Foundations of Adult and Continuing Education

Foundations of Adult and Continuing Education distills decades of scholarship in the field to provide students and practitioners with an up-to-date practical resource. Grounded in research and focused on the unique needs of adult learners, this book provides a foundational overview of adult education, and an introduction to the organizations and practices developed to support adult learning in a variety of contexts. The discussion also includes select understandings of international adult education, policy, and methods alongside theoretical frameworks, contemporary and historical contexts, and the guiding principles of adult education today. Coverage of emerging issues includes the aging society, social justice, and more, with expert insight from leading authorities in the field.

Many adult educators begin practice through the context of their own experiences in the field. This book provides the broader research, theory, and practice needed for a deeper understanding of adult education and its place in society.

• Learn the key philosophical and theoretical frameworks of adult education
• Survey the landscape of the field through contemporary and historical foundations
• Examine key guiding understandings and practices targeted to adult learners
• Delve into newer concerns including technology, globalization, and more

Foundations of Adult and Continuing Education provides an expertly-led overview of the field, and an essential introduction to real-world practice.

Preface v

About the Authors xiii

1. What Counts as Adult Education? 1

2. Who Participates in Adult and Continuing Education?: Mapping the Adult Learning Landscape 33

3. Who Are Adult Educators, and What Do They Do? 71

4. Adult and Continuing Education as an Evolving Profession 103

5. Philosophy 137

6. Historical Perspectives: Contexts or Contours 171

7. The Adult Learner 215

8. Policy and Politics 255

9. Technology and Adult Learning 291

10. The Landscape of Adult Education: Prominent Organizational Contexts of Adult Education 323

11. The Landscape of Adult Education: Community-Based and Community Action Contexts of Adult Education 351

12. Changing Boundaries of Adult and Continuing Education 383

Index 407

JOVITA M. ROSS-GORDON is a professor of adult, professional and community education at Texas State University.

AMY D. ROSE is professor emerita of adult and higher education at Northern Illinois University.

CAROL E. KASWORM is W. Dallas Herring Professor emerita of adult and community college education at North Carolina State University.

Designed as a practical resource, Foundations of Adult and Continuing Education offers practitioners and emerging scholars a vital text that presents an historical and contemporary review of adult education and its place in society. The authors explore the most significant features of adult education and adult learning in the contemporary United States.

Comprehensive in scope, Foundations of Adult and Continuing Education is written by leading authorities in the field and covers a wide-range of emerging issues such as the aging society, social justice, technology, globalization, and more. This vital resource provides educators and scholars with an understanding of the current research, theory, and practice needed in order to develop a deeper appreciation of adult education and its influence on our broader culture.

Praise for Foundations of Adult and Continuing Education

"Foundations of Adult and Continuing Education is the go-to book for students, educators, and practitioners interested in everything from the history and philosophy to current trends and issues in the profession and practice of adult education. Readable, yet comprehensive, the authors have done a masterful job in their up-to-date coverage of all aspects of the sprawling field of adult and continuing education."
—Sharan B. Merriam, professor emerita of adult education, The University of Georgia

"There has been a dire need for a comprehensive and inclusive text on the foundations of adult and continuing education and this book has delivered. It provides a broad view of the field, its contexts, constraints, and promises, and leaves one better prepared to engage in conversations about adult education as a field of study."
—Mary V. Alfred, professor of adult education, executive associate dean, College of Education and Human Development, Texas A&M University

"Foundations of Adult and Continuing Education is an excellent, highly accessible survey text and a must-read for adult education students and practitioners.The authors provide thought-provoking historical and contemporary perspectives on classic and innovative topics. As a result, readers learn how past events and present challenges may shape the future of the field."
—Lisa M. Baumgartner, associate professor of adult education, Educational Administration and Human Resource Development Department, Texas A&M University

"How exciting to have this comprehensive overview of our field. This book is certain to become standard reading for adult education students."
—Dr. Steven W. Schmidt, associate professor of adult education, Department of Interdisciplinary Professions, East Carolina University