Foundations of Continuing Education and Professional Development Philosophy Statement Guidelines
Why bother with understanding and articulating your philosophy? On pages 29-31 Merriam and Brockett
(2007), list some reasons. In addition, in your daily decision-making, you need to understand not only your own
contexts but also those of your colleagues. You need to understand and be able to convincingly articulate your
point of view. The opportunity may come in a meeting or in a one-on-one conversation with your supervisor. It
may come in an interview for a new job. When you understand yourself and what you believe, you become a
champion for effective adult learning.
You have been thinking about your philosophy of adult education. You’ve read Chapter 2 in Merriam and
Brockett (2007). You’ve completed Zinn’s Philosophy of Adult Education Inventory. (If you haven’t completed
the inventory or want more information to interpret your score, go to
http://www25.brinkster.com/educ605/paei_howtouse.htm). You’ve shared your thoughts on various aspects of
adult and continuing education with classmates and reacted to theirs in discussion.
Now formulate your philosophy of adult education in a statement of 2 double-spaced pages (not more, not
including the title page). It may be helpful to reread Chapter 2. Also review the chart of philosophies at
http://cdl.bellevue.edu/academic/Philosophies/Philosophies.html
Where appropriate cite sources from the textbook or elsewhere and provide citations and references using
Sample Solution