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Review: Adult Education: Evolution and Achievements in a Developing Field of Study

Review: Adult Education: Evolution and Achievements in a Developing Field of Study RESOURCES Two major volumes in the field of graduate programs ofadult education. Second, its breadth ofconcern, whether one can practice without an adult, continuing, and community focus, and definition: The book attests implicit theory) will gain a sense of One chapter in this section is devoted to education have been published in less tothe paradigmatic plurality evident in enhanced professional credibility from "intellectual leaders" in the field, list­ than three years. Following hard upon the field, though ofthe contesting the­ dipping into the book's pages. There is ing several prominent scholars "before the heels of the Handbook ofAdult the Black Book" (prior to 1950), "the oretical paradigms evident in the book something reassuring about knowing and Continuing Education, edited by (critical, liberal, progressive, humanis­ that there isa group ofintelligent, com­ Black Book era" 0950-1964), and the S.B. Merriam and P.M. Cunningham "post-Black Book era" (after 1964). tic, behaviorist, interpretive, positivist, mitted academics working todefine the (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1989), is phenomenological), the perspectives boundaries, concerns, theoretical per­ Here isan opportunity tolearn some­ the appearance ofAdult Education: on research and practice embedded in spectives, and research methodologies thing about the major contributors to EliOlulion andAchiel'ement, in a humanistic psychology seem predomi­ ofthe field and conducting research, the field such a, Edward L. Thorndike, Detdoping Field (lWudy After years nant-in contrast, perhaps, to the pos­ with a cumulative character, onthe Lyman Bryson, Eduard Lindeman, ofdiscussion andpreparation, the field itivist optimism ofthe Black Book. problems ofpractice. Paul Bergevin, Edmund De now has the replacement of, and com­ Third, its hermetic nature: Unlike Schweinitz-Brunner, Alexander Char­ -by Stephen Brookfield panion volume to, Adult Education: the Black Book's emphasis onthe pri­ ters, Burton Clark, Cyril Houle,]. Roby Distinguished Visiting Outlines qfan Emerging Field cf macy ofthe "pure" disciplines (e.g., Kidd, Malcolm Knowles, Burton Kreit­ Professor, University ofSf. Unizlersity Study, commonly (affec­ sociology, history) and adult educa­ low, Howard McClusky, Alan Thomas, Ibomas, St, Paul, Minnesota tionatelyr) referred to asthe Black tion's secondary relation tothese, the Coolie Verner, and several others. Book. Because of both the notable her­ Steel Gray Book places adult educa­ Part two focuses on the multidisci­ itage and the potential impact ofthis tion-as a body ofknowledge, theoret­ plinary dimensions ofadult education. book, two reviews ofAdult Education ical speculation, and field ofprac­ Included here are chapters describing (991) are presented here so that read­ tice-front and center. Those who the contributions ofpsychology, educa­ ers might more confidently consider it, contribute tothe book see themselves tionalleadership and administration, REVIEW addition totheir professional libraries. asadult educators, first andforemost, sociology, philosophy, political science, working within a field ofstudy and and history toadult education. Part -by Trenton R. Ferro and practice with some common, though The Commission ofProfessors of three addresses "forces and trends fac­ blurred, concerns. They do not view Adult Education, an organization that ing the future." Anice touch tothe Garyj. Dean, themselves asacademics grounded in traces back to 1955, brought outAdult book ishaving Cyril Houle write the Resources Editors other disciplines who happen tobe Education: Outlines ofan Emerging foreword and Malcolm Knowles pen Indiana Unuersit» of working in adult education. Field of University ofStudy in 1964. the Epilogue. Pennsylvania, Fourth, the ethnocentric nature of Commonly known asthe Black Book, It isgenerally easy tofind fault with Indiana, Pennsyloania the field: All chapter authors have Eng­ this volume represented, in large mea­ any edited book with a collection of lish a, their first language, all are from sure, what academic adult education authors writing ondiverse topics. This the Northern hemisphere, all are affili­ was all about at that time, book isnoexception. Some chapters ated with universities ineither the Unit­ The Peters and Jarvis book builds are much stronger than others. Some REVIEW edStates orthe British Commonwealth on the 1964 work, describing what has chapters are easy toread and under­ and references toauthors orstudies in occurred in the field uptothe present stand, others less so. Adult Education: Evolution and languages other than English are and pointing the way toward the The book provides a useful back­ Adneoements in a Delieloping Field noticeable chiefly by their absence. future, The book isan ambitious work ground for those interested in the histo­ ofStudy, by John M. Peters, Peter Additionally, there are nochapters or with sixteen chapters and seventeen ry ofthe field from the perspective of Jarvis, and Associates, San Francisco: sections devoted either tocomparative authors. One major difference from the adult education professors. Unfortu­ jessey-Bass, 1991. 491 pages. adult education ortocross-cultural 1964 book isan attempt toreflect some nately, noattempt was made toinclude dimensions ofthe field. The one chap­ of the international flavor of academic the great contributions tothe research Four brief impressions ofthe Steel ter on international influences is adult education these days, Even the ofadult education that iscoming out Grey Book. First, its weight, both literal­ descriptive rather than analytical, list­ book's editors reflect this. Peters isa ofsuch diverse fields as nutrition, bio­ ly and figuratively: The book docu­ ing individuals, universities, and publi­ professor ofadult education at the Uni­ genetics, gerontology, anthropology, ments the quantitative growth in the cations that display an international and a host ofother academic areas. versity ofTennessee, and Jarvis isreader field asrepresented by its ever-expand­ emphasis. Also, many practitioners doing field in the Department ofEducational ing literature and ever-increasing Will readers ofAdult Learning read Studies at the University ofSurrey, U.K. study are discovering aspects ofthe number ofresearchers. Ifthe compara­ it? Those looking for tools, techniques, Part one ofthe book, "Development practice ofadult education that go well tively slim Black Book could be used to and methodological advice will be sore­ ofthe Field," contains chapters on the beyond, and are often different from, fan oneself on a hot day, the weighty what the academic researchers are dis­ ly disappointed. But that isnot the rea­ relation oftheory topractice, research, Steel Grey Book (packed with biblio­ son for reading this book. I suspect that and knowledge; evolution ofa formal covering. Even with its weaknesses, this graphic references andcitations ofdoc­ those who see themselves a, practition­ knowledge base; how adult education book isone many readers will find toral research in adult education) knowledge isdisseminated and used; interesting and useful, particularly ers rather than researchers ortheorists would make a good roach crusher. (leaving aside the thorny issue of and the growth and development of those wanting toknow more about one June 1992 D 27 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Adult Learning SAGE

