Leading Adult and Community Educators:
Myles Horton, The Radical Hillbilly and Malcolm Knowles, The Advocate for
Andragogy
Myles Horton
Keith Cozart, Kyle Owens and Alexander Snowden
Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana
Group 4
Division of Responsibilities
:
Kyle Owens: Background and Profile
Keith Cozart: Perspectives and
Contributions
Alexander Snowden: Impact and
Implications
Abstract
This research paper addresses the career history of two
leading adult educators Myles Horton and Malcolm Knowles. Though the exploration of their personal and
professional life, educational background, philosophical perspectives,
contributions to education, and impact on society this paper will draw some
conclusions based on the implications their work has had on the field of adult
education. Both inductees to the
International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame, Horton and Knowles
dedicated themselves to the betterment of adult learning.
Leading Adult and Community Educators:
Myles Horton, The Radical Hillbilly and Malcolm Knowles, The Advocate for
Andragogy
Myles Horton
Background
Myles Horton was a radical idealist when it came to the
field of Adult education and was commonly known as the “Radical Hillbilly”.
Myles was the co-founder for the Highlander Folk School, a school he got the
idea for while visiting folk schools in Denmark. Myles believed that social
engagement of issues at these schools took precedent over the more academic
style of teaching. The Highlander school was known for its focus on helping
those who were impoverished get a solid education. Myles stated in 1982 that
“People are creative” and went on to say “You’ve got to allow them to do a lot
of things that don’t fit in any kind of system (Moyers, 1982). It was this type
of thinking that Myles Horton based all of his theories and ideals from.
Profile: Myles Horton was born on July 9th,
1905 in rural Savannah, Tennessee. Horton’s parents were both educators who
would go on to work other jobs throughout their lives. They had always taught
Myles to value the skills and training that citizens had in his community.
Myles attended Cumberland University in 1924 in which he focused on Ethnic
Diversity. Upon graduation Myles briefly worked at a YMCA before studying at
Union Theological Seminary and later went on to attend the University of
Chicago. While at the University of Chicago, Horton began to learn about Danish
Folk Schools and was so enthused by them that he visited Denmark in the 1930s.
While visited Denmark, Myles became motivated to begin his own school that
works with people to create and sustain social change. These ideals and
motivations would eventually lead to Morton opening the Highlander Folk School
in 1932. Sadly Horton lost his battle to brain cancer in January of 1990. Myles
beliefs and ideas are still alive today at the Highlander Center.
Philosophical Perspectives: Horton’s
teaching mission was to “help people discover within themselves the courage and
ability to confront reality and {find ways to} change it” (Horton 1981). He believed in using people’s creativity and
life experiences to help spark ideas and facilitate organized efforts. Horton insisted that once folks attended
Highland Folk School training that they return to their community, organize themselves
and make their own decisions.
Appalachian was not only Horton’s home, but also where he
chose to dedicate his work efforts.
Growing up poor in rural Savanna, Tennessee he witnessed the hardship of
the economically impoverished South.
He’d see laborers working long hours for low wages under hostile working
conditions, racially injustices, hungry children, lack of education, and lack
of hopefulness. Via Highlander Horton’s
dedications was to help poor working class people take charge of their lives. He came to believe in people and aimed to
facilitate their own learning. Down to
earth experiential learning through analogies and storytelling was the primary
mode of education. Horton’s first wife
Zilphia Horton was very active at the school as a musician, bringing local folk
songs and melodies to the group learning process. People shared experiences
with each other leading to others sharing their own and little-by-little
everyone having a “piece of the pie.”
Contributions to Adult Education and Society:
It would slight the impact of Myles
Horton’s career to not only include his impact on adult education, but also his
impact on society. He was not a leader/organizer
of movements and efforts. He was an
educator of common people with a common goal or interest teaching them how to
assert their rights. One of Horton’s
main contributions was integration.
Integration in the 1940s was a heated subject especially in the
South. Highlander housed integrated
workshop that lead to the school becoming a meeting ground for the 1950/60s
Civil Rights Movement. Under great
scrutiny from local and state government, the community and the Ku Klux Klan,
Highlander held workshops with major figures of the movement such as Martin
Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Pete Seeger, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Julian Bond. Horton’s Highlander was a unique oasis in the
legally segregated state of Tennessee.
