Proposes to initiate dialog on ethical issues inherent in the field of adult education and to stimulate individual and collective ethical exploration by adult educators. (JOW)

Analysis of the verbal interaction (especially turn taking) among three program planners showed how learning objectives, adult education principles, and ethical imperatives are shaped through planners' talk. Program construction appeared to be contingent upon negotiation of power and interests through the use of language. (SK)

Taxonomies are unavoidably infused with recommendations of what ought or ought not to be. Thus, use of descriptive taxonomies may have a normatively conservative effect independent of user intentions. The importance of taxonomies to adult education necessitates a critical understanding of their normative features. (SK)

This study borrows and reformulates the concept of technology from organization theory and applies it to program planning in an attempt to explain variability in practices examined in three adult education units. It was found that planning varied among organizations but not sufficiently to describe the types of technology encountered. (JOW)

Literature that presents a complete program planning model was described and analyzed using explicitly defined and uniformly applied descriptive and evaluative dimensions. Several observations about the current state of the program planning literature are made, and recommendations designed to strengthen the literature are offered. (Author/CT)

Case studies of six extension agents and four extension program developers show that three types of factors constrain or enable planning: organizational structure and culture, available resources, and power relationships. Planning is affected in terms of needs addressed and processes used; personal and organizational interests of adult educators…

Explains four theoretical concepts: power, interests, negotiation, and responsibility. Combines them into a theory of program planning that encourages adult educators to nurture a democratic process, taking into account the power relations that support or threaten it. (SK)