Developing Programs in Adult Education

Anne Wolff ADED 5610 - Planning and Evaluation of Instruction Book Review #1 Due Feb 19, 2006 Boone, E.J., Safrit, R.D., and Jones, J. (2002). Developing programs in adult education, A Conceptual Programming Model, 2nd ed. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, Inc. I chose the book, Developing Programs in Adult Education, A Conceptual Programming Model for my first book review because it would give me an opportunity to study an alternative approach to planning in addition to Caffarella's interactive model of planning. Boone's conceptual programming model addresses programming in adult education from a holistic systems approach that encompasses three interdependent and connecting processes: planning; design and implementation; and evaluation and accountability. This nonlinear, conceptually focused holistic model of the programming process provides adult educators with a consistent framework for understanding and giving meaning to the many activities in which they engage when planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating adult education programs. Boone's conceptual programming model was developed from work in community colleges and community based programs, university continuing education divisions, the Cooperative Extension Service, volunteer organizations, and public health units, and thus is grounded in practical applications. Recognizing that adult educators function in complex and rapidly changing organizational and societal contexts, no fixed or static programming model can adequately address the diverse adult learner population, their societal, cultural, economic, political, and technological contexts. This conceptual programming model is much like Caffarella's interactive programming model in its flexibility of application. Boone's conceptual programming model encourages the adult educator to stay abreast of the external environment in which both the adult education organization and its practicing adult educators function through continuous environmental scanning. Mapping and involvement of the public in collaborative needs identification, assessment, and the design and implementation of educational programs allows the programmer to respond to needs of the institution and the target audience. This model emphasizes ongoing, planned formative evaluation of all major decisions and actions taken during the implementation of the total programming process. Summative evaluation of the planned program outcomes and the determination of the planned programs holistic impact on societal change are also strongly emphasized. The basic structural organization of the book begins with a description of the programming process which includes all of the planned and collaborative efforts and activities of adult educators, learners, and institutional leaders in designing and effecting educational strategies that culminate in behavioral change in individual adult learners, and collectively, the targeted learner syst