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ERIC Number: ED446252
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2000-Nov
Pages: 4
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Change: Connections to Adult Learning and Education. ERIC Digest No. 221.
Imel, Susan
A relevant question for educators is how adult learning and education can cultivate change with individuals and groups. M.D. Hohn (1998) identifies four types of change: change by exception, incremental change, pendulum change, and paradigm change. A change agent tries to bring about a change deliberately. The change process is transformative, is political, involves learning, and takes place over a period of time. Adult educators frequently act as change agents. Literature describing the change process and the learning that occurs as part of it uses terms or describes processes associated with adult learning, particularly transformative learning. Reflection is another term associated with both adult learning and change. The political aspects of change, including power, are also topics in adult learning. Because a change agent deliberately tries to bring about change, some adult educators may feel conflict in helping adults become aware of how society is structured and how their own experiences have been shaped by such factors as gender, race, and class. As Stephen Brookfield (1995) believes, the teacher of adults has the responsibility to help learners become critically reflective and think of themselves as individuals capable of taking action and changing the world. The adult educator who assumes the role of change agent should pay attention to the context; be prepared to be proactive; attend to learning; and build in action. (Contains 18 references.) (YLB)
For full text: http://www.ericacve.org/fulltext.asp.
Publication Type: ERIC Publications; ERIC Digests in Full Text
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education, Columbus, OH.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A