Foundations of Adult
Education in
Vocational Education
Instructor:
Dr. David M. Agnew
Associate Professor
Arkansas State University
Topic/Objectives for this Session
• Class Orientation, schedule, assignments, icebreaker
• Define terms associated with Adult Education
• Summarize the demographics associated with the
adult student.
• Explain why adults are seeking to continue their
education
• List factors affecting or limiting adults seeking to
continue their education
• Describe the duties of an adult instructor.
My Background in
Adult Education
• I had No Clue as to how it could make a positive
difference in the teaching experience.
• I had some mention of adult ed in my undergrad
program.
• During my first year at my first teaching job I
visited the nearby teacher during his adult class
one night.
• Early in my career and at a different school I
was ask if I wanted to teach adults?
My Background in
Adult Education, ….Continued
• Grad school With Glen Shinn, my advisor-had
taught in MO, I went with him to speak to several
adult groups in Mississippi. I also had more info
about adult education in my grad classes.
• Montana – Project
• Nebraska – Several AE projects, wrote a handbook
for adult teachers.
• Arkansas – About the 12th time I have taught this
course. Taught several adult education courses
Enough
About
Me…..
• What about you????????
You and Your Expectations
• 10-15 Minute “Get to know you” Activity
• Objective:
– 1. To identify the background of the students and
how adult education fits in their career plans.
– 2. To identify goals of the students for this course.
– 3. To build a framework on which to refine the
course objectives that will best meet the needs of
everyone.
Questions for you
1.
Who are you and what is your discipline,
and how does adult education relate to
your discipline?
2. How do you think that you might work
with adult students in the future?
3. What do you want from this course?
What goals do you think appropriate for you
to have for this course?
4. What suggestions do you have for
achieving your goal for this course?
Overview of the Semester
• Foundations– What is a foundations
course?
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Historical roots of the subject
Philosophical rationale for existence
Principles of beliefs and operation
Overview of the Scope of the Discipline
• Survey course
– Issues and Trends
– Nuts and Bolts
What do we do in this course?
• 35% of semester with me teaching
– Traditional Lecture/Discussion
– Abstracts
– Quizzes / Exams
• 40% with guest speakers, fieldtrips, etc.
– Worksheets
– Reports
• 25% with application of principles learned or
Learning by Doing
– Adult Education Project
Personal Philosophy
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Need balance between Theory and Practice
Learning by doing is preferred
Vocational education is practical
Knowledge not much good if not usable
Only exposure some of you will ever have
to adult ed “up close and personal” is this
course .
The questions I ask myself upon
completion of this course are:
• Is your opinion about Ad Ed positive or negative?
• Do you see where Ad Ed fits in the total
educational system?
• Do you see how Ad Ed might be related to you
career choices?
• Would you be competent to plan, implement and
evaluate an Ad Ed program?
• Do you have a grasp of the structure, major
issues, and principles associated with Ad Ed.
• Are you open to the concept of life long learning?
Review of Course Requirements
• Attendance – Weekly assignments, Usually 25pts.
• Abstracts – 4 required, not that hard but useful and will
help you explore the literature.
– Example
• The Project
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Group activity
Learning by doing
200 pts.
Examples
General Topics for
Session 1
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Definitions
Overview Of Adult Education as a Field of Study
Adult vs other forms of education
Need for Adult Education
Providers of Adult Educations
Responsibilities of an Adult Educator
Sources of info for Adult Educators
Definitions
• Title of this course--- Foundations of Adult
Education in Vocational Education
– Adult --- Someone beyond the age of compulsory
Attendance in Public Schools
– Education --- relating or transferring knowledge
from one person to others.
Definition of Adult Education
• Bryson -- All activities with an Educational
purpose carried on by people in the
ordinary business of life who use only part
of their time and energy to acquire
intellectual equipment.
– In book; Adult Education
Definition of Adult Education
• Reeves, Fansler and Houle --- Any
purposeful effort toward self-development
carried on by an individual without direct
legal compulsion and without such effort
becoming his major field of activity.
Definition of Adult Education
• Russell G. Mawby of the W.K. Kellogg
Foundation--- We are a learning society, and
learn throughout our entire lifetime.
Learning is for life and is a part of life. It is
essential for occupational efficiency, civic
competence, satisfaction of a vocational
interests, and self-fulfillments of goals.
Definition of Adult Education
• Malcolm S. Knowles -- Adult education
is… continuous development of individuals
toward full and unique potential through
their lifespan, and the continuous renewal of
the larger social systems of which they are
part through constructive interaction with
them.
– 1974 speech at Univ. of New York at Buffalo,
before the Division of Continuing Education
Define Vocational Education
• Vocational Education –
– Other than a BS / BA degree
– Educational preparation for purpose of
employment, or getting a job
Terms Related to Work/Careers
• Career - work done over a period of years in one
area of interest.
• Job - being employed by a person or company to
perform certain tasks and being paid for the work.
• Occupation - the type of job in which a person is
employed.
