Importance Of Adult Education

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Initial preparation and organisation for the above project requires a review of relevant literature. All societies in the modern world note the importance of education. Macionis and Plummer (2005) suggest that education is the “social institution guiding the transmission of knowledge, job skills, cultural norms and values”(2010: 514). The importance of adult and further education is stressed by national, European and international policy documents as being critical to economic, social and cultural initiatives, capable of benefiting all sectors of society. Historically Ireland has had a strong community based adult education sector. Social, economic and cultural reasons played a key role in the expansion of the adult education sector in Ireland.…show more content…
These issues are highlighted in social research as follows: voluntary participation, subject well-being, identity disclosure, confidentiality, appropriate boundaries and researcher safety (Schutt 2009:349-351). Ensuring that participants are aware that participation is voluntary and that they have the option to withdraw from the study will be specified prior to interviews taking place. A key concept in social research ethics is that no harm should be done to participants, therefore every caution should be employed to ensure minimizing harm. Great care shall be given to ensure all participants find the interview process to be a positive…show more content…
Historically Ireland has had a strong community based adult education sector. Social, economic and cultural reasons played a key role in the expansion of the adult education sector in Ireland. For Tovey and Share the greatest driving force behind this expansion was the “changing trends in thinking among educationalists, a movement both physical and psychological ….a movement for education to go into the community, rather than the community coming to it (2003:197) Adult education is often described as ‘second chance’ learning allowing adults to re- access education systems or re – train in new skills. Connolly 1997 argues that adult education is “the route to empowerment for many marginalised groups in modern Irish society”.(1997:40). In 1969, The National Adult Learning Organisation (AONTAS) was established with a remit to examine the nature of adult education in Ireland and make recommendations. Research carried out by The National Adult Learning Organisation (AONTAS) ‘Sowing the Seeds of Change 2012’ calls on the government to focus on the importance of adult and community education reaching out to disadvantaged and marginalised sectors of society. Past policies and developments around adult education have drawn attention both to the socioeconomic

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