Research Methodology in Adult Learning and Education

Abstract

Consent in the definition of adult education is only apparent and circumscribed. Substantial differences survive, fueled by various national ideologies, cultures and policies. The plurality of angles determines a multiplicity of research approaches. Transformative research is the typical model of adult education research and is analysed in its core components. Its peculiarity is the property of ensuring immediate production not only of knowledge, but of change processes. This property has favoured proliferation especially outside the academic community of education sciences. The process was guided by the users of the research, i.e. by those who have roles and resources that enable them to orientate the research in response to personal and organisational needs. This phenomenon necessarily produces a process of social construction of the meaning and the methodological content of the research. This expansion urges the development of a transformative research that also attributes to the education proletariat the role of inspiration and guidance in adult education. The object of research in adult education Research in adult education has its own specificity that varies according to research goals. We may have researches that primarily aim at exercising forms of control over ongoing educational processes, or interested in understanding and interpreting educational phenomena, or ultimately in modifying the educational conditions of the population. These three options involve not only a different conception of how to do research. They are also based on different definitions of the subject of study: adult education. Their identification can be made taking into account both the major traditions of second logic research and the representations of the object identifiable in the research. On this basis, we can distinguish between three different approaches: • the institutional and organisational definition, both public and private • the phenomenal definition, which is concerned with the study of educational behaviours in adulthood • the transformative definition, designed to highlight the meaning, the reason for being, the social function of adult education. The institutional definition orients the researcher's observation towards the historical forms in which the adult education system of a country or organisation

Significance of New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 for Adult Education and Lifelong Learning Program

“…A particular issue that need to be contemplated to ensure quality education is to shackle the teaching methodologies and infrastructure of educational institutes and universities [12]. Especially the proletariat class need to be updated with current skill education to be a useful member in the society [13]. Therefore, current government policies are targeted towards innovative approaches of lifelong learning towards adult learners to retain them in employment sector and utilizing their skills wisely [10].…”

“Miradas otras”: promoviendo prácticas de lectura y escritura desde una cárcel mexicana

“…Las actividades, así como la estrategia implementada, buscaron dar cuenta de las literacidades -desde un enfoque sociocultural-, las prácticas sociales y culturales situadas. En consonancia con el énfasis cualitativo, llevamos a cabo un análisis del discurso, introspección, así como la lectura y escritura crítica (Fairclough, 2008;Federighi, 2019;Kumar, 2018); es decir, consideramos la variedad de interpretaciones de un texto evaluando sus efectos en el grupo (Cassany y Castellà, 2010).…”

“…Comprobamos la utilidad del método de investigación-acción en este tipo de intervenciones; aun cuando no hubo una interacción presencial, la estrategia implementada permitió conocer las literacidades de los participantes. En la lectura y escritura quedaron plasmadas sus prácticas sociales y culturales, y lograron estimular la autorreflexión (Botella y Ramos, 2019 ;Federighi, 2019;Kumar, 2018). Con la información que ofrecieron los participantes en sus bitácoras, queda claro que, como lo mencionan Sánchez y Druker (2021), la experiencia lectora en un taller de fomento a la lectura no debe perseguir un único fin ni dirigirse a transmitir una idea si no se acepta como una dimensión de la lectura, la creación de significados textuales, emocionales, biográficos, sociales, políticos.…”

Educazione degli Adulti, dalle strategie alle urgenze. In luogo di una introduzione

“…I suoi scritti, a partire dai seminal studies dell'Educazione degli Adulti (Bélanger, Federighi 2000;Federighi 1984Federighi , 1996aFederighi , 20132019;Federighi, Sava 2001), restano così densi e attuali da restituire a ogni lettura sempre nuove scoperte e attuali intuizioni. Questo gli vale una serie di prestigiosi riconoscimenti a livello internazionale.…”

“…L'idea di fondo del lavoro di studio di Paolo Federighi è la ricerca continua di una definizione di soggetto in apprendimento, «non ridotto nelle dimensioni del soggetto individuale astratto dal contesto in cui vive» (Federighi 2016a, 68), né assimilabile a «partecipanti», «studenti», «visitatori», «utenti» o «learners». Tutte definizioni che lui stesso, in uno dei suoi recenti scritti che può considerarsi uno dei suoi manifesti di ricerca (Federighi 2019), intuisce come «sarcastiche» annotazioni (Federighi 2019, 60).…”