Continuous Learning Through the Educative Community: an Exploration of the Family- Educational,the Sequential-Unit,and the Complementary-Functional Systems

The authors propose a definition of the educative community and identify three major component systems: the family system; the sequential-unit system, which includes schools, colleges, and uni versities ; and the complementary-functional system, which pro vides systematic learning not learned or inadequately learned in the other two systems. The paper analyzes the elements, resources, and needs of the educative community; discusses the implications for program planning; and suggests some of the responsibilities of adult educators to the three systems of the educative community. The writers conclude that continuous learning has become a crit ical necessity and will be achieved most effectively when all the educational activities in the community work to enhance it.