Leading Adult and Community Educators

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 9^th, 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	Malcolm Knowles
Career Time Period	1932 - 1973	1940 – 1979
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	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
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

Bates, C. (2009). Malcolm Knowles. Retrieved February 16, 2014, from http://web.utk.edu/~start6/knowles/malcolm_knowles.

Chotani, I. (2008, September 21). Spotlight on Malcolm Knowles. [Video File].  Retrieved from http://youtu.be/U4iMFu4CnLQ

Horton, A.I., (1989). The highlander folk school, a history of its major programs, 1932-1961. Brooklyn, NY: Carlson

Horton, M. (2014). The biography channel website. Retrieved 07:43, Feb 14, 2014, from http://www.biography.com/people/myles-horton-21385743.

Horton, M., Myles Horton biography. Retrieved on Feb 14, 2014 from http://www.biography.com/people/myles-horton-21385743?page=2

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.