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Is Adult Education Related to Community Development? An Exploratory Study in Ghana

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Title: Is Adult Education Related to Community Development? An Exploratory Study in Ghana
Language: English
Authors: Isaac Kofi Biney (ORCID 0000-0003-3994-5039)
Source: Adult Learning. 2025 36(4):230-239.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 10
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Adult Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Doctoral Students, Student Attitudes, Adult Education, Community Development, Adult Educators, Public Policy, School Community Relationship, Self Help Programs, Teacher Role
Geographic Terms: Ghana
DOI: 10.1177/10451595241271233
ISSN: 1045-1595
2162-4070
Abstract: This paper draws on Freire's social philosophy arguing that adult education (AE) relates to community development (CD). The provision of AE opportunities serves as bait for community members (CMs) to participate in CD projects. This exploratory study undertaken in Ghana, interviewed 9 PhD students on how AE relates to CD, and how adult educators revive waning self-help spirit for CD projects, and networking to sustain communities. Data was analyzed using thematic, narrative and interpretivist approaches. The results revealed that AE create awareness in CMs to participate in self-help CD projects; yet, more inclusive and transformational dialogue and education among CMs are broadly required. The study recommends that adult educators' leverage group learning and networking in CD projects to improve communities in Ghana.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1487390
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0188645968;adl01nov.25;2025Oct16.01:34;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0188645968-1">Is Adult Education Related to Community Development? An Exploratory Study in Ghana </title> <p>This paper draws on Freire's social philosophy arguing that adult education (AE) relates to community development (CD). The provision of AE opportunities serves as bait for community members (CMs) to participate in CD projects. This exploratory study undertaken in Ghana, interviewed 9 PhD students on how AE relates to CD, and how adult educators revive waning self-help spirit for CD projects, and networking to sustain communities. Data was analyzed using thematic, narrative and interpretivist approaches. The results revealed that AE create awareness in CMs to participate in self-help CD projects; yet, more inclusive and transformational dialogue and education among CMs are broadly required. The study recommends that adult educators' leverage group learning and networking in CD projects to improve communities in Ghana.</p> <p>Keywords: adult education; community development; self-help; networking; higher education institutions; Ghana</p> <p>"Instituting learning strategies can add to empowering CMs, groups and local leaders to initiate, participate and own CD projects in their communities."</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-2">Introduction</hd> <p>Adult education (AE) is based on the concept of interdisciplinarity ([<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref1">8</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref2">18</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref3">35</reflink>]), and is related to community development (CD) ([<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref4">13</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref5">25</reflink>]). AE involves community organizing ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref6">20</reflink>]), and borrows from varied fields ([<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref7">18</reflink>]). AE is a group activity directed at some community improvement ([<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref8">24</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref9">29</reflink>]), and supports [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref10">12</reflink>] assertion that AE and learning cannot be understood without reference to a <emph>community</emph> and people's social lives in communities.</p> <p>Similarly, CD has evolved into a recognized discipline of interest to practitioners, professions and academicians ([<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref11">26</reflink>]). Like AE, CD has borrowed theories from sources that seem helpful ([<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref12">9</reflink>]), and draws from all related professions and in turn contributes to their enrichment ([<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref13">27</reflink>]). CD is defined in many ways. Whilst some think of CD as an <emph>outcome</emph>—physical, social, and economic improvement in a community, others think of CD as a <emph>process</emph>—the ability of communities to act collectively and enhance the ability to do so ([<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref14">26</reflink>]). This study defines CD as both a process and outcome, and explores <emph>how</emph> AE relates to CD in revitalizing self-help spirit in Ghana. This study explores connections between AE and CD, and identifies roles adult educators play in revitalizing self-help spirit of CMs in CD projects using networking in Ghana. Self-help spirit based on voluntarism seems waning in Ghana, and adult educators are better positioned to engage, galvanize and mobilize groups to initiate and implement CD projects.</p> <p>In Ghana's rural communities, CMs like to see something concrete on the ground as a sign of its efforts ([<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref15">28</reflink>]). Yet, participating in CD projects is realized when CMs are involved in CD process. Is CMs non-participation in CD projects due to lack of education? I argue that CMs non-participation in CD projects require that they <emph>learn</emph> in groups to identify their needs and address them. CMs participation in CD projects became visible when Freirean literacy approach was promoted in Ghana in the 1950s ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref16">2</reflink>]), as a tool of <emph>conscientisation</emph> to engender CD.