Adult Education: Further Education, Which Is Commonly

¶ … Adult Education:

Further education, which is commonly abbreviated as FE, is a term that is used to refer to adult education or post-compulsory education that is different from the education provided in higher education institutions like colleges and universities. Further education or adult education may be provided at any level beyond compulsory education such as basic training, Higher National Diploma, and Foundation Degree. Further education or adult education is provided in FE colleges, which educate more than 3 million people annually and enhance social inclusion. These colleges provide a significant portion of state-supported adult and lifelong or continued learning provision. The FE colleges provide a diverse range of learning programs and qualifications that are distinct from schools and universities. In addition to academic qualifications and a series of accredited and non-accredited adult programs, these colleges provide several vocational qualifications.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Teacher in FE/Adult Education Sector:

Generally, adult education or FE teachers or lecturers work in the post-compulsory or -16 education sector and are engaged in teaching a broad range of subjects and skills to the wide range of individuals for various purposes. In most cases, these teachers or lecturers are involved in establishing and delivering ESOL and ICT courses, teaching numeracy, life skills programs, and literacy. While these teachers provide their services in a tertiary college, sixth form college, and a general or specialist FE college, they can also work in various learning environments like prisons, the armed forces, and community centers ("FE, HE, Adult Education," n.d.). Teachers in the FE or adult education sectors may sometimes tutor students between 14 and 19 years old who take courses in one of the colleges. Actually, adult education basically includes the age range of 16 to 85 years and is based on various locations.

Unlike the learning support practitioner, teachers in this sector have certain roles and responsibilities while carrying out their work. Generally, teachers in the FE or adult education sectors have the roles and responsibilities of professional mentors, assessors, managers, verifiers or brokers ("Defining Teacher Roles," 2008). In relation to the teaching cycle, teachers in this sector have similar responsibilities related to initial assessment, preparation and planning, delivery, assessment, evaluation, and revision based on evaluation.

According to Bolton (2007), teachers in the FE or adult education sector have the role and responsibility of controlling their teaching environment in relation to what is to be taught and how to teach it. This implies that these professionals assume an administrative role with regards to implementing the established standards and policies for the profession. This helps them to promote and ensure a positive learner experience throughout the entire learning process. Moreover, teachers in FE or adult education have the responsibility of applying and promoting the standards and principles of teaching practice, planning for learning, developing the curriculum, applying learning theories, assessing learners, and providing constructive feedback. The other responsibilities include contribute to the organization's quality cycle, assessing individual practice, selecting and/or developing materials, and focusing on their area of specialism.

Qualities and Skills of FE/Adult Education Teachers:

In addition to fulfilling their roles and responsibilities, teachers in further or adult education sector need to have certain qualities and skills that are necessary in promoting positive learner experiences. These qualities and skills are not only essential in helping to promote positive learner experiences in the entire learning process but they also help a teacher to play his/her role and fulfill his/her responsibilities effectively. Moreover, the qualities and responsibilities promote the effectiveness of these professionals in their working environment and the entire further education sector. The other important aspect for these qualities and skills is that learners have certain expectations and require certain standards from teachers in the sector as part of their need to see teachers' professionalism. The need for teacher professionalism is expressed by learners in this sector despite of their education level, age, kind of study, and the educational setting.

For a teacher in this sector to fulfill his/her role, some of the major qualities that are necessary include a passion and enthusiasm for the subject they are teaching, stamina and energy, creativity and inventiveness, and fairness and flexibility. These qualities enable the teachers to be passionate about their roles rather than considering it merely as a job. Through these qualities, the teacher creates an ever-increasing desire for the learners to be actively involved in the learning process.

Based on these qualities, teachers in this profession should have necessary skills for personalizing the planning process in consideration of the learner's individual needs and circumstances, set realistic and aspirational goals, use technology effectively, and stimulate and act upon the feedback of learners (Fazaeli, 2010). The teacher should also possess qualities and skills that enable them to engage with learners, employers, and the wider educational context to promote constant improvement.