Mapping the Field of Adult and Continuing Education

An International Compendium

Alan B. Knox, Simone C. O. Conceição, Larry G. Martin, Alan B. Knox, Simone C. O. Conceição, Larry G. Martin

• Publisher: Stylus Publishing
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781620365427
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Adult Education

Co-published with The field of Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) has long been influential beyond its already porous borders and continues to be a source of important ideas, inspiration, and innovative practices for those in disciplines such as educational administration, social work, nursing, and counseling. Recognizing this, the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education commissioned the editors to create this compendium, which provides an invaluable resource to readers already established in the field, those entering the field, and to myriad neighbors of the field as well.This four-volume compendium (also available as a combined e-book) brings together a host of national and international contributors to map the field of ACE in a series of brief articles addressing key theories and practices across its many domains and settings. These are arranged in four volumes, available either individually or as a set: Volume One: Adult Learners
Volume Two: Teaching and Learning
Volume Three: Leadership and Administration
Volume Four: Inquiry and Influences The volume on Adult Learners will include articles addressing topics such as adult development, diversity, learning abilities, the influence of personality on learning, and the role of experience in adult learning. By far the largest segment of learners in society, and currently the largest segment of college students as well, a better understanding of the adult learner is vital for educators of all kinds.Volume two addresses Teaching and Learning topics ranging from methods and roles to programs and materials. Encompassing formal and informal learning, as well as the variety of focus and setting, from cultural to occupational, this volume explores the wide range of theory and practice in ACE.Issues of Leadership and Administration such as planning and resource allocation, organizational change and culture, and the value of a shared vision for all stakeholders are addressed in the third volume. From practical matters like staffing and volunteers, to big-picture issues such as alternative visions for the future of the field, this volume offers vital knowledge and insight.The final volume, on Inquiry and Influences, examines the context, trends, and methods of research and evaluation in the field's many domains. Wide-ranging inquiry has always been a hallmark of ACE, and only continues to grow along with the recognition of the importance of adult learning for learners and for the society as a whole. All four volumes are available as a single e-book, to make the most of the inter-relatedness of the various topics. This version uses live links in the table of contents and combined index (as well as keywords at the start of each article) to enable readers to follow their own topical interests and thus create unique learning pathways for themselves.

MAPPING THE FIELD OF ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION

An International Compendium

VOLUME ONE: ADULT LEARNERS

EDITED BY

Alan B. Knox, Simone C. O. Conceição, and Larry G. Martin

Consulting Editors: Lisa M. Baumgartner, Michelle
Glowacki-Dudka, Mark Tennant, and Allan Quigley

Editorial Coordinator: Anita Samuel

INTRODUCTION TO VOLUME ONE

Alan B. Knox

The first volume of Mapping the Field of Adult and Continuing Education: An International Compendium focuses on adult learners. Contributors from different countries involved with adult education prepared the 16 articles in this volume. These articles can be part of a module or unit in a formal course or serve as resources for practitioners who work with adults. Many of the articles are brief and provide examples and resources for future exploration. Each article contains concepts, examples, implications, keywords, and cross-references to other articles in the compendium. For the e-book version of the compendium, the keywords at the top of the article and cross-references before the references are linked to different parts of the compendium and to the compendium index where interrelated topics can be accessed.

The first section of volume one focuses on adult life cycle development and explains the importance of viewing adult learning from the perspective of the life course of individuals. It also addresses some of the issues and concerns that arise during different phases of life. The five articles in this section include topics on third age, identity/self-development and chronic disease, education of multigenerational groups of adult learners, pseudoautonomy, and learning in later life.

The five articles in the second section of this volume focus on learning theory and practice of adult education. Two articles in this section address transformative learning and neuroscience theories and their implications for the practice of adult education. The other three articles explain relevance of indigenous knowledge, adult literacy practices and adult basic education, and global climate change education.

The six articles in the third section address a broad spectrum of adult learners by focusing on lifelong and lifewide loving in education, adult learners with disabilities, adults with low literacy skills, the power to change lives, gender equity and leadership, and professional development for part-time employees.

The total compendium has four volumes: adult learners (volume one), teaching and learning (volume two), leadership and administration (volume three), and inquiry and influences (volume four). It is published in separate volumes as a convenience for readers who may be interested in the contents of a specific volume. Each volume has its own introduction and a table of contents for the other three volumes is located in the appendix to help the reader identify and read articles of interest located in the other three volumes.

Articles in this volume can help educators of adults and practitioners to discover an effective alignment between learner characteristics and responsive learning activities and enhance their understanding of organized learning opportunities for adults in different contexts. I trust that this volume will encourage educators of adults to explore further learning activities for adult populations with related benefits for their communities.

SECTION ONE

ADULT LIFE CYCLE DEVELOPMENT

Articles in this section focus on various trends and characteristics of adults during the adult life cycle, such as experience, age, generation, health, identity, and self-direction, which shape adult learning and spirit.

1

AN ENGAGED THIRD AGE

Doe Hentschel

Keywords: aging, collaborative, community, engagement, leadership, older adult, projects, third age, training, volunteer

Beatrice was depressed and overwhelmed by family issues she seemed unable to control. In a weak moment, she accepted an invitation to attend a meeting to learn about the Third Age Initiative, a program developed by Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH) for older adults designed to help them find ways to channel their wisdom, knowledge, and experience to strengthen their communities. She acknowledges that she literally dragged herself out of bed because she had made a commitment to attend.