• Work - productive activity resulting in something
useful.
Other Definitions…..
• Adult vocational education --Organized instruction for persons
beyond the age of compulsory school
attendance to prepare them for
employment or to increase knowledge
and skills required in their occupations.
Adult Education
• Adult Education – Broad inclusive term
• Adult Teaching – Teacher, Instructor
• Adult Learning -- Learner, Student
Other Terms Associated with
Adult Education
• These are terms not modes of delivery
– In other words they are not methods of getting
the information out to students/adults.
• These are other terms that describe the same
population or,
• They are closely related to the concept of
adult education.
Other Definitions…..1
• Continuing Education --- Any extension of
opportunities for learning following completion
of, or withdrawal from, regular school or college
programs. Continuing education usually
emphasizes nontraditional forms of study, and
embraces a variety of instruction ranging from
avocational to vocational. May refer to
specifically approved additional formal study or
individual experiences required for continued
licensure, certification, or registration in a
particular occupation.
Other Definitions…..2
• Life Long Learning – cradle to grave
concept, learning is not just for one phase of
one’s life. It should and will take place
throughout one’s life.
• Life Long Learner – The person who seeks
to learn throughout life.
K. Patricia Cross: “Lifelong
learning is not a privilege or a
right; it is simply the necessity for
anyone , young or old, who must
live with the escalating pace of
change- in the family, on the job,
in the community, and in the
world-wide society.”
Other Definitions…..3
• Extension Education –
Other Definitions…..4
• Distance Education
– Distance Education is instructional delivery that
does not constrain the student to be physically
present in the same location as the instructor.
Historically, Distance Education meant
correspondence study. Today, audio, video, and
computer technologies are more common
delivery modes.
• defined by Virginia Steiner. The Distance Learning
Resource Network (DLRN)
Another Definition
• Distance Education: The process of
providing instruction when students and
instructors are separated by physical
distance and technology, often in tandem
with face-to-face communication, is used to
bridge the gap.
Sub-Category of
Distance Education
• Distant Learner
– The student at the
distance site
• Distant Teacher
– The one who prepares
delivers instruction at a
distance and evaluates
the distance learner
Asynchronous
vs.
Synchronous
• Asynchronous:
Communication in
which interaction
between parties does
not take place
simultaneously.
• Synchronous:
Communication in
which interaction
between participants is
simultaneous
Vocational Education
vs
General Education
• Vocational Education
• General Education
Liberal Education
vs
General Education
• Liberal Education
• General Education
Vocational Education
vs
College Education
• Vocational Education
• College Education
Secondary Education
vs
Post Secondary Education
• Secondary Education
• Post Secondary
Education
Andragogy
vs.
Pedagogy
• Andragogy
• Pedagogy
Ways to compare two different
educational settings…
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Climate
Setting of objectives
Testing/evaluation
Curriculum
Control center
The premise is for the two major
classifications are the differences in:
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Physiological Development
Psychological Development
Social Development
Emotional Needs
Motivational Needs
Stages of Moral Development
BOTTOM LINE IS THAT there are Different
Stages of Human Development
Therefore we approach the
teaching of people differently
based on their stage of
development.
• For simplicity sake we offer two major
classifications of people.
– Youth
• Youth can broken down into many stages and approaches to
teaching vary greatly because of the stage of development. .
– Adult
• Little difference in approaches to teaching based on variations
in the adult category.
Two major duties of a
teacher are to:
• Decide what to teacher
• Decide how to teach
Another Major Premise:
• In education to be an effective teacher and to
meet the challenge of “how to teach” you need to
understand those that you plan to teach.
• Understanding the differences in?
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Physiological Development
Psychological Development
Social Development
Emotional Needs
Motivational Needs
Stages of Moral Development
Evident that we seek to
understand students
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Aptitude testing
Ability testing
Learning styles
Personality typing
Age appropriate expectations (16 to drive)
Survey them
Focus groups
Talk to them
The fact that there are
differences matters to:
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The planning the instruction.
Methods used
Motivation
Marketing
Formal vs. Informal Education
• Formal
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2 x 4 (Classroom)
highly structured
testing
teacher directed
institutionalized
rigid start stop times
individual conforms
credit bearing
Used cost
• Informal
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anywhere
any time
credit or non-credit
student centered
self paced
self directed
may or may not cost $
Which is Adult Education?
• Formal or informal?
• Answer --- Both
Major Premise:
• Learning takes place, is needed and is
wanted beyond the formal required
education which stops after high
school.
• For some people that is a surprise.
– Old farmer was ask if he was going to
attend night school. His reply, “ No I
already know how to farm better than I
am doing now”
What??? More Schooling?
– But why would anyone want to go to school if
they did not have to?
– Most youth would like to get a day off from
school.
– Going back to school? Well you just graduated
10 years ago!!!!!
– Sometimes I wonder why we waste so much
education on those who don’t want it.
– Education is one of the few items we want to
receive less than what we deserve. UNTIL….
