Adult Education and Lifelong Learning

Transcription

1 Adult Education and Lifelong Learning Dr Jim Crowther (Course Organiser) Credit Rating 20 credits, SCQF 11 Course Description The general aim of the taught course is to consider the changing relationship between adult education and lifelong learning and to explore the possibilities in the current context of realigning both for an agenda informed by commitments to social justice, equality and greater democracy. One of the implications of the rise of lifelong learning in the UK, Europe and beyond has been to reassert a human resource agenda which prioritises training for work. The broader interest in adult learning for personal, social and political purposes has been marginalised in this process. It is important therefore to analyse the ambiguities and ambivalence of lifelong learning rather than assuming it is simply a good thing. The content of the course will include theoretical analysis, policy critique and practical examples of educational activities which are aimed at creating a better world. Selective reference will be made to both Scottish and international examples as well as the recent and current publications and research interests of the tutor. Discussion and debate will be encouraged and expected! Student preparation is indicated in the programme below and it is essential that the reading tasks are done prior to each session. Most, if not all of the readings will be available on Learn or online. Further reading is indicated at the end of the programme. Learning Outcomes On completion of this course, students will be able to: Understand why critical education is desirable and possible. Explore different ways in which power is expressed in educational activity. Critically evaluate conventional understandings of adult education and lifelong learning. Apply critical theory to an educational setting. Articulate a vision of how education can make a difference to the lives of the oppressed and exploited. Teaching 10 x 2.5 hours = 25 hours Lectures, group activities and discussions, student group presentations.

2 Assessment One essay of 4,000 words. Content Week 1 Introduction: What is Adult Education? This session focuses on introducing the teaching programme and outlining the course requirements. Students will be asked to introduce themselves and to indicate how their backgrounds and experience relate to their interest in adult education and lifelong learning. We will also explore different ways of understanding adult education with a particular emphasis on the critical tradition. In preparation for this task it is essential to do the reading specified below. Week 2 Perspectives on Adults Learning What is the difference, if any, between the ways in which children and adults learn? Sometimes a distinction is made between 'pedagogy' and 'andragogy'. Does this make sense? It is necessary to examine the interest in the adult learner's identity and experience carefully and critically and, moreover, to recognise that different approaches to adult education construct the notion of the adult in different ways. How can we relate individual experience to social and cultural context - and what does this do to the learner? Week 3 From 'Adult Education' to 'Lifelong Learning' Lifelong learning has now become a ubiquitous part of the rhetoric of contemporary educational policy, research and professional discourse. To what extent is the dominant version of lifelong learning an aspect of globalisation? What are the forces and interests that drive it and contest it? Much is made of the importance of generating human capital in order to sustain national competitiveness in today's global market. In all of this, what has become of adult education - and the agency of the educator? Week 4 Making power visible: the role of adult education A distinctive feature of the critical tradition of adult education is that it has aimed to be a resource in the struggle for social justice and democratic change by empowering communities. But what problems do communities face and what do we mean by power, how does it work and what, if anything, can adult education do about it? In this session we will draw on different ways of thinking about power and their implications for achieving empowerment. Week 5 Gender Violence - Rethinking Masculinity Dr. Laura Ruiz-Eugenio, Marie Cure Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh and Centre for Research in Theories and Practices that Overcome Inequalities (CREA), University of Barcelona. Dr. Oriol Rios, Associate Professor University of Barcelona and CREA. Cultural power permeates relationships between men and women. Dominant versions of masculinity feature aggressiveness, risk, high status, domination and unequal gender social practices. In this session we will look at some of the research undertaken internationally on this subject and the alternative masculinities promoted in educational work to challenge the former.

3 Week 6 Adult Education For Social Justice: A Freirean Perspective Since the publication of his seminal work Pedagogy of the Oppressed in 1972, Paulo Freire has presented a challenge to adult educators to consider the underlying purpose of their work as educators. Freire s influence on adult education and adult literacy has been profound particularly by inspiring an interest in popular education. In this session we will consider some of his core ideas and look at some examples of his work in practice. Week 7 Adult Literacy: Theory and Practice Concerns about the levels of literacy and numeracy in adults have become ubiquitous in policy in the developed world, but the debate is constricted by a number of assumptions. These assumptions include: viewing literacy as set of skills, that literacy levels are easy to assess, that literacy is a neutral term and that increased levels of literacy skill will lead to more active and employable citizens. What are the alternative ways of thinking about literacy that will contribute to a more critical and creative understanding? What are the implications for practice when we think about literacies (plural) rather than literacy (singular)? Week 8 Citizenship, Democracy and Education What we mean by citizenship and how it might relate to democracy is the focus of this session. Education for citizenship presupposes some consensus on what kind of society we desire to live in and therefore what kinds of knowledge, skills and values are worth teaching and learning. Achieving this is highly problematic, however, because what citizenship means and its relationship with democracy are far from clear or agreed. In this session we will examine the different ways citizenship is conceived and what this implies for educational practice and democracy. Week 9 Planning Your Essay All students should come to this session with an idea of what they want to write about and with some ideas of how they will go about it and what literature is available for resourcing the essay. Week 10 Transforming identity: an exploration Helping adults acquire new and more powerful identities is central to the critical tradition of adult education. But acquiring positive identities is always a difficult and fraught process. In this session we will focus on what helps people continue their learning journeys as well as begin them. In addition, we will explore the contribution of adult education to critical thinking and the capacity of individuals to act individually and severally. Week 11 Review and Course Evaluation In this final session there is an opportunity to review the material that we have covered over the course, to assess what has been learned, to identify further themes for study (where appropriate) and to evaluate the programme.

