Feminine/Feminist: A Poststructural Reading of Relational Learning in Women\u27s Social Action Organizations

This paper reports on research with 8 board members and 8 directors of women’s social action organizations. A poststructural reading of the data gives voice to an under theorized aspect of humanist relational learning in women’s organizations and makes visible the power-relationships. It explores women’s learned practices of resistance, and offers a paradoxical view of relational learning on social action that attends to the ethic of care as well as to power relations

Harriet Rouillard: “The Stamp of Its Editor” on the CAAE’s Food for Thought

This paper presents the results of an archival study of Harriet Rouillard, editor of the Canadian Association for Adult Education’s journal, Food for Thought, between 1947 and1953. Rouillard’s background, education, and contributions to the association in its early years are discussed

The State, the People, and the Colony: Towards a Critical History of Early Newfoundland Literacy

Adult literacy in nineteenth century Newfoundland was greatly influenced by the island’s positioning, first as a colony of Britain, and later as a struggling country dependent on experts, pedagogical methods and philanthropy from the home country and its religious institutions. Literacy efforts contributed to the general “civilizing” of the outpost and enabled it to become increasingly self reliant, at least for select periods of time. This study analyses some of these early literacy efforts, asking critical questions of colonialism, organization, gender, and religion

Mentorship: Adult Formation for Educators in Catholic Schools

Catholic history is filled with examples of seasoned believers sharing their faith and witness with younger generations in order to help inculturate them into the ethos of Catholicism. This essay presents a model for mentoring in Catholic schools, arguing that such collaboration is not only institutionally life giving, but also congruent with the stated community-building purposes of the school. Noting that even Jesus sent his disciples out “two by two,” the author describes the spirituality required of teachers as best experienced through sharing

Elizabeth (Betty) Loosley: Adult Education and Research Excellence

Elizabeth (Betty) Wyeth Magee Loosley (1911-1994) was an artist and researcher, and one of the best educated women working with the Canadian Association for Adult Education (CAAE, founded 1935) in the 1950s and 1960s. This paper uses archival and interview data to examine her achievements and contributions to the CAAE. This study helps us understand our field’s gendered history and development

Critical Texts: Issues of Knowledge, Power and Discourse in Researching Gender and Learning

We explore our academic labour on a State of the Field Review on Gender and Adult Learning for a government funded educational body. Using poststructuralism as our theoretical background, and a critically reflexive framework as our method, we examine the research process

Transformative Learning With Women: A Critical Review Proposing Linkages for the Personal and Political Spheres*

Theoretical developments in the field of transformative learning have progressed significantly over the past two decades, yet little attention has been paid to women’s experiences of transformative learning and to the issues of race, class and gender in this learning. We explore the apparent hesitation at both the personal and political ends of the transformative learning spectrum, and help to create alliances and strengthen the theory

Undergraduate Adult Education in the Contemporary Neoliberal University

In contemporary times, undergraduate adult education programs have to respond to changing student profiles and needs, institutional requirements, marketplace and workplace demands, and emerging technologies. Students in these programs tend to be non-traditional learners who are usually older and employed. They come with an array of prior learning experiences in life, work, and community contexts. These motivated learners have diverse reasons for wanting to engage in academic studies in adult education: They require knowledge of adult education to become trainers in business and industry; they have been educators, but they need to know what’s new to enhance and update their everyday pedagogical practices; they seek a university credential to ensure a new future; they need new learning for job transitions; they need to learn new modes of assessment; they want to work with industry partners to write curricula. This list of reasons is far from exhaustive. Considering the kinds of non-traditional students seeking a Bachelor of Education in Adult Education today, admission requirements need to be more in tune with what they bring to the learning table. For example, prior learning assessment that recognizes significant experiential learning could be a stronger criterion in the admissions process. In this perspective piece, we examine the current learning milieu in the neoliberal university and some matters affecting student participation in undergraduate adult education.À l’époque contemporaine, les programmes de premier cycle d’éducation des adultes doivent s’adapter à l’évolution des profils et des besoins des étudiants, des exigences institutionnelles, des demandes du marché du travail et des milieux de travail, et des nouvelles technologies. Les étudiants inscrits à ces programmes tendent à être des apprenants non-traditionnels qui sont souvent plus âgés et salariés. Ils arrivent avec toute une gamme d’expériences d’apprentissage dans la vie, au travail et dans la communauté. Les raisons qui poussent ces apprenants motivés à entreprendre des études académiques sont diverses : il leur faut les connaissances fournies par les programme d’éducation des adultes pour devenir formateurs dans le monde des affaires ou en industrie; ils ont été enseignants mais doivent se mettre à jour de sorte à améliorer et moderniser leur pratiques pédagogiques; ils désirent une accréditation universitaire pour s’assurer un nouvel avenir; ils ont besoin de nouvelles connaissances pour changer d’emploi; ils doivent apprendre de nouvelles formes d’évaluation; ils veulent travailler avec des partenaires du secteur pour créer du matériel pédagogique. Cette liste est loin d’être exhaustive. Compte tenu du genre d’étudiants non-traditionnels qui s’inscrivent au Baccalauréat en Éducation en éducation des adultes, les exigences d’admission doivent être davantage en phase avec les compétences et les expériences avec lesquelles ils arrivent à l’université. Par exemple, une évaluation des connaissances acquises qui tiendrait compte de l’apprentissage par l’expérience pourrait constituer un critère de choix plus important pendant le processus d’admission. Dans cet article d’opinion, nous nous penchons sur le milieu actuel de l’apprentissage dans le monde universitaire néolibéral et sur quelques enjeux touchant la participation des étudiants dans les programmes de premier cycle en éducation des adultes.Mots clés : programmes de premier cycle en éducation des adulte

Researching the Intersection of Local and Academic Knowledge on Gender: Academics Working With Community-Based Women’s Organizations

Recognizing the key role women’s organizations contribute to adult learning, this roundtable discussion will explore issues and opportunities that grow out of partnerships between academic researchers and community-based organizations. Participants are invited to share their experiences of researching in such a collaborative environment