The History of Adult Education since 1945: Research Problems.

Overview & Synopsis

Changes in adult education since the end of World War II have been brought about less by adult education itself than by politics and the economy. The historiography of education is no longer considered a mere history of the ideas and literature of education but instead as social history. For research into the history of adult education, use of different historical perspectives is recommended, including the history of the institutions of adult education, a history of personalities, a history of social corporations that run adult education institutions, the political history of adult education, the history of the ideology, everyday history or the presentation and interpretaion of practical adult education, and a comparative history that considers the international context of adult education. Some tendencies are evident today in the system of adult education practiced in the western industrialized states, such as the growing numbers of adults, shift in emphasis to older adults in adult education, emphasis on vocationally oriented adult education, pragmatism, transition to adult education, increase in adults in higher education, and more adult education in universities. On a national as well as international basis, experts should find a reasonable strategy for collecting those materials that can give a real view of the practice of adult education and that can be used to develop archives. (YLB)