Engagement and Healthy Aging

Beatrice’s depression is not unusual in later life. Change and loss that older adults experience as roles evolve, resources become limited, friends and family age and pass away, and they face personal health challenges often lead to withdrawal, lack of self-confidence, and self-deprecation consistent with persistent negative views of aging. At one time, research on adult development indicated that disengagement was the norm for people as they aged.

We now know this need not be the case. Many studies about aging from physical, sociological, and psychological perspectives indicate that active social engagement, intellectual challenges, and purposeful activity contributes to a longer, healthier later life. Healthy aging is characterized by continued growth and development during which aging adults seek learning and experiences that enable them to continue to be engaged in the changing world in ways that affirm their individual relevance and purpose. Rather than a chronological series of events, life more typically evolves in cycles of renewal (Butler, 2005).

Engagement takes many forms. The Corporation for National and Community Service (2007) reports that the benefits to volunteering are measurable and significant. Longevity, increased functioning, and less depression are related to volunteering, especially for older adults. Unfortunately, fewer than one-third of adults over the age of 65 engage in volunteerism, although many who are not engaged indicate they are interested in doing so now or in the future (Zedlewski & Butrica, 2007). Those who are not engaged are sometimes discouraged because volunteer activities available to them are unchallenging or perceived as menial tasks and time fillers. Too often it is because our communities and nonprofit organizations that would benefit from this untapped talent pool do not welcome or understand the resource that older adults represent (Raynor, 2015). Even though many no longer seek or need compensation, frustrated older adults report that they want to continue to “work”—to solve problems, to develop new ideas into projects that have positive results, and to be part of a group that respects each other, collaborates, and learns and grows together. LGH’s Third Age Initiative is one of only a handful of programs in the world that attempt to address this need, and it is has been recognized as the premier model for doing so. In 2001, LGH was invited to present a workshop showcasing the program at the United Nations Conference on NGO volunteerism; the following year, the Third Age Initiative was featured at the United Nations’ Assembly on Aging in Madrid as a model program to engage older adults as resources in our communities.

The Third Age Initiative

The Third Age Initiative was launched by LGH in 2001 as a vehicle for engaging older adults in their communities. Researching ways in which the quality of life for older adults could be enhanced, a task force in LGH’s core program, Quest, concluded that American culture did not value older adults as the treasures that they are. They conceptualized a program to identify, develop, and engage older adults in ways that would tap into their experience and wisdom to strengthen their communities. Unlike more typical programs that train and mobilize older adults as volunteers, this program develops participants’ leadership skills. They then take the initiative in addressing community issues through team projects that provide a “learning laboratory” where they exercise the training they have received in collaborative leadership and team building. They focus on issues of interest to them and work together as change agents, program developers, project managers, and policymakers.

Socioeconomic diversity is a unique hallmark of the Third Age Initiative. Zedlewski and Butrica (2007) point out that low income and less educated older adults are less likely to be engaged in the community and therefore less likely to experience the benefits of engagement, such as “decreased mortality and depression, improved health and strength, greater happiness and enhanced cognitive ability” (pp. 2–3). The educational backgrounds of the 341 participants in the 13 classes that have been conducted since 2001 range from less than high school completion to doctoral and professional degrees, with 28% holding less than bachelor’s degrees and 22% degrees beyond the master’s. Family income is similarly diverse; 23% of all participants report family income of less than $22,500 and 26% report earning more than $75,000. The age range has been 48–88 (21% under the age of 60 and 25% over the age of 70) with 30% men and 70% women. Only 46% are married (others are single, widowed, or divorced), and participants live in Hartford (26%) and 45 other towns in central Connecticut. Approximately 28% represent racial minorities including African American, Hispanic, and West Indian participants. Participants value this diversity and report that the different perspectives, experiences, and skills of their classmates contribute significantly to their positive experience (Broderick, 2016).

Forming the Class

Potential participants respond to broadcast promotional strategies including newspaper articles, television and radio interviews with staff and alumni, the organization’s website, and web-based newsletters. Many learn about the program through word-of-mouth and nominations by alumni and other members of the LGH network. Attending an information session precedes submitting an application. The application process is not a vehicle for exclusion; rather, it is a strategy to ensure that marketing activities during the typical six-month recruitment process can be targeted to create a diverse class.

During information sessions, participants are asked what attracted them to this program. The most common motivations include the following: “I have more to give,” “I want to find ways to give back,” “I want to be involved in the community.” One woman who became a member of the first class articulated the following, which others often state as well: “I am busy in retirement; I volunteer, and my husband and I have a full social life. But I am finding that it is difficult to meet new people, and I miss working with others on something that we care about and that we are creating together.” As they learn more about the Third Age Initiative, they recognize how those goals can be achieved.

The Program Design

The Third Age Initiative is a dynamic learning experience highlighted by community ac...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword
• Preface
• Volume One: Adult Learners
• Volume Two: Teaching and Learning
• Volume Three: Leadership and Administration
• Volume Four: Inquiry and Influences
• Index
• Backcover