Another outstanding
contribution of Horton’s was his awareness and practice of speaking with
people. He knew not to speak over people’s ability to understand. He learned this while studying at Union
Theological Seminary under Reinhold Niebuhr. While accompanying Niebuhr to seminars that
spoke in high society education riddled terminology, Horton struggled to keep
up with the discussions. Upon confession
to Niebuhr that he felt that he was ill fit for the seminars for his lack of
understanding, Horton discovered that he was not the only one in the dark. Niebuhr and his colleagues also were lost. It was then that he learned to speak to his
audience from the heart, not his education.
Impact of Myles
Horton: Myles Horton had a strong impact on adult
education through his way of approaching education. He approached education
from the perspective that every student was a teacher and every individual was
a learner. This impacted the nation in a way that changed laws, gained rights,
and create a movement among individuals who were thought to not be capable of
breaking the barrier holding them back. When you look at Rosa Parks, a student
of Highlander Folk School, you see how her actions created an entire movement.
When she refused to move to the back of the bus, she knew that she was in line
with her beliefs in the black organizations of Montgomery (Horton, Kohl and
Kohl, 1990). This unique form of protest
that she learned from highlander caused her to be the catalyst that started the
civil rights movement. Myles Horton
taught effective non-violent activism. This non-violent form of protest has
caused individuals who were not able to rise up for a cause to be empowered to
fight for what they believe is right and create grass root movements. This not
only included the civil rights movement but also led to activism for unionizing
labor and education through educating others on personal skills that people
already had.
Today
these skills have helped shape much of the way we teach adult education today
and can be considered the foundation for how communities advocate for change.
In areas that individuals do not have open access or fair rights we have seen a
rise in a grassroots movement that shares ideals from Myles Horton’s Highlander
Folk School. We see individuals holding rallies and seminars to educate the
public on why something is a certain way and sharing the skills needed to
spread the word and create a movement. These initial learners turned educators
then become coordinators and organizers of more individuals creating a large
constituent opposed to a given problem that forces those opposing the change to
take notice and respond. By moving in a non-violent manner it allows for individuals
to get public opinion on the side of the movement and continue to teach and
raise awareness in adults that will eventually force a change in culture.
Allowing educators to educate individuals through their own knowledge of issues
and then allowing them to become confident teachers is the principles of Myles
Horton’s impact on adult education.
Malcolm Knowles
Background
Malcolm Knowles was often referred as “The Father of Adult
Education” and was a leading figure in adult education during the second half
of the twentieth century. Knowles’ career time period ranged from 1940-1979,
during this time he attempted to use andragogy to develop conceptual basis for
adult learning. While Malcolm was involved in this field he was very active in
writing scholarly papers that helped adult educators understand how to help
people learn rather than educating them. He also wrote popular works on
self-direction and on group work with his wife Hulda (Smith, 2002). These
scholarly papers set a precedent that he lived by for the duration of his life,
and was responsible for hundreds of adults receiving a good education.
Profile. Malcolm Knowles was born on April 24, 1913
in Livingston, Montana, but was raised in West Palm Beach Florida. As the son
of a veterinarian, Myles took a love to the outdoors and was an active boy
scout, earning over fifty merit badges. In 1930, Knowles gained an academic
scholarship to Harvard University where he studied philosophy, history and
political science. During his time at Harvard he served as President for both
the Harvard Liberal Club and the Phillips Brooks House which was Harvard’s
social service agency. Along with his
studies, Malcolm met his future wife Hulda whom he commonly wrote articles
with.
Malcolm originally intended to enter in foreign services
upon graduation and even successfully completed the Foreign Service exam. While
waiting to join the Foreign Service he took a job with the National Youth
Organization where he was in charge of finding out what skills local employers
were looking for in potential employees. During his time he met Eduard Lindeman
who authored The Meaning of Adult Education; this was Knowles’ first introduction to
adult education. In 1943, Knowles was drafted into the Navy and enrolled at the
University of Chicago after he was mustered out. While at the University of
Chicago his thesis became the basis for his first book in adult education.
Malcolm stayed at the University of Chicago until 1959 when he became an
associate professor of adult education at Boston University. Knowles often
talked about how his times at Boston were the years of tremendous growth for
him. After fourteen years at Boston, Knowles once again decided that it was
time for change and became the Director of the Department of Education at North
Carolina State and stayed there until his retirement in 1974 at the age of 65.
