Adult Education and Adult Learning

Adult Education and Adult Learning DQ
In this week’s reading, Merriam and Brockett (2007) quote Thomas (1991a) who makes the claim that, for adults, “education cannot exist without learning. Learning, however, not only can exist outside the context of education but probably is most frequently found there” (p. 6).

At first glance the meaning of this statement may not be obvious. What Merriam and Brockett are pointing to is the subtle distinction between the terms education and learning. One example they provide is that of playing golf versus taking golf lessons. Clearly, much learning takes place during a golf lesson, which is an example of formal education. However, much learning also occurs while actually playing a round of golf, which would be categorized as experiential or informal learning rather than formal education. In other words, learning occurs both inside and outside of what we traditionally label adult “education.”

For this week’s Discussion, you will analyze the distinction between adult “education” and adult “learning.” In order to focus your thinking, consider the following questions:

What are the similarities and differences between adult “education” and adult “learning”?
What are the benefits and drawbacks of each?
What kinds of experiences can transform into learning?

Post your analysis of adult “education” and adult “learning,” being sure to address each question from the list above in your response. Cite information from multiple sources from this week’s Learning Resources and provide examples from your own experience to illustrate your points.

preview of the answer…

Adult education and adult learning encompass formal education, continuing education, non-formal learning, and the continuum of both the incidental and informal learning that exists in a multicultural learning society that recognizes practice and theory-based approaches (Merriam & Brockett, 2007). A detailed discussion
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