</p> <p>Government statistics show 336 village projects were constructed in 1953, 1499 in 1954, 844 in 1955, 1816 in 1956, and 1210 in 1957 ([<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref17">1</reflink>]). Such self-help projects included schools, clinics and community centers. Money, volunteers' labor, technical expertise, and commitment of CMs were available for project implementation. The same cannot be said today, because self-help appears waning in Ghana ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref18">2</reflink>]), and must be revitalized.</p> <p>I felt good when His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana stated in 2016 to bring AE into communities. Has the President actualized this vision? What prevents him from implementing this vision? These questions must be answered if Ghana is to realize sustainable CD. Community development is about the organization of people in a locality to freely come together and tackles problems and explores opportunities close at hand that affect their lives to enable them fashion out their future ([<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref19">31</reflink>]). However, it takes <emph>learning</emph> via groups to galvanize CMs to participate in self-help projects. This is where AE comes in to make CMs engage in <emph>lifelong learning</emph> to improve communities.</p> <p>What is AE? AE focuses on "understanding the way that adults learn and their use of that learning in their lives and the society around them" ([<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref20">8</reflink>], p. 32). However, the diverse nature of AE implies that adult educators play multiple roles, including facilitation, change agents and animation with groups to learn and improve communities. This study sought for roles adult educators can play in aiding CMs to revive self-help spirit for CD, and examines steps networking can engender inclusiveness for improved communities. The main objective is to find out how AE relates to CD as adult educators deploy expertise in galvanizing CMs to participate in self-help projects in communities. The paper seeks to identify linkages between AE and CD in self-help projects; and determine the roles of adult educators in reviving self-help among CMs, and determine the contribution of networking in implementing CD projects in Ghana.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-3">Theoretical Framework</hd> <p>Freire's social philosophy frames this study and sought to enable the poor in communities to become conscious of the social forces which determine people's mode of life and to become motivated to influence those forces ([<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref21">32</reflink>]). The chosen instrument for this change is "<emph>cultural literacy</emph>." Freire, concerned with [citizens'] fatalistic outlook, started "culture circles" that used <emph>drawings</emph> and <emph>paintings</emph> to challenge citizens to think critically about their lives and begin to shape their destinies. Culture circles evolved into literacy classes with carefully chosen words that represented the socially problematic issues in participants' lives. The dialogue about each "generative word" stimulated the people's analysis of the social root causes of problems and how they could effect change. Freire's literacy programs enabled citizens to participate in development projects ([<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref22">16</reflink>]). Freire's vision of <emph>"education for transformation"</emph> has been a catalyst for programs focusing on CD ([<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref23">32</reflink>]). Hence, CMs are to learn and become conscientized to plan and implement CD projects.</p> <p>In Freire's terms, the purpose of education is <emph>human liberation</emph>. People reflect upon their condition in the world and become conscientized and insert themselves as subjects into their own history ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref24">14</reflink>]). The goal of education is based on the learner and knowledge. The learner is not an empty vessel to be filled by the teacher ([<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref25">15</reflink>]). A good educator has faith in people that they can change things ([<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref26">21</reflink>]), and make communities sustainable.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-4">Literature Review</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0188645968-5">Relating Adult Education to Community Development</hd> <p>Adult education is closely related to CD ([<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref27">29</reflink>]). [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref28">30</reflink>] indicates that two intellectual benchmarks shaped the growth of AE. Lindeman's <emph>The Meaning of Adult Education</emph> ([<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref29">22</reflink>]) and Hart's <emph>Adult Education</emph> ([<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref30">17</reflink>]) placed AE in a <emph>community</emph> mode. Whilst Lindeman perceives AE as suited to release collective energies to be devoted to creative community problem solving, Hart anticipated a major concept—<emph>educative community</emph>—enjoining teachers to study the community as an educational resource ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref31">6</reflink>]).