Based on the assumption that something is fundamentally wrong at its definitional roots about the concept of adult education upon which the profession is organized, this paper identifies seven troubling characteristics of the profession. These characteristics, which stem from failure to root the definition in philosophical foundations, are (1) the…

A study was conducted to identify the types and uses of computer hardware and software in adult and community education programs in Florida. Information was gathered through a survey instrument developed for the study and mailed to 100 adult and community education directors and adult literacy center coordinators (92 surveys were returned). The…

After recapitulating certain problems with current conceptions of the profession of adult education and stating a design problem for the reinvention of the field, this paper argues that adult education can best be seen as "self-education." A beginning definition and concept of that term is described, along with a model and supporting guides for…

Monette divides the definitions of needs into four categories. Basic needs are caused by a deficiency and lead to gratification-seeking behavior. Felt needs are self-defined wants or desires which, when expressed, suggest an unmet need and a means of gratification or imply ultimate goals. A normative need refers to a deficiency between the present…

Media reports suggest widespread illiteracy among adults who may not be able to read, write, speak, or otherwise communicate competently enough to meet the demands of modern society. No consensus has been reached regarding a definition of illiteracy or supporting statistics. Estimates of adult illiteracy range form 0.5% to 50%, meaning that of the…

In order to ascertain whether the definition and delineations of the terms "community services" and "continuing education" adequately represent institutional concepts and goals with respect to these functions and to determine how well El Paso Community College met community needs, an in-depth review of relevant literature and a…

This handbook was designed to help adult literacy education teachers to understand the plastics industry, develop a curriculum, and teach basic skills classes in a plastics company. The book contains four main sections. The first section, on the basics of plastics, contains a brief history of the industry, an elementary description of the…

Prepared for the National Advisory Council for Career Education, this paper offers a broad view of the current practice of career education of adults, drawing on statistical information that indicates millions of adults are engaged in diverse kinds of educational activity. The paper defines the terms adult and career education and discusses a…

A nationwide Adult Education Programme (NAEP), with the object of providing adult education to 100 million adults within five years, was inaugurated in India in October, 1978. A conference held in New Delhi in June, 1979, discussed the problems of training enough adult education instructors to implement the program throughout the country,…

This booklet is intended to serve as a resource for instructors who are beginning a job club program for their adult students. The following topics are addressed in the guide: the main purposes and activities of a job club, criteria for establishing the success of a job club, competency expectations for job club participants, job club assessment,…

This monograph contains eleven exemplary articles that focus on topics related to competency-based adult education. Among the articles included are (1) Competency Based Education: Is It Applicable to Adult Education Programs?, by James E. Hertling; (2) What Adult Performance Level Is--and Is Not, by William G. Spady; (3) Competency Based…

It is estimated that 22 percent, of adults in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina have poor literacy skills, meaning that they have difficulty with tasks involving simple texts and documents. Purpose: Given this low level of adult literacy, the purpose of this exploratory research study was to analyze the perceptions of North Carolina's adult…

This document presents practical guidelines for evaluating community-based adult leaning projects in the United Kingdom to document their impacts. The guide provides frameworks, terms of reference, examples of methods used by community-based projects, ways of demonstrating project impact, and a range of evaluation tools. Sections 1 through 10…

Research points to numerous examples of the successes that occur when learning disabled adults are rehabilitated. For example, a study of learning disabled adults who were clients of the Arizona Division of Vocational Rehabilitation between 1975 and 1981 revealed that 64 percent of the clients had found work and remained working for two months or…

An online dialogue on gender-based analysis (GBA) was held from February 15 to March 7, 2001. Invitations and a background paper titled "Why Gender-Based Analysis?" were sent to 350 women's organizations and individuals throughout Canada. Efforts were made to ensure that aboriginal and Metis women, visible minority women, and women with…