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Sociology of adult education
3’72
Book Reviews
elimination. His argument is that across-the-board cuts can create long range quality problems, raise inequities, and lead to mediocrity. In Temple’s view if decisions serve colleagues rather than students, the public will grow increasingly intolerant. Smith acknowledges both positions but argues that program evaluation is needed to identify curricula weaknesses. For him, the problem is that too many administrators seek a “quick fix” to declining enrollments and increasing costs. Programs should be dropped only after S-IO years of evaluatiqn. A curriculum planning model that begins with a needs assessment and progresses through establishment of mission, goals, program objectives and a sound program evaluation process is needed to guide policy. The most interesting section of the book involves the discussion of academic salaries. In an article that this reviewer has many difficulties with, Woloshin argues that the assumption that money is a measure of personal and professional motivation is a myth. Ignoring a rich literature in economics and psychology, she claims that the argument that salaries must be market-driven is an “artificial” one. Salary differentials are unrealistic because: (1) they assume that high-demand disciplines remain constant over time: (2) they assume attitudes toward other disciplines and faculty are unaffected when one kind of teaching is more highly rewarded than another; and (3) they assume teaching is like any other job. Woloshin’s analysis would benefit immeasurably had she taken an introductory course in economics. Nonetheless, it is worth reading because it probably reflects the views of others deficient in an understanding of the laws of supply and demand. In contrast. Wagner makes an informed argument for the need to examine outdated approaches to faculty pay developed by trial and error, since these are the result of past tradition rather than informed policy decisions. After exploring several methods for compensating faculty, Wagner sees an urgent need for differential funding, despite strong pressures against this approach. The danger is that an institution which refuses to consider job market conditions can find itself unable to provide quality instruction. Wattenbarger argues that the debate over market value and salary differentials obscures the fact that community colleges are pragmatic and can find equitable and satisfactory ways to renumerate faculty based on college purpose and commitment. Ignoring many of the interesting and difficult essentials of the debate, Wattenbarger focuses on the need to preserve mission and collegiality. While his point is well taken, it offers little to the reader interested in “how-to” questions. Finally, Palmer focuses on materials related to the above topics and those indexed in several educational sources. His cursory review lacks the depth needed to deal with the methodological and data issues. Entire sections of the economics of education literature are overlooked and a void has been opened up that remains to be filled. So, while it serves as a nice, albeit narrow, introduction to the issues at the community college level, the reader is left with a feeling of wanting more rather than with a feeling of satiation. HOWARD P. TUCKMAN Memphis State University
Sociology of Adult Education. By R. KENNETH JONES. Brookfield, Vermont: Gower Publishing Co., 1984. 159 pp. U.S.$29.95. THE AUTHOK, director of the Institute of Adult Education at the University of Botswana, states that little work in the sociology of education has been focused upon non-formal adult education. This book is designed to help fill that gap. Social scientists interested in a theoretical (primarily phenomenological) discussion of adult education and in descriptions of adult education programs in developing countries in Africa (primarily Botswana) might want to read this book. Trends in sociological theory are discussed, and Marxist, phenomenological, symbolic interactionist, and ethnomethodological viewpoints are contrasted with structural functionalism. Basic steps toward a phenomenology of adult education are outlined in Chapter 6. Also, Jones summarizes the costs and benefits of educational innovations in non-formal education, contrasts the ideals predominant in university education with ideals in adult education, and applies symbolic ,interactionist concepts to adult education. (For example, Chapter 7 is entitled “The Social Construction of the Adult Education Curriculum”.) Some statistical data contrasting affluent and poor countries in terms of economic characteristics, population characteristics, and health/disease patterns are presented in Chapter 8. The implications of such differences for adult education are discussed in Chapter 9, where the features for an “ideal” program of adult education in a developing country are outlined and the Botswana Brigades development programs, started in 1965, are briefly described (with little evaluation of the programs or analysis of their impact). A critique of positivism is given in Chapter 6, and social scientists looking for a systematic empirical analysis of adult education will not find it in this book. There are many statements about empirical patterns which are not adequately supported with empirical data. (For example. on p. 45 there is a statement that “The correlation between education and income appears to be more significant in developing countries than in developed ones”. However, no data or reference follows that statement.) Also, data sources should be cited more carefully. (For example, on p. 38 there is a statement that “the proportion of national expenditure spent on education in developing countries exceeds the proportion expended in developed countries by approximately 2%“. However, no mention is made of which developed and developing countries were being referred to, nor is it clear which reference or page number provided the data to support that statement.) In summary, this book will be of interest to a rather narrow audience - i.e. social scientists interested in a phenomenological discussion of adult education and brief descriptions of some adult education programs in Botswana. However, the book will probably be frustrating to persons seeking a systematic empirical analysis and evaluation of adult education programs and their impact. Also, the theoretical discussions often seemed “rambling” (i.e. without a tight cohesive sequence or argument) and difficult to follow.
M.A.