</p> <p>Similarly, [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref32">27</reflink>] avers that AE made the first start to identify with CD on account that some aspects of AE go beyond formal courses to programs of <emph>local action</emph>, and viewed as educational process. Adult educators have roots in CD as an area of practice and research site for investigations into citizen's engagement ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref33">11</reflink>]). [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref34">5</reflink>] definition of CD as a process of working <emph>with</emph> people to help them achieve their desired goal indicated <emph>education</emph> and <emph>social work</emph> as fields which have contributed to CD. Community development is an <emph>educational process</emph>; and adult educators serve as educational force and a source of education in CD. Adult education serves as the education component of community action program that seeks to promote educational activities at grassroots communities.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-6">Roles of Adult Educators in CD</hd> <p>[<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref35">3</reflink>] argues that the major role of an adult educator is to facilitate the process of learning. Adult educators contribute to the value of education among citizens in communities yet should appreciate the unintended consequences of their actions that affect the expansion of social capital in communities. Adult educators' roles can become uncertain when attempting to address individual needs that are fundamentally representative of the complex issues within communities ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref36">10</reflink>]). Hence, many adult educators work with groups as change agents ([<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref37">19</reflink>]); and engage in transformational dialogue to plan on CMs needs to gain self-worth in implementing projects ([<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref38">24</reflink>]). As adult educators become immersed in the community, they endeavor to consult the local leaders in planning projects and draw upon technical knowledge and resources in SHGs to complement governments' support to projects. Adult educators should respect people about their own reality; since no one knows everything and no one is completely ignorant.</p> <p>Adult educators diagnose obstacles confronting community groups in achieving communities' goals via working with groups to learn about community needs and assets. Adult educators are process agents and provide solutions to community problems by <emph>working with</emph> community groups to become competent in implementing CD projects. They play the role as community animators in initiating and implementing CD projects. Community animation is a method of CD where adult educators serve as catalysts to bring together people and resources to enable CMs to bring a community vision to life ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref39">6</reflink>]). Leadership skills are task of community animators in CD. As animators, adult educators promote <emph>awareness</emph> of community deficiencies among CMs and develop in them the skills to take action implementing CD projects.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-7">Community Improvement</hd> <p>Individual needs must be met in any AE experience, but the emphasize remains on the total community improvement; thus, balancing the intervention of the individual life and that of the community. Self-help spirit which was strong in Ghana yesteryears seems waning; yet, AE is a problem-centered educational process. I argue that when AE is promoted in communities, challenges related to low development could be addressed. As adult educators engage CMs using problem-based learning approaches, including dialogue and discussions, CMs can respond by finding solutions to problems. The education of adults is crucial to sustainable development in the 21st century in which technology adds a new dimension of urgency to learning. The essential feature in AE and CD is participation of CMs from project initiation to evaluation stage. As CMs participate in CD projects, adult educators' influences are felt, because we motivate adults to learn and improve communities.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-8">Networking and Sustainability of Local Communities</hd> <p>Networking is key in the implementation of CD projects. A network is formed when two or more organizations collaborate to achieve common goals to solve problems too large to face independently ([<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref40">33</reflink>]). To leverage the power of CMs in exercising influence to maximize limited financial and human resources of a community, a network is formed. I agree with West because grassroots communities lack the resources for self-help projects, and should collaborate with government agencies, including the assemblies and corporate organizations operating in the communities to execute CD projects.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-9">Methods</hd> <p>I conducted the study in one of Ghana's HEIs as a case study with the intention to garner views from PhD students in AE on how AE relates to CD, and adult educators roles in reviving waning self-help spirit of CMs, and networking to improve communities. I argue that as community animators, adult educators can breathe life into communities by recognizing assets of CMs to revitalize waning self-help spirit to become mobilized and participate in CD projects. It appears that self-help projects undertaken in the 1950s–1990s are not being realized in the 2020s where one would have thought that improved digital devices could have aided in galvanizing CMs to participate in CD projects. Apathy seems to have taken the better part of CMs. These issues informed this study and I sought to probe into and provide steps to revitalize self-help spirit amongst CMs in Ghana.