Power in Practice

Ronald M. Cervero

• 28 november 2000
• 9780787947293

Samenvatting:

Examines how certain adult education programs, practices, and policies can become a subtle part of power relationships in wider society. This book discusses how to teach responsibly, develop effective adult education programs, and provide exemplary leadership in complex political contexts, including the workplace and higher education.

"This book will be the single most important contribution to our field's knowledge base in the past two decades. The authors have managed to shift the focus of adult education back to the social concerns that were taken for granted when the field was founded. We are ready for this long overdue book. Indeed, we have been yearning for this book. It will tilt our field back towards its moral center."
— B. Allan Quigley, chair, Department of Adult Education, St. Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia

"Cervero and Wilson have done us a great service. Until now, the debate on power in adult education has been disparate and sporadic. In this book, Cervero and Wilson set about putting this right. They have invited leading writers in the field to examine theory and practice in terms of power. They have not asked them to abandon their own particular passions but to revisit them, analyze them, and take their thinking further. And they have asked them to locate their thinking and rethinking in descriptions of practice. Power in Practice is a wonderful book-full of case studies, updated theories, new perspectives, and evidence that adult education can and does change people's lives."
—Michael Newman, senior lecturer in adult education, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia

"This is a must read book for practitioners and professors. The authors have clearly and provocatively reconceptualized our field of practice: power and privilege can no longer be ignored. The adult educator is on the 'hot seat' for the decisions made; facilitators are no longer benign, objective professionals executing their prescribed roles. Each of us must own up to our choices of who will and who will not profit from the programs we plan or administer."
—Phyllis Cunningham, distinguished teaching professor, Northern Illinois University

"The single most important contribution to our field's knowledgebase in the past two decades. The authors have managed to shift thefocus of adult education back to the social concerns that weretaken for granted when the field was founded. We are ready for thislong overdue book. Indeed, we have been yearning for this book. Itwill tilt our field back towards its moral center."
--B. Allan Quigley, chair, Department of AdultEducation, St. Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia

"Power in Practice is a wonderful book--full of case studies,updated theories, new perspectives, and evidence that adulteducation can and does change people's lives."
--Michael Newman, senior lecturer in adult education,University of Technology, Sydney, Australia

Adult educators know that they can no longer focus solely on theneeds of learners without responsibly addressing the political andethical consequences of their work. Power in Practiceexamines how certain adult education programs, practices, andpolicies can become a subtle part of power relationships in widersociety. It provides a rich array of real-world cases thathighlight the pivotal role of adult educators as "knowledge andpower brokers" in the conflict between learners and the socialforces surrounding them. The authors discuss how to teachresponsibly, develop effective adult education programs, andprovide exemplary leadership in complex political contexts,including the workplace and higher education. Educators in themiddle of power struggles will learn how to become more politicallyaware while actively shaping their enterprises to meet importantsocial needs.