The Effects of Globalization on the Future of Adult Learning Article

The Effects of Globalization on the Future of Adult Learning - Article Example As the world continues to shrink into a smaller global village and become more interconnected, education will continue to play its crucial role in the transition to the contemporary post modern global society. Although the practice of Adult education evolved in the United States, it has inevitably spread to the other parts of the world. For example globalization has enabled the US model of adult education as well as the educational philosophies to spread to the other parts of the world and consequently many institutions offering adult education in different regions have revised their strategies and policies regarding the practice of adult learning. Similarly the adult education curricula of most universities are now being redesigned to meet the demands and challenges of a globalized world rather than their respective countries. According to Merriam and Brockett (1997),â€Å"adult learning generally refers to educational practices which are designed to bring about learning and person al development to those belonging to adult social group in the society†( p.8).The practice of adult education is currently facing a number of challenges in the global society and globalization has not only increased pressure on the contemporary institutions of higher learning to conform to the global demands but has also increased employment opportunities to the global markets. With regard to the fact that most countries of the world are rapidly adopting free market economies, education is currently seen as one of the critical elements of achieving business success and national competitiveness particularly in the global labor markets (Boeren, 2011, p.376). Another important impact of globalization on the practice of adult education is attributed to the fact that globalization has resulted in various social injustices and consequently the future practice of adult education must take into account the ways through which these social injustices can be addressed. Many analysts also concur that some of the common ways through which globalization is affecting the current as well as the future practice of adult education includes increasing pressure for changing curricular of adult education, through labor and economic markets, elimination of various national languages from adult educational programs in various countries as well as through the increasing us of English language as the primary language of instruction. This paper critically analyze the potential effects of globalization on both the current and future of adult education with particular focus on how the practice of adult education in America has impacted on learning across the globe. How cultural and global issues are affecting the practice of adult education There are several cultural factors as well as global issues that have a significant impact on the current as well as the future practice of adult education. For example some of these cultural and global issues have resulted in the need to change the overall purpose of the practice of adult education itself. Whereas previously adult education was primarily designed to meet social objectives, globalization has shifted this purpose and adult education currently geared towards meeting the demands of a competitive global economy and sustainable development ( Gacel-Avila, 2005, p.122). Consequently this has forced educators to redesign their educational curricular to