GROVES
Manhattan
College
Book Reviews
elimination. His argument is that across-the-board cuts can create long range quality problems, raise inequities, and lead to mediocrity. In Temple’s view if decisions serve colleagues rather than students, the public will grow increasingly intolerant. Smith acknowledges both positions but argues that program evaluation is needed to identify curricula weaknesses. For him, the problem is that too many administrators seek a “quick fix” to declining enrollments and increasing costs. Programs should be dropped only after S-IO years of evaluatiqn. A curriculum planning model that begins with a needs assessment and progresses through establishment of mission, goals, program objectives and a sound program evaluation process is needed to guide policy. The most interesting section of the book involves the discussion of academic salaries. In an article that this reviewer has many difficulties with, Woloshin argues that the assumption that money is a measure of personal and professional motivation is a myth. Ignoring a rich literature in economics and psychology, she claims that the argument that salaries must be market-driven is an “artificial” one. Salary differentials are unrealistic because: (1) they assume that high-demand disciplines remain constant over time: (2) they assume attitudes toward other disciplines and faculty are unaffected when one kind of teaching is more highly rewarded than another; and (3) they assume teaching is like any other job. Woloshin’s analysis would benefit immeasurably had she taken an introductory course in economics. Nonetheless, it is worth reading because it probably reflects the views of others deficient in an understanding of the laws of supply and demand. In contrast. Wagner makes an informed argument for the need to examine outdated approaches to faculty pay developed by trial and error, since these are the result of past tradition rather than informed policy decisions. After exploring several methods for compensating faculty, Wagner sees an urgent need for differential funding, despite strong pressures against this approach. The danger is that an institution which refuses to consider job market conditions can find itself unable to provide quality instruction. Wattenbarger argues that the debate over market value and salary differentials obscures the fact that community colleges are pragmatic and can find equitable and satisfactory ways to renumerate faculty based on college purpose and commitment. Ignoring many of the interesting and difficult essentials of the debate, Wattenbarger focuses on the need to preserve mission and collegiality. While his point is well taken, it offers little to the reader interested in “how-to” questions. Finally, Palmer focuses on materials related to the above topics and those indexed in several educational sources. His cursory review lacks the depth needed to deal with the methodological and data issues. Entire sections of the economics of education literature are overlooked and a void has been opened up that remains to be filled. So, while it serves as a nice, albeit narrow, introduction to the issues at the community college level, the reader is left with a feeling of wanting more rather than with a feeling of satiation. HOWARD P. TUCKMAN Memphis State University
Sociology of Adult Education. By R. KENNETH JONES. Brookfield, Vermont: Gower Publishing Co., 1984. 159 pp. U.S.$29.95. THE AUTHOK, director of the Institute of Adult Education at the University of Botswana, states that little work in the sociology of education has been focused upon non-formal adult education. This book is designed to help fill that gap. Social scientists interested in a theoretical (primarily phenomenological) discussion of adult education and in descriptions of adult education programs in developing countries in Africa (primarily Botswana) might want to read this book. Trends in sociological theory are discussed, and Marxist, phenomenological, symbolic interactionist, and ethnomethodological viewpoints are contrasted with structural functionalism. Basic steps toward a phenomenology of adult education are outlined in Chapter 6. Also, Jones summarizes the costs and benefits of educational innovations in non-formal education, contrasts the ideals predominant in university education with ideals in adult education, and applies symbolic ,interactionist concepts to adult education. (For example, Chapter 7 is entitled “The Social Construction of the Adult Education Curriculum”.) Some statistical data contrasting affluent and poor countries in terms of economic characteristics, population characteristics, and health/disease patterns are presented in Chapter 8. The implications of such differences for adult education are discussed in Chapter 9, where the features for an “ideal” program of adult education in a developing country are outlined and the Botswana Brigades development programs, started in 1965, are briefly described (with little evaluation of the programs or analysis of their impact). A critique of positivism is given in Chapter 6, and social scientists looking for a systematic empirical analysis of adult education will not find it in this book. There are many statements about empirical patterns which are not adequately supported with empirical data. (For example. on p. 45 there is a statement that “The correlation between education and income appears to be more significant in developing countries than in developed ones”. However, no data or reference follows that statement.) Also, data sources should be cited more carefully. (For example, on p. 38 there is a statement that “the proportion of national expenditure spent on education in developing countries exceeds the proportion expended in developed countries by approximately 2%“. However, no mention is made of which developed and developing countries were being referred to, nor is it clear which reference or page number provided the data to support that statement.) In summary, this book will be of interest to a rather narrow audience - i.e. social scientists interested in a phenomenological discussion of adult education and brief descriptions of some adult education programs in Botswana. However, the book will probably be frustrating to persons seeking a systematic empirical analysis and evaluation of adult education programs and their impact. Also, the theoretical discussions often seemed “rambling” (i.e. without a tight cohesive sequence or argument) and difficult to follow.
M.A.
GROVES
Manhattan
College