At the same time that it is experiencing rapid growth, the field of adult education is struggling with its own maturation and development as a profession. One of the issues related to the professionalization of the adult education field is that of certification. Those who favor professional certification argue that it is a means to develop the profession because it is a practice that separates individual practitioners who are competent from those who are not. Those who argue against professional certification do so for a wide variety of reasons. Some believe that the certification process is incompatible with the philosophical assumptions underlying the field, whereas others feel that certification might divide an already fragmented field. Areas of discussion related to certification focus on (1) the major proficiencies needed by effective adult education practitioners; (2) the relationship of the proficiencies to performance and program quality; (3) appropriate determination and measurement of the proficiencies; and (4) the purpose of certification. Another controversy surrounds the determination of an appropriate credential and credentialing body. (A 32-item list of print resources and resource organizations is included.) (MN)