Abstract
A study was carried out with former graduates of the University of Botswana, Department of Adult Education to explore the issues related to professionalisation of adult education careers in Botswana. An underlying goal was to explore the unique characteristics of the Department of Adult Education (DAE) at the University of Botswana. This study took a case study approach by focusing only on the Department of Adult Education graduates. Participants’ involvement was solicited using purposive sampling. However, snowballing also was applied to help the researcher locate more former students. The methodology used was basically qualitative relying on the phenomenological paradigm. As the researcher was interested in perceptions, opinions and experience of participants as they were related to what constitutes professionalisation in the field of adult education as practised by the Department of Adult Education (DAE) at the University of Botswana. The findings indicate that adult educators acquire a set of “flexible” skills that would allow them to adapt to a changing employment situation and to develop new avenues for adult education in varied institutional settings. Stakeholders concurred that professional associations are presently weak in Botswana and made suggestions for more vigorous activity for adult education on their part. With regard to institutional support, there was broad consensus that Botswana possesses already an admirable structure for training and institutional assistance in the Department of Adult Education.
Highlights
The issue of relevance and match between university training and the needs of industry becomes critical in today’s competitive world
Practitioners in a field of endeavour like adult education need to draw on a reliable knowledge base and to feel confident that their services are grounded in a set of skills and understandings— developed in a good part through their professional academic training—that others do not have
It is dedicated to critical dimensions of adult education professionalization in Botswana: the consolidation of a knowledge base, the development of professional associations and the reinforcement of institutional support
Summary
The issue of relevance and match between university training and the needs of industry becomes critical in today’s competitive world. 27) argues that “Adult education as a field of study is indispensable in national development as its relevance cuts across all Sectors”. It is imperative that adult education through research studies such as this one justifies its position as a possible partner in economic, social and human development (UNESCO, 2009; Popovic, 2010). That adult education through research studies such as this one justifies its position as a possible partner in economic, social and human development (UNESCO, 2009; Popovic, 2010). These sentiments are underscored by Talabi (2014) who observes that “the trend in the academia for multi-disciplinarity is one which augurs well for Adult Education as an academic enterprise. These opinions that identify adult education as playing a very critical role in society underscore the significance of recognising adult education as a profession
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