The Effects of Globalization on the Future of Adult Learning - Article Example

? The Effects of Globalization on the Future of Adult Learning The Effects of Globalization on the Future of Adult Learning Introduction In the increasingly globalized society, the western practice of adult education has significantly influenced learning in the other parts of the world in many ways. Globalization is rapidly erasing the geographical and political boundaries between nations and the resultant porosity of borders has only meant that practices, concerns and issues affecting a particular region have an impact on the rest of the global community (Korsgaard, 1997, p.19). As the world continues to shrink into a smaller global village and become more interconnected, education will continue to play its crucial role in the transition to the contemporary post modern global society. Although the practice of Adult education evolved in the United States, it has inevitably spread to the other parts of the world. For example globalization has enabled the US model of adult education as well as the educational philosophies to spread to the other parts of the world and consequently many institutions offering adult education in different regions have revised their strategies and policies regarding the practice of adult learning. Similarly the adult education curricula of most universities are now being redesigned to meet the demands and challenges of a globalized world rather than their respective countries. According to Merriam and Brockett (1997),“adult learning generally refers to educational practices which are designed to bring about learning and personal development to those belonging to adult social group in the society”( p.8).The practice of adult education is currently facing a number of challenges in the global society and globalization has not only increased pressure on the contemporary institutions of higher learning to conform to the global demands but has also increased employment opportunities to the global markets. With regard to the fact that most countries of the world are rapidly adopting free market economies, education is currently seen as one of the critical elements of achieving business success and national competitiveness particularly in the global labor markets (Boeren, 2011, p.376). Another important impact of globalization on the practice of adult education is attributed to the fact that globalization has resulted in various social injustices and consequently the future practice of adult education must take into account the ways through which these social injustices can be addressed. Many analysts also concur that some of the common ways through which globalization is affecting the current as well as the future practice of adult education includes increasing pressure for changing curricular of adult education, through labor and economic markets, elimination of various national languages from adult educational programs in various countries as well as through the increasing us of English language as the primary language of instruction. This paper critically analyze the potential effects of globalization on both the current and future of adult education with particular focus on how the practice of adult education in America has impacted on learning across the globe. How cultural and global issues are affecting the practice of adult education There are several cultural factors as well as global issues that have a significant impact on the current as well as the future practice of adult education. For example some of these cultural and global issues have resulted in the need to change the overall purpose of the practice of adult education itself. Whereas previously adult education was primarily designed to meet social objectives, globalization has shifted this purpose and adult education currently geared towards meeting the demands of a competitive global economy and sustainable development ( Gacel-Avila, 2005, p.122). Consequently this has forced educators to redesign their educational curricular to counteract some of the cultural and global issues such as the current ecological damage caused by growing consumerism and industrialization. There is also a growing need for the incorporation of transformative and critical education such as global education, environmental education and feminist into the current and future adult education practice. This will enable the Nations of the world to be able to effectively address the new challenges of regarding equality, human needs and ecological sustainability. Another important global issue that is currently affecting the practice of Adult education in several parts of the world is technology. In our contemporary society, the curricular of most adult education programs in the United States as well as in the rest of the world has been heavily influenced by rapidly advancing technologies such as telephony, the internet, satellite broadcasting among others. Many educational experts concur that there is a growing need for a standard adult educational practice that will ensure that our educational system are competitive both locally and at the international level. For example adult education institutions can develop programs that help cultivate cultural consciousness and meet the challenges of the global society by incorporating the differences in educational systems with regard to national traditional and cultural diversity to develop models necessary for transnational cooperation. In this regard, the future practice of adult education is likely to draw visions from various models in different parts of the world. This is particularly because the primary goal of the contemporary adult education programs is to enhance individual development, democracy and economic development. On the other hand, the cultural issues that are currently affecting the practice of adult learning in the globalized world include the varying ideologies between the western and the non western educational perspectives. According to Merriam (2007), the non western educational perspectives are largely based on the belief that our knowledge is significantly influenced by the society. Contrastingly the westernized adult education learning approach is heavily grounded in science and presents an educational model which is based on memorization ass the most dominant teaching style. This approach has sometimes proved to be difficult an unrealistic to both western and non western learners. Generally the conflicts between the western and the non western adult education perspectives have presented a serious challenge to the current adult educational practice and have sometimes resulted in the marginalization of some learners. The US adult education practices are heavily based on western approach and has therefore failed to focus on the cultures and traditions of other societies. Verbal discussions and informal learning are not often encouraged in the western approach. It is however worth noting that most non western cultures and societies significantly depend on informal learning in various learning