History of Adult Education ICS 213 Intro. to Adult Education

Received Tradition English culture prevailed Indentured servants = ½ of post 1630 immigrants to the thirteen colonies Desire for a skilled male work force with high literacy rates Puritan concerns for schooling and literacy. Illiteracy had to be addressed – 1/3 of males, most females, blacks, & Native Americans were illiterate

Independence & Expansion In 1776, the Articles of the Confederation Interpreted the people as meaning free white, male citizens The federal government worked with missionary groups to assimilate the Native Americans into American society. Schools promoted agriculture, stock raising, and conversion to Christianity.

Independence & Expansion In the 1800s, textile mills provided educational training opportunities for women. Education became part of a broader movement. Women became literate and taught Sunday School. Education became a central part of a broader women’s rights movement which developed after 1840.

Independence & Expansion In the mid 1800s, farmers studied crops in a farmers institute Clerks studied bookkeeping in a mercantile library association Presentation were made a libraries concerning foreign travel, literature, and social issues such as slavery.

Independence & Expansion In 1800s, government funded education reinforced nationalism, the status quo, and the expansion of the middle class. Lyceums developed in 1830s Chautauqua developed in late 1800s. Abolitionists, feminists, and socialists developed alternative educational programs to promote their activities.

Independence & Expansion In 1900s, university education became centers of national expansion that spread new research findings across society via university extension. Cooperative Extension agents mobilized industrial agriculture to replace agrarian agricultures. Migrants were indoctrinated to the American way via evening schools, churches, factories, and private organizations. Independent educational organization like the YMCA developed to meet the educational and recreational needs of urban industrial workers.

The Emergence of an Independent Society In early 1900s, women, migrant laborers, and small farmers envisioned an alternative America in which they were granted increasing power. Education became a way of learning our way out of traditional American thinking.

Dominant Movements in Adult Ed. The economic depression of 1929 provide new learner needs to be met by Adult Ed. Carnegie Corporation provided funding for expansive adult education activity Eduard C. Lindeman advance adult education as social education which gained its greatest power when united with social action.

Post-World War II Adult Education The GI Bill (1944) – subsidized higher education and vocational training for over two million veterans Community Colleges developed Education was seen as a tool for retraining American workers [Johnson – War on poverty / Nixon – Community Action program / Reagan – Job Training Partnership Act].

Diverse Visions for Adult Education Minority groups viewed Adult Education as a tool in the fight for social change and political and economic justice Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Highlander Folk School founded by Myles Horton National Organization for Women The American Indian Movement The National Farm Workers Association

Diverse Visions for Adult Education Liberal Educators viewed Adult Education as a tool to improve the quality of life The Great Books Program of Robert Hutchins and Mortimer Adler The Ford Foundation’s Fund for Adult Education The Association of University Evening Colleges

Diverse Visions for Adult Education Business and government leaders viewed Adult Education as a tool to effectively manage human resources [Human Resource Organization and Development] Educating all workers [GED] Making American workers more competitive in the global workplace [HROD] Strengthening America dominance in the global economy

Diverse Visions for Adult Education Theological Training Programs applied adult learning principles of Agricultural extension. The result was TEE – Theological Education by Extension. Training programs developed to Teach Speakers of Other Languages English – TESOL, ESL – English as Second Language, and EFL – English as foreign language.