Adèle Chené

The Concept of Autonomy in Adult Education: A Philosophical Discussion

The first part of this article analyzes the concept of autonomy in what is called autonomous or self-directed learning within the following areas: pedagogical setting, teacher-learner relationship, and learning activity. The second part consists of a critical examination of that concept of autonomy which emphasizes the role of adults as agents of their own education, free from dependence upon conventional forms of knowledge and traditional pedagogical methods. The conciliatory view of the third part includes in its definition of the autonomy of the learner, besides independence and the will to learn, an awareness of the process of learning and existing norms as well as an ability to make critical judgements.

RECIPROCITY AND OLDER LEARNERS

This article focuses on reciprocity, which is inherent in the exchange taking place in educational settings between older learners and their instructors. On the basis of a meta‐analysis of 567 statements extracted from interviews with 11 groups of 4 learners and their instructor, a description of the affective and cognitive content and of the dynamics of this exchange is given. The results contribute to making explicit the form of reciprocity and the lack of symmetry in the exchange between practitioners and older learners. Following the discussion of these results, some directions for practice in older adult education are suggested.

Never Old Older Learners.

Reciprocity emerges as central to the educational relationship in the context of older‐adult education. This article is divided into three parts: excerpts from research interviews illustrate the affective and the cognitive dimensions of the exchange which takes place between learners and teachers; with a review of the literature the dynamics of reciprocity in a pedagogical situation and its meaning for older adults are explored; two parallel descriptions of the affective and the cognitive dimensions of what is given by the teacher and the learner and what is expected and received by their counterpart are constructed. It is hoped that these parallels will be useful for practice as well as for research.

COMMUNITY‐BASED OLDER LEARNERS: BEING WITH OTHERS

Data collected in seven community‐based learning contexts revealed that older adults valued friendship, reciprocity, communication, family spirit, and a sense of belonging in their experience of being with others. In the first part of this article, the older learners’ descriptions of their experiences are presented. The literature on similar or related themes‐‐social self, friendship, reciprocity, recognition, and communication in informal groups‐‐is then reviewed. In the final section, I refer to the literature to interpret the value the older adults placed on the sense of belonging and friendship, question certain aspects of the literature, and reflect on the respondents references to family and reciprocity with young people. I suggest that in learning activities, practitioners and older adults are making the community a reality.

College studies after 50 years of age : a Quebec experience

This article presents an examination of an academic program for older adults, offered at a junior‐college level educational institution in Montreal, Quebec. The authors recount the main events of the history of this francophone program and explain its underlying principles. They trace the evolution of the program within the college structure and examine its pedagogy. As well, they offer several results of the program and consider its future prospects. The authors conclude that the program, seen as a social practice, bears a significance for educational gerontology, for education, and for the larger context of contemporary society.

The New Black Book: What Does It Tell Us About Adult Education?

Peters, J., Jarvis, P., and Associates. (1991). Adult Education: Evolution and Achievements in a Developing Field of Study. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

SELF‐ESTEEM OF THE ELDERLY AND EDUCATION

After clarifying the notion of self‐esteem, the author uses psychological referentials to analyze how the aging person succeeds in maintaining self‐esteem throughout changes and losses occurring in life. Implications for the education of older people are discussed. The quest for the self is linked to the quest for knowledge, and feelings with regard to personal values are focused on in the context of relationships with peers and educators.