situations and this often creates a conflict between the two educational perspectives. Global view of adult learning as reflected in adult learning institutions Various training centers, classrooms and Universities are increasingly being influenced by the global needs of adult learning. The practice of adult learning has significantly grown in importance in our contemporary global society particularly with the recent technological advancements and industrialization which have increased the demand for more skilled workers (Madhukar, 2003, p.207). Additionally globalization has also enabled people from different regions of the world to be more conscious of their rights such as their freedom to fulfill their potential through adult learning. Consequently many institutions all over the world which are offering adult education programmes are now using universally recognized teaching methodologies that are consistent with goals of international learning. On the other hand, some adult training centers, classrooms and Universities have also reviewed their internalization activities by aligning them with the goals of adult learning and developing partnerships between them and other institutions to enable them develop strategies that effectively help them serve their constituents. Generally there is a growing need for a standard adult educational practice that will ensure that our educational system is competitive both locally and at the international level. This is particularly because the contemporary western ways of knowing lay more emphasis on the use of scientific theories of research as opposed to the non western educational practices which incorporates cultural understanding and the use of local resources. Some of the non western ways of knowing includes philosophical and religious traditions as well as cultural roots. The main purpose of adult education is to facilitate growth and learning in the society and therefore the lessons about the non western and global ways are significantly important to encourage cultural diversity and in the harmonization of the various contrasting educational perspectives between the westernized and the non western cultures. According to (Merriam, 2007, p. 127), the lessons regarding non western and global adult education perspectives can be used to enhance cultural exchanges, through improved curriculum development, partnerships, as well as the development of collective learning practices. There are also several areas in the adult learning institutions which have been significantly influenced by the effects of globalization. One of such areas is the curricula. In the contemporary globalized society, adult education centers and other institutions such ass Universities are not only remodeling their curricula to meet the socio-cultural needs of their students. In some instances, interdisciplinary methods of teaching have been incorporated into the adult education learning programs. The practice of adult education has also been influenced by the recent technological advancements such as cellular technology and the internet. For example some institutions have already implemented online adult education programs where the learners are not necessarily confined in a single classroom during the learning process. On the other hand, cellular technology has also enabled easy dissemination of knowledge and information between the educators and the adult learners. The American adult education programs are increasingly adopting the use of modern technology as a tool to disseminate knowledge and transform adult learning in various institutions and centers of learning. This is particularly evidenced by the recent extensive use of online and distance learning in many American educational institutions. There are also technology based programs that have been designed primarily to upgrade the skills of adult learners and enhance their professional development. With the current rapidly growing internet connectivity rates among the US population, technology is likely to play a greater role in both educational practice as well as in the everyday lives of many people. The use of technology in the enhancement of adult education practice has however been hindered by the digital divide coupled by high broadband costs which are still a reality in most parts of the world. Regardless of whether the learners have experience in using new technologies such as computers and the internet, technology has created a new environment for adult learning experience that has gone beyond the contemporary classroom experience of teacher led text based learning styles. The future adult learning practice is therefore likely to be based on distance learning where by the individuals learn through self study and receive learning materials through media channels as opposed to the current traditional models. The value of lessons learned about global and non-western ways of knowing According to many analysts, the lessons regarding the non western and global ways of knowledge acquisition are significantly important in the development of curriculum and philosophy of adult education practice. The inclusion of the indigenous ways of learning often has a major impact on the educational system since it changes the attitudes of the learners towards their schools and learning environment (Merriam, Caffarella and Baumgartner, 2007, p.85). This is particularly because people of various cultures are usually concerned about the potential effects of the education on their cultures and therefore the lessons on global and non western ways of learning will not only help them build confidence on the systems and their home culture but will also boost their self esteem. Education is largely concerned with culture and consequently the content of any educational system is often associated with a given culture. This includes the unique ways of knowing, wisdom as well as their communication ways. On the other hand, educational curriculum is generally regarded as the selection and transmission of the best ways of knowing and knowledge acquisition of a particular culture. With regard to the fact that the contemporary formal education systems practiced all over the world have heavily borrowed from the western ways of learning in their orientation and outlook as opposed to the cultures of learners, the incorporation of the global and non western ways of knowing into the personal philosophy and educational practice will significantly improve the quality of the educational systems. In the current rapidly globalized educational trends, many regions and countries are increasingly shifting from the education system that is heavily based on the western scientific cultures towards new global ways of knowing that meets the demands of a competitive global economy and sustainable development. The incorporation of the global and non-western ways of knowing in the education curriculum is therefore important since it the only way through which the cultural inequalities caused by the formal western education style to majority of learners in many cultures (Belanger and Tuijnman,1997, p.47). For example the western style does not often recognize their ways of communication, learning and thinking thereby leading to deteriorating quality of education. Similarly the underperformance of students in most schools in many cultures have been blamed on the cultural gaps that often results from conflict between the requirements of the western based curriculum and the cultures of the students. All these factors have highlighted the importance of incorporating the global and non western ways of knowing into the practice of adult education to enable such regions complete effectively in the current market driven global economy and educational development. The lessons learnt about the global and non western ways of learning such as the importance of as globalized curricula are therefore important for the maintain ace of cultural diversity. Through the applications of the lessons, adult education practices in various regions across the globe can be homogenized and standardized. The non western ways of educational practice and knowledge creation should generally be studied on their own right and be considered part of the learning curriculums particularly in the adult educational institutions. This is not only critical for the conservation of cultural diversity of the indigenous people in the different parts of the world but will also enable learners to develop control over their own ways of knowing and knowledge transmission. Additionally such lessons will also reduce the contemporary reductionist thinking which as continued to dominate most of the adult education practices in various parts as a result of influence from the western ways of knowing and knowledge transmission. The current global society incorporates a vibrant diversity of different non western cultures with special needs some of which can not be effectively addressed by the western ways of knowing. How cultural-based ways of knowing affect the teaching styles and interaction of learners Adult learners who are given opportunity to practice culturally based ways of knowing and knowledge dissemination often affect the personal teaching styles of their educators as well as their interactions with other students in a number of ways. This is often because learners who are exposed to global ways of knowing usually possess a world view which appreciates the uniqueness of other cultures as well as their interdependence. Merriam and Grace (2011, p.48), argues that educators who practice in educational environments which allow the incorporation of the global ways of learning may find it easy to deal with cultural diversity of the learners. Many educators are consequently be inspired to develop teaching methodologies which recognize the pedagogical and epistemological foundations of both the western and the non western cultural traditions. Merriam and Associates(2007) asserts that “unlike the western educational practice which puts emphasis on the classroom and formal ways of knowledge dissemination, the culturally based ways of knowing focuses on the acquisition of knowledge through direct experience and interactions”(p.12). One of the ways through which adult learners who practice culturally based ways of knowing can influence the teaching styles of their educators is by encouraging the use of modern technologies to enhance learning processes. With the increasing adoption of culturally based ways of adult education practices, learners are not necessarily required to be confined in the western style classrooms. For example learning applications such as online distance learning have been developed and educators are increasingly being forced to learn new ways of disseminating knowledge over the through online means. It is also worth noting that with the rapid increase in the practice of culturally based way knowing among adult learners, the student populations in most adult learning institutions are rarely homogeneous. Consequently the educators will also be required to adopt new teaching methodologies as well as personal communications that best meet the requirements of the new learning environments. Adult learners who practice culturally based ways of knowing also impact on their educators by forcing them to adapt teaching styles and instructional methods that complement the cultural styles of the different groups of adult learners (Nesbit, 1999, p.265). Generally there are various ways through which educators can adapt new instructional approaches. One of the ways is to recognize culturally based unique behaviors in the learners and redesign the teaching style in a manner that effectively address their unique learning requirements. Another important way through which the educators can respond to the varying needs of learners who practice culturally based ways of knowing is to determine the extent of their difference regarding the normal teaching style. For example the teacher may be required to change the physical climate of the classroom as well as use examples and concepts that are familiar to the learners. Lastly sometimes modification of the teaching styles may be another important step that is often undertaken by educators who teach learners whose cultures emphasizes on practical and field learning practices. According to Beveridge (1996, p.72), the teachers may be forced to redesign their teaching styles to make them more relevant to the experiences of the learners. On the other hand, the practice of culturally based ways of knowledge acquisition and dissemination may also affect the interaction between the adult learners in a number of ways. For instance the interaction between the adult learners may be significantly hindered when they adopt culturally different ways of learning in a heterogeneous learning set up. Conclusion In conclusion, globalization has enabled the American practice of adult education to spread to the other parts of the world and affect the learning practices in many regions. The US model of adult education is now being adopted in several countries. Consequently the application of globalized adult educational practices that incorporate the principles and theories of adult learning are increasingly becoming popular across different regions of the world. The future adult learning practices is therefore likely to be influenced by the demands of global labor markets and cultural diversity. References Belanger, P., Tuijnman, A. (1997). New patterns of adult learning: A six-country comparative study. New York: Elsevier Science Inc. Beveridge, D. (1996). Globalization and sustainability: Issues and options for adult education. Convergence. 29.4, 68-77. Boeren, E. (2011). Participation in Adult Education: Attitudes and Barriers, from US-China Education Review, 9.3, 369–382. Coulby, D., Zambeta, E. (2005). Globalization and nationalism in education. New York: Routledge. Gacel-Avila, J. (2005). The internationalization of higher education: A paradigm for global citizenry. Journal of Studies in International Education. 9.2, 121-136. 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