4 Readings Specific chapters and journal articles will be recommended in each session. However, the books and journals listed here are generally relevant for this course. Themed Further Reading Lifelong Learning And Adult Education Biesta, G (2006) Beyond Learning: Democratic Education for a Human Future (see chapter 1), Colorado: Paradigm Publishers Billett, S. (2010) The perils of confusing lifelong learning with lifelong education, International Journal of Lifelong Education, 29 (4) Coffield F (1999) 'Breaking the consensus: lifelong learning as social control', British educational research journal 25(4), pp Field, J (2004) Does adult education have a future in the era of lifelong learning?, Concept 14 (1) 3-6 Field J (2000) Lifelong learning and the new educational order Stoke on Trent: Trentham Books Collins M (1991) Adult education as vocation: a critical role for the adult educator London: Routledge Adult Learning Brookfield S (2005) The power of critical theory for adult learning and teaching Maidenhead: Open University Press Illeris K (2002) The three dimensions of learning Roskilde, Denmark: Roskilde University Press Rogers A (2003) What is the difference? A new critique of adult learning and teaching Leicester: National Institute of Adult Continuing Education Tennant M (1988) Psychology and adult learning London: Routledge Radical Adult Education For Empowerment Barr, J. (1999) Liberating Knowledge, Leicester: NIACE. Brookfield, S. (2006) The Power of Critical Theory, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Brookfield, S. and Holst, J. (2011) Radicalizing Learning, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Morrow, R and Torres, C.A. (2002) Reading Freire and Habermas: Critical pedagogy and transformative social change. New York: Teachers College Press. p Newman, M (2006) Teaching Defiance, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Puigvert, L. and Valls, R. (2005) Dialogic Learning in Popular Education Movements in Spain, in Crowther, J., Galloway, V. and Martin, I. (eds) Popular Education: Engaging the Academy, International Perspectives. Leicester: NIACE. Shor, I. and Freire, P. (1987) A Pedagogy for Liberation. South Harley, Mass: Bergin & Garvey. P.17 51

5 Adult Education and Citizenship Annette, J. (2009) Active learning for active citizenship, Education, Citizenship and Social Justice, vol 4 (2) pp Coare, P. and Johnston, R. (2003) (eds) Adult Learning, Citizenship and Community Voices, Leicester: NIACE. Crowther, J and Martin I. (2010) Adult education and civil society in Peterson, P., Baker, E. and McGaw, B. (eds) International Encyclopedia of Education, vol 1, Johnston, R. (1999) Adult learning for citizenship: towards a reconstruction of the social purpose tradition, International Journal of Lifelong Education, vol 18 (3) Martin, I (2003) Adult education, lifelong learning and citizenship: some ifs and buts, International Journal of Lifelong Education, vol 22, (6) Mayo, M (2005) Global Citizens, London: Zed Books Adult Literacies Addison A (2001) 'Using Scots literacy in family literacy work' in Crowther J, Hamilton M and Tett L (eds) Powerful literacies Leicester: National Institute of Adult Continuing Education Barton D and Hamilton M (1998) Local literacies London: Routledge. Barton D (1994) Literacy: an introduction to the ecology of written language London: Blackwell. Crowther, J., Maclachlan, K. and Tett, L. (2010) Adult literacy, learning identities and pedagogic practice, International Journal of Lifelong Education, vol 29 (6) (Nov-Dec) Crowther J, Hamilton M and Tett, L (2001) (Eds) Powerful literacies Leicester: National Institute of Adult and Continuing Education. Goldstein H (2003) 'Education for all: the globalisation of learning targets', Research intelligence 82, pp Tett, L., Hamilton, M. and Crowther, J. (2012) (Eds) More Powerful literacies Leicester: National Institute of Adult and Continuing Education. Hannon P (1995) Literacy, home and school Guildford: Falmer Press. Harrison R, Reeve F, Hanson, A and Clarke J (2002) Supporting lifelong learning (Volume 1: Perspectives on learning) Milton Keynes: Open University Press. Heath SB (1983) Ways with words: language, life and work in communities and classrooms Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Street B (1994) 'Cross-cultural perspectives on literacy' in Maybin J (ed) Language and literacy in social practice London: Multilingual Matters/Open University Press. Hamilton M (2001) 'Privileged literacies: policy, institutional process and the life of the IALS', Language and education 15(2&3), pp Tett, L. and Maclachlan, K. (2007) Adult literacy and numeracy, social capital, learner identities and self confidence, Studies in the Education of Adults, 39 (2), See ESRC website:

6 Journals Concept - The Encyclopaedia of Informal Education - Freirean electronic journal - European research on adult learning and education - NB A wide range of journals in educational studies and research as well as other disciplines (e.g. sociology, politics, policy analysis, radical philosophy, cultural studies) are also relevant to this course. For all course relevant regulations see the appropriate MSc. Programme Handbook UPDATED: 15 August 2014