Review: Adult Education: Evolution and Achievements in a Developing Field of Study

Brookfield, Stephen
Adult Learning , Volume 3 (8): 1 – Jun 1, 1992
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Publisher
SAGE
Copyright
© 1992 American Association for Adult and Continuing Education
ISSN
1045-1595
eISSN
2162-4070
DOI
10.1177/104515959200300811
Publisher site
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Abstract

RESOURCES Two major volumes in the field of graduate programs ofadult education. Second, its breadth ofconcern, whether one can practice without an adult, continuing, and community focus, and definition: The book attests implicit theory) will gain a sense of One chapter in this section is devoted to education have been published in less tothe paradigmatic plurality evident in enhanced professional credibility from "intellectual leaders" in the field, list­ than three years. Following hard upon the field, though ofthe contesting the­ dipping into the book's pages. There is ing several prominent scholars "before the heels of the Handbook ofAdult the Black Book" (prior to 1950), "the oretical paradigms evident in the book something reassuring about knowing and Continuing Education, edited by (critical, liberal, progressive, humanis­ that there isa group ofintelligent, com­ Black Book era" 0950-1964), and the S.B. Merriam and P.M. Cunningham "post-Black Book era" (after 1964). tic, behaviorist, interpretive, positivist, mitted academics working todefine the (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1989), is phenomenological), the perspectives boundaries, concerns, theoretical per­ Here isan opportunity tolearn some­ the appearance ofAdult Education: on research and practice embedded in spectives, and research methodologies thing about the major contributors to EliOlulion andAchiel'ement, in a humanistic psychology seem predomi­ ofthe field and conducting research, the field such a, Edward L. Thorndike, Detdoping Field (lWudy After years nant-in contrast, perhaps, to the pos­ with a cumulative character, onthe Lyman Bryson, Eduard Lindeman, ofdiscussion andpreparation, the field itivist optimism ofthe Black Book. problems ofpractice. Paul Bergevin, Edmund De now has the replacement of, and com­ Third, its hermetic nature: Unlike Schweinitz-Brunner, Alexander Char­ -by Stephen Brookfield panion volume to, Adult Education: the Black Book's emphasis onthe pri­ ters, Burton Clark, Cyril Houle,]. Roby Distinguished Visiting Outlines qfan Emerging Field cf macy ofthe "pure" disciplines (e.g., Kidd, Malcolm Knowles, Burton Kreit­ Professor, University ofSf. Unizlersity Study, commonly (affec­ sociology, history) and adult educa­ low, Howard McClusky, Alan Thomas, Ibomas, St, Paul, Minnesota tionatelyr) referred to asthe Black tion's secondary relation tothese, the Coolie Verner, and several others. Book. Because of both the notable her­ Steel Gray Book places adult educa­ Part two focuses on the multidisci­ itage and the potential impact ofthis tion-as a body ofknowledge, theoret­ plinary dimensions ofadult education. book, two reviews ofAdult Education ical speculation, and field ofprac­ Included here are chapters describing (991) are presented here so that read­ tice-front and center. Those who the contributions ofpsychology, educa­ ers might more confidently consider it, contribute tothe book see themselves tionalleadership and administration, REVIEW addition totheir professional libraries. asadult educators, first andforemost, sociology, philosophy, political science, working within a field ofstudy and and history toadult education. Part -by Trenton R. Ferro and practice with some common, though The Commission ofProfessors of three addresses "forces and trends fac­ blurred, concerns. They do not view Adult Education, an organization that ing the future." Anice touch tothe Garyj. Dean, themselves asacademics grounded in traces back to 1955, brought outAdult book ishaving Cyril Houle