ADULT EDUCATION

BY ADITH KIRAN KUMAR

10th std “A” section
INTRODUCTION OF ADULT
EDUCATION

• With so many adults returning to the classroom, the term "adult

education" has taken on new meanings. Adult education, in the
broadest sense, is any form of learning adults engage in beyond
traditional schooling that ends in their 20s. In the narrowest sense,
adult education is about literacy—adults learning to read the most
basic materials. Thus, adult education encompasses everything
from basic literacy to personal full fillment as a lifelong learner
and the attainment of advanced degrees.
 ANDRAGOGY AND PEDAGOGY

Andragogy is defined as the art and science of helping adults learn. It's distinguished from
pedagogy, the school-based education traditionally used for children. Education for adults has a
different focus, based on the fact that adults are:
More self-directed and require less guidance
Mature and bring more experience to the task of learning
More oriented to learning that is problem-centered rather than subject-centered
More internally motivated to learn
 • One of the primary goals of adult education is functional
literacy. Organizations like the U.S. Department of
Education and the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) work tirelessly to

FUNCTIONAL
measure, understand, and address adult illiteracy in the
U.S. and around the world.

LITERACY • The programs of the Division of Adult Education

and Literacy (part of the U.S. Department of
Education) focus on addressing basic skills such as
reading, writing, math, English language
competency, and problem-solving. The goal is for
"American adults get the basic skills they need to be
productive workers, family members, and citizens."
 ADULT BASIC EDUCATION

• In the U.S., each state is responsible for addressing the basic education of their
citizens. Official state websites direct people to classes, programs, and
organizations designed to teach adults how to read prose, documents like maps
and catalogs, and how to make simple computations.

• Getting a GED
• Adults who complete basic adult education have the opportunity to earn the equivalent of a
high school diploma by taking the General Educational Development, or GED, test. The test,
available to citizens who have not graduated from high school, gives them the chance to
demonstrate the level of achievement normally achieved by completing a course of study in
high school. GED prep resources abound online and in classrooms around the country,
designed to help students prepare for the five-part exam. The GED comprehensive exams
cover writing, science, social studies, math, arts and interpreting literature.
 ADULT EDUCATION AND CONTINUING
EDUCATION

