Postmodernism approach
Postmodernism and education
Despite their differences, the perspectives examined in this section so far (functionalism, Marxism, neo-Marxism, social democratic perspectives and neoliberalism) all agree that there is a single, best direction for the education system. All can therefore be seen as 'modern' approaches to education. Modern perspectives see human problems as being able to be solved by rational planning and thought. They believe that scientific methods and the development of clear theories can analyse problems and come up with solutions. They therefore tend to argue that there is one single true or best way to develop education.Postmodern perspectives, on the other hand, deny that there is any single, best way of tackling problems.They see societies as developing greater variety and pluralism, and they question whether any single, planned approach to education and other issues is desirable. (For more discussion of postmodernism, This perspective has been applied to education by Usher, Bryant and Johnston (1997) in the context of adult education.
Education for adults has been particularly responsive to the need for greater choice and diversity - for example, by the use of flexible and distance learning. No single curriculum is assumed to be useful for all learners. As a result, a vast range of courses is provided by educational institutions such as FE colleges, The Open University and Adult Education colleges. This allows learners to pick and mix different combinations of courses to suit their own objectives and lifestyles. Furthermore, education is no longer separate from other areas of life. It has become integrated into leisure and work. It can therefore have many different meanings to those who take up adult education. In these respects, adult education is typical of postmodern society, which is characterised by a bluring of the boundaries between different areas of life, greater choice and variety, and the rejection of any kind of plan imposed from the centre on individuals.
Postmodern views can be criticised for exaggerating the changes in education. For example, Haralambos and Holborn (2013) point out that there is actually a greater centralisation in some aspects of education, particularly the national curriculum, rather than greater diversity and choice. The budget for adult education in the UK has been cut and, for example, the range of evening classes available for adult students has declined. They also criticise postmodernists for ignoring the way in which education may be shaped more by big business than by the needs and wishes of individual learners.