CRITICAL DISCOURSE OF QUALITY IN ADULT EDUCATION
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Paper categorization: Original scientific paper
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Abstract:
This paper analyses and critically evaluates the quality of adult education. The quality of adult education is strongly influenced by neoliberal conceptions and is more often than not reduced to measurable indicators, whereas the other aspects of adult education are neglected. The author points out that quality in adult education is a rather vague and “slippery” concept that reflects different ideological, economic, social and political values. Therefore, it is important to approach the concept of quality from the perspective of critical pedagogy. Critical discourse defines adult education as a process whose focal point is an individual who educates oneself because of emancipation. The emancipatory role of adult education, viewed as a process of liberation, empowerment, questioning and development of all human abilities and interests, is being neglected in the economic discourse of quality, which consequently casts doubt on the ultimate purpose and goals of adult education. Due to the aforementioned doubts, a whole line of contemporary myths about adult education appears, while adult education has simultaneously become an instrument of adjustment, which is reflected in its quality.
Keywords:
critical pedagogy; emancipatory discourse; myths in adult education; neoliberalism; quality assurance