The characteristics of Adult Education
ashok ghorpadeKey words : Adult Education, Literacy, Social Education. Introduction : The meaning of Adult is “the person whose age is beyond 40 years is called as Adult’ In concern with Adult education the person above 15 years is adult Especially the age group of 15- 35 years is eligible for the adult Education. Before the Independence period in India the meaning of Adult Education was limited one . It was only limited up to the ‘Literacy’ But after the independence the concept of adult education expanded and it meant ‘Adult education means social education’ Social Education means to destruct the ignorance in a society and thus Adult education changed into social education. The meaning of Adult Education : 1) Adult Education means ‘ to increase the social productivity to improve the lifestyle, To enable the people to take responsibility as a democratic citizen and social education for it is adult education. 2) In 1976 UNESCO has stated the concept of Adult Education as “To develop the abilities of adults to increase their knowledge, And all the activities to develop the mechanical and professional abilities. Adult education includes Formal and Informal education Health education and Democratic education. In India Adult Education has two aspects. The First aspect is that the literacy those adult who has not taken school education and the second aspect is the life-long learning of adult’s. Characteristics of Adult Education : 1. Most Adult Education in voluntary. Therefore the participants are generally self-motivated. 2. The practice of adult education is referred to as androgogy. 3. Unlike children, adults are seen as more self directed, rather than replying on others for help. 4. Due to maturity adults have knowledge and have gained life experiences which proved them foundation of learning. 5. An Adult’s learning depend upon their need to have information. 6. Their motivation of learning is problem centered rather than subject centered. 7. Adults frequently apply their knowledge in a practical fashion to learn of effectively. 8. The most important characteristics is when adults who dropped out of high school return to school to complete general requirements. 9. Adults have freedom to quit his or her job and go ‘back to school’ full time. 10. Public school systems and community colleges usually offer evening on weekend classes for this reason. 11. Adults with poor reading skills can obtain help from volunteer literacy programs. 12. 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. 13. Another goal might be not only sustain the democratic society, but even to challenge and improve its social structure. 14. In India people are not enthusiastic for adult education due to their daily routine, Adult education in India is limited up to literacy and not as a social education. 15. In India there is a need for learning of any type including literacy, basic education skill development ( Vocational Education ) and equivalency. 16. With the objective of promoting adult education, a series of programmes have been introduced since the first five year plan, the most prominent being the National Literacy Mission, that was launched in 1988 to impart functional literacy to non-literacy in the age group of 15-35 years in a time bound manner. 17 By the end of 10th Plan period, NLM had made 127.45 million persons literate of which, 60% were females, 23% belong to SCS and 12% to scheduled tribes. 597 districts were covered under Total Literacy Campaign of which 502 reached posts Literacy Campaign and 308 reached continuing Education Stage. References : 1. Merriam, Sharao B and Brockett Raiph C. The profession and practice of Adult Education : An Introduction . Jossey-Bass, 2007 ISBM 978-0-78790-2902. 2. “What is Adult Education”.About.com 3. Bohonos Jaremy Appreciating the experiences and expertise of Adult Students, Journals of College Orientation and Transition 20.2. 4. Spencer, Bruce (2006) The purpose of adult education : a short introduction (2nd edition). 5. mhrd.gov.in/adult –edu.