Despite - on Individual Learning Experiences in the Retrospective Accounts of Adults

The purpose of the paper was to expand theoretical andragogy resources by identifying the characteristics of the lifelong educational behavior of adults aged 50 years or more. Attempts were made to: 1) identify the subjective perspective on educational experiences in the aspect of activity stimulants and reducers, 2) gather knowledge about what determines the choices regarding the place and form of learning in adulthood, the success and difficulties experienced by the participants, 3) establish shared characteristics of education management experiences and educational competences in the unique individual conditions of personal memories. The goal of the multiple case study was to explore educational careers from the subjective perspective of the participants (analytic generalization). Considering contextual knowledge, four types of educational careers were identified and described: Autonomous Autodidactic (autotelic, intellectual and utilitarian motivations), Ambitious (social and utilitarian motivation), Diploma Collector (utilitarian and social motivation) and Anchored Conqueror (social, promotion-oriented, utilitarian motivations). The following learning styles were identified: sequential (the closest to the traditional one), non-linear, patchwork-like (mosaic-like) and insular, as styles of new learning – from everything and from everyone, learning in daily life