Preparation of Adult Educators: the American Сontext

У статті аналізується американський досвід підготовки педагогів для системи освіти дорослих, виявляються та обґрунтовуються основні підходи, провідні характеристики системи підготовки, які забезпечують її ефективність. Створення єдиного освітнього європейського простору та спільність педагогічних цілей s завдань, схожість проблем, які постають перед системою освіти дорослих різних країн,американський досвід підготовки педагогів для системи освіти дорослих, зумовлюють актуальність поглибленого вивчення q узагальнення досвіду розвинених країн, зокрема, США. Метою нашої статті стало вивчення та узагальнення американського досвіду щодо підготовки педагогів для системи освіти дорослих.In the article the American experience of preparation of adult educators is analyzed; the basic approaches, the main characteristics of system of preparation which ensure its efficiency are determined and proved. The purpose of this article is studying and summarizing of American experience in preparing teachers for the system of adult education. People who teach adults need specific range of competencies based on knowledge of psychology, physiology, andragogy, etc. Adult educators work in a great variety of organizational and social contexts, at the same time they organize, teach and support adults in their work and learning. Many factors influence the recognition of the status of "adult educator" and the organization of their training: socio-economic development of the country, attitude of the society towards adult education, diversity of political, economic and social systems and structures, transition to implementation of the concept of lifelong education. These factors cause the need for preparation of andragogical staff. A "pyramid of andragogical staff" developed by С. Houlein in 1956 will be useful for understanding of professional training of the staff, its tasks and responsibilities in the system of adult education. According to this pyramid andragogical staff is divided into three groups: the first group is the largest, it is at the heart of the pyramid and consists mainly of volunteers; the second group includes people who have steady jobs, it occupies the central part in the pyramid; the third group is at the top of the pyramid, it consists of people who have professional education. Preparing of adult educators (andragogists) in the US is closely connected with the development of a system of adult education, which has a long history and it is based on the concept M. Knowles’ andragogy, a prominent American scholar and teacher.. A history of preparing andragogists, as a separate field of preparing specialists, was started in 1917. At the beginning of 60- in the XX century, there were forty-nine institutions offering courses for teachers in the sphere of adult education. However, only the Pedagogical College of Columbia University offered master and doctor’s program. Professional education and preparing specialists for adult education are important and necessary components for existence and successful functioning of the industry. As C. Houle wittily said "adult educators theoretically do not belong to a single profession, most of them belong to a family of professions, ... but education of leaders can ... be organized around a common core of tested knowledge and beliefs"