Sergio Astorga
INFT101_19B_201320
March 7, 2013

Summary The latest figures, related to students who are presently involved in any type of formal education, reveals that the numbers of adults in the search for education is rapidly rising. Statistics also show the reasons that drive adults to enroll in adult education as well as the advantage and or disadvantage they possess over a younger person. To develop a more adequate adult learning system, the federal and the states governments, have united efforts to come up with satisfactory methods of approaching adult educational environment, which would aid education institutions and teachers to develop styles to support adults to reach their educational goals. In an attempt to explain the reasons an adult seeks to achieve a higher cultural level, the essayist is going to summarize the perception from different scholars. Follow by the author’s personal experience in the field and seal the writing with the writer’s personal reflection on the discussed theme.
The technological advances from the present digital era have engendered the need for highly trained laborers. Presently, jobs for unskilled workers are scarce, while trained labors have a considerable demand. This phenomenon triggered the individual interest on adults to seek for a better education. Besides the highly competitive rate from the contemporary operational forces, there are other peripheral compels, such as parenthood that urge the adult population to hunt for a better education, (Dorch, B.; 2012.) Durch explains, that by “September 2009, BMO Capital Markets” assessed that in this country alone the “continuing education” trade was as high as “$104 billion annually.” In addition, many of the adult inhabitants, as the “Baby Boom Generation,” remained working pass their retirement age. (Durch, B.; 2012.) , Within the field of schooling, adults develop a wide range of the training-education area, which goes from English as a foreign language to master and doctorate degrees at university levels. Adults though, she clarifies, have an advantage over their teenager colleagues, they have a “life long experience” which matures their goals; therefore, grownups know with more exactitude what is that they are seeking for in the educational sphere.
As to reach a final point, Dorch’s The article focused on the need for better-qualified personnel compels adults to enroll in training and or education institutions, exerting a very important contribution to the learning enterprises, (Dorch, B; 2012).
The prior article revealed the reasons adults seek education, the following writings by Gayla S. Keesee will explain the theory about adult learning under the scope of Knowles Andragogy theory. There is not an absolute theory revealing all the folds that adult learning encloses; but Knowles’ andragogy theory shows different features to the learning facets of adults’ absorption, Keesee said. In the first edition of his book, “The Modern Practice of Adult Education: From Pedagogy to Andragogy, (Knowles, 1980, page. 43)” Knowles’ antagonized Andragogy and Pedagogy. However, Keesee states, Knowles shifted opinions from his prior assumption. On the second edition of his book, Knowles combined both disciplines, stating that the application of either Pedagogy and/ or Andragogy or or the application of both, do not depend on maturity but on particulars status quo stead, revealed Knowles on Model of assumptions, (1980; p. 43. ) Their application is based on the different learning qualities from adults and children methods of teaching learning. Knowles perceives, adult learner, she continues, “as one who is autonomous, free, and growth-oriented,” (Keesee, G; Andragogy-- adult Learning Theory; paragraph 4). Knowles postulated six issues on the adulthood development traits: “Self-concept, Experience, Readiness to learn, Orientation to learning, Motivation to learn and Relevance.” (Keesee; Andragogy, Adult Learning Theory; paragraphs 5 to 11); alongside to the theory of andragogy development, Knowles published “Self-Directed Learning: A Guide for Learners and Teachers (1975).” Knowles related that the adults involved on perusing education, are people who are independent that know what they whant as well as they know what their personal assets and their individual limitations are. They implement their own learning strategies and they are honest on their learning progress. Finally, according to Knowles, adult learning should be self-directed not accumulation of new knowledge. Individual “proactive” behavior and personal responsibility towards one is learning is the proposed “model” Knowles portrays through his new “self-directed” adult learning assumptions. (Keesee, G.)
The first article reflects the need of qualify personal and the increasing number of adults involved in education as well as on the present job tenure; while the second lean on how to procedures of adult learners. The junction of both views, give a person a general idea on the why are adults seeking for self-cultivation, in addition to how and what methods to use to teach an adult person.

Reflection
I am a mature person striving to further my education . The motive(s) which impulse me to seek for self-enhancement, are based on mixed inner drives with exterior reasons. When a person reaches a certain age, his or her worries are not on the frugalities of material gains, but on the spirituality of his or her being instead. Has he or she made a difference in this world? Is the first question a mature person asks of him or herself. I agree with Knowles, an adult would reflect on his or her experiences and based his or her learning to correct bygone mistakes: “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.” (Job 6:24.) I also agree with Dorch, B., in the present era of high technical advances, an older character realizes that self-enhancement is a necessity to keep on walking the selected pathway: “Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,” (Proverbs 1:5.)
Adults’ biggest asset is experience. They do not confuse knowledge with wisdom or training with education. They gained the awareness that happiness does not lay on the material possession neither on the tenure of power, but as Christ said: happiness is rested on the love for each other: “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us…” (Romans 5:8).
A mature student seeks learning to apply it towards the wellbeing of the society and humanity as a whole. An adult student is very aware of the difference types of knowledge. The technical knowledge which is good only for individual purposes; the wisdom knowledge, which is the knowledge of the self and of the human values, and goes hand to hand with the practice. In addition, as Socrates said, the adult seeks “The higher knowledge or knowledge of definition” and the understanding of the same. An adult student interlaces technical knowledge with the “higher knowledge,” (Socrates), bringing about actions directed towards the benefit of the many. Memorization along with selection and understanding of “higher knowledge,” is one of the major learning assets an adult has.
An adult learns by intercommunication with others, through conversation or even by reading. By the same talk, an adult reads, listen, sees and philosophically doubts everything and research and investigate to enlighten the truth. Experience has taught adults neither to argue nor to debate, but to solve differences and arrive at the truth by dialectic approaches. An adult will place into practice his or her learning through extenuating drill and transform the intellectual knowledge into “intuitive knowledge” directing his or her actions towards habits to form the disciplines that forge his or her character. The adult learns by observation and reflection, by action and experience and by studying and analyzing. Overall, an adult knows his her weakness, strength, and work on his or her faults to reach his or her qualities, and reches from within the core
Of his or her inmost self to find the answer to his her doubts (Confucius).
I agree with the assessments divulged by Benita Dorch and Gayla S. Keesee,However, those assumption based on the characteristics of adults, ranging from its earlier stage of development to late adulthood; My opinion though, is based on the late stage of adult development, where the values peruse has settled mostly on spirituality, on the knowledge of the self. At that stage, one seeks education not driven by the acquisition of knowledge alone but of wisdom itself, “With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.” (Job 12:12.) One conceives knowledge and love through Corinthians 13:4-8: “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.”

References
Dorch, B. (2012). Continuing education. Network Journal, 19(4), 14-15. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com/docview/1034891697?accountid=12085.
Gayla S. Keesee, G. S. (2011). Andragogy, Adult Learning Theory. Retrieved from:http://teachinglearningresources.pbworks.com/w/page/30310516/Andragogy--Adult%20Learning%20Theory