ADULT EDUCATION IN FRANCE.

Overview & Synopsis

A SURVEY OF NONVOCATIONAL ADULT EDUCATION IN FRANCE, THE FIRST FULL LENGTH STUDY, OUTLINES ITS HISTORY FROM THE FRENCH REVOLUTION THROUGH THE RESISTANCE, THE PRINCIPLES AND CONDITIONS OF POPULAR EDUCATION SINCE 1945, LOCAL AND GOVERNMENTAL PROGRAMS, SERVICES OF PRIVATE AND GENERAL ORGANIZATIONS, PROVISIONS FOR SPECIAL INTERESTS AND GROUPS, METHODOLOGY (STRONGLY ORIENTED TOWARD MUTUAL INSTRUCTION), AND STAFFING (MAINLY WITH NONSPECIALIST VOLUNTEER TUTORS). THE FRENCH ADULT EDUCATION ENTERPRISE FORMS A PART OF POPULAR EDUCATION (EDUCATION POPULAIRE), THAT IS, SOCIAL RECREATIONAL, AND INTELLECTUAL GROUP ACTIVITIES PURSUED OUTSIDE HOME, SCHOOL, OR WORK BY VARIOUS AGE GROUPS TO ENRICH AND DEVELOP THE PERSONALITY. IT IS HIGHLY DECENTRALIZED AND INFORMAL, SPONSORED BY MANY PRIVATE SOCIETIES, RUN BY UNPAID, PART-TIME PERSONS, WHOSE RECORDS ARE ILL-KEPT AND WHOSE FINANCES ARE COMPLICATED. IN GENERAL, SPONTANEITY AND VITALITY, CLOSE ATTENTION TO WORKING CLASS CULTURAL NEEDS AND LEARNING PROCESSES, CLOSE INTEGRATION OF ADULT AND YOUTH WORK, AND EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL ACTION ARE STRONG POINTS OF FRENCH ADULT EDUCATION. CHIEF WEAKNESSES ARE FRAGMENTATION, GROUP RIVALRY, AND GAPS IN HIGHER ADULT EDUCATION AND EDUCATIONAL BROADCASTING. THIS BOOK WAS PUBLISHED BY PERGAMON PRESS INC., 44-01 21ST STREET, LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK 11101, 201 PAGES. (LY)