploration of 12 adult learners’ perceptions of their knowledge construction as participants in world affairs programs held in an urban setting in the United States including the changing global order, the Katyń massacre, and Russia. The three main themes drawn from the study include the dynamic learning process, influencers of knowledge construction, and individual experiences as connectors in the learning process. These themes broaden an understanding of the continuum of adult learners’ perceived knowledge construction within nonformal education and free-choice learning frameworks, areas that can inform world affairs adult education and program planning.