013125 Adult Education: History, Policy and Context

6cp
Postgraduate
Subject coordinator: Tony Brown

This subject examines the history of adult education and the claims that adult educators have made about the special role and purpose they play. Among these are that the first adult educators were popular educators and that adult education's defining purpose is to support democracy and social change; others concentrate on preparing adult learners for work, to assist adults to achieve self-actualisation and see it as developing human and social capital; while others say adult education provides a second chance at education, especially in the fields of literacy and numeracy, and in underdeveloped economies. How might we understand the claims made for adult education in the early 21st century against earlier claims? Is it still a force for social or radical change or has it been conscripted to deliver a flexible and adaptable workforce? Can we even say there is a role for adult education or indeed that the term continues to have a particular meaning? By exploring these issues and questions, this subject also looks at contemporary policy and thinking.

Fee information

2007 contribution for post-2004 Commonwealth-supported students: $499.75
2007 amount for undergraduate domestic fee-paying students: $1,860.00
Subject EFTSL: 0.125
Note: The above fees are applicable in 2007 for Commonwealth-supported students who commenced after 2004 and domestic fee-paying undergraduate students only. Pre-2005 Commonwealth-supported students should consult the Student contribution charges for Commonwealth supported students webpage.
Not all students are eligible for Commonwealth supported places, and not all subjects are available to Commonwealth supported students. Domestic fee-paying students and international students should refer to the Fees webpage.

Access conditions

Note: The requisite information presented in this subject description covers only academic requisites. Full details of all enforced rules, covering both academic and admission requisites, are available at Access conditions and My Student Admin.