Social Relevance and Modern AE
1965 - Present
"In the post-World War II period, as in earlier periods, institutions and agencies, all with different agendas, sought to give direction to adult education. The organizations included professional associations, philanthropic foundations, educational testing services, the federal government, and corporations. Major efforts centered around organizational, conceptual, and policy concerns: What organizational structure, if any, could bring the various segments of the field into a cooperative relation? What concept could best fit the changing nature and role of the education of adults and perhaps become a rallying point for coordinated national planning? How should public resources be allocated and how should such decisions be made? The 1980s would end without definitive answers."
From Stubblefield, H. & Keane, P. (1994). Adult Education in the American Experience: From the Colonial to the Present. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, p. 291.
"In the 1950s, the adult education community and segments of the philanthropic community sought to shaped the field of adult education, establish it as an educational domain, and give it direction. In the 1960s, the federal government used adult education in the service of distributive social justice to address a crisis in race and class through the War on Poverty. In the 1970s, the education and philanthropic communities sought to gain recognition of lifelong learning as a master concept for planning and organizing services in support of adult learning. A transition to the postindustrial society made continuing learning an imperative and opened new discussion about bringing more domains of adult learning under the purview of adult education. In the 1980s, the workforce crisis became the catalyst for educational action."
(p. 308)
Some Things to Keep in Mind:
"In many respects, adult education continually became a more open and expansive system; at the same time, however, the social realities of race, gender, class, ethnicity, and religion restricted access to these opportunities." (p. 310) What do Stubblefield and Keane mean by this? Do you feel that AE reaches more people than it did in the past? What are some of the ways in which AE has expanded since the 1960s? How do you expect AE to expand in the next 10-20 years?
Forces which have shaped and are shaping adult education:
Government: During the early 1960s, the government initiated broader educational programs (primarily in the areas of adult basic education and job retraining) in response to poverty, the civil rights movement, and racial tension. By 1968 this commitment to helping needy Americans began to decrease. During the Reagan era, the government handed over a large part of the responsibility for training and retraining to the private sector.
Workforce: There is an increase in workplace training and an increase in adults participating in continuing professional education (CPE) for their jobs. Many jobs are becoming obsolete due to advancements in technology. Part-time work changes as well--no longer is it mainly needed for supplemental income. Larger numbers of women are entering or reentering the workforce. There is an increase in job competition due in part to the higher aspirations of workers such as ethnic minorities, women, disabled people, and the elderly. Additionally, career change becomes more acceptable and is made easier, in some cases, due to the portability of pension plans. "Communting" via computer also begins to grow in popularity.
Higher/Continuing Education: Higher education expands its offerings to satisfy the needs of working adults for continuing education. For example, there is a 120% increase in part-time students between 1966 and 1976. There are more CPE, non-credit, and certificate courses available to adult learners. Knowledge becomes a commodity and Americans need greater levels of education to keep up with innovations--particularly those in technology.
Society: Social movements such as the civil rights and women's movements put into motion great changes in American society. The lifestyles of adults have shifted from the linear life plan (e.g. school-work-leisure) to cyclic (e.g. school-leisure-work-school-work, etc.) or blended (e.g. school-school/work-school/leisure-work/leisure, etc) plans. The term "lifelong" learning becomes more popular as attitudes towards learning change. There is now more time for leisure and free-time activities become more complex--leisure is no longer merely the absence of work.
Technology: Major advancements in technology create new needs for education and bring about an increase in self-directed learning. From Stubblefield, H. & Keane, P. (1989).Handbook of Adult and Continuing Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass and Cross, P. (1981). Adults as Learners, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
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Correctional Institutions |
On-line Services |
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Health Institutions |
Computer Software |
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Workplace Education |
Publishers of How-to Materials |
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Consultants and Workshop Providers |
Human Resources Development (HRD) |
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National AE Clearinghouses |
Distance Learning |
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Leisure Education |
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Important Events in AE from the Mid-1960s to the Present
1965
The National Endowment for the Arts is created to support American arts and culture.1965 The
Older Americans Act is passed to promote more education, training, and research on older adults.1965 The
minicomputer is introduced by Digital Equipment.1966 The
National Organization for Women (NOW), the largest organization of feminine activists in the U.S., is organized to promote equality for all women.1966 The
Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) is created; it is the world's largest database on education.1966 The
United Farm Workers Union founded in 1966 by Cesar Chavez reaches the first collective bargaining agreement between farm workers and growers in the U.S.1967 Plans for the
ARPANET, which will later give way to the Internet, are discussed.1967
Tallahassee Community College is established.1968 The first National Women's Liberation Conference takes place.
1969 The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (established by the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967) establishes the
Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). PBS provides educational programming for adults and children1970
National Public Radio (NPR) is established.1970 HRD expands the concept of training to include consultation and organizational problem-solving.
1973 The Vietnam War ends.
1975 Marty Knowlton organizes
Elderhostel by combining the European hosteling concept with the residential emphasis of Scandinavian Folk Schools and creates a new kind of learning program for older adults.1975 Bill Gates and Paul Allen open their software business: Microsoft.
1975
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act is passed to help states meet the educational needs of disabled people up to the age of 21.1976
Habitat for Humanity, a volunteer organization that builds and repairs housing for those in need, is founded by Millard and Linda Fuller.The organization takes steps towards social change by empowering adults through the process of homebuilding and eventual home ownership1977 The
Senate Special Committee on Aging is given permanent status.1979 The first USENET news groups are introduced by two graduate students at Duke University.
1982 - 1987 The Internet, as we know it, was developed.
1982 Two pioneering organizations of American adult education, the Adult Education Association and the National Association for Public and Continuing Education, merge to form
the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE).1982
The Job Training and Partnership Act (JPTA) replaces the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act of 1973. (JPTA) is set up to establish partnerships between labor, business, and government to promote efficient and effective training of disadvantaged adults.1989 President Bush holds an
Education Summit. As a result of the summit, his administration proposes the America 2000 plan for educational reform. President Clinton introduces the Goals 2000 Act and the School-to-Work Act to accelerate the reform movement.1990 The University of Pennsylvania sets up the
National Center on Adult Literacy.1991 The
Office of Correctional Education is created.1994 The Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act is passed--it creates 5 new educational institutes, including the
National Institute on Post-secondary Education, Libraries, and Lifelong Learning.1997 The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 authorizes the Department of Labor to provide Welfare-to-Work grants to states and local communities.