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Abstract

The purpose of this article is to describe the interconnectedness of three professional development associations, the impact of various factors on collaboration and fragmentation, and suggestions for future directions. The three adult education professional associations being discussed in this article are the American Association of Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE), the Commission of Adult Basic Education (COABE), and the Kentucky Association of Adult and Continuing Education (KAACE). I provide some observations regarding the economy, fracturing among the associations, and their ability to advocate for our own interests. I suggest three recommendations for professional development organizations and the field.

Keywords

future associations professional development organizations history

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References

Merriam

S. B.

Brockett

R. G.

(2007). The profession and practice of adult education: An introduction. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Milton

Watkins

K. E.

Spears Studdard

Burch

(2003). The ever widening gyre: Factors affecting change in adult education graduate programs in the United States. Adult Education Quarterly, 54, 23-41.

Stubblefield

H. W.

Keane

(1994). Adult education in the American experience: From the colonial period to the present. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Role of Professional Development Associations in the Future of Our Field

Abstract

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