UNTIL…
They/We Have a Reason to Learn
• Reasons vary as to why people want to
continue their formal or Informal education.
• Can you think of some?
Reasons Adults Need or Want to
Continue Their Education
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Career advancement open up opportunities
Change careers (due to changing technology, illness, etc.)
Pay increase
Supplement current knowledge and do a better job
Required (by employer, courts)
Maintain certification
Expand service or work opportunities.
Personal interest
They live longer now….therefore work or play longer.
So What Stops Them From
Continuing Their Education?
Factors Affecting or Limiting Adults
Seeking to Continue Their Education
• Location
• Family responsibilities (time)
Family responsibilities ($)
• Cost $$$$
• Psychological
• Distance
• Health
Describe the Duties of an Adult
Instructor/teacher
• Adult Education is very diverse
• Main commonality is population, ADULTS
• See OOH handout for overview of adult
educator job description
Thomas Jefferson:
“If a nation expects to be
ignorant and free in a
state of civilization, it
expects what never was
and never will be.”
Benjamin Franklin: “Education
is essential to supply succeeding
ages with men qualified to serve
the public.”
Abraham Lincoln: “ I view it
[education] as the most important
subject which we as a people can
be engaged in.”
Daniel Webster: “On the
diffusion of education among the
people rest the preservation and
perpetuation of our free
institutions.”
Ruth Kotinsky: “ The role of
adult education is at the very
center of social planning on a
wide scale. The affairs of adults
are the affairs of the world: as they
plan, do, and live, so does the
world run.
Cicero: “ A zeal for learning
which, in the case of wise and
well-trained men, advances with
even pace with age.”
Epictetus: “ Education, in the
deepest sense, is continuous and
lifelong. In essence it is
unfinishable. What we think we
already know is often less helpful
than the desire to learn.”
Dr. Mortimer J. Adler: “It has
been said that you cannot teach an
old dog new tricks. But human
beings are not dogs and liberal
learning is not a bag of tricks.”
Howard Whitman: “In later years
you have the experience and
maturity to learn more effectively
than you ever learned before- and
the golden opportunity to learn.”
William Lyon Phelps: “The belief
that youth is the happiest time of
life is founded on a fallacy. The
happiest person is the person who
thinks the most interesting
thoughts, and we grow happier as
we grow older.”
H. G. Wells: “ It is not education
of children that can save the world
from destruction, it is the
education of adults.”
Dr. Robert M. Hutchins: “ I do
not want to waste my time
teaching the younger generation ;
the world may not last long
enough.”
Calvin Coolridge: “We cannot
abandon our education at the
schoolhouse door. We have to
keep it up through life.”
James E. Russell: “ The aim of
adult education is to inspire
grownups to be something more
than they are now and to do their
work better than they now do it,”
Dr J. B. Rice: “It is a curious fact
that the healthy male mind
continues to improve until 60,
and thereafter declines in power
very slowly. The years from 40 to
70 should be far more productive
and far less energy cost than the
years 20 to 40.”
James Byrant Conant: “The
world has become so complicated
that if a man stops his education
when he leaves school, college,
or even a professional school, he
is doomed to education
mediocrity.”
William Allan Neilson; “ What we learn
in school and college beyond a few elementary
facts and the controls of a few tools merely
serves to start us on a process which should end
only with life itself. Effectiveness in work , in
citizenship, and the enjoyment of life depends
on the persistence of the effort to grow in
breadth and depth, and to bring more of the
universe within the scope of our individual
organized thinking.”
The favorite maxim of
Michelangelo:
“ I am still learning”
Never too late
• Lacydes, when asked, in extreme
age why studying geometry: “ If I
should not be learning now. When
should I be?”
Dr. Mortimer J. Alder: “Children can be
trained in preparation for life and learning,
but only adults are in a position to carry
on the serious pursuits of life itself,
among which learning is paramount.”
“This recognition of the advantages of
being an adult should be as general as our
recognition that adults can think better more soundly and deeply- than children.
Since that is so, they can also learn more
soundly and deeply.”
Dr. Mortimer J. Alder: “We do not expect our
bodies to stay alive and healthy without the daily
sustenance of food and the continual invigoration of
exercise. Why should we expect our minds to stay
alive and vigorous without regular sustenance and
exercise? “ Last year’s or even yesterday’s feeding
will not suffice the body. Past reading and thinking
will not suffice the mind either. Without exercise,
the mind no less readily than a muscle, atrophies.
Without the sustenance it draws for ideas, the mind
shrinks and withers.
The End
T. R. Adam: “ Adult education is
something more than an
intellectual opiate for the
governed masses. It represents a
definite method of social control,
an essential framework for
political democracy.”
Objectives/Topics for This
Session, Continued
• Differentiate between Andragogy and Pedagogy
• Describe the historical development of adult education
as a field of study
• Describe the relationship in a mode of delivery and a
method
• Describe the life cycle development of adults according
to Havinghurst and Erickson.
• Quotes on Adult education