Porn and adult education

Article by Sarah Maple

Distance learning and adult education are certainly in the spotlight at the moment. As economic problems spur individuals to improve their CVs or consider a change in career, and universities begin to offer more and more distance and e-Learning courses, now seems the perfect time for adults to think about going back to school. But adult education is not only about teaching older learners new skills and subjects, it also has a wider social importance – and can achieve far more.

In order to have this far reaching achievement, adult education must be taught and used with such prospects in mind. In his essay, The Liberating Role Of Education, Julius K. Nyerere argues that wanting to learn should not be for the goal of achievement itself, in his words: ‘such a desire is merely another aspect of the disease of the acquisitive society’.

Consequently, adult education should be aiming to liberate the student in all senses of their character. Nyerere’s example is thus: “Learning how best to grow soya beans is of little use to a man if it is not combined with learning about nutrition; or the existence of a market for the beans.” It seems that adult education during a recession needs to be wholly encompassing – involving the learning of a new subject, along with the best ways to absorb and reinterpret the information on the subject (then and beyond), and to develop an understanding of how best they can utilize that knowledge in relation to the wider world.

In an article at guardian.co.uk, Paul Mackney of Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning discusses the importance for the government to promote adult education currently, but also the difficulties that come along with it. He states, “Employers are going to have a problem in delivering training when they are simply trying to survive. Short courses will be needed to encourage people back into learning.” Yet, society itself is dependent on social inclusion and cohesiveness that comes with employment and training. He argues, “the 19th century had been about developing elementary education, the 20th century about developing secondary education and the 21st century would be about developing mass further education and higher education.”

As a result of these arguments, it seems that one of the primary roles of adult education is almost beautiful in its simplicity – to give confidence. After years of working a job the idea of a change and going back to school is a huge step, and one that involves great bravery. Yet, an adult education course should not only inspire confidence in an individual’s knowledge of a subject, but also should show they can connect with their world and themselves in a more rewarding way – and that education can and should be continued at any point in their life.

Article by Sarah Maple

Adult education broadly refers to continuing education later in life. This can include learning in direct relation to a new or ongoing career of an individual, or studies that are completely unrelated such as languages. With the development of online learning, adult education is becoming increasingly accessible, and although the general process of teaching and learning is similar between children and adults, there are additional factors that can be seen to affect those who continue their studies into adulthood.

One of the most general and logical factors that affects adults more than children during education is the notion of the knowledge which they have already accumulated. This can be seen to aid the speed of learning, as they are often likely to have a prior knowledge of the subject they are studying. Alternatively, habits of bad practice can also be learned in adulthood, and methods and processes that have been learned in a now-dated curriculum can also be difficult to shake off for some adult learners.

A paper written in 1993 by CHIU Mo Chi, entitled A Study of the factors affecting Attendance at Adult Education Short Courses, offers further insights into the differences between adult and child education. CHIU found there are a number of self esteem issues with adult learners. Those that have had a school background that lacks in academic achievement are more suited to frequent confidence boosts “because the outcome of effort is more likely to be the pain of failure than the reward of a new job, a promotion, the admiration of others, or the selfsatisfaction of succeeding at the learning task.”

Acknowledging this however, others have expressed that motivation can be an important aspect in regards to the achievement of adult learners. Where students have entered into adult education of their own accord, they have typically realised exactly what they want to learn, and why it is important for them to continue at it – despite their difficulties. Additionally, adult learners are often more aware, and accepting, of the financial and time implications of enrolling on a course later in life.

A student perspective forum on the Adult Literacy Education Wiki (wiki.literacytent.org) offers some other information from adult learners themselves. In regards to learning literacy skills during adulthood, many students seem to find the most difficult problem to overcome is fear. “I was a low level reader and I would like you all to know how afraid we are to come in and get help,” one student writes in 2007. “I think fear is what holds a lot of us back. We put on this front that all is okay and life is good but we know in our heart we are not okay at all.” Problems with embarrassment among peers, and not being able to admit difficulties to other students are continuing factors that can seem to affect learning into adulthood, and this may well be something that remains to be addressed by adult education centres today.

Article by Michael Ormsby

The demand for adult education is growing, with 39 million American adults lacking a high school diploma. Innovative GED experts at the GED Academy have identified four crucial elements to success for adult education students.

As the number of adult Americans without a high school degree nears 40 million, adult education is becoming a critical issue in the United States. GED education programs are sponsored by communities, non-profit organizations, and school districts across the country. Teaching undereducated adults is extremely challenging. Most adults who didn’t graduate high school never learned good study habits, never felt motivated to learn and never did well in a traditional classroom environment.

Research shows that most adults with a low level of education are encumbered with poor self-esteem, frustration, feelings of helplessness, and dependency on others. It’s particularly important for adult learners to succeed in their experiences with the GED. Success at this stage shows students that it’s possible to succeed. The GED Academy identifies four crucial factors for success for adult learners.

1. The learner must be able to set the pace.

Adult learners begin their GED preparation at various stages. They have gaps in their education that are difficult to predict and unique for each individual. Students should be able to skip materials they’re familiar with and review new material as many times as needed. Adult education must be customized to students’ needs. Spending hours on material that adults already know destroys motivation, and going too quickly over unknown material leads to frustration.

2. Interest, not content, drives learning.

Students who never succeeded in school don’t find classroom materials inherently interesting. Innovative adult education programs like the GED Academy prep program use storytelling techniques, among others, to capture learners’ interest. The lessons follow a virtual GED classroom, peopled with characters that include a class clown, a single mother, and an ex-convict. Following the story of virtual students’ lives creates interest and motivation, and it helps answer the question: how is this information important to me?

3. The learner needs immediate feedback.

Immediate feedback on adult learners’ progress creates a sense of accomplishment, since students can see their incremental improvement. It also shows students when they need to repeat material. Many adult education students can’t assess their own learning. Immediate feedback helps build self-awareness of the learning process.

4. Success is the great motivator.

Every part of the learning experience is an opportunity for success. Students who have experienced failure and frustration need to recognize each little success along the way. Through a combination of storytelling, humor, exposing the learning processes of fellow students, and providing immediate feedback, learning programs like the GED Academy prep program attempt to build a foundation of success for learners. Whatever methodology you’re using, give students a flexible study plan tailored to their needs, keep them interested, and give them immediate feedback. Really, these are the keys to the fourth element: success. Make sure they see their successes.