Brief overview of AAACE: History and Mission
The American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) is committed to the statement that lifelong learning is beneficial for positive social development and human fulfillment. It is a non-profit organization and association of professionals and academics in the sphere of lifelong learning (Who We Are, 2011).
In this respect, it stands for relevant public policy, legislation, social changes and expanded educational opportunities for adults. The community provides support and leadership to adults and creates favorable opportunities for continuing education and advancing professional growth and development (Who We Are, 2011).
In addition, the organization contributes to fostering development and distribution of research, theory and practice related to adult learning techniques as well as promotes common standards and identities for professional. Finally, the community advocates social change and appropriate public policy development with regard to educational opportunities for adults.
Discussing Policy Initiatives
Because the focus of discussion is formation and development of adult education, specific emphasis should be placed to the analysis of objectives and initiatives related to learning and growth. Specifically, the objectives include introducing individual development programs, assessing needs for leadership enhancement within the organization, and, finally, encourage sponsors and investors to take part in financing adult education.
In such a way, AAACE plans to sustain the ability to improve and change. All these initiatives are consistent with the concept of lifelong education because there are many benefits that they provide to adult communities. Specifically, the objectives are directed at expanding opportunities for continuous learning and for modifying programs with regard to age.
Analyzing the Benefits of Policies for Adult Education
While considering the first policy initiative – development of individual educational plans – many companies and organizations consider this strategy paramount for enhancing the performance and professionalism of their workers. At his point, Duke (2011) believes, “…leading companies see the further education and training of their employees as an investment in their human resources” (p. 21).
However, little advancement is traced as far as individual plan development is concerned. At this point, both private and public sectors introduce more resources for contributing changes to training programs for adults with regard to such characteristics as position, age, gender, preferences, and psychological portrait.
In other words, a learning process must be strongly connected to all social dimensions of adults and, consequently, it should be life-wide, lifelong, and life-deep (Duke, 2011, p. 19). A more balanced, in-depth approach to a lifelong learning system is needed to ensure individuals with exhaustive learning and readiness to social change.
In addition, working out new methods and regular presentation of fresh insights into adult education is the basic condition for creating a health educational environment for employees (Fanning, 2011). Adults, therefore, should feel that they are provided with sufficient information about their utmost concerns. In this respect, a person-oriented approach can satisfy this need to a full extent.
Aside from the necessity of introducing individual approach to each adult, the educators should pay particular attention to importance of leadership skills in guiding their learners. In this respect, AAACE has created a number of opportunities for enhancing leadership and providing educators with resources and materials necessary for their personal development and professional advancement.
In this respect, the network members should also be in the pursuit of techniques that would their potential for fruitful cooperation and collaboration. Being an effective educator is vital for increasing the academic performance of adults and providing them with incentives to learn better.
According to MacLennan (2008), the process of educating people should be viewed as the “…process of putting ourselves regularly in the role of learner as precisely so helpful because it allows us to put ourselves in the role of other and see our practice from the perspective of other” (p. 392).
Interpreting this, an educator should take into deeper consideration the employed environment in which a learner is involved to make the corresponding changes to an educational plan. To support the idea, Deggs and Miller (2011) argue that adult education providers must be aware of the consequences of their action that might influence the development and professional growth of the individuals.
In particular, educators should serve as academic counselors and leaders that make adult learners understand existing social and cultural values.
Additionally, the researchers admit that organizations should value educational programs and increase social interaction between the educated employees and the ones who are not involved into the training programs. In this respect, providing adults with greater awareness of educators’ leadership can contribute to shaping their outlook on the importance of education.
Aside educational and learning perspectives, the third policy introduced by the AAACE is not of the least importance. Specifically, financial support and sponsorship should be encouraged for developing advanced training programs and plans for adult learners.
Application of advanced technologies is beneficial for promoting distant learning and providing adult learners with flexibility in the course of an academic process (Duke, 2011). In addition, to attract more sponsors and stakeholders interested in education, it is necessary to enhance report accountability of the organization.
In such a manner, the introduction of better accountability reports may enhance significance of existing programs and foster development of much more reliable programs with relevant courses and materials for learners. Aside from explicit benefits for adults, introducing financial resources can also create benefits in terms of improving relations of non-profit organization with the governmental ones.
At this point, AAACE can establish closer relation with official governmental bodies and provide a clearer vision of how adult education can be developed both in the form of online learning and as training programs for employees.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be stressed that the policy initiatives introduced by the AAACE provides a fresh insight into improving the sphere of adult learning as a separate field of personal development. Their mission is fully justified because advanced approaches to enhancing education.
At this point, the introduction of individual development program can contribute to expanding opportunities for employees and providing greater potential for social and economic development of the country. Second, the analysis of leadership skills development is also necessary because educators should work out specific techniques to managing and guiding adult learners.
Therefore, being an effective leader implies engaging learners into learning activities as the basis for improving the quality of their lives. Finally, attention to financial resources is also indispensible to activating investment and attracting more stakeholders.
Involving more people in organizing distant learning and sophisticating the already existing development plans is a step forward toward creating a well-educated and professional community. Overall, the existing polices greatly contribute to presenting a consistent lifelong policy.
References
Deggs, D., & Miller, M. (2011). Developing Community Expectations: The Critical Role of Adult Educators. Adult Learning, 22(3), 25-30.
Duke, C. (2011). Adult Education and Lifelong Learning Within UNESCO: CONFINTEA, Education for All, and Beyond. Adult Learning, 22/23(4/1), 18.
Fanning, F. E. (2011). Engaging Learners: Techniques to Make Training Stick. Professional Safety, 56(8), 42.
MacLennan, J. (2008). “Do the Thing You Think You Cannot Do”: The Imperative to Be an Adult Learner in Order to Be a More Effective Adult Educator. Australian Journal Of Adult Learning, 48(2), 385-398.
Who We Are. (2011). AAACE. Web.