Development of Adult Education - Research Paper Example

Development of adult education Section problem definition The development of adult education is a key concern in the present world since they form part of labor that is to be utilized in the market. They also undergo learning activities based on the fact that they need to earn new skills overtime, so as to allow them change with the market trends. For this reason, we get t consider how adults get to develop in education in relation to three areas: Philosophy of experimental learning, critical theory of learning and developmental psychology. Below, we briefly define the theories. The philosophy of experimental learning may be rooted back to John Dewey’s theory of experimental learning. He defined that educational learning that is reflective in nature was better obtained through meaningful experiments (Dewy, 1963). On the other hand, the development psychology theory defines that adult are psychologically not the same to normal post-adolescent college students. Therefore, it is pertinent that the theories of Erikson, Havighurst, Kolhberg, Gilligan, Magolda and Bronfenbrenner be taken into consideration while dealing with adults. Ultimately, the theory of critical learning has it that sociological analysis of education holds that learning institutions are considered hazardous to the social life of individuals. Most of the people who go to school usually end up oppressed, and this is worsened in the case of an adult amidst teenagers. In this process, the adult are tough so that they may bring new changes to the society through a transformational model engineered by Lindeman. Section 2: solutions to development of adult education The above three theories explained (Experiential learning philosophy in adult education, the developmental psychology, and critical theory) are crucial in the process of understanding adult development. Based on cross theory, adult learners employ both formal and informal system of learning, in which they face serious predicaments. These issues are usually addressed by the CAL model, which is essential in linguistics. It has also been identified that dealing with adults largely depends how they passed the eight psychological stages of development proposed by Erikson (44). According to him, all the stages are crucial since they either impact an individual positively or negatively. The 8 stages range from toddler to late adulthood. Say during the life course of an individual, school age, one underwent an extremely hard time making him or she ingrains a negative attitude in oneself on education. For such a person, it will be hard for him, or her, to successfully undergo adulthood education. This is because the individual will continue suffering the effects of what he or she pass, anytime the word education comes across. This will not be the case for an individual who never had problems during school age; he or she will be ready to learn because he has a positive attitude toward education. For adults to learn appropriately, a rather close relationship should be developed between them and their teachers. Through this, they will be able to share different experiences that they underwent through their learning process. This will make it easier for the teacher to assist them whenever necessary. Both teachers and learners should understand that, for the process of learning to be successful, a proper balancing between the needs for the learner and that of the learning process should be balanced appropriately. The famous Pedagogy wrote by Freire had it that there should be a mutual relationship between student, teacher and the society. In the light to the above ideology, it was discovered that since the oppression in schools is majorly contribute by teachers, thy also have the power to make schools a better place. With the creation of a conducive atmosphere, many adult and normal students will find it easy to learn, since there will be better co-operation. With reference to the theory of experimental learning, it has been noted by Fosnot that people get to gain knowledge through their past experiences, knowledge and concepts. It is from these that they get to learn and come up with new educational techniques. The theory also explains that the difficulty in education is brought about by the lack of flexibility. The education is more passive rather that allowing for new developments. The methods of teaching are the same; year-in-year-out despite the different set of students. This is not healthy more so to adult students who mostly rely on practical than theoretical knowledge. The theory of experimental learning is mean for the society that harbors people who are innovative and willing to learn. This should be done through numerous trials. However, for this to be successful, it is essential that teachers get to embrace the new ideas and stick by their students to assist in any case necessary during the course for an inventory. In such a scenario, most adult students will be able to learn, since that is somewhat similar to what they are acquainted with in the job market; new skills get experienced every day, not through reading theories, but by encountering problems and solving them through interactive learning as workmates. Finally, it is important to take into consider that adult students from both genders have different modes of gradual learning. To the male gender, all the stages and theories apply directly. However, according to Carol Gillian, female genders tend to be different to the male considering a myriad factor. She believes that there are three cognitive development stages; selfish stage, conventional morality and the post-conventional stage. According to her study, women begin their educational stages with the selfish stage. In this stage, only her success matters and will do anything to obtain it. However, as time goes by, they get to realize that it is not worth it to be selfish and begin sacrificing their success to the public. After reaching this level of maturity, they get to discover that they can be successful, with other people around them being in the same state. In this light, despite all adult and teenage students being same, members of the female gender should be treated with understanding. Section 3: first steps to betaken In section 1 and section 2, we have identified both the problem (section 1) and solution to the problem (section 2). In this section, we will identify the first steps that are necessary to ensure that adult education becomes as normal as possible. Implementation of Experimental learning In my opinion, the first problem that should be handled in the education system is the teaching mechanism. Since we have already learnt that adults are better students if they get taught using illustrations and experiments, it is only logical that teachers get to employ a similar teaching mechanism. Currently, the teachers use passive education learning modes. Passive education is where the teacher transfers the knowledge that he or she has, directly to the student. This teaching type is usually based on theoretical explanations rather than a combination of theory and practical. Since most learning adult students have been in the profession or are working part time, they can all conform to me that most of the skill they possess for their current jobs were obtained through experimental learning. Therefore, teachers should use more experimental learning than theoretical; adult students get comfortable. This is because they are learning in an environment they are acquitted. It has also been proven that experimental learning is more efficient than theoretical learning since it makes it easier for students to grasp concepts. It teachers can make the learning process appealing, then students will certainly like to be taught making them ingrain a positive attitude towards learning. Creating good social relationship between adult students and their teachers It was identified that different adult students possess varying educational backgrounds, depending on how they underwent their education in the early Erikson psychological stages. In order for teachers to understand their students better, it is advisable that they create a personal relationship. Through the relationship that has been created, the student will, therefore, be at ease sharing with the teacher his or her educational background. Based on the counseling skills that most teachers possess, they will be able to bring new perceptions to learning, and or make the existing ones better. For example, through a personal relationship between the teacher and the student, it will be possible to identify whether the student has a good or poor background with education. If it is poor, the teacher will be able to advise the students in the most appropriate way to make everything look bright again. If the student has a desirable relationship, the teacher will be able to polish up every other bottleneck. It is also vital to remember that it is not only beneficial to identify the problem and the solution, but to help the student overtime by conducting progress checks. With the teacher possessing knowledge on each and every student, it will be easier to teach in a manner that everybody in the lecture hall is comfortable. With such an environment, each and every adult student will be at ease learning since the teacher does the process in a way that everybody understands. Solving gender education problem Carol identified that males and females possess different cognitive development. This affects them two genders in their learning processes. According to her, the female gender does not follow Kohlberg theory of moral development as mentioned. Women tend to be rather selfish in their beginning stages of moral developments. It is pertinent to understand that not all females get to experience the same level at the same time. While one might be belonging to the selfish stage, another female individual in the same class may be at the conventional morality stage. These two individual will interact separately with other members of the class. It is noteworthy that every teacher tries to understand each level that a female student may belong. This will be easily done through the development of social relationship that was discussed above. From this level, the teacher will be able to assist them develop into new stages better, or make them adapt to their current morality stage efficiently. If the female students get to understand themselves better, they will be able to relate with the rest of the students easily. Lessons on such differences should also be taught so as to to make the rest of the class understand variation of behaviors. With the stated steps executed, adult learning will be better and more efficient. This will be because there will exist mutual relationship and understanding between the students, the teacher and their environment. With the realization of the above necessary steps, there is future for better adulthood education. Work cited The Development of Adult Education: Aspects and Trends. Paris: Unesco, 2005. Print. Read More