Dr Pyhillis CunninghamDr Pyhillis Cunningham“A strong civil society, which promotes the full participation of its citizens, ensures that we strive toward a participatory democratic goal” (Cunningham, 1993). This quote by Dr. Phyllis Cunningham epitomizes her philosophy of life. She has spent her entire life trying to improve the world in which we all live. Her educational philosophy mirrors her personal philosophy in that she sees the purpose of adult education as means to pursue the cause of social equality. She strongly believes that the purpose of education is to bring about fundamental social, cultural, political and economic change in society.
This paper provides a quick background on Dr. Phyllis Cunningham and examines some of the influences on her as well as how she became and continues to remain involved in improving adult education in our society. Next, this paper explores Dr. Cunninghams educational philosophy and how she sees using education as means to a better and more equal society. The paper also looks at some of her accomplishments and professional writings. Finally, the paper examines the different ways she has impacted the field of adult and continuing education. Dr. Cunninghams accomplishment in the adult educational field is exhaustive and this paper will by no means attempt to address all of her accomplishments. The paper highlights some of the key
troubles Ms. Cunningham experienced with the adult community.
Paid for by Mr. Cunningham
The National Young People’s Association (NANSA) has announced the publication of a special section entitled “A Brief Look Around the New Research Project (and New Results) on Adult Learning.” The focus of the article is the recent findings of the American Foundation for the Advancement of Science and the College Survey in addition to the NANSA results. In addition to the NANSA findings, published last month in the journal Developmental Psychology:
Among adult learning professionals, education in particular has grown significantly, and the number of jobs associated with it have grown substantially. Yet it seems that an increasing percentage of adult education professionals may feel that the current situation, particularly the lack of opportunities to train and improve, is as unsustainable for our society as it is for a majority of Americans today.
Furthermore, it appears that a “mixed approach” in teaching youth-directed studies has become the norm among researchers, most importantly. By presenting the results of a large, independent investigation of children’s learning at school for the first time (one of several academic studies published in the NANSA) and in a separate study with similar conclusions, NANSA have revealed considerable similarities between the educational practices of older and younger children and adults. Further, this particular study has provided new empirical support, as well as a new set of issues regarding the role of research in changing the educational paradigm.
Research on Adult Education
Recently, the NANSA conducted a joint study of the United States and the Netherlands, and compared the effects of adult and child education on children’s college attainment. This joint results show that a small percentage of youth in the Netherlands experience no less than 20% higher levels of college completion between 5 and 18 years of age than do non-Dutch youth. Moreover, it does not show any significant differences in rates in college completion.
Researchers did not find any significant differences between the levels of students in a single group of Netherlands students or between a single group of Dutch students and students in another group. Additionally, studies conducted on Dutch youths at high school are not comparable to that from the United States in terms of the results seen in this particular study.
The University of Kiel has also included a separate study by researchers in this field of adult education. This longitudinal study on Dutch childhood education by the University of Kiel is of particular interest. One study showed that, from a younger age, in addition to school attendance, students’ achievement increased during the first quarter of the study. These results were corroborated by research that indicated that Dutch students and Dutch students showed higher rates of successful completion of vocational training for each degree of education. Furthermore, one student in the study demonstrated that the success rates in obtaining a vocational degree were significantly lower than in the United States, which indicates that the Dutch people who acquire educational assistance must be particularly motivated to pursue or