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-10">Contextual Information</hd> <p>To [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref41">4</reflink>], "culture defines our humanity and identity, and explains and express our worldview, and our worldview is an expression of our beliefs and core values" (p. 132). Since learning is a social endeavor and knowledge is contextual, people's cultures impact the way they learn, interact, communicate, and resolve conflicts ([<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref42">23</reflink>]). Ghana practices extended family system and gender roles in CD are respected. Ghana beliefs in togetherness and CMs work together. Both men and women play leadership roles in CD; hence, when CMs are supported to learn, participation in CD projects would increase in grassroots communities.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-11">Participants</hd> <p>Study participants were PhD students pursuing AE at one of Ghana's HEIs. The participants' age ranges between 30-55 years with rich experiences as teachers, circuit supervisors at Ghana Education Service (GES), program officers with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and human resource officers. Convenience sampling strategy was adopted because the PhD students were accessible to me. The study is germane, because high communal-spirited communities in Ghana are losing self-help spirit that reflected in the implementation of projects, including schools, clinics and markets that improved lives in communities. I used a qualitative design and nine participants forming the unit of analysis participated in the study. I conducted the in-depth interview to garner <emph>"voice"</emph> of PhD students who are better positioned to express views on how AE relates to CD projects, adult educators roles in resuscitating waning CMs self-help spirit, and leveraging networks to improve communities.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-12">Data Collection</hd> <p>I informed participants about the study three weeks before the study was conducted. I sought participants' participation and they agreed. I brought the participants together at the Department of Adult Education and Human Resource Studies (DAEHRS), to be interviewed. Eight questions posed to participants sought to address three objectives undergirding the study: (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref43">1</reflink>) AE linkages with CD; (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref44">2</reflink>) adult educators' roles in revitalizing self-help spirit in communities; and (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref45">3</reflink>) networking to improve communities. Participants were interviewed using English language and spent between 55-60 minutes each responding to eight questions posed to them. This aided me to probe participants' responses via further clarifications and paved way for co-creating and interpreting the narrative between me and the participants.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-13">Data Analysis</hd> <p>Taped interviews were transcribed verbatim as [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref46">34</reflink>] indicated. Field notes and diaries were reviewed. I analyzed data garnered using ATLAS.ti computer software, a qualitative data analysis package which offers the capability to analyze text among others. I transcribed the responses and checked for accuracy and completeness. I used the results garnered to triangulate the responses received. I took a cue from [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref47">34</reflink>], on steps in analyzing the data garnered. This study sought for co-construction of meaning between the researcher and participants. I adopted open coding approach in breaking down data. I built thematic framework made up of final themes after identifying general patterns. I used a data analysis grid, a useful way of organizing qualitative data to aid writing the report. I ensured that all quotations are presented verbatim to offer the true reflection of the voices of participants engaged in the study.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-14">Results</hd> <p>My analysis of AE relations with CD in self-help-initiated projects illuminates adult educators' roles as facilitators, change agents and animators as they <emph>work with</emph> local leaders in empowering CMs in CD. As adult educators execute these roles in galvanizing CMs to participate in self-help projects, they create networks for CD projects.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-15">AE Relations with CD</hd> <p>Three themes emerged from analyzing how AE relates to CD in CMs participation in self-help projects in communities in Ghana: AE connection to CD, AE contributions to CD project implementation, and group learning contributions to CD projects.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-16">AE Connection to CD</hd> <p>The participants agreed that AE relates to CD in CMs participation in projects in grassroots communities; adding that education precedes project implementation in communities, and where there is AE, there is development. This is a way a participant put it:</p> <p>AE focuses on adults to engage in activities that build knowledge, skills, attitudes, values and behaviors. CD is a process that involves CMs and local leaders coming together to take action to ensure development. To me, AE and CD are two sides of the same coin. The linkage is that as an individual gains new skills and knowledge it benefit the development of communities as they contribute to decision making process and participate in the community's projects.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-17">AE Contributions to CD Project Implementation</hd> <p>On contributions of AE to CD project implementation, the participants offered varied contributions including knowledge and skills in a bid to empower CMs to engage in group dialogues. A participant expressed that:</p> <p>AE is a strategy to improve capacity of CMs to develop their communities. It provides knowledge and skills in galvanizing and mobilizing CMs, and important to CD, because CMs participation in project lead to improvement of communities. AE builds self-reliant spirit in CMs and drives participation in projects. You know, high communal spirit amongst CMs is important, because it increases participation in CD projects.