In “The Meaning of Adult Education” Lindeman defines adult education by its limits and not the component of enlightening grown-ups only. Most of the teachings rotate on non-vocational ideals on the extent to which events happen. Education is associated with situations instead of subjects because the real experience matters more to adults than theories as they struggle to endeavor in discovering new ways of approaching issues and creating new motives for learning.
Lindeman stated that learning enables adults to refresh their minds and assimilate tantamount knowledge with power (Lindeman, 1984). For vocational education, the training is planned to prepare students using appropriate methods to achieve their goals. However, for adult education, it extends past the mentioned means and demands other sanctions and the ultimate justifications of the findings, which expands the knowledge base. The training enables gaining knowledge regarding people’s powers, abilities, and restrictions, which is important in acquiring true freedom and sustaining creative spark in their lives.
Lindeman maintains that providing education is like giving life which revolves around non-vocational standards as a point to begin educational ventures for an experienced and needy student instead of a specified subject. In this case, Lindeman explains that the trainer gives the core guidelines on the subject of what the student is expected to adjust to (Lindeman, 1984). He insists that contending to adult education encourages original thinking by being creative; advocating individualized training methods motivates learners to go beyond their normal reservoir of experiences before they resort to secondary facts.
According to Lindeman, intelligence is a method of correcting known facts and integrating other ideas with total features of personality. This means that the definition shows that adult intellect can be improved through informative experiences that do not conform to the obvious cultures.
Lindeman states in his book that the relationship between power to knowledge and reason for people’s needs for self-expression is more in a way that specialization of the aged leads to participation and action in the societal affairs. He believes that an individual’s freedom might be a result of adult education if it enables the trainee in understanding the hindrances, frustrations, and subjugations of a person (Lindeman, 1984). It is because one becomes aware of their capacities, powers, restrictions, and strengths, and they would then identify a life where one can utilize their personality and aim to modify their conduct depending on the changing environment.
This will be determined by one’s consciousness of being a busy agent. Such a person believes that acquiring adult education may bring happiness and help them become a useful person for themselves and others in society and in the field of specialization.
The book gives the message to social workers in a larger sense who involve in educating adults and providing information that offers special value in social affairs. It is significant since the tenets used by Lindeman give an analysis and the most applicable aspects related to education of both graduate and undergraduate (Lindeman, 1984). The experience attained enables them to gain knowledge by doing something which makes a difference in their lives. Education helps in bearing new cultural values and enabling people to appreciate others and what surrounds them. It gives direct energy for collective initiatives, which might be a stirring tool to change lives and recognize the knowledge gained from experience. Lindeman has a consistent determination, whereby he tries not to differentiate human challenges from considering philosophical aspects.
Reference
Lindeman, E. C. (1984). The meaning of adult education (Vol. 1). Ravenio Books.