Adult Education (2007/2008)

Learning outcomes

The course aims firstly at offering some knowledge concerning adult life, in order to understand who the adult is, what his/her existential problems are, and which theories are discussed mostly in this field. Secondly, while contextualising the topic, the course aims at offering some of the basic educational concepts which justify the perspective of a “permanent education all life long”, also for particularly troubled situations. Moreover, reflecting on adults can serve as a self-education means for students, who are gradually entering adult life and are assuming roles and responsabilities; in this view the course will provide further elements concerning work, professional training, and concerning the reflexive and critical attitude which is typical of every single adult.

The course will deal with the following topics:
 Adult life crisis, between stability and change;
 When one becomes an “adult”: the question of “maturity”;
 The adult in search of him/herself, between plurality of roles and inner identity;
 Pedagogical basis and areas of intervention in adults’ education;
 Adults’ learning and change processes;
 Professional education and humanistic education: a complementary relation;
 Work and professional ethics, work and self-realisation.

Texts for the exam:
Mandatory for everybody:
D. Loro, Pedagogia della vita adulta. Prospettive di formazione, Brescia, La Scuola, 2006.
D. Loro, Adulti alla ricerca di sé. La vita interiore nell’educazione degli adulti, lecture notes 2007/2008 (for sale at Ateneo, Lungadige Porta Vittoria, 37).
Optional texts for your personal study:
A. Agosti, Cinema ed educazione. Percorsi per la formazione degli adulti,
Padova, Cedam, 2001; pp. 1-30; 75-100; 106-127; 133-149; 175-193.
D. Bruzzone, Ricerca di senso e cura dell’esistenza, Trento, Erickson, 2007.
M. Knowles, La formazione degli adulti come autobiografia. Il percorso di un educatore tra esperienza e idee, it. trans., Milano, Raffaello Cortina, 1996.

The exam consists of a three-hours’ written text. It consists of 5 open, argumentative, reflexive questions. A further optional question will deal with the optional text chosen for personal study. Upon agreement with the teacher, students can have a further integrating oral examination, if they wish. Exam scores will be registered on given days, which will be communicated on the exam day. Further details concerning the exam will be agreed during the lessons.