• Adult education is synonymous with continuing education. The world of lifelong

learning is wide open and covers a variety of circumstances including:
• Going to college for the first time after age 25
• Returning to college to finish a degree
• Working toward a graduate degree
• Learning a technical skill
• Earning CEUs for professional certification
• Taking classes at your local community center for the sheer fun of it
 CHARACTERISTICS
• Educating adults differs from educating children in several ways given that adults have
accumulated knowledge and work experience which can add to the learning experience.[9]
Most adult education is voluntary, therefore, the participants are generally self-motivated,
unless required to participate, by an employer.[10][11] The practice of adult education is
referred to as andragogy to distinguish it from the traditional school-based education for
children pedagogy. Unlike children, adults are seen as more self-directed rather than relying
on others for help.
• Adults are mature and therefore have knowledge and have gained life experiences which
provide them a foundation of learning. An adult's readiness to learn is linked to their need to
have the information. Their orientation to learn is problem-centered rather than subject-
centered. Their motivation to learn is internal.
• Adults frequently apply their knowledge in a practical fashion to learn effectively. They must have a
reasonable expectation that the knowledge they gain will help them further their goals. For example,
during the 1990s, many adults, including mostly office workers, enrolled in computer training
courses. These courses would teach basic use of the operating system or specific application software.
Because the abstractions governing the user's interactions with a PC were so new, many people who
had been working white-collar jobs for ten years or more eventually took such training courses, either
at their own whim (to gain computer skills and thus earn higher pay) or at the behest of their
managers.
• The purpose of adult education in the form of college or university is distinct. In these institutions, the
aim is typically related to personal growth and development as well as occupation and career
preparedness. Another goal might be to not only sustain the democratic society, but to even challenge
and improve its social structure.
• A common problem in adult education in the US is the lack of professional development opportunities
for adult educators. Most adult educators come from other professions and are not well trained to deal
with adult learning issues. Most of the positions available in this field are only part-time without any
benefits or stability since they are usually funded by government grants that might last for only a
couple of years.
• A common problem in adult education in the US is the lack of professional development opportunities
for adult educators. Most adult educators come from other professions and are not well trained to deal
with adult learning issues. Most of the positions available in this field are only part-time without any
benefits or stability since they are usually funded by government grants that might last for only a
couple of years.
• However, in some countries, which contain the advanced systems of adult education, professional
development is available through post-secondary institutions and provide professional development
through their ministry of education or school boards and through nongovernmental organizations.[12]
In addition, there are programs about adult education for existing and aspiring practitioners offered, at
various academic levels, by universities, colleges, and professional organizations.[
 AIMS
• The primary purpose of adult education is to provide a second chance for those who are poor
in society or who have lost access to education for other reasons in order to achieve social
justice and equal access to education.[14] Therefore, adult education is often a social policy of
the government. Continuing education can help adults maintain certifications, fulfill job
requirements and stay up to date on new developments in their field. Also, the purpose of
adult education can be vocational, social, recreational or for self-development.[15] One of its
goals may be to help adult learners satisfy their personal needs and achieve their
professional goals.[16] With the development of economy and the progress of society, the
requirement of human quality has been raised. In the 1960s, the proposition of "lifelong
education" was put forward, which led to the change of contemporary educational
concepts.[17] Therefore, its ultimate goal might be to achieve human fulfillment. The goal
might also be to achieve an institution's needs. For example, this might include improving its
operational effectiveness and productivity. A larger scale goal of adult education may be the
growth of society by enabling its citizens to keep up with societal change and maintain good
social order
 BENEFITS OF ADULT EDUCATION
• Adult education can have many benefits ranging from better health and personal well-being to greater
social inclusion. It can also support the function of democratic systems and provide greater
opportunities for finding new or better employment. Adult education has been shown to have a
positive impact on the economy.
• Adult education provides opportunities for personal growth, goal fulfillment and socialization. Chris
McAllister's research of semi-structured interviews with older adult learners shows a motivation to
communicate with people and to get out of the house to keep mentally active.[42] Researchers have
documented the social aspects of older adult education.[43] Friendship was described as important
aspects of adult learning and the classroom was seen as an important part of their social network. The
development of social networks and support was found to be a key motivation of adult learners. As
editor of a book entitled Adult Education and Health, Leona English claims that including health
education as part of adult education makes for a healthier community.
• When surveying adult education programs in Japan, Nojima found that classes focusing on
hobbies and very specific recreational activities were by far the most popular.[45] The author
noted that more time, money and resources needed to be in place so participants would be
able to take advantage of these types of activities. Withnall explored the influences on later
life learning in various parts in the U.K.[46] Results were similar in that later in life education
afforded these older adults opportunities to socialize.
• Some experts claim that adult education has a long-term impact on the economy and that
there is a correlation between innovation and learning at the workplace.
 ADULT AND YOUTH LITERACY RATE

• According to the most recent estimates, the global youth literacy rate is 91%, meaning 102
million youth lack basic literacy skills. In low-income countries, one in three young people
still cannot read.
• The adult literacy rate is 86%, which means 750 million adults lack basic literacy skills.
There are 92 literate women for every 100 literate men globally, and in low-income
countries, as few as 77 literate women for every 100 literate men. The literacy rate is
expected to continue to grow steadily in countries in all income groups.
• At the global level, the youth literacy rate is expected to reach 94% by 2030 and the adult
literacy rate 90%. In low-income countries, less than 70% of adults and slightly more than
80% of youth aged 15 to 24 years are projected to have basic literacy skills by 2030.