"Community education, also known as community-based education or community learning & development, is an organization's programs to promote learning and social development work with individuals and groups in their communities using a range of formal and informal methods. A common defining feature is that programmes and activities are developed in dialogue with communities and participants."
Programs designed to connect adults with the resources and skills needed to become active members of their communities.
History of Adult Education: This topic covers the evolution of adult education from ancient times to the present, including the key figures, movements, and trends that have shaped the field.
Theory and Practice of Adult Education: This topic focuses on the theories and methods of adult learning, including various pedagogical approaches, the development of curriculum, and the role of reflective practice in adult education.
Community Development: This topic explores the concept of building and strengthening communities through educational, social and cultural activities. It includes an overview of community-based organizations, community organizing, and community mobilization.
Program Planning and Evaluation: This topic covers the process of designing, implementing, and assessing adult education programs in various settings, including formal and informal education.
Instructional Design: This topic covers the necessary steps to plan, implement and evaluate effective learning experiences in adult education using different formats and settings.
Diversity and Inclusion: This topic covers the different aspects of diversity, inclusion, and social justice in adult education. It includes cultural competence, sensitivity, and awareness, language barriers, and strategies to address and promote diversity and inclusion.
Technology in Adult Education: This topic focuses on the use of technology in adult education, including online learning, blended learning, social media, and other digital tools that can enhance learning experiences.
Career and Workforce Development: This topic explores the developmental needs and employment opportunities of adults, as well as the strategies to help them meet their education, training, and career goals.
Health Education: This topic covers the use of adult education to address health issues, promoting healthy behavior, and designing health education programs for different audiences and education levels.
Policy and Advocacy: This topic covers the role of educational policy in adult education, including advocacy, lobbying, and political action on behalf of adult learners and the field of adult education.
Formal Education: This includes courses offered by colleges and universities to adult learners to earn degrees or certifications.
Continuing Education: These are short-term courses for adults who want to learn specific skills or acquire knowledge about a particular subject.
Literacy Programs: Designed for adults who struggle with reading, writing, and basic math skills.
Vocational Education: Vocational education courses are designed for adults who want to acquire skills or trade-specific training to start a new career.
English as a Second Language (ESL): ESL programs help non-native speakers improve their English language skills to prepare them to navigate the complexities of living and working in English-speaking countries.
Citizenship Education: Designed to help immigrants seeking naturalization acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to pass the citizenship exam.
Life Skills Education: This type of education focuses on the development of practical life skills such as cooking, budgeting, and time management.
Parenting Education: Designed for adults to acquire the knowledge and skills to effectively raise children.
Community Leadership Education: These courses help adults develop leadership skills to improve their communities and workplaces.
GED and High School Equivalency Programs: Designed for adults who never earned their high school diplomas but want to continue their education by earning a diploma-equivalent certificate.
"The purpose of community learning and development is to develop the capacity of individuals and groups of all ages through their actions, the capacity of communities, to improve their quality of life. Central to this is their ability to participate in democratic processes."
"Community education encompasses all those occupations and approaches that are concerned with running education and development programs within local communities, rather than within educational institutions such as schools, colleges, and universities. The latter is known as the formal education system, whereas community education is sometimes called informal education."
"There are a myriad of job titles and employers include public authorities and voluntary or non-governmental organisations, funded by the state and by independent grant-making bodies."
"Schools, colleges, and universities may also support community learning and development through outreach work within communities. The community schools movement has been a strong proponent of this since the sixties."
"Since the seventies, the prefix word ‘community’ has also been adopted by several other occupations from youth workers and health workers to planners and architects, who work with more disadvantaged groups and communities and have been influenced by community education and community development approaches."
"Community educators have over many years developed a range of skills and approaches for working within local communities and in particular with disadvantaged people. These include less formal educational methods, community organizing, and group work skills."
"Since the nineteen sixties and seventies through the various anti-poverty programs in both developed and developing countries, practitioners have been influenced by structural analyses as to the causes of disadvantage and poverty i.e. inequalities in the distribution of wealth, income, land etc., and especially political power and the need to mobilize people power to effect social change."
"These methods and approaches have been acknowledged as significant for local social, economic, cultural, environmental, and political development by such organizations as the UN, WHO, OECD, World Bank, Council of Europe, and EU."
"In the history of community education and community learning and development, the UK has played a significant role in hosting the two main international bodies representing community education and community development."
"These being the International Community Education Association, which was for many years based at the Community Education Development Centre based in Coventry UK, and the International Association for Community Development."
"In the 1990s there was some thought as to whether these two bodies might merge."
"The term community learning and development has not taken off widely in other countries."
"Although community learning and development approaches are recognized internationally."
"It has long been critical of aspects of the formal education system for failing large sections of the population in all countries and had a particular concern for taking learning and development opportunities out to poorer areas, although it can be provided more broadly."
"A common defining feature is that programmes and activities are developed in dialogue with communities and participants."
"The purpose of community learning and development is to develop the capacity of individuals and groups of all ages through their actions, the capacity of communities, to improve their quality of life."
"Community education encompasses all those occupations and approaches that are concerned with running education and development programs within local communities, using a range of formal and informal methods."
"It has long been critical of aspects of the formal education system for failing large sections of the population in all countries."
"Community educators have over many years developed a range of skills and approaches for working within local communities and in particular with disadvantaged people."