Adult Education in a Multicultural Society

Many societies are multicultural, and adult education has an important role to play in these societies. Yet little research has so far been done on the work of adult educators with different cultural groups. These essays, by both adult educators and policy makers, are an important contribution to a largely unexplored area, and will be of interest to adult educators in all multicultural societies. Focusing on the United States, the contributors examine the challenges facing adult educators in meeting the needs of newly-arrived immigrants as well as the continuing needs of ethnic minorities generally. Should adult educators attempt to change the social order, to improve the quality of life for those they teach? What are the social, economic, and political implications of those educational issues? The contributors investigate the questions raised by pluralism and linguistic diversity, and then describe in detail the present-day adult education of some of the larger ethnic groups in the United States. They also give examples of new methods in adult education, and innovative projects at the university, professional, and vocational level. The challenge of providing effective education for ethnic minorities exists for all multicultural societies, and this account of the US experience provides insights and information not readily available elsewhere.