Whither Adult Education in the Learning Paradigm? Some Personal Reflections

Abstract

The Scottish Government is currently in the process of making some significant changes to the governance of education in Scotland (see Crowther in this volume). This is likely to have major implications for community education work in Scotland, shifting its focus and purpose. These changes are also creating unease amongst many practitioners. However these changes and what lies behind them –  increased managerialism and technical rationality, the narrowing of the scope of the work to emphasise attainment and employability, and more State targeting of who we work with –  will have resonance beyond Scotland. Due to this renewed focus on the purpose of community education work, we thought it would be helpful for those trying to make sense of the current context to publish a paper by Ian Martin from 2008. With a focus on adult education, Martin explores some of the key traditions, ideas and challenges, which have helped shape what adult education is today, and reasserts the need for political and social purpose in this work.