Exploring Non-Formal Educational Experiences from Adaptive to Transformative Responses

Abstract

This paper examines the non-formal educational experiences from those of adaptive to transformative responses. Adaptive responses focus on achievement of immediate outcomes as a makeup of what is missing. Similarly, transformative responses address the medium to long term outcomes that focuses on making a difference in individuals and societies in general. Based on interpretive paradigm using qualitative approach, desktop review and interviews were held in 2015 with five ex-offenders in the country of Lesotho. The findings revealed that non-formal education appeared to be the suitable approach used for adults in a learning environment. It has also been found that in the context of Swaziland Correctional Centres, the inmates engage in the needs assessment and evaluation of their non-formal educational programmes, which increases the formers’ motivation to embrace the change within and amongst them. While the needs assessment are not conducted for the inmates in the Lesotho context, some ex-offenders demonstrated that by tailoring programmes and utilizing their own personal knowledge, they were able to share skills through tailored educational programmes in spite of the prison bureaucracy and that they have consequently established an organization that serves as a link between the prison and the societies. However, the findings further revealed that non-formal education characteristics are more realised in theory than in practice for different contexts.



Author Information
Nomazulu Ngozwana, University of South Africa, South Africa

Paper Information
Conference: ECE2016
Stream: Adult and lifelong learning

This paper is part of the ECE2016 Conference Proceedings (View)
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Posted by James Alexander Gordon