Perspectives in Adult Education (Group)

Group Members	Roles	Commented On
Hanna Kadinger	·       Analyze and discuss interview #1: Terminology and Adult Education  ·         Wrote introduction paragraph	Group 5
Andrea McDermott	·         Analyze and discuss Interview #2: Trends of Federal Support ·         Double-check citations and compile reference sheet	Group 3 & 4
Rachael Smith	·         Analyze and discuss interview #3: Interview with Dr. Carol Kasworm ·         Wrote concluding paragraph	Group 3 & 5

 

 

Introduction 

When researching the field of adult education, it is important to look at the key people who create, support, and actively engage with its operation. The stories told within the following interviews show years of experience working in adult education and can be used to analyze and forecast the future of the field. As future members of the adult education community, we have a responsibility to understand the precedent practices in order to sustain and create a new world of adult and community education. The following interviews allow us to expand our knowledge on adult education and also make informed decisions regarding our personal career fields and their interaction with the world of adult education. 

 

Interview #1 Introduction

 

Dr. Sharan Merriam’s interview about her perspective of adult education was intriguing as she has an open view of what the definition of adult education is and why the term is necessary. Her key point was that the “umbrella” term of adult education isn’t necessary as the field is so broad in its nature. Instead of a huge field that encompasses many different aspects of adult education, she recognizes the importance of the subfields. Merriam states that you will view adult education based on which subfield you are the closest to or where your work is located; whether that be higher education in a formal setting, a community organization, or an adult education institute. While you may be more drawn to your field or partition of adult education, you can still recognize the other areas while acknowledging that your skills and talent serve a specific purpose within your own sector. There are many who limit their understanding of adult education to formal educational processes such as universities and institutes but there are many other concepts to the field of adult education. Scholars Choudry and Rochat argue that while there can be benefits to the capitalist motivations of formal schooling, the inclusion of social awareness and community engagement are equally important to adult scholastic endeavors (2015). When one analyzes the sectors of adult education, there is not one that rises to the top as each individual requires a different educational path. With such diversity within the field, it may be time to create formal subsections that stem from adult education as they all serve varying purposes. 

 

Interview #1 Discussion

 

Since the field of adult education is so vast, Dr. Sharan Merriam doesn’t believe it matters if we label everything that falls under the title of adult education. Since it is such a large field, there is a large variety in the programs and services it offers, making it almost impossible to make generic and blanket observations about adult education as a whole. She cites the University of Northern Florida as an example. The university offers a variety of adult education services from “specialized programs like grant writing and sales excellence”, financial literacy, leadership certificates, and even specialized programs for individual career advancements in healthcare and management (UNF). While the University of Northern Florida is only one institution that offers adult education, it serves as an example of the sheer variety of programs that can be offered. In the end, it is more important for programs to continue to be offered to help adults who want to advance their education and less important, that there is a title and definition for what adult education is.

 

Interview #1 Implications

 

One of the most important things to take away from Dr. Merriam’s interview is to not get caught up in the “normal” definitions or precedents of the work you do. In the field of adult education, I hope to take this idea with me and always focus on providing the best experience for the people I serve and the programs I create or operate. It’s often easy to get bogged down in the day to day operations of what you “should” be doing but instead, we should be flexible and adapt to the current needs of society, even if that means we need to change the precedent of what has always been done in the past. A great example of how adult education must shift with the changes to the world around it is the current COVID-19 pandemic. Many students are learners who are shifting to online learning due to safety concerns, especially within populations of older adults. While it may not have been the norm a year ago, “teaching and learning have moved primarily online, and the use of remote video conferencing has become commonplace. These changes have also affected adult education programming, much of which relies on face-to-face activities” (Boeren, et. al, 2020, p. 201). Instead of focusing on what adult education should look like or what it has encompassed in the past, many programs have shifted with the current conditions and morphed to a model that allows for the education of lifelong learners to continue.

 

Interview #2 Introduction 

 

In an interview about the role of the federal government in adult and community education, it was pointed out that throughout the 1950s to the 1980s, adult education had strong support from the federal government. This is attributed to a variety of social contexts that shaped trends of support for programs for adults. For instance, after WWII, young soldiers returning from war needed basic education, so funding for programs increased. Then in the 1990s, due to an increased focus on the economy and the employment sector, more federal support shifted to vocational education. One participant likens this to the belief among lawmakers that government money should not be spent to “educate you to be a philosopher, or to learn French,” rather the government wanted to “educate you to be a good worker” (Federal Support Interview #2). In other words, vocational education was a sure way to funnel people into the workforce through technical training that tends to translate to high-wage, high-demand jobs that stimulate the economy. Interestingly, another interview participant mentions that it appears federal support for adult education has declined over the years and argues its essentiality to adult education programs. However, it’s pointed out that there are still “billions of dollars” of support for adult education programs from the federal government. It just appears in the form of funding for vocational training, military, and professional development programs. It may not be clear because people typically associate the term “adult education” with “adult literacy” instead of the multi-faceted concept that it is, so it is called a variety of terms (Federal Support Interview #2).

