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It addresses learner expectations and how tutors can meet them, highlighting characteristics of U3A participation: voluntary tutoring, modest fees, and the ability for members to switch classes. Drawing on adult education sources and tutor input, it explains principles for course design, including learner independence, goal setting, and the integration of life experience and relevance into teaching.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/principles-and-practices-of-mature-age-education-at-u3as-rob-siedle/594470/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/principles-and-practices-of-mature-age-education-at-u3as-rob-siedle/594470.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Aldword","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-18","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":19},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What learner expectations does the paper focus on in U3A classes?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"The paper focuses on what learners expect when enrolling in U3A classes and how tutors can align teaching with those expectations.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"How does voluntariness and member choice affect course delivery in U3As?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"Tutors are voluntary, members pay modest annual fees, and learners can switch classes, so tutors must adapt to ensure satisfaction.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"According to Malcolm Knowles’ work as cited here, what special needs do adult learners have?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"The paper summarizes Knowles’ view that adults have needs different from younger students, emphasizing independence, participation in running the class, and goal-oriented learning.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},594470,1792171847,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":19,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145},2336478940917,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_6f874abed73319feea01a86fa6f0fab8","Australian Journal of Adult Learning Volume 51, Number 3, November 2011  \nPrinciples and practices of mature-age education at U3As  \nRob Siedle  \nUniversity of the Third Age Hawthorn, Victoria  \nA movement known as the Universities of the Third Age (U3As) provides educational, cultural and social services for mature-age people in Australia and internationally. This paper focuses on the educational courses run by U3As and discusses two basic questions:  \nWhat are the expectations of learners who enrol in these classes? and How can tutors best meet these expectations? In 2011, there were 97 U3As in Victoria, with an aggregate of 24,800 members. All tutors are voluntary, and members of U3As pay a modest annual fee of only $40–$60 which entitles them to attend any of the courses on offer.  \nThis paper is based on three major sources: highly respected sourceson adult education (cited in the references); the findings ofthe‘Tutors’ Round Table Conference’ held at the U3A Hawthorn on  \nPrinciples and practices of mature-age education at U3As 567  \n2 October 2010; and comments from tutors about their experience in delivering various subjects.  \nIt also recognises the culture of U3As in general, in that tutors are given the widest possible discretion in the way they run their courses. This means that classes might vary from a very structured, language course to a very informal, current affairs class where the tutor is morea facilitator than a lecturer or where the tutor might regard himself or herself as simply another member of the class.  \nFounded in 1984, the University of the Third Age (U3A) Hawthorn is open to anyone over 55 years of age. Today, it offers 103 courses to about 1,200 learners (members), and it has 80 tutors. Despite the wide variety in the nature of classes, every tutor strives to give students the best possible experience during the class, whether this be some new learning, a good social or cultural experience, or simply a source of stimulation and enjoyment.  \nThe Strategic Plan of the U3A Hawthorn for the period 2010 to 2013 includes these guidelines:  \n• We will provide a broad range of quality activities in a friendly community environment for members of the Third Age.  \n• To this end we strive for continual improvement in the quality of our courses and our administrative processes.  \n• Our role and purpose: maintaining an active mind is a key factor in maintaining the health and happiness of senior members of our society.  \nAdult learners have special needs: Malcolm Knowles  \nThe major thesis in the works of Malcolm Knowles (e.g. 1998) on adult learning is that adults have special needs that are different from the needs ofyounger students. At the obvious level, U3A learners are not attending classes to obtain a degree or to qualify for a job: they  \n568 Rob Siedle  \nattend classes, as many have pointed out,‘for the love of learning’. Nor do U3A learners attend classes because these are compulsory. On the contrary, they are free to switch classes at any time, so that tutors must be aware that members will ‘vote with their feet’ if they are not satisfied with any aspect of the class.  \nBut there are other, deeper differences between adult learners and, for example, university students. The first, as Knowles has pointed out, is that adults are highly independent in their approach to any subject. They do not need to follow the orientation, systems or belief of any tutor. On the contrary, they want to have a part in running the class. This means they should be consulted on a whole series of matters: the syllabus for the year, the books or other materials to be used, and the style of the class. For example, do they enjoy forming discussion groups of four or five? Do they prefer to participate in the same group each time or should the groups be re-arranged from time to time?  \nLearners like to set their own goals, and these might differ even in the same class. One person might be interested in the major turning points","cbCaipEnQX5518Tx","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaipEnQX5518Tx","pdf",203900,17,"English","# Learner expectations in U3As\n## Tutor roles and course practices\n# Adult learners’ special needs (Malcolm Knowles)\n## Independence and participation in running classes\n## Goal setting and course objectives\n## Life experience and connecting new learning\n## Relevance of study and teaching techniques","[{\"question\":\"What learner expectations does the paper focus on in U3A classes?\",\"answer\":\"The paper focuses on what learners expect when enrolling in U3A classes and how tutors can align teaching with those expectations.\"},{\"question\":\"How does voluntariness and member choice affect course delivery in U3As?\",\"answer\":\"Tutors are voluntary, members pay modest annual fees, and learners can switch classes, so tutors must adapt to ensure satisfaction.\"},{\"question\":\"According to Malcolm Knowles’ work as cited here, what special needs do adult learners have?\",\"answer\":\"The paper summarizes Knowles’ view that adults have needs different from younger students, emphasizing independence, participation in running the class, and goal-oriented learning.\"}]","Principles and practices of mature-age education at U3As - Rob Siedle | PDF",1792079223,43]