A 32-year-old wife and mother of two children was a bank manager before entering the nursing program. She is finishing a baccalaureate nursing program in a few months. She learns best when she can plan and carry out her own learning activities, uses past experiences to help with current learning, and applies learning immediately. Which learning theory best fits this woman's learning style?

a. Knowles' adult learning theory
b. Bandura's social learning theory
c. The GestaltñField family of theories
d. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory