Article argues that Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences looks to be a confused and nebulous set of claims that have not been empirically validated. Many of Gardner's proposed "intelligences" appear to be explainable in terms of existing concepts of personality and general intelligence, so the theory does not really offer anything new. Additionally, some of the proposed "intelligences" are poorly defined (particularly intrapersonal) and others (e.g. musical) may be more usefully thought of as skills or talents. The popularity of Gardner's theories in educational contexts may reflect its sentimental and intuitive appeal but is not founded on any scientific evidence for the validity of the concept.

Author refutes MI theory arguments including the lack of empirical evidence and the notion that multiple intelligences are actually just part of general intelligence.

Prensky revises his digital native/digital immigrant dichotomy to reflect the proliferation of online access. He posits that people are now either digitally enhanced or digitally unenhanced. The digitally enhanced person is called a digital human or homo sapiens digital.

Prensky (2001) continues to defend his "digital native" concept by pointing to research that purports that online engagement actually changes brain structures and hence affects the thought process of active users.

Shifts in students' learning style due to technological innovations will prompt a shift to active construction of knowledge through mediated immersion.

Access to and use of technology by 'digital native' students studying in our universities has been an area of much speculation, though relatively little empirical research. This has led some pundits to call for a radical rethink of how higher education uses technology to deliver education. Others are more circumspect and think it is necessary to hear directly from these 'digital natives' about their actual technology practices before jumping to such conclusions. This paper reports on a study that aimed to do just that; the study comprised a survey of the technology access and practices in both everyday life and for academic study of first year university students. The findings suggest that, for the participants of this study, access and usage of technology does not neatly fit into the stereotype of the 'digital native'. Access to and use of some technologies was found to be quite high whilst others have significant levels of non-adoption. A comparison was made between technologies and activities undertaken as part of students' everyday life in contrast to their academic study and it was found that the usage rates were generally lower for academic study. Access to and use of different technologies for different purposes is variable and university teachers and policymakers need to take this variability into account when making changes at the course or institution levels. What is also required is more in-depth investigation of the technology practices of these 'digital natives' to understand how technology is transforming their social and academic lives and, importantly, how they are shaping technology to suit their lives.

Heutagogy, a form of self-determined learning with practices and principles rooted in andragogy, has recently resurfaced as a learning approach after a decade of limited attention. In a heutagogical approach to teaching and learning, learners are highly autonomous and self-determined and emphasis is placed on development of learner capacity and capability with the goal of producing learners who are well-prepared for the complexities of today's workplace. The approach has been proposed as a theory for applying to emerging technologies in distance education and for guiding distance education practice and the ways in which distance educators develop and deliver instruction using newer technologies such as social media. The renewed interest in heutagogy is partially due to the ubiquitousness of Web 2.0, and the affordances provided by the technology. With its learner-centered design, Web 2.0 offers an environment that supports a heutagogical approach, most importantly by supporting development of learner-generated content and learner self-directedness in information discovery and in defining the learning path. Based on an extensive review of the current literature and research, this article defines and discusses the concepts of andragogy and heutagogy and describes the role of Web 2.0 in supporting a heutagogical learning approach. Examples of institutional programs that have incorporated heutagogical approaches are also presented; based on these examples and research results, course design elements that are characteristic of heutagogy are identified. The article provides a basis for discussion and research into heutagogy as a theory for guiding the use of new technologies in distance education.

Review of Malcolm S. Knowles' life and achievements and assessment of his contributions to the field of adult education.

Review of Malcolm S. Knowles' life and achievements and assessment of his contributions to the field of adult education.

Seminal Knowles' book which conceptualized andragogy and adult learning theory.

Seminal Knowles' book which conceptualized andragogy and adult learning theory.

The author rejects the assumption that the adolescent's attention span will not allow for productive participation. Asserts that participation is driven by stimulating environment and content, not age.

The article discusses the contextual needs of this "non-traditional" student population, which is quickly becoming more the norm than the exception.

Holton and Swanson update Knowles' classic adult education book in this 6th edition. The book provides a comprehensive view of andragogy as adult learning theory.

To be considered a distinct profession with a unique knowledge base (Merriam 2001), the field of adult education advances the idea that teaching adults is different than teaching children. The subject of much debate, this issue has generated assumptions, opinions, and re-search. This publication takes a look at all three in discerning myths and realities associated with the teaching of adults.

Infographic depicts Knowles' Andragogy concepts for adult learning

Infographic depicts Knowles' Andragogy concepts for adult learning