 

Interview #2 Discussion

 

The idea that federal government support for education follows the social context of the time is further described in a historical overview by the U.S Department of Education. In the 1960s, Adult education was thought to be a strategy to win the War on Poverty, which led to the passage of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, a major legislative win for adult learners (USDOE, 2013). Then, in the 1990s, legislation continued to support adult education, however, as described before, there was a much heavier focus on the workforce and the economy. This can be exemplified by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 which provides “workforce investment activities, that increase the employment, retention, and earnings of participants, and, as a result, improve the quality of the workforce, reduce welfare dependency, and enhance the productivity and competitiveness of the Nation” (H.R.1385, 1998). The trend of using adult education as a means of workforce development rather than as a means of personal enrichment or a way to culturally enhance our society has continued well into the present day and is arguably stronger than ever just as the interview participants described. 

 

Interview #2 Implications

 

To further support this claim, conversations about the role of the federal government and the rise of automation continue to offer solutions that all relate to reskilling and upskilling adults today. In terms of state support, the Indiana legislature has committed to a goal of having a 60% educational attainment rate by the year 2025. There is a consensus that the only way to reach the goal is to educate older adults through a variety of programming and opportunities (Lumina Foundation, 2012). Policies that not only help workers develop skill sets that enable them to adapt to the future of work but that also allow them to access the work opportunities that they have retrained for, are ways Indiana has tried to support the workforce through education. Personally, I work with a local initiative called The Future of Work whose mission is very much related to workforce development. Our mission is to create linkages between educational institutions, local industry, and nonprofit organizations to help create solutions to 21st-century workforce challenges created by increased automation, loss of manufacturing jobs, and a reduced increase in STEM-related careers. It is encouraging to know there is continued support from both state and federal government to increase opportunities for the older individuals whom we serve. Despite this, it appears there is an overwhelming focus on technical and manufacturing type skills which are undoubtedly beneficial, for great reasons. However, opportunities for older individuals who want to learn skills in other trades like art or “philosophy and French” (Interview #2) are just as important, and continued support for these programs is required to create a society of well-rounded, educated, and civically minded citizens.

 

Interview #3 Introduction

 

Dr. Carol Kasworm is a retired Professor Emerita at North Carolina State University in the Department of Educational Leadership.  She has an impressive list of awards and recognitions attached to her name, including membership into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame, according to the biography listed on the NC State website (NC State).  In her interview on February 26, 2019, she was asked two questions in which she did not answer, but Kasworm stated very clearly, she believed adult education is “ubiquitous” (Kasworm, 2019).   She went on to state adult education, she believes, is a “liberal arts tradition” and is “not designed to allow people to gain technical or rational skills” (Kasworm, 2019).  Adding that adult education programs are not unique and since it is no longer specialized, uniquely trained individuals are no longer needed to provide that education (Kasworm, 2019).  Finally, she added the state of education in this country is suffering “significant turbulence” (Kasworm, 2019).  

It would have been more beneficial for Kasworm to answer the interviewer’s two original questions, rather than express how unstable adult education is in the United States.  Anyone listening to the interview would have been interested to know the factors which contributed to higher adult education or how can we promote higher education, especially by an International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame member.  However, Kasworm did make clear adult education programs are generally funded by federal, regional, and local governments; as if that were enough (Kasworm, 2019).   Higher adult education is not without its problems and issues, however, based on the Kasworm interview, educators in adult education are not uniquely trained, and do not teach adults to gain any type of technical or rational skills.  If one were to listen to Kasworm, they would leave adult education and pursue a different path, as they are not effective in these programs. On the other hand, to be fair to Kasworm, she was correct when she stated the adult education system was ubiquitous.  There is, what many have considered, as an oversaturation of people in adult education (Marginson, 2016). 

 

Interview #3 Discussion

 

Since the dawn of civilization, humans have constantly found ways to “better” themselves.  Whether it was the creation of fire, to keep warm; or creating language and learning to read; humans have worked tirelessly to make their lives better in their current state, as well as to make their world better for future generations.  Education, even adult education, is ranked at the top along with the creation of fire, as one of those ways to make human lives better.  According to Marginson (2016), there is a universal desire for betterment through education.  Often this “betterment” is obtained through higher educational institutions and those institutions become the universal desire, such as universities and colleges.  Marginson (2016) mentions the occasional concern of “over-education,” but that concern is usually dismissed as more and more people desire to obtain higher education degrees.  This desire is often attributed to personal desire or “betterment,” but it is also a social pressure. 

Society has also placed a great value on higher adult education, thus creating the desire for individuals to pursue higher education to live, what they assume is, a more fulfilling life.  This attitude among society also comes from the urbanization of the middle-class.  According to Marginson (2016), the worldwide population of people living in cities has risen to over 50% between 1970 and 2010.  This drive from the rural areas to the cities has also driven more capitalist ideologies and the want for greater wealth, which has been touted as only being available to those who are educated, and the more education, the better.

