Democracy and Adult Education Practice: Pathways Towards Renewal

“The authors explore the role of Adult Education in relation to deep democracy for the purpose of creating more sustainable, ecological, and just futures.”

This special issue of Adult Learning emerges amid global trends of de-democratization, corruption, fragmenting political order, and aggressive social and political polarization. It proposes frameworks, concepts, and approaches for imagining the role of Adult education in this challenging context. Historically, Adult education research and practice has interpreted itself as a beacon of principled democratic process, guided by the spirit of openness, access, and personal and social progress. As the recent Summit for Democracy called for participants to renew democracy at home and confront autocracy abroad, the editors and authors of this issue apply this framework of renewal to the research and practice of our field in this uncertain context (See (https://www.state.gov/summit-for-democracy/).

Adult education for democracy is crucial (Lima, 2022). John Dewey (1916/1944) characterized democracy as “more than a form of government; it is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience” (p. 87). He described the ideal conditions of democracy as requiring “a type of education which gives individuals a personal interest in social relationships and control, and the habits of mind which secure social changes without introducing disorder” (p. 99). Eduard Lindeman (1987), for example, stressed, that Adult education should be prepared, amongst other things, to “reveal to people the nature of those democratic disciplines which describe the thought and conduct of persons living within a culture which is by affirmation and aspiration democratic” (pp. 158–159). In addition, Lindeman (1987) also considered Adult education to be an instrument of social change which should be oriented towards synchronizing democratic and learning processes. Likewise, Lima (2022) indicated that the Adult education’s focus on emancipation, autonomy and self-government is at the heart of the democratic pedagogic process. Welton (2013) argued that for democracy to be robust, its civil society and public spheres must be legally structured, freedom of speech and the right to assembly protected, the right to civilly protest government policies permitted, the military controlled by law, and those who govern should be accountable for their actions. Welton (2013) also observed that civil society is at risk with the rise of neoliberal policies, a situation that has only intensified. Democracy is always in danger. Renewing democracy, on the other hand, is an essential role of our dynamic and diverse field.

Adult education should not be an instrument of government that curtails the purpose of education to “employment preparation, upskilling, and economic competitiveness” (Stanistreet et al., 2020, p. 628). Adult education is typically only a small part of government expenditures. Given the current challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic and a global economic crisis, it is likely that spending on Adult education, adult literacy, and citizenship education will be further neglected. These threats to Adult education are likely to exacerbate existing educational inequalities related to access, retention, and attainment, resulting in “a regressive outcome when the challenges we face, including the threats of democratic deterioration, demographic change, the ongoing technological revolution and, most critically, the climate crisis, make lifelong learning and the skills and capabilities it fosters more critical than ever” (p. 628).

This special issue contains articles that engage with the relationship between democracy and Adult Education in substantive ways. They define and explain democracy, establish a clear relationship between Adult education practice and a democratic framework, and they highlight the topic’s significance for Adult Education practice. However, they avoid current political attacks in favor of thoughtful analysis.

To introduce the articles, we begin with “Adult Education, Futures Literacy and Deep Democracy: Engaging Democratic Visioning and Anticipatory Futures For More Sustainable Futures” by Jayne Fleener and Susan Barcinas. The authors explore the role of Adult education in relation to deep democracy for the purpose of creating more sustainable, ecological, and just futures. In particular, the authors acknowledge that democratic life faces continual and increasing challenges and that these challenges may be addressed by the nexus of Adult education and futures education, which both operate through equitable public discourse, robust capacity building, and engagement with deep learning. This hopeful response to the limits of democracy offers a creative approach to unknown futures with an eye toward productively transforming the public sphere.

Linnea Haren Conely and Leslie Cordie used structural regression analyses to investigate data from the Background Survey of the Program of International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). Their research presented in “The Learning Democracy: The Relationship between Adult Informal Learning, Lifelong Learning Mindset, and Civic Engagement” provides support for a theoretical model of the influence of adult learning on civic participation. In light of low levels of civic engagement and political engagement, they advocate that adult educators and local governments need to provide relevant opportunities for citizens to engage in the community and facilitate learning democracy.

In “Adult STEM Education for Democratic Participation,” Jill Zarestky and Lauren Vilen argue Adult Education should continue to support adults’ STEM learning so those who will be making democratic decisions in the future can evaluate options using scientific knowledge. The role of adult educators in STEM fields working with scientists across the globe to effectively connect with adult learners in informal and nonformal settings is significant. The authors describe the importance of critical science literacy and place-based perspectives for adult education on socio-scientific issues.

Our last full length article, “Living Democracy: Social Structures that Promote Civic Learning” provides a framework for adult lifelong learning for democracy that is grounded in the robust system of voluntary associations in Germany and in sociocracy, a decentralized form of organizational governance. Chad Hoggan, Tetyana Hoggan-Kloubert, and Renee Owen argue that the social structures in which we live and engage and the social relations shaped by those structures implicitly teach us how to live together. From this premise, their analysis generates six principles for adult civic learning: Inclusivity, Horizontal Relationships, Polycentricity, Confluence of Expert and Amateur, Interdependence between Specific Situations and Larger Contexts, and the Reciprocal Nature of Civic Learning and Solidarity.

The Innovations in Practice article titled “The Innovative Use of Technological Tools (the ABCs and Ps) to Help Adult Learners Decrease Transactional Distance and Increase Learning Presence” written by Scott Howell, Michael Johnson, and Jana Hansen explores learner-centric technological applications that can empower educators and adult learners to overcome institutional, situational, and dispositional barriers to adult learning. The authors categorize the technological apps as ABCs and Ps, meaning Annotation, Backchanneling, Collaboration, and Polling tools and provide specific examples of apps in each category. They point out that while technological tools are constantly evolving, they have the potential to overcome persistent barriers and democratize access to adult learning.

Ed Cunliff contemplates what he learned about the strong connection between adult education processes and democratic action in the Reflection called “To Hear a Heart Beat.” While training as a community organizer in the War on Poverty, he discovered community organizing as democracy in practice. As an adult educator he applies what he learned about being open to others, listening, taking responsibility, and recognizing that we are in this together to strengthen that bond between adult education and democratic practice.

Wendy Griswold’s Reflection titled “‘I Now Have Hope:’ Participatory Democracy and Adult Education in Marginalized Communities,” shares valuable lessons she gained from working with community groups on local problems: that groups working together can make a difference, the power of inclusiveness and participatory decision-making, the importance of local knowledge and wisdom of people, and the capacity of people to solve their own problems. Griswold reminds us that our work as adult educators is more significant than our immediate context and that community work is democratic practice with local and global influence.

Finally, Andrew Moss reviews The Community’s College: The Pursuit of Democracy, Economic Development, and Success, an exploration of the role of community colleges in supporting democracy through engagement, social justice, and leadership. Individual anecdotes and critical reflection provide a view of the philosophy, history, mission, and operational mechanics of community colleges, with a focus on five diverse institutions.

Taken together, this collection of articles provides clarity and robust analyses of the relationship between democracy and adult education. They offer honest assessments of the current situation as well as creative pathways to a brighter future. It is our hope that the field of Adult Education will continue to advance research in these directions, contributing to the broader scholarly renewal of democracy.