Discussion of Measures for Planning of Adult Education Program

Much like little worms that go unseen when hiding in apples but are revealed when the apple is eaten, disruption in education has shown us the mess we have created by overlooking the need for adult education. To solve some of problems in the educational system of adults there is a need  to use few measures while planning adult education program.  

Planning an educational program involves a series of decisions that can take place between different organizations, people and activities. Adult learners have different characteristics from young learners, including the social roles of adult learners as parents and employees, professional, family and communities, abundant classroom experience, and return-to-college goals such as improving their professional skills, career development and a better life. According to Knowles, adults are autonomous, goal-oriented and practical, and has accumulated professional and personal experience, a family responsibilities and previous training. In addition, adult learners have barriers against educational participation programs such as time limit, transportation, motivation, interest, money, and confidence. Based on these characteristics of adult learners, educators should design curricula and adopt teaching methods to meet the needs adults and ensure the continuous learning process of adults throughout their lives. Unlike more traditional types education, adult and continuing education should respond flexibly to the needs and interests of potential adults. 

Rothwell and Cookson proposed a comprehensive model for planning lifelong education programs (LEPP). In the pattern they identified four quadrants in program planning: 'exercise of professional responsibility, commitment relevant contexts, program design and management of administrative aspects”. According to Rothwell and Cookson, exercising professional responsibility clearly involves making work philosophy, responsibility and role of educators. In other words, program planners should have their own values, ensure that program planning consistently meets the needs of learners and develop ethics-based training framework. According to Kilgore, program planners must pay attention to each step of the planning process and to consider for everyone involved in an educational program. For example, they should reflect on their values and beliefs in education and take into account the views of all stakeholders involved in the curriculum planning, developing the needs of adult learners and professional development of teachers to ensure ongoing meet the life learning needs of adults. Schroeder suggests the importance of the link between educational programs and society in general. Schroeder believes that adult and continuing education is a process of development and the dimension of social change program development is important. Adult educators should be encouraged to examine the events that occur in the larger society for program development ideas. According to Long, adult education and continuing education interacts with broader social events, including economic, political and technological changes, and therefore program activity should be informed by an awareness of the implications of such events.

Planning educational programs is an ongoing and complex process and planners must reflect and consider for all the factors involved, the context and the people. The objective of this study is to analyze how to plan an effective education programs for adult learners. Adult education is a developmental process and interacts with broad social events. Adult educators should be encouraged to consider the events that occur in a larger context for the development of the program. Program planners should take into account the needs and interests of adult learners in ensuring curriculum development and pedagogy. The approaches integrate the needs, expectations and experiences of students into the educational program.