Philosophy of Adult Education

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William Peace University *

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Philosophy

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Apr 3, 2024

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1 Cody Ingalls Philosophy of Adult Education 2022SU Learning/Training/Facilitation (BSA-359-ON) June 2, 2022 Philosophy is the systematic study of fundamental questions about life, logic, learning, ideals, the mind, and the language of thought (Williamson, 2021). Being a philosopher is looking at the world from a logical perspective and responding to what you see. Instead of changing the world, philosophy aims to improve and enhance the current situation. "Philosophia" is a Greek word from which philosophy was derived. “Philosophia comprises two Greek words ", phileo", meaning love, and "Sophia", meaning wisdom (Williamson, 2021). Moreover, philosophy comprises a collection of thoughts, ideas, and principles suited to direct, educate, and evaluate how things are done. The philosophy of adult education allows both adult educators and adult learners to better understand the world around them, which helps educators determine the best methods for influencing their learners to achieve their goals. First and foremost, metaphysics is the ability to examine if the world around us is real or just an illusion. Metaphysics attempts to explain how human beings live and is a branch of philosophy that teaches us to look at the world from various viewpoints. Moreover, metaphysics explains the motive of interaction among humans and why we breathe. Second, epistemology is a branch of philosophy focusing on examining knowledge, which primarily deals with concepts, theories, emotions, and memory. When it comes to educational activities like teaching and learning, this idea is crucial as it helps educators advance their knowledge. This branch examines the extent of application of the acquired knowledge among adults in their day-to-day activities and the associated significance in the future. The third branch of philosophy, ethics, examines what is considered morally acceptable and morally unacceptable. Ethics is woven into the fabric of our daily lives. Its teachings impact adult learners' ways of dealing with various scenarios and how they react to and conduct themselves in certain situations. The fourth branch of philosophy, logic, focuses on logic and rational thinking and evaluation. The last branch of philosophy, aesthetics, examines people's responses to beauty and art. As a result, adult learners get the inspiration and are driven to think critically and apply creativity to their education. Creating learning spaces that can foster adults' growth and development at their speed is central to my adult education philosophy. There can be no one-size-fits-all approach to education since the demands of each learner are unique (Stubblefield, 2018). Based on what they want to accomplish, education empowers individuals with the appropriate tools they need to make the most of their lives now and in the future. This work can be accomplished in various ways, as there should be for each learner's unique learning style. One of the primary purposes of education is to help learners develop insightful views concerning various educational possibilities available to them and assist them in making an informed decision about which ones best suit their needs. The learner is ultimately responsible for their choice of education. The educator's responsibility is to provide possibilities and assistance to help support the learner in making the best decisions for themselves. My approach to education is learner-centered, with a priority of empowering students by establishing learning environments tailored to their specific interests. My goal is to provide training that goes behind merely telling or showing; instead, producing guidance that allows learners to make decisions about the kind of learning experience they desire. As an

2 educator, my attempts would be geared towards incorporating conceptual understanding and problem-solving techniques into the approaches and techniques I utilize. The idea that education can never be neutral means that it confines or liberates its students. Domestication is making those who are already comfortable in their skin unable to consider new ideas or ways of thinking (Boutelier, 2019). In contrast, liberation encapsulates the capacity to apply creativity, seek freedom, become independent, and change situations for the benefit of everyone in society (Valdez & Avoseh, 2018). The essence of relevancy in adult education is described as people's ways of having varying perspectives through their vision. It is common for adult learners to be inspired to study and focus throughout their learning because they believe that education is relevant and will help them thrive in the real world. The third tenet is open communication which paves the way for two-way communication. The expectation is that the adult learner would want to inquire and receive feedback regarding a complex situation at hand (McCaster, 2019). Finally, an adult educator must pay attention to adult learners and establish the possible problem sources to solve a problem. Theories Applicable to Adult Learning Philosophy: Adult learning theories are founded on the idea that adults experience learning in a different form than children. There have been numerous hypotheses about how adults learn throughout the last century. Many theories have been proposed to explain how and why adults learn best. Though, each theory focuses on insightful views of a different component of adult education. Is curiosity or the basic urge to know the motive behind adult education? Educational experts have offered a variety of answers to this topic over a period. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for grownups because we are all unique. It is possible to identify and "marry" a learning demand to its most suited answer through adult learning theories (Tennant, 2019). Exploring these theories is essential to understanding what inspires the learning process among adults . Transformational Learning: Transformative learning theory was developed by Jack Mezirow in 1978 and claimed that all learners employ varied opinions, aspirations, and ideas to make sense of their environment. The objective of transformational learning is to adapt or transform one's present conceptions through critical thinking, procedural activities, and self-reflection. When people are confronted with a "disorienting dilemma" that calls into question their pre-existing ideas, transformational learning happens. If an adult's perspective regarding their behavior, interactions, or problem- solving is changed, this sort of learning is regarded as one of the "stickiest." According to Mezirow, instrumental and communicative learning are two of the most critical aspects of transformative education. The primary goals of instrumental learning are problem-solving and the identification and analysis of causal relationships. The focus of communicative learning is on conveying people's thoughts, emotions, and aspirations to one another (Mezirow, 2018). Learners are expected to focus on multiple sorts of knowledge and observe new logical and emotive viewpoints to challenge their prior understanding. Transformative theory and transformational learning are based on a notion of meaning schemes or meaning structures (Taylor, 2018). Assumptions and predispositions are two fundamental

3 components of meaning structures, and they set the stage for what we expect. Thoughts, ideas, emotions, and attitudes determine the understanding of a given piece of information. With self- reflection and critical theory, learners can better comprehend their meaning structure. They can examine their childhood perceptions and determine whether they are still valid in adulthood. As a result, adults gain a better understanding of their learning processes. In the transformative learning paradigm, recognizing our former perspective and being ready to reflect on new structures and views are essential (Taylor, 2018). Transformational learning is best suited for personal change and growth mentality, complex analytical processes, and situational evaluation and analysis (Mezirow, 2018). Andragogy: Malcolm Knowles' andragogy theory focuses on adult education, arguing that adults are more self-directed and capable of decision-making. As a humanistic theory, andragogy is geared toward helping learners realize their capacity for self-actualization and their ability to self-direct their learning (Barry & Egan, 2018). Essential parts of andragogy should be incorporated within programs designed to teach adults. This concept should enlighten adults on the specific knowledge to figure out a learning process. Moreover, adults are expected to know that experiences open ways for better learning, the approach of information acquisition is geared towards solving problems, and when there are valuable insights within the topic at hand. The following assumptions characterize Andragogy:  Self-concept  Experience  Readiness to learn depends on the need  Problem-centered focus  Internal motivation  Awareness of learning motives Andragogy's six assumptions express why adults are motivated to learn new things (Ferreira et al., 2018). Andragogy is best suited for self-motivated learners, structured formal learning with applied goals and specific problem solving (Ferreira et al., 2018). There should be a favorable impact on one's decision-making process as adults learn new things. Adults need self- motivation just as much as children to attain the freedom of pursuing interests and skills that are imperative for their personal and professional lives. It is easier to grasp how adults acquire new skills and perspectives when the underlying principles of andragogy are considered. Despite the difficulties faced by adults in learning, the process is deliberate and can improve their lives. Experiential Learning: Experiential learning, which David Kolb pioneered in the 1970s based on the theories of John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, and Jean Piaget, requires learners to actively participate in the learning process (Morris, 2020). As much as active participation is crucial, experiential learning theory requires that an individual's learning ability comes only from self-reflection (Kuk & Holst, 2018). Active engagement, reflection upon practice, utilization of the knowledge acquired from

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