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-18">Group Learning Contributions to CD Projects</hd> <p>The participants indicated that group learning is essential to CMs participation in CD projects. As CMs and groups adapt dialogical approaches to learn it creates equality, respect and trust amongst them and local communities experience improvement. This is a way a participant expressed it:</p> <p>Group learning is good because everybody has a unique set of skills, talents, and knowledge. And when people come together as a group, they learn from each other, and gain new ideas that influence their behavior. CMs identify a pool of ideas, skills and talents that can be utilized to improve lives in communities.</p> <p>The participants demonstrated that AE is inevitable to CD projects participation and implementation. This gives credence to the fact that education precedes development. AE creates awareness in CMs that they possess assets to initiate CD projects and make their communities sustainable. Adult educators can do this by building in the local leaders, groups and CMs by <emph>listening</emph> and <emph>trusting</emph> them.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-19">AE Roles in Reviving Self-Help Spirit in Communities</hd> <p>Two themes emerged from analyzing AE roles in reviving self-help spirit in communities: learning strategies adult educators deploy and adult educators' contributions to CD projects.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-20">Learning Strategies Adult Educators Deploy</hd> <p>Instituting learning strategies can add to empowering CMs, groups and local leaders to initiate, participate and own CD projects in their communities. Participants provided some learning strategies including group learning, inclusive dialogues, brainstorming, discussions and problem-based learning. A participant said that:</p> <p>Learning strategies including group learning, inclusive dialogues, brainstorming, conversations, story-telling and joint needs assessment in communities can aid in identifying our community needs, challenges, threats and opportunities to empower us to participate in CD projects.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-21">Adult Educators Contributions to CD Projects</hd> <p>Participants indicated that adult educators can add to improving participation in CD projects based on organizing, galvanizing, mobilizing, change agents, and animation roles they play in CD projects implementation. A participant stated that;</p> <p>Yes, adult educators work with groups to galvanize participation in CD projects. They do this via provision of skills, knowledge, and dialogue to tap expertise and assets possessed by CMs and groups in CD projects. Through involvement of adult educators in CD projects, CMs contribute free labor, community wisdom, expertise and financial resources to implement self-help CD projects in communities.</p> <p>The participants' said that group learning, problem-based learning and inclusive dialogue strategies are critical in the implementation of CD projects. [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref48">16</reflink>], aver that learning via groups reinforce people's role as co-learners and co-educators. This approach to learning has the potential of making people draw experiences directly from their lives to impact CD projects implementation in communities.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-22">Networking for CD Project Implementation</hd> <p>On networking for CD projects implementation, three themes emerged. These are: building networks for CD projects implementation, community groups' and CD projects, and adult educators' creation of networks for CD and participation.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-23">Building Networks for CD Projects Implementation</hd> <p>The participants indicated that self-help projects require active involvements of local CMs in development, yet when the need arises to seek for external support, networks should be built to attract support for CD projects. This is how a participant expressed it:</p> <p>I think that adult educators can build networks via leveraging informal meetings, community engagements and workshops. CMs and organizations in the catchment community are brought together to discuss projects in the community. Adult educators identify people with expertise and resources to support CD projects, and create opportunity to participate. In so doing, networks are built for increased participation in CD projects.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-24">Community Groups and CD Project Implementation</hd> <p>On community groups and CD projects implementation, the participants said that community groups should create opportunity for inclusive dialogue; adding that groups should invite all CMs to contribute to CD projects via regular education. This is how a participant presented it:</p> <p>Community groups should create inclusive participation in CD projects implementation, because CMs have unique skills, knowledge and expertise to contribute to CD projects. The poor and the minority should be involved in CD projects. CMs should be encouraged to participate in dialogue-based learning and become empowered and improve communities.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-25">Adult Educators' Creation of Networks for CD and Participation</hd> <p>The participants agreed that adult educators do network with assemblies and organizations operating in the catchment communities even as they work with CMs, groups and local leaders to implement CD projects in communities. A participant indicated that:</p> <p>In most small communities in Ghana, there is lack of requisite resources they need for self-help CD projects. It is important that adult educators network with neighboring government agencies, including assemblies, corporate organizations and NGOs to support CD projects implementation.