Continuing education trends and policy implications

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Abstract
Two major Advisory Council for Adult and Continuing Education (ACACE) reports address respectively the need for new policies for continuing education (ACACE 1982/1985), and the work of the recently emerging Educational Guidance Services for Adults (EGSAs) (Butler et al. 1984). The context of these two reports differs from that of the most recent major policy review of adult education, the Russell report (DES 1973); the social, political and economic climate is markedly different, with much higher relevant uncertainty affecting education; new concepts of lifelong education have meanwhile taken hold; and the term ‘continuing education’ has come to embrace all post‐experience education. Narrow vocationalism represents a threat to ACACEs broader vision for a continuing eduation system, while demographic changes present a rare opportunity to redeploy resources economically to serve the growing adult clientele for education. The main ACACE report calls for an integrated policy and system of continuing education; notes various inequalities of provision; analyses barriers to access; suggests several significant possible developments; and summarizes priorities for action. The EGSA report reveals how a new helping profession is coming to define and learn its role, albeit hamstrung by grossly inadequate resources. Overall, there is the possibility of formulating a continuing education policy for post‐industrial society which draws together humanistic philosophy with human capital thinking, and assists Britain to handle unusually rapid and disruptive change. This also requires more connection between continuing education and those in ‘mainstream’ education. There are signs that this is occurring at the level of policy formulation.

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