Adult Education Philosophy - Essay Example

Name) (Instructor’s name) (Course) (Date) Adult Education Philosophy This is a research in the field of adult education that is aimed at studying and analyzing the various aspects that are involved in the field. Such aspects include the understanding of philosophical orientation within the field. In order to understand one’s philosophical orientation in the field, the aspects that must be looked at closely include personal values, ethics, intellectual traditions and organizational values. All these aspects of the field are crucial in the mastering of the field of adult education. This essay endeavors to provide a clear understanding and definition of what a personal philosophy of education entails (Zinn, 2010). It also intended to provide and outline of the importance of the relationship that exist between philosophy and education. The relationship between philosophy and educational practice is also a matter of concern in this study. Educational philosophy is a consistent and comprehensive set of beliefs that concern the teaching-learning transactions. An educational philosophy is crucial in helping the educators in recognizing the need to think in a clear manner over what they are undertaking. It is also the tool that enables them to see whatever they are engaged in in a broader and larger context of social and individual development. A philosophy of education is essentially the aspect of getting individuals think about their duties in their field of education. In doing this, educators have the ability to see the interaction that takes place among the various factors and elements that are involved in the teaching- learning interaction. Such elements include the administration, students, curriculum and goals. Philosophy of education is abstract and just comprised of ideas. It is interested in the overall principles of process, subject, object or any phenomenon. It raises questions concerning what is to be done and why those actions or activities are to be done. It is more systematic and reflective rather than common sense. Philosophy of education is the aspect of thought that provides an avenue for crucial and more serious inquiry into traditions and ideas. Although philosophy of education is theoretical, it is a set of belief system that channels or drives the actions of an educator. Consequently, one’s personal philosophy of learning and teaching will function as the organizing structure that defines the individual’s beliefs, attitudes and values that are related to the exchange between teaching and learning (Zinn, 2010). Certain specific beliefs concerning life are applied to practice whenever the adult educator gets involved in the practice of education. The philosophy of education is composed of these beliefs. Beliefs on education provide some mechanism for the election of instructional content, establishment of teaching and learning objectives, selection and/or development of instructional materials, interaction with students, and the evaluation of educational results and outcomes. Education has intent to cause change. This change can be in terms of increase in skill, knowledge, or a change in behavior or attitude. The direction in which the change takes is defined, to a great extent, by what individuals and large groups in the society believe should occur through education. For instance the early citizenship classes were designed in a manner that would facilitate “Americanization” of the immigrants. This was mainly to acculturate these individuals so that they could be able to fit better into the American society. Ethic pride in the American society was enhanced, instilled and reinforced by the black studies classes which came up in the late 1960s. The teaching system of Maria Montessori was meant to encourage personal growth as opposed to socializing of the children (Apps, 1985). Philosophical orientations influence adult education in a number of ways. It provides a consistent, integrated means for judging and deciding on matters in the field. It also influences the ability to separate between what is worthwhile from what unworthy or trivial. Other influences include; development of critical thinking among actors, expanding the vision that is key in enhancing personal meaning among individual adult educators’ lives. Philosophical orientations also facilitate the recognition and the resolving of conflicts among actors in the field of adult education (Argyris & Schon, 1974). As an adult educator, I am endowed and vested with a set of enormous responsibly. My role as an adult educator include demonstrating new skills, transmitting content and information through lectures, helping the learners in organizing and planning learning activities, assisting the students in a learning process which is discovery in nature. It also includes the facilitating of a number of the learner’s comfort as well as in the learning process. These roles include giving the leaner the direction to access other relevant resources, providing guidance and direction to the student through a number of other ways that are crucial in facilitating learning among the students. In all the above roles, the adult educators are vested with the responsibility to make decisions and act as per what they believe as being appropriate. An individual educator has the authority to reject, support, modify or conform to certain specific aspects of the teaching process even in cases where an education institution regulates or dictates such aspects of the teaching process (Brostrom, 1979). The educator has the duty to judge such mandates according to his or her personal interpretations and believes Zinn inventory is an effective and philosophical orientation way to assist adult educators in the identification of their personal philosophical orientation that has relations and connections to their adult education. Out of this, measurement instrument was invented, developed and validated. This technique is what could be utilized by an adult educator in identification of a personal philosophy of adult education. This philosophy was to be compared with the other philosophies that exist in the field of adult education. The philosophy of discussion of Zinn's Inventory is meant to assist one, as an adult educator, to initiate a process of philosophical inquiry and also to reflect on their actions and beliefs. By using the inventory, the outcome for most individuals has been in a combination. The typical combinations for this inventory include behaviorist and liberal or humanistic and progressive. Some individuals interpret Radical Adult Education to be a modification and extension of Humanistic Adult Education. This implies that they are likely to have high scores in both of these. There is low possibility that one would have high scores in both the radical and liberal categories. However, it