Social Injustice and Adult Learning
From Adult Education
Created by Nana Acquah-Thompson and Talal Al Doori Fall 2009
Contents |
Introduction
Adult Education continues to be increasingly embraced and accepted by colleges not only in the United States, but also in countries around the globe. Although adult education exist before the introduction of pedagogy, but has been relegated to the background. Two systems of education being offered are in the form of pedagogy and andragogy. Pedagogy has been the mainstay of our education system. Currently andragogy, learning strategy for adults, is spreading all over the globe, adding a bit of flesh to the ever dominate pedagogy. The mind set target for this new study adults, who have dropped-out of school and/or those who could not afford education due to certain circumstances, it is believed when given the necessary opportunities, education would bring change in their life or impact change in their society, hence reducing illiteracy rate to the barest minimum. As long as the vision is clear about andragogy, there are some also impediments that must be addressed which have resulted in social injustices to adult Learning in all fields of interest.
Definition of Social Justice
There are many definitions for social justice regarding with many opinions. However, social justice, according to Hayek, Routledge, 1973, is a model where by learn right is reached in all areas of community, instead of law or rearrangement of strategy, which aimed at achieving fairness in all community and society. On the other hand, the social justice according to Tricia Ellis-Christensen view is concerned honesty and loyalty to each other where equal right and opportunities of the society be equally shared distributed putting up difference or categorized people. Social justice can be defined as management of the community or the law for individuals and consider them on an equal footing in the tasks and duties and non-discrimination them under the guise of sex, color, assets, marital status, cultural or physical. (Wikipedia 2001)[1].
However, the real social justice is not just laws or regulations, but it is the overview or general behavior of the society and the law towards the citizenship. In many countries and communities, the social justice considered a key element of the successful society and must act on the principle of equal citizenship and diligent and punish the negligent acts the same standard and non-discrimination.
What is Social Injustice
In this section of the article we will look to the definition of social injustice in communities, which can be considered blight and destruction of communities fall. Social injustice, according to Levy and Sidel, is the concept of injustice and inequality evaluated the distribution of tasks or burdens, remuneration and other inequalities, including the perception of the world by the administration of the state or society to some individuals or groups to distinguish between individuals of the same society.
Social injustices in adult students occur when they are treated as inferiors, with no respect is, accorded to them because most schools today may have young adults aged 18- 28, finishing their Bachelor, Masters and PhD. Therefore middle age adult and older adult finds it difficult or tough competing with them. For many years the focus was on the rich and neglecting the poor in the adult education system and this is what happened in the capitalism systems. As the rich seek more education, they leave the poor behind.
Adult learning and Social Injustice
Adult Education
Adult learning
Social Injustice in Adult Learning
Adult Education
According to Eduard Lindeman book’s, Meaning of Adult Education, published in 1926, the adult education become what it is when a number of people who were inspired to learn and change their social life style, and to improve upon what they have lacked or could not get jet hold to, making them inferior. Adult education is akin to the proverbial elephant being described by five blind men; it depends on where you are standing and how you are experience the phenomenon." (Merriam S.B and Brockett R.G, 2007 pg.3) “Adult Education is purposely designed program for those whose age, social roles or self perception define them as adult,” (Isaac, 2005 pg.278) Adult education has come to stay as has been the pedagogy. Adults want to learn. They have decided to refresh their minds and to keep up with the challenges and handle situations with ease as they develop. In the world today, there are more adults living, the number of older adults is growing, than in years gone by. Some reasons may include family planning, reduced death rates of adults, and a more diverse population. There are better and more opportunities can persuade those who have dropped out of the system or who could not afford an education to return to school.
Adult learning
Learning is a process whereby human beings create and transform experiences into knowledge, skills, attitudes, beliefs, values, senses and emotions. (Peter Jarvis,2001)
"The term learning, by contrast, emphasizes the person in whom the changes occurs or is expected to occur. Learning is the act or process by which behavioral change, knowledge, skills and attitudes are acquired."( Boyd, Apps, et al., 1980 pg. 100-101) "It can be argued that the nature of society at any particular point in time determines the relative emphasis placed on adult learning." (Merriam S.B, Caffarella R, S and Baumgartner L.M 2007 pg.5)
Learning for adults does require time and pacing, and without being rushed, adults will do well since they care presumably very motivated. This is why the western world has injected into their education system adult education program scheme, hence learning in many fields of adult interest. It cannot be said of the third world countries where adult education is now finding it feet and there are no better equipped infrastructures for adult learning. Adult educators and learners are increasing, social injustice in adult learners is becoming hindrance which is making the program to retreat, while adults are asking am I getting the program that have interest in and about my curriculum.