Unfortunately, Malcolm Knowles passed away at his home in 1997 from a stroke;
he will always be remembered for his contributions to the Adult Education
field.
Philosophical
Perspectives: Knowles based much of
his adult education philosophy on a humanistic approach. Humanism is an outlook
that focuses on the importance of humans rather than the divine or
supernatural. It “stress(es)
the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasizes common human
needs, and seeks solely rational ways of solving human problems” (Merriam 2007). Knowles was probably the most prominent
humanistic writer in the field of adult education and his focus on
self-directed learning and andragogy reflect the connection.
Knowles developed a list of four basic
assumptions. (1) Adults are naturally
self-directed learners. As children we
are more dependent and into adulthood we move into directing our own
learning. (2) Adults have life experience
that can be a vast resource when tapped.
Life experience resources not only benefit the individual but others
within a learning environment. (3)
Learning occurs more effectively when adults recognize the need to gain
knowledge. It is basic economics. If there is a demand to improve quality of
life, when the supply is available (education) then learning happens more
effectively. (4) There is a natural desire among adults to develop
competency. From infancy, humans like to
feel good for doing something that takes skill and knowledge. Even more we enjoy praise for a job well
done. Competency leads to confidence and
confidence helps change lives.
Contributions to Adult Education and Society: The most enduring contribution
by Knowles was his development and popularization of the definition and
concepts of Andragogy. Andragogy is the
art and science of helping adults learn. This is in contrast to the term
Pedagogy, which are the methods and practices of teaching academic subjects and
theories in most often a formal learning environment. Knowles developed many strategies and best
practice lists based on his dedication to Andragogy. One of which is his To-Do list for educators.
In a short spotlight video of Knowles’
career contributions by RichEducators (Chotani 2008) entitled Spotlight
on Malcolm Knowles, the author highlights a To-Do list
for educators proposed and exemplified through Knowles model:
To-Do list for educators.
1.
Physical Environment:
Relax the classroom environment by arranging it in an informal way so that
learners feel at ease. Good light, sound
and temperature.
2.
Psychological
Environment: Support students with displays of respect so that they feel
accepted and open to express themselves.
3.
Need identification:
Outline the characteristics needed by an individual to achieve desired level of
proficiency in performance. Self-diagnosed
learning needs
4.
Involvement: Involve
learners in the plan of their own education
5.
Balance teaching and
learning: Make learning a mutual responsibility between teacher and learner.
6.
Familiar teaching methods: Use teaching methods familiar to the learner’s
prior knowledge base and life experience.
7.
Problem solving: Include learners in problem solving
processes. Adult learners respond to
problem areas, not subjects.
To summarize the To-Do list, rather
than telling learners how and what they need to learn, work with them to
achieve their own learning goals.
Impact of Malcolm Knowles: Malcolm Knowles impacted adult education
through his four assumptions and to – do list approach to education. When you
break down his teachings and the impact it has had on adult education you see
that much of the foundation of today’s out of the classroom education is based
on his concepts. Previously, education seemed to focus on mission and vision.
When applied to education, specifically in adults, you see the concepts of
reflection, analysis, and ability to gain knowledge through the tools one
possesses. The concept that adults already have the skills and knowledge to
learn and that it was applying what was natural and known to educate adults.
Another way of looking at this approach is developing and assessing the journey
to where an individual is at a given time.
This
impact can most closely relate to the out of the classroom experience. Applied
to a student organization you see an officer serving as a treasurer. It is more
than just money an individual will deal with, it is what they apply from
previous teaching to effectively manage and learn as adults. An individual learns to budget, balance
books, manage, develop payment plans, and in a sense effectively run the
finances of a business. This concept of adult informal education is the
foundation of student affairs in a university but also to the general community
as learning and supporting through actions and participations. Self-guidance,
reflection of experiences, need of gaining knowledge, and development of
competencies all are shown through educating adults outside of the classroom.
These concepts are the foundations created by Knowles that effect adult
education today.
Implications of Myles Horton and
Malcolm Knowles: Both individuals have contributed heavily to
adult education. They both share a concept of learning by doing and developing
others by teaching skills they currently have. The application to us as
educators has helped to develop a foundation to our work.
