The song remains the same: the selective tradition of technical rationality in adult education program planning theory

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to depict the historical development of American adult education planning theory. We argue that adult education planning theory represents a ‘selective tradition’ promoting a dominant ‘discourse’ that privileges ‘technical rationality’. Using discourse analysis, we demonstrate how technical rationality emerged in the professionalization movement in the 1930s to dominate planning theory discourse, how technical rational planning theory became codified by 1950, and how little it has varied since. Using relational analysis, we juxtapose this dominant tradition of technical rational planning theory with historical examples of adult education to begin expanding our notions of what could count as legitimate planning practice and theory.