write the Resources Editors other disciplines who happen tobe Education: Outlines ofan Emerging foreword and Malcolm Knowles pen Indiana Unuersit» of working in adult education. Field of University ofStudy in 1964. the Epilogue. Pennsylvania, Fourth, the ethnocentric nature of Commonly known asthe Black Book, It isgenerally easy tofind fault with Indiana, Pennsyloania the field: All chapter authors have Eng­ this volume represented, in large mea­ any edited book with a collection of lish a, their first language, all are from sure, what academic adult education authors writing ondiverse topics. This the Northern hemisphere, all are affili­ was all about at that time, book isnoexception. Some chapters ated with universities ineither the Unit­ The Peters and Jarvis book builds are much stronger than others. Some REVIEW edStates orthe British Commonwealth on the 1964 work, describing what has chapters are easy toread and under­ and references toauthors orstudies in occurred in the field uptothe present stand, others less so. Adult Education: Evolution and languages other than English are and pointing the way toward the The book provides a useful back­ Adneoements in a Delieloping Field noticeable chiefly by their absence. future, The book isan ambitious work ground for those interested in the histo­ ofStudy, by John M. Peters, Peter Additionally, there are nochapters or with sixteen chapters and seventeen ry ofthe field from the perspective of Jarvis, and Associates, San Francisco: sections devoted either tocomparative authors. One major difference from the adult education professors. Unfortu­ jessey-Bass, 1991. 491 pages. adult education ortocross-cultural 1964 book isan attempt toreflect some nately, noattempt was made toinclude dimensions ofthe field. The one chap­ of the international flavor of academic the great contributions tothe research Four brief impressions ofthe Steel ter on international influences is adult education these days, Even the ofadult education that iscoming out Grey Book. First, its weight, both literal­ descriptive rather than analytical, list­ book's editors reflect this. Peters isa ofsuch diverse fields as nutrition, bio­ ly and figuratively: The book docu­ ing individuals, universities, and publi­ professor ofadult education at the Uni­ genetics, gerontology, anthropology, ments the quantitative growth in the cations that display an international and a host ofother academic areas. versity ofTennessee, and Jarvis isreader field asrepresented by its ever-expand­ emphasis. Also, many practitioners doing field in the Department ofEducational ing literature and ever-increasing Will readers ofAdult Learning read Studies at the University ofSurrey, U.K. study are discovering aspects ofthe number ofresearchers. Ifthe compara­ it? Those looking for tools, techniques, Part one ofthe book, "Development practice ofadult education that go well tively slim Black Book could be used to and methodological advice will be sore­ ofthe Field," contains chapters on the beyond, and are often different from, fan oneself on a hot day, the weighty what the academic researchers are dis­ ly disappointed. But that isnot the rea­ relation oftheory topractice, research, Steel Grey Book (packed with biblio­ son for reading this book. I suspect that and knowledge; evolution ofa formal covering. Even with its weaknesses, this graphic references andcitations ofdoc­ those who see themselves a, practition­ knowledge base; how adult education book isone many readers will find toral research in adult education) knowledge isdisseminated and used; interesting and useful, particularly ers rather than researchers ortheorists would make a good roach crusher. (leaving aside the thorny issue of and the growth and development of those wanting toknow more about one June 1992 D 27

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Adult Learning – SAGE

Published: Jun 1, 1992

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