is crucial to note that the concepts “Radical” and “Liberals” ought to not necessarily be understood in political senses. One can use “Traditional” or “Classical” in place of “Liberal”. This is a convenient substitution of the terms. “Radical” is meant to imply reaching at the basis of something. The alternative term for this could be “Reconstructionist”. Whenever one finds his or her scores fairly similar or equal in all of the philosophies, he or she may want to work on classifying his or her beliefs and also looking for sourcing for contradictions among them. This is also the case if the scores are spread among three or more philosophies (Zinn, 2010). Once an individual has established how his or personal philosophical orientation compares with those of other within the field of adult education, he or she may need to formulate a more comprehensive definition or statement of their philosophy as far as adult education is concerned. From the inventory, my philosophical orientation discovered by it is liberalism. This is based on the beliefs that adult education should be meant to improve the personal capacity of the learner and develop their abilities for better lives. The various dynamics that are meant to take place in the field of adult education should be initiated by individuals. Each individual in the fields is endowed with a capacity to do things according to their wishes. The power of thinking should be allowed to all the parties in the field. Similarly, liberalism allows for open mindedness where learning is in some way a discovery. Individual explore and define things in their own ways and the system is there to offer minimal and necessary regulations (Zinn, 2010). The defining aspects of Liberal philosophy according to Zinn are historically linked to elites. It is also defined by some aspects which are associated with a population that has limited mainstream power. The women population is mostly associated with this philosophy. The values that are not associated with such a system include change, progress, optimism, newness, activity, optimism, efficiency, practicality, technology and measurability. It also runs contrary to the current of value patterns of America. Its emphasis lies on knowledge as an influence and power and also as a partnership that exists. This is achieved through the pushing for social action and political consciousness. This thrust needs more than the mainstream belief in the equality of opportunity. It requires equality in regards to societal conditions. The individuals who have this kind of philosophies which seem to have less representation of mainstream values are most likely faced with grater conflicts as well as dilemmas. This is in contrast to those individuals who have their philosophies more in tune to the present American values (Conti, & Welborn, 1986). There are practices that occur in the field that are in resonance with my liberal philosophical orientation. This involves the move by some practitioners to want to involve themselves in understanding their real identities, privileges as practitioners in the field, the right and privileges that the students and learners need apart from those provided by the mainstream, then role of the field other than imparting education on the learners among other duties. These practices have occurred in the recent past in the field of adult learning. This has actually been geared towards sensitizing the needs and the rights of the each and every member of the field that could otherwise have otherwise not been gathered for in the mainstream. There are practices in adult education that are hard to be explained from the liberal philosophy of adult education. The senses of humanistic aspects that are exhibited in some characters in the field are an example. Some of the human aspects that help to maintain the contact between the adult educator and the student are hard to be explained. Some behavioral aspects are also complex if analyzed using this philosophical orientation. The behavior aspect of the various individuals who participate in the field of adult education differ greatly. One specific definition for these behaviors cannot be achieved. There is no standard definition of the behavior based on the liberal philosophical orientation. It is also difficult to validate the role of the mainstream system. Liberal philosophical orientation postulates a system where individuals practices whatever they desire and sensitize the actors in the field concerning their rights. This is always in contrary to the mainstream systems that have been established to regulate the field and maintain order (Walters, & Manicom, 1996). The various current trends that have occurred in the field of adult education have been as a result of liberal thought by the various actors in the field. The influenced on adult education that are obtained by the students from their educators are clear indications of the liberal orientation. The students take the influences that the educators impart on them differently. This is because they have varied thoughts and reactions to the influences that are directed towards them by the educators. The practices are also undertaken by the actors differently. This is so because they have varied definitions and attitudes towards the various aspects and practices that are undertaken in the field. Other individuals like and value some aspects and a\practices while others despise and reject the aspects and practices. The implications of the reflection indicate that there are various philosophical orientations in the field of adult educations. These orientations define the characters of the various actors in the field. The adult education practices are always defined by the philosophical orientation of the actor who is undertaking the practice. The success of the field of adult education is based in the ability of the various actors to balance and accommodate the various philosophical orientations of their fellow actors. The acknowledgement of the existence of the different philosophical orientations among the actors helps to improve the performance and the profession at large. References Zinn, L. (2010). Cycling - Philosophy for Everyone: A Philosophical Tour de Force. San Francisco ; John Wiley and Sons Apps, J. W. (1985). Improving practice in continuing education. San Francisco: Jossey·Bass. Argyris, C., & Schon, D. A. (1974). Theory in practice: Increasing personal effectiveness. San Francisco: Josscy·Bass. Brostrom, R. (1979). Training style inventory. La Jolla: University Associate'. Conti, G. j., & Welborn, R. B. (1986). Teaching· learning styles and the adult educator. Lifelong Learning: An Omnibus of Practice and Research. London, England: CACE & ZED Books Walters, S., & Manicom, L. (Eds.). (1996). Gender in popular education: Methods for empowerment. London, England: CACE & ZED Books. Read More