Author and editor Wang (teacher education, California State Univ., Long Beach) has gathered an impressive cadre of experts to author the 68 chapters included in this three-volume set, the objective of which is to provide "comprehensive coverage and definitions of the most important issues, concepts, trends, and theories in adult education, adult ESL (English as a Second Language), and information communication technologies." To call this work an encyclopedia is somewhat of a misnomer, however. Readers will quickly find themselves immersed in the topics covered and will be tempted to read from cover to cover rather than simply dipping in for quick reference. Chapters run an average of 15 pages in length, and most include both references and key terms and definitions. Topics include theories and models of adult education, evaluation and assessment of adult education, course design and program development, ethics, pedagogical technique, and the role of gender, race, and culture as they relate to the integration of communication technologies into adult education. Rapid obsolescence is a potential pitfall for any technology-related work of this magnitude and is addressed here by the inclusion of predictions for the future at the end of several chapters. Each volume concludes with a complete index to all three volumes. These indexes are rather oddly numbered—each begins on page 1 rather than continuing the pagination of the volume. BOTTOM LINE Despite some slightly quirky formatting (e.g., the pagination of indexes) and a hefty price tag, this set will be popular with both educators and students of adult education because it provides a comprehensive basis for expanding study of the integration of technology into this field of study.—Sarah W. Sutton, Texas A&M Univ. Lib., Corpus Christi
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