Adult Education in Turkey: In Terms Of Lifelong Learning

Information, access to information and communication technologies leading to rapid and profound changes in economic and social life makes the lifelong learning a must for everyone and mostly adults. In Turkey, adult education, in terms of lifelong learning, starts in such institutions which aimed to make the individual freer, transformative and egalitarian so-called Village Institutions in 1940s, Open Education at Anadolu University etc. Adult education varies in all over the world. However, it has some universal goals such as managing the individual' life, self-sufficiency, learning by doing and practicing, In the philosophy of adult education lies making the adults contemporary, secular and responsible citizens who quest, think, comment and try to make the life easier and happier. Lifelong learning, together with the European Union Harmonization Laws, is a term widely used today in Turkey, though, was actually adopted in the history of Republic of Turkey from the first day of national development and applied in our educational history. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer review under responsibility of Prof. Dr. Huseyin UzunboyluWo