Malcom
Knowles has taught us to apply informal adult education by learning about
concepts which we already have from past life experiences and applying them to
our personal growth. Through this application we are able to educate and
develop others by helping them realize what they have learned through
self-guidance and reflection. This means as educators we need to create real
life scenarios and application that allow learners to problem solve on their
own and find solutions so that they are able to learn from what they apply.
Myles
Horton taught us how we can educate others through grass root movements.
Utilizing his model that he applied to the Highlander Folk School, we are able
to not only be teachers based on what we know but also learners. As educators,
we apply his theories by teaching a small number of individuals and allowing
them to spread the word exponentially. This teaches how to start a movement and
rally individuals to a given cause. It also teaches us to utilize our strengths
and skills by passing them on to others so that everyone can learn and grow
from each other.
Both Myles
Horton and Malcom Knowles have shaped our view of adult education today.
Although, both did not work together and founded their theories around the same
time, they both focus on utilizing personal skills and trait to educate others.
As adult educators we must not only learn from each other but gain skills from
our past and others to apply to learner’s growth and development. According to
Horton and Knowles we are both educators and learners.
|
|
Myles
Horton
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Malcolm
Knowles
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|
Career
Time Period
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1932 - 1973
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1940 – 1979
|
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Background
|
Nicknamed the Radical Hillbilly. Cofounder of Highlander Folk School
later renamed Highlander Research and Education Center (1961) in Tennessee
|
Referred to as the Father of Adult Learning. Active scholarly writer and helped identify
the field of Adult Education as a profession.
|
|
Profile
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Rural Tennessee Christian upbringing.
Higher education at Cumberland University, Union Theological Seminary
and University of Chicago. Travel to
Europe and visited Danish folks schools that emphasized more social
engagement than other issues which helped shape the ideals of Highlander.
|
Born in Montana and raised in West Palm Beach Florida. Avid boy
scout. High education at Harvard (BA),
University of Chicago (MA and PhD). Employment
at YMCA, Boston University and North Carolina State University. Popularized
the term Andragogy, Learning Contacts, and was an advocate for self-directed
learning within adult ed.
|
|
Perspectives
|
Believed in people. Through experiential learning helped people discover
within themselves the courage and ability to confront reality and in turn
change it.
|
Knowles four assumptions:
Adults:
1.
are self-directed learners
2.
have prior experiences that are resource for
learning
3.
learn when they feel a need for life skills (demand)
4.
want to develop competency
|
|
Contributions
to Ad. Ed and Society
|
1930s- Labor union organization
1940s- Integrated Workshops
1950s- Civil Rights Movement
1960s- Weathered governmental attacks
1970s- Coal mining health awareness
1980/90s- Environmental issues such as fight on
pollution and toxic dumping.
|
Developed the principles of Andragogy and helped develop a standard for
practitioners within the field on how to organize their learning
environments.
|
|
Impact
|
Effective non-violent activism that led to historic changes within
global society.
“People are creative,…you've got to allow them to do a lot
of things that don't fit any kind of system." (Horton, 1981)
|
Adaptation of his best principles and practices being implemented in the
modern adult ed classroom.
Learning Contracts
|
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Implications
|
Idea development through experiential learning can be life changing
especially for repressed people who become empowered and motivated to change what
they feel is wrong.
|
Humanistic philosophy to educations.
Identified a need for education differentiation between Pedagogy and
Andragogy.
|
References
Horton, A.I.,
(1989). The highlander folk school, a history of its major programs,
1932-1961. Brooklyn, NY: Carlson
Horton, M., Kohl, J. and Kohl, H. (1990). The long haul: An audiobiography, New York: Doubleday.
Merriam, S.B., & Brockett R.G., (2007), The profession and practice of adult
education. San Francisco,
CA, Jossey-Bass.
Moyer, B. (1981,
September 4).
The adventures of a
radical hillbilly part 1. [Video File].
Retrieved from Feb 14, 2014 from
http://youtu.be/qSwW0zc-QBQ
Moyers, B. (1982). The adventures of a radical hillbilly an interview
with Myles Horton, Appalachian
Journal, 9(4),
248-285.
Smith, M. K. (2002), Malcolm Knowles, informal adult education, self-direction and
andragogy, the encyclopedia of informal education, Retrieved Feb
15, 2014 from www.infed.org/thinkers/et-knowl.htm.
