This paper argues that Non-formal Education (NFE) has seen a remarkable revival of interest across both developing countries and the more highly developed countries. Among the factors causing this revival is the search for alternative educations to meet the needs of different groups in society. But in the process, NFE has been relocated -- not so…

This paper re-examines the position of the Tanzanian Folk Development Colleges, a national network of adult education institutions, at a time when their long-term financial assistance by the Swedish International Development Agency has come to an end and they are being transferred from the Tanzanian Government Ministry of Community Development to…

This article reports on a pilot research project conducted in nine countries of Africa and Asia on some aspects of the impact that teaching literacy to adults has had on the lives of some adult literacy facilitators (ALFs). The small-scale enquiry was implemented by a team of twelve researchers in nine countries (Afghanistan, Botswana, Ethiopia,…

This paper argues that part-time adult literacy facilitators (ALFs), who are often employed in large numbers, have the potential to become agents for a wider approach to development, especially through involvement with the adult learning targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Drawing on international ethnographic-style research into…

The argument of this paper is that--within a wide range of university responses to the challenge of outreach--there grew up in the extra-mural or adult education departments of many UK universities an alternative epistemological paradigm to the older and more traditional extension programmes. This paradigm threatened the extension approach and has…

Teachers/facilitators in adult literacy learning programmes are recognised as being vital to successful learning outcomes. But little is known about them as a group. This small-scale research project comprising ethnographic-style case studies of five adult literacy facilitators (ALFs) in Ethiopia seeks to throw some light on these teachers, their…

This article explores whether looking at adult literacy teaching through the lens of Lave and Wenger's "community of practice" approach to learning provides useful additional insights into adults learning to read, especially the role of the adult literacy facilitator. Using some case studies of facilitators from the Ethiopian Integrated…

This paper examines the recent increase in the concern of adult literacy for citizenship, especially aimed at women in developing societies. It looks at what is happening in this field and why; it examines some of the critiques of this range of activity; and it suggests some alternatives which in the end may be more effective in promoting both…

Many educators interested in notions of 'learning through or from experience' are influenced by Kolb's basic model of experiential learning. Yet as a set of stages, the model involves a dilemma acknowledged by Kolb himself that it can proceed from either concrete experience or abstract conceptualisation. The paper builds on Kolb's insights about a…

This paper identifies that (with very few exceptions) in most of current literature on lifelong learning, gender issues are ignored or overlooked. An extensive review of the literature demonstrates this neglect. Some reasons are given for this, including the fact that most analyses of lifelong learning tend to stress the individual learning…

This paper looks at the discourse of lifelong learning as it has emerged in many countries (especially Europe) over the last few years, with its concentration first on learning for work and latterly on learning for citizenship. The failure of lifelong learning to pick up on the earlier tradition of adult education is noted and some reasons for…

Argues that adult educators use "learning" when they mean "education" and that this confounds and demeans incidental and informal learning processes. Suggests that intended, purposeful planned learning should properly be termed education and that there is no such thing as a nonlearner. (SK)

Surveys the work accomplished in post-literacy in India as part of the National Literacy Mission. Argues that post-literacy has become an arena of struggle between individual and group goals. Uses interviews and discussions to explore this field. Outlines the concerns being voiced in India about adult literacy learning. (CAJ)

There is no substantial difference between adults' and children's learning processes: both use task-conscious and learning-conscious methods. The difference in teaching adults and children lies in differential power relationships between teachers and learners, the identities they construct, and the ways in which power and identity affect teaching…

Using the example of evaluation in development programs, the author presents arguments for improving evaluation in adult education, including objective achievement, foreseen and unforeseen outcomes, and contributions to community development. (SK)