However, it is not only wealth, self-realization, or societal pressures which push people to over-saturating the educational market.  According to Sogunro (2014), there is a motivational factor in adults, which propels them to be more apt to take on the extra stresses of adult higher education.  Sogunro (2014) explains adults are more likely motivated due to the overall desire to learn.  This desire has more to do with the age of the learner and their desire to simply be educated.  However, contrary to Kasworm’s (2019) statement that adult education programs are not unique, specialized, nor do they offer rational skills; Sognuro (2014) emphasizes the most important motivating factor for adults to maintain their desire in higher education is the quality of instruction.  Sogunro (2014) goes so far as to say higher educational instruction embodies strong andragogical skills, knowledge of content, the use of modern technology, and an instructor’s “embracing personality.”  This is a far cry from the description provided by Kasworm (2016).

 

Interview #3 Implications

 

It is not possible to assume Kasworm’s full meaning in a seven-minute interview, as she may have been better able to explain her statements with follow-up questions.  Regardless, based on what was available, the implications of her statements were ruinous to anyone who wants to attend higher adult education or teach in that setting.  As someone who teaches at the university level, I found her comments troubling.  While I can understand her position on adult education as omnipresent, it does not create an inferior adult educational experience.  I place great importance on creating a unique educational experience for my students, as well as help to develop their skills in rational thought, contrary to Dr. Kasworm’s comments.  While this interview also took place, pre-Covid, I found her apparent distaste for anyone thinking they can homeschool their children also troubling.  In the Covid world we live in today, many parents must homeschool or help with virtual learning whether they want to or not.  This does not make their work inferior, but it does make our work as educators more important.  Moreover, while lessons can be learned in every situation and individuals should always open themselves up to learning something from everyone, I expected Dr. Kasworm to answer the questions presented to her, and she did not.  She discussed the “macro” of adult education, but never commented on higher adult education, leaving the audience to decipher her meaning.  I wanted to learn more about higher adult education, how other scholars view it, and how it will impact my current university teaching position.  Unfortunately, that did not happen.

 

Conclusion

 

Regardless of what has happened in the pre-Covid world, a new world is upon us and with that, a new way to educate adults.  Whether it is through virtual learning, larger classrooms with smaller class sizes, or through the current HyFlex model here at BSU and other universities; the future of adult education has changed.  While in the past; local, state, and federal governments have allocated money to improve the state of adult education, more will be needed to continue with the new “normal” adult students and educators will face in the future.  The perspective of adult education is currently unknown, as some modalities will stay the same, most have changed and will continue to do so.  What is known is the human need for “betterment” and the want of lifelong learning.   

Table 1.  Summary of Perspectives of Adult/Community Education

Areas	Summary
Introduction	A selection of interviews allows us to expand our knowledge on adult education and also make informed decisions regarding our personal career fields and their interaction with the world of adult education.
Discussion - Interview #1	Dr. Sharan Merriam’s interview about her perspective of adult education
Implications - Interview #1	Instead of focusing on what adult education should look like or what it has encompassed in the past, many programs have shifted with the current conditions and morphed to a model that allows for the education of lifelong learners to continue.
Discussion - Interview #2	Federal government support for education follows the social context of the time

Implications - Interview #2

Federal support is important to continue having opportunities for older adults. State support is also essential. Adult learners are key to reaching 60% educational attainmnet in Indiana

Discussion - Interview #3

There is a motivational factor in adults, which propels them to be more apt to take on the extra stresses of adult higher education.  Adults are more likely motivated due to the overall desire to learn.

Implications - Interview #3

Importance of creating a unique educational experience for students, as well as help to develop skills in rational thought.

Conclusion

The perspective of adult education is currently unknown, as some modalities will stay the same, most have changed and will continue to do so.  What is known is the human need for “betterment” and the want of lifelong learning.

  

 References

Boeren, E., Roumell, E. A., & Roessger, K. M. (2020). COVID-19 and the Future of Adult 

Education: An Editorial. Adult Education Quarterly, 70(3), 201–204. 

https://doi.org/10.1177/0741713620925029

Choudry, A., & Rochat, D. (2015). Doctoral Studies: What Has Radical Adult Education Got to 

Do With It? New Directions for Adult & Continuing Education. (147), 35–45. 

https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.20140

H.R.1385. Workforce Investment Partnership Act of 1998, H.R 1385, 105^th Cong. (1998).

U.S Congress.  https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/1385

Lumina Foundation (2012). A Stronger Nation Through Higher Education (Policy Brief).

Indiana Commission of Higher Education. https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/1385

Marginson, S. (2016). The worldwide trend to high participation higher education:  dynamics of

social stratification in inclusive systems.  Higher Education, 72, 413-434.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-016-0016-x

North Carolina State University. (2020).  Carol Kasworm.  College of Education. 

https://ced.ncsu.edu/people/cekaswor/

Sogunro, O.  (2014).  Motivating factors of adult learners in higher education.  International

Journal of Higher Education, 4(1), 22-37.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v4n1p22

The University of Northern Florida. (2020). Division of Continuing Education at UNF. UNF

University Catalog. https://www.unf.edu/catalog/student-services/continuing_education/

U.S Department of Education (USDOE) (2013). Federal Adult Education: A Legislative History 

1964-2013. The Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS).

https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/Adult_Ed_History_Report.pdf