Adult Education

Adult Education

Adult Education

The lack of a singular definition complicates the term adult education , which encompasses the following indicators:

A broad description of the process by which individuals continue learning after formal schooling .Institutional or organizational coordinated activities to accomplish specific educational objectives . More concisely, adult education can be defined as those planned educational activities that enhance an adult's ability to function on a day-to-day basis. This may involve improving an individual's knowledge, skills, and/or attitude. What constitutes an adult will vary due to the individual's social, maturation, cultural, biological, and psychological differences; however, adult education primarily refers to individuals involved in postsecondary learning activities. (Galbraith, 2004)

In the field of adult education, the concept of andragogy was stylized by Malcolm Knowles, who is known as the father of adult education. Andragogy is referred to as the art and science of helping adults learn, whereas pedagogy is more teacher-directed learning and is considered the art and science of teaching children. One is not better than the other, since andragogy and pedagogy exist on a continuum, taking into consideration the role of the learner's experience, readiness to learn, orientation to learning, and maturity level.

Determining adult education clientele will also vary due to the role and capacity in which an individual, agency, organization, or institution is structured to work with adults. Adult education can range from a consultant providing customized training to a business or industry, assisting individuals interested in obtaining their General Educational Development (GED), organizing and leading a community-based activity, or teaching a blacksmithing class. Adult education can take place in a variety of settings; it involves all types of individuals, can have specific curriculum or none at all, is sometimes not even labeled adult education, but such things as staff development, manpower development, developmental education, professional development, in-service education, continuing ...