The Foundations of Adult Education in Canada, Gordon Selman and Paul Dampier. Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing, 1991, 310 pages. |
VOL. 8, No. 2, 83-85
In their preface the authors comment upon the dearth of Canadian materials in the field of adult education and the absence of any publications that adequately chronicle the history of the field in Canada. This volume is a significant and valuable contribution toward addressing that shortcoming. Although the authors do focus primarily upon recent decades, they have attempted to provide a broader historical perspective. The authors do, however, allow that one weakness of this volume derives from its singular focus upon the field as it has evolved in English-speaking Canada only.
Chapter 1 presents basic questions of definition. Although this is a logical point of commencement, there is little in the discussion that is specific to the Canadian context and little that has not been discussed in other publications in the field.
Chapter 2 was written by Mark Selman, and it examines the relationship between the philosophical premises we hold as practitioners and their influence upon our day-to-day decision making and practice. This discussion is clearly and concisely presented, but surprisingly it makes no reference to the work of Jerold Apps, who is especially noted for his contributions to this issue. Chapter 2 also provides a brief but lucid discussion of various philosophical orientations, but it omits reference to Elias and Merrian's publication Philosophical Foundations of Adult Education, which provides a more comprehensive treatment of this topic.
Chapter 3 focuses upon the relationship between the Canadian experience as a nation and the nature of adult education programs and services that have evolved. The influences of other countries - especially of Britain and the United States - are outlined. Reference is made to uniquely Canadian initiatives such as the Antigonish movement, the Banff School of Fine Arts (now the Banff Centre), and Frontier College.
Chapter 4 discusses the issue of participation, and whereas it does discuss relevant Canadian sources, it provides little that is new to a topic extensively examined elsewhere.
Chapter 5 examines the process by which programs in adult education have been conceived and developed. Several unique Canadian initiatives are featured, including the Open Learning Agency of British Columbia, the Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs, and the Lake Cowichan Food Bank. In general, however, this chapter seems to lack a clear focus.
Chapters 6 and 7 examine public policy and adult education. This discussion is comprehensive and insightful and is an especially useful contribution. Federal and provincial initiatives are described and selected international examples (China, Sweden, and Tanzania) are examined.
Chapter 8 charts the evolution of the field of adult education and the increasing level of professionalization of the field (with its attendant dangers and benefits). A description of relevant professional and scholarly associations is provided together with a discussion of relevant Canadian journals in the field.
Chapters 9 and 10 provide a synthesis of some of the issues and themes introduced in earlier chapters with a special focus upon events of the last two decades. Included in this discussion are the influence of the creation of community college systems, the dramatic growth in distance education, and the expansion of the private sector in the provision of educational programs for adults. In addition, the authors discuss the dramatic growth in continuing professional education, identification of those groups who are not well served by provider agencies, and an examination of factors that are frustrating the development of increasing coherence in the field of adult education.
Although the focus of the book is on past events, it comments upon elements of the future for the field of adult education. In particular, the authors express concern about the increasing trend toward professionalization of the field of adult education and of the tendency for public funding for adult education to be directed toward vocational and academic areas at the expense of personal and recreational offerings.
The book is logically organized and clearly written. More attention could have been given to the emergence of distance education as a vehicle for increasing access and to the topic of self-directed learning. In addition, the regrettable separation of practice and scholarship in the field is an issue that would have been usefully explored. Despite these criticisms the book is an enormously valuable contribution to the field and is especially useful as a compendium of Canadian sources. It also includes reference to the significant contributions of leaders such as Roby Kidd, E. A. Corbett, and
Rev. Moses Coady, among others. The book is aimed at a wide readership, including practitioners and scholars and, in the judgement of this reviewer, is worthy of the attention of such a broad audience.