Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
UNESCO Chair in Global Adult Education Second International Conference on Critical Adult Education and Learning, Valletta, Malta, 5 - 06 Kasım 2025, ss.9, (Özet Bildiri)
Adult education is defined as “planned educational activities organized and conducted to provide knowledge and improve the understanding of adults in various fields” (Demirel, 2008). According to Miser (2002), the purpose of adult education is to focus on meeting the individual’s needs and productivity, helping them realize their full potential and become more productive. Based on this, adult education can be viewed not only as a means of individual development but also as a tool for social transformation. Considering adult education as a means of social transformation highlights the concept of critical adult education. According to Brookfield (1995), critical adult education focuses on the individual’s autonomy, internalized assumptions, actions, and the reflection on these actions, with these elements holistically integrated into the educational process. In this context, adult education is understood not merely as the transmission of necessary knowledge to adults, but as an influential force that affects all areas of life and transforms society. In line with the aim of this study, the approaches of thinkers who centre the transformative potential and social function of education will be examined. In this regard, leading figures of critical pedagogy, such as Antonio Gramsci, Paulo Freire, Peter Mayo, Henry A. Giroux, and bell hooks, who view education as a tool of resistance and transformation through concepts such as hegemony, cultural reproduction, and critical consciousness, will be included. In addition, despite their distinct theoretical foundations, the views of classical educational theorists such as Jean Piaget (theories of cognitive and moral development), Lev Vygotsky (sociocultural learning theory), and John Dewey (experience-based, democratic education) will also be evaluated for their contributions to the social dimension of education. The perspectives of these thinkers will be addressed holistically within the study's theoretical framework, and a synthesis will be developed regarding the social and transformative functions of education across critical pedagogical approaches and developmental and experience-based theories. This study is expected to offer a perspective to the literature on critical adult education within the context of social transformation and to present a comprehensive picture of the field.
Keywords: adult education, social transformation, critical adult education