Women and Work in the History of British Adult Education: with critical review of R. Peers, T. Kelly and R. Fieldhouse

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the framework of 'British adult education' from the perspective of women and work. British adult education has been characterized as 'liberal and non-vocational, ' through historical researches on its development particularly from the 19th to 20th century. In this paper, first of all, the works of R. Peers, T. Kelly and R. Fieldhouse, who have been influential researchers in the history of British adult education are reviewed, in order to understand how they described its history and sculptured its distinctiveness. Secondary, it is examined that how woman learners were understood in each work. From these examinations, the limitations of the 'British adult education' framework will be revealed. Finally, this paper looks into a movement that helped women to engage with occupations, which has been outside of those frameworks but has some distinctive educational aspects. By analyzing learning and teaching found in that movement, it would be possible to have foundations for exploring adult education that can overcome the limitations imposed by the previous framework of 'British adult education'.