Social Injustice in Adult Learning
Social injustice in adult learning manifests in many ways, ranging from various forms of open discrimination of individuals to groups, race, ethnicity and certain class of people. This continues to widen the gaps between the pedagogy and andragogy. Adult learners need ‘room’ to operate, that is a predetermined and precise time where they can learn at their own comfort or ample period. Once these are than adult learner will not feel injustice as said by Clark and Caffarella that time allotted them will improve their developmental progression. The social and cultural aspects are primary factors that drive growth and change in adulthood. The role of parent, spouse, partner, worker, and friend, and the “correct” timing of those roles have a great impact on shaping the developmental process (Clark & Caffarella, 1999).
Social injustice has been a slow canker worm in adult learning, slowing down activities and causing unfair and improper adult program planning due corruption in governance and administration at some places. The older adults are facing other unfair injustices in the sense that, it has become a norm that there are certain disciplines that can’t be followed, such as in the field of medicine. In the formal education they are treated the same as adolescents and the young adult which shows social injustice. Some causes of social injustice in adult education may stem from of discrimination, oppression, racism, prejudice ageism and classism. These might result from;
- Failure to provide essential learning materials for the adult educator.
- Motivating of adults to learn due to old age.
- Restriction of learning in specific area or discipline.
- Corruption of government and culture.
There are countless number of social injustices with adult learning, but as we concentrate on the few that we have mentioned, let’s cast our attention back and see what we can do to arrest injustice and make justice to prevail in adult education.
Way Forward
Adult education is here to stay. This move or change is welcomed by the middle aged and older adults who now have the opportunities to regain what they may have lost or not experienced in the past. Many older adults return to education because they want improvement in their social lives and they want to have a greater impact on their communities. “The extent to which social justice and equity exist in society correlates with the distribution of resource within the population. Equality in distribution of wealth within society improve population health status and reduces health disparities with the society,” (Levy and Sidel, 2006). When justice and equity prevails in the education sector, there will be correlation in the distributing resource between pedagogy and andragogy, there shall be healthy relationship in our education system where adults and the youth will be the same class and they will not feel inferior. There is the need to address certain basic approach in adult education and the organization. These approaches may include;
• Promoting Social justice by educational policies, program and services and adhering to the beliefs’ and values of adult learners.
• Strengthening and encourage Educators and institutions to promote adult learning and all form of discipline in the interest adult students.
• Adult education should be resourced and equipped with the necessary facilities to motivate adult to school.
Social injustice leads to increase rate of disparities in adult learners making them to lose interest in education, currently countries around the globe are promoting adult education, and policies are being formulated to push it ahead.
Conclusion
Adult education has come far and it about time we normalize the system and roll with the existing pedagogy. The UN role of equal rights, peace and tranquility should come to the fore play that education holds the key to solving the greater portion of these problems.
Dr .Kathleen Kelsey said, "It is our responsibility as adult educators to promote middle class by providing education opportunities for people to increase their intellectual and physical well being, we should not be comfortable in the homophile group but to reached out to the disadvantage and less privileges people."
To make the world a comfortable place, injustices of all forms should be eschewed, allowing justice to reign in our education field so that dropout and uneducated adults will have opportunity to learn
Further Reading
Google Book, Social Justice an essays by Thomas Nixon [2]
Social Justice & Public Policy, Anthony Atkinson [3].
Social Justice by Novak [4].
External link
1- Social Justice Education keynote speaker, Dr. Heather Hackman St. Cloud University. You Tube [5]
2- UACT Social Justice Panel. Sheila Wright, Dean of the Hamline School of Education.You Tube [6]
3-Education at a Glance 2009 [7].
4- Social injustice is killing people on a grand scale reports WHO's Commission [8].
5- Wise Geek, What is Social Justice[9].
6- Chicago Social Justice, Education Justice. You Tube [10]
7- Cultural Consciousness in America's Classrooms and can teachr do teacher to involve students. You Tube [11]
Reference
Clark, M. C., & Caffarella, R. S. (1999). Theorizing adult development. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education (1999)84, 3 – 8. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [12].
Jarvis Peter (2001). Learning in later Life, Kogan Page limited 120 Pentonville road London N195N.(Pg 10)
Isaac, P. E. (2005). The future education in the urban African American church. Education and Urban Society, pg 276-291.
Levy, B.S and Sidel V.W. (2006) Social Injustice and Public Health, 198 Madison Aveune NY 10016 Publishing University Press Inc.(Pg552) retrived from november 27-29, 2009 [13]
Law,legislation, and liberty, Volume 2, The Mirage of Social Justice, F.A. Hayek, Routledge,(1973)
Merriam S.B. and Brockett R.G. (2007). The Profession and Practice of Adult Education: An Introduction, California: Jossey-Bass.
Merriam S.B., Caffarella R.S., Baumgartner L.M. (2007) Learning in Adulthood, A Comprehensive Guide 3rd. California: Jossey-Bass. pg 5
Sloan L.M & Gustavsson N.S. Violence and Social Injustice Against Lesbian (pg 164)
Tricia Ellis-Christensen (2009), What is Social Justice, Wise Geek a journal
Wikipedia, Social Justice.[14]
business Dictionary [15]
Department of Adult Education and Counselling Psychology,The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT) [16]
