Introduction
This paper is intended to examine the history of adult education in Canada, its evolution from the 19th to the 20th century, and the societal changes that shaped the current status of adult education as a discipline and profession. Canada was a young country when adult education emerged as a movement to elevate the consciousness of people to be in control of their destiny (Kidd, 1950). At the nucleus of the adult education movement was the workers aspired to enhance their way of living brought by inequality and economic hardship.
The heightened awareness of the division in the society of the two classes, “the one made up of those who governed (i.e., the first class), and the other who belonged to the lower orders (i.e., the poor), inspired the social reformist ideology of the adult education movement (Kidd, 1950; Selman, 1987). Hence, it was called a movement because it supported adult education as a channel to improve society, by providing equal access to education regardless of status, and to enhance critical thinking to contribute to the advancement of the economy and society. As adult education evolved and fast forward to the 21st century, the issues that drove the movement continued. Illiteracy and equal access to education were still an issue of the present times. Moreover, the proponents of the adult education movement asserted that the movement has shifted from collective action to individualism.
In this paper, adult education’s many facets will be explored and analyzed. The three central themes of this paper will focus on the history and evolution of adult education in Canada, the role of technology in disseminating education across the provinces, and lastly, the transformation of adult education into a profession and discipline.
The Evolution of Adult Education
The Mechanics Institute in London, England, played a pivotal role in shaping the history of adult education in Canada. This group’s aspiration of the education of the masses and not only the prerogative of the wealthy was the first record of an organized revolt against the conditions of illiteracy and poverty (Corbett, 1950). The movement came to Canada in 1831, with the same ideals that education is the right of all. Although the Mechanics Institute eventually dissolved at the end of the 19th century, the movement continued, and the adult education programs expanded across Canada. Several factors contributed to the expansion of the adult education; one of them is the role of technology in disseminating education in rural areas for the working class (e.g., farmers, miners, and fishermen), and the creation of the Canadian Association for Adult Education (CAAE).
The role of technology was pivotal in disseminating education, especially in rural areas, in which the symbiotic relationship between adult education and technology shaped the future of education in Canada. During the infancy of adult education, books, pamphlets, and lantern slide aided in developing literacy, as well as social and economic knowledge. The evolution in technology influenced the adoption of radio and films for education. For example, a farm radio forum, created for the farmers of Canada, was a nation-wide discussion (i.e., study group) platform, focused on examining current issues, such as social and economic problems (McKenzie, 1950). While farm radio forum was created for the farmers, citizen forum was developed during the 1942 war crisis. This arena of broadcasting was created to “elevate Canadians’ awareness of the political, social, and economic issues” (Wilson, 1950, p. 180). The adoption of the documentary film was widely used by the turn of the 20th century, due to its portrayal of real-life situations, as well as it captured both auditory and visual senses (Chatwin, 1950). According to Chatwin (1950), the documentary film became a tool in adult education, that in over “250 urban centres, all types of organizations have come together to form community film councils” (p. 188). Radio and film indeed promoted adult education, and this would not have come into realization, without CAAE’s leadership (Selman, 1987).
During the early years of the movement, the teachers that were out in the field teaching adults in rural areas and other communities did not have a formal adult education background. The CAAE, under Dr. Kidd’s leadership, led the development of adult education into a profession. His strong influence in dealing with education officials, government leaders, and academic institutions paved the way for the professionalization of the field (Selman, 1987). As adult education became more focused on academia and employing learning theories in its pedagogical approach, it seems that it had transitioned from the social movement it was established on, to a more institutionalized governing body for adult education. Selman & Selman (2009) asserted that adult education in the 21st century has departed from its mandate of a social movement. They further asserted that the societal changes and the move from the “collective action to individualism caused the downfall of the movement” (Selman & Selman, 2009, p. 22). However, this paradigm shift was already happening in the 1950s under Dr. Kidd’s vision of professional status for adult education. Selman & Selman (2009) articulated that the primary goals of the movement were to make education accessible to all adults to improve their lives. Despite the massive expansion of the education system, there remain disadvantaged groups being left behind due to unmet educational needs (Selman & Selman, 2009). This statement was strengthened by Darville (1992) when he argued the long history of literacy issues in Canada were caused by underlying issues such as social and economic factors. The author postulated that people with the least education participate least in adult education. The unequal participation could be avoided by “political and policy choices, as well as changes in the programming of adult education to cater to the needs of the learners” (Darville, 1992, p. 15). Although the pioneers and proponents of the adult education movement had an intense stance on equal opportunities, inequality and lack of access to education were an issue of the past and present. The narratives of Kidd (1950), Selman (1987), and Selman & Selman (2009) missed the disparity that has existed for other groups (i.e., women, non-European immigrants, and blacks) even with the formation of the adult education movement.
Fast-forward to the 21st-century; adult education paints a brighter future for our learners. According to Nesbitt & Hall (2011), the diversity in adult education and the transformation of the activities and practices within the discipline had encouraged people to learn how to gain control of their lives better and participate in civic duties. They emphasized the vigour that still exists in the adult education movement, including examples of achievements from the “emergence of a strong field of indigenous adult education, led by indigenous scholars” (Nesbitt & Hall, 2011, p. 490). The innovation in digital technologies has made learning ubiquitous, making it more accessible and affordable.
Conclusion
Adult education’s evolution is a natural progression as it adapts to modern times. Its influence is demonstrated in workplaces that are trying to engender a learning organization, as well as in academic institutions, designing curriculum, anchored in adult learning theories. As long as we continue to confront social issues that have persisted in our society, such as equal opportunities for education, the movement will live on. The complexities of contemporary life may have reshaped the means and forms of the social movement, with new players and scholars in the mixed (Nesbitt & Hall, 2011), but the inherent values of encouraging people to learn remains. What does the future hold for adult education? The influence of digital technologies and social media in raising awareness and jolting like-minded people to activism pose challenges and opportunities. Hence, this may be a call for educators to play a pivotal role in the guardianship of social justice, which was the impetus of the foundation of adult education in Canada.
References
Chatwin, L., McKenzie, R., & Wilson, I. (1950). Section Three- Radio and Film. In Kidd, J.R. (Ed.), Adult education in Canada (pp. 169-187). Toronto, ON: Garden City Co-operative.
Corbett, E.A., & Kidd, J.R. (1950). Section One- Aims, Origin, and Development. In Kidd, J.R. (Ed.), Adult education in Canada (pp. 2-11). Toronto, ON: Garden City Co-operative.
Darville, R. (1992). Adult literacy work in Canada. Toronto, ON: Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data.
Nesbitt, T, and Hall, B. (2011). “Canadian Adult Education: Still Moving,” Adult Education Research Conference. Retrieved from http://newprairiepress.org/aerc/2011/papers/72
Selman, G. (1987). The Fifties: Pivotal decade in Canadian Adult Education [pdf version]. The Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education, 1 (1), 5-24. Retrieved from https://cjsae.library.dal.ca/index.php/cjsae/article/view/2960
Selman, G., and Selman, M. (2009). The life and death of Canadian adult education movement. Canadian Journal of University Continuing Education, 35 (2), 13-28. https://doi.org/10.21225/D5X59M