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Adult education is a practice in which adults engage in systematic and sustained self educating activities in order to gain new forms of knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values.〔Merriam, Sharan, B. & Brockett, Ralph, G.. ''The Profession and Practice of Adult Education: An Introduction''. Jossey-Bass, 2007, p. 7.〕 It can mean any form of learning adults engage in beyond traditional schooling, encompassing basic literacy to personal fulfillment as a lifelong learner. In particular, adult education reflects a specific philosophy about learning and teaching based on the assumption that adults can and want to learn, that they are able and willing to take responsibility for that learning, and that the learning itself should respond to their needs.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Adult Education )〕 Driven by what one needs or wants to learn, the available opportunities, and the manner in which one learns, adult learning is affected by demographics, globalization and technology. The learning happens in many ways and in many contexts just as all adults' lives differ. Adult learning can be in any of the three contexts i.e. * Formal – Structured learning that typically takes place in an education or training institution, usually with a set curriculum and carries credentials, * Non-formal- Learning that is organized by educational institutions but non credential. Non-formal learning opportunities may be provided in the workplace and through the activities of civil society organizations and groups * Informal education-Learning that goes on all the time, resulting from daily life activities related to work, family, community or leisure (e.g. community baking class)〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Adult learning in Canada: Characteristics of learners )〕 ==Characteristics== Defined as the science and art of helping adults learn, the practice of adult education is referred to as andragogy, to distinguish it from the traditional school-based education for children pedagogy. Unlike children, adults are seen as: * More self-directed, rather than relying on others for help * Mature and therefore experienced with the experience providing a rich source for learning * An Adult's readiness to learn is linked to what one needs to know * Adult orientation to learn is problem centred rather than subject centered * Adult motivation to learn is internal.〔 Educating adults differs from educating children in several ways given that adults have accumulated knowledge and work experience which can add to the learning experience.〔Bohonos, Jeremy Appreciating the Experiences and Expertise of Adult Students, Journal of College Orientation and Transition 20:2〕 Another difference is that most adult education is voluntary, therefore, the participants are generally self-motivated, unless required to participate, by an employer, for example. Adults frequently apply their knowledge in a practical fashion to learn effectively. They must have a reasonable expectation that the knowledge they gain will help them further their goals. For example, during the 1990s, many adults, including mostly office workers, enrolled in computer training courses. These courses would teach basic use of the operating system or specific application software. Because the abstractions governing the user's interactions with a PC were so new, many people who had been working white-collar jobs for ten years or more eventually took such training courses, either at their own whim (to gain computer skills and thus earn higher pay) or at the behest of their managers. In the United States and many areas in Canada, a more general example is when adults who dropped out of high school return to school to complete general education requirements. Most upwardly mobile positions require at the very least a high school diploma or equivalent. A working adult is unlikely to have the freedom to simply quit his or her job and go "back to school" full-time. Public school systems and community colleges usually offer evening or weekend classes for this reason. In Europe this is often referred to as "second-chance", and many schools offer tailor-made courses and learning programs for these returning learners. Furthermore, adults with poor reading skills can obtain help from volunteer literacy programs. These national organizations provide training, tutor certification, and accreditation for local volunteer programs. States often have organizations which provide field services for volunteer literacy programs. Purposes of adult education may vary, the general purposes of which are summarized as: * Vocational * Social * Recreational * Self-development One of its goals may be to help adult learners satisfy their personal needs and achieve their professional goals.〔Bohonos, Jeremy Understanding Career Context as a Key to Recruiting, Retaining and Best Serving Adult Students. Journal of Adult Learning, 2014, p. 28-30.〕 Therefore, its ultimate goal might be to achieve human fulfillment. The goal might also be to achieve an institution's needs. For example, this might include improving its operational effectiveness and productivity. A larger scale goal of adult education may be the growth of society by enabling its citizens to keep up with societal change and maintain good social order.〔 The purpose of adult education in the form of college or university is distinct. In these institutions, the aim is typically related to personal growth and development as well as occupation and career preparedness. Another goal might be to not only sustain the democratic society, but to even challenge and improve its social structure.〔 Another fast-growing sector of adult education is English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), also referred to as English as a Second Language (ESL) or English Language Learners (ELL).〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/englit.html )〕 These courses are key in assisting immigrants with not only the acquisition of the English language, but the acclimation process to the culture of the United States as well as other English speaking countries like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. A common problem in adult education in the US is the lack of professional development opportunities for adult educators. Most adult educators come from other professions and are not well trained to deal with adult learning issues. Most of the positions available in this field are only part-time without any benefits or stability since they are usually funded by government grants that might last for only a couple of years. However, in Canada, professional development is available in all provinces and territories through postsecondary institutions and most Provinces also provide professional development through their ministry of education or school boards and through nongovernmental organizations.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Adult Learning and Education: Canada progress report for the UNESCO Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE) and the end of the United Nations Literacy Decade )〕 In addition, there are programs about adult education for existing and aspiring practitioners offered, at various academic levels, by universities, colleges, and professional organizations. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Adult education」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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