</p> <p>Deducing from participants responses, it seems obvious that inclusiveness and networking are some of the ways of implementing CD projects in grassroots communities in Ghana. This, the researcher surmise, is a good step of making grassroots communities in Ghana sustainable.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-26">Implications for Adult Education and Community Development</hd> <p>The results from the study have implications for practice to the broader AE and CD in Ghana. The high self-help spirit of CMs in Ghana is waning and has to be revitalized to improve our communities. This calls for promoting AE in Ghanaian communities. The results demonstrate that the participants generally agreed that education precedes development and closely related to CD as [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref49">13</reflink>] indicated. As a matter of policy, AE should be placed high, and at the center of CD projects.</p> <p>CMs should learn to become knowledgeable about their community needs and assets or expertise they possessed to address their problems. This makes AE crucial because; it has the potential to empower CMs, groups and local leaders to appreciate the need to initiate, participate and evaluate CD projects to make their communities experience improvement. And when CMs and leaders do that, they will have unfettered ownership of CD projects and build the maintenance culture to ensure projects longevity.</p> <p>Adult educators must play the role as facilitators, animators, change agents and educators and create learning contexts where CMs can ask questions about CD projects ([<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref50">16</reflink>]). This provides information to galvanizing and mobilizing CMs and groups to participate in CD projects. Adult educators should instill in the CMs the <emph>"can-do"</emph> spirit to take up the mantle of development of their communities. Adult educators can succeed in this direction when they promote participatory process of community decision making and ensure that communities have access to technical assistance to guide them in development process.</p> <p>On the broader CD, adult educators should be involved in CD initiatives, and encourage individuals with expertise or resources, and organizations operating within communities to become interested in projects being undertaken in communities, and support CD initiatives and participate. Adult educators should work with CMs to build what [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref51">7</reflink>] refers to as <emph>"community as dialogue</emph>"—a dialogical connection of mutuality and reciprocity to aid CMs to learn and participate in CD projects in communities.</p> <p>I daresay that for adult educators to be successful in revitalizing waning self-help spirit and build strong networks for CD projects, they have to focus efforts on building <emph>relationships</emph> amongst CMs, promote storytelling, develop deep listening skills which can be used to build shared commitment to change that could be animated and activated among CMs. Community members can become active agents in making reasoned decisions about their communities, using community wisdom, creativity and resources available to move communities forward.</p> <p>This can aid many communities in Ghana to experience improvement based on the sound relations of self-help and mutuality, equal exchange of information and connection built in communities. This demonstrates that adult educators can build close relationships with local leaders to implement CD projects to build sustainable communities in Ghana.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-27">Conclusion</hd> <p>This study explored relations between AE and CD in the Ghanaian context. It examined adult educators' roles in CD projects and networking to implement self-help CD projects in Ghana. The participants generally agreed that AE relates to CD, because education precedes development. Similarly, adult educators' roles including facilitation, education, change agents, and animation culminate to create favorable learning context for CMs, groups and local leaders to learn, dialogue and build self-help spirit for CD projects in communities.</p> <p>To sustain successful implementation of CD projects in communities in Ghana, AE should be placed at the center of CD projects. This also means that adult learning groups are established in communities in Ghana to enable CMs to learn to build self-help spirit for CD projects, and take control of development programs in their communities.</p> <p>I conclude that adult educators should adapt transformative group dialogue to aid CMs to learn as part of strategies to improve lives of people in communities. This development can be realized when adult educators ensures that inclusiveness in participation in implementing CD projects in communities is promoted in Ghana.</p> <hd id="AN0188645968-28">ORCID iD</hd> <p>Isaac Kofi Biney https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3994-5039</p> <ref id="AN0188645968-29"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref17" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Abloh F., Ameyaw S. (2019). A historical perspective on community development. In Campfens H. (Ed.), Community development around the world: Practice, theory, research, training (pp. 279–288). 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Kansas State University Libraries.</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <ref id="AN0188645968-30"> <title> Footnotes </title> <blist> <bibtext> The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <aug> <p>By Isaac Kofi Biney</p> <p>Reported by Author</p> <p></p> <p>Isaac Kofi Biney is an adult education and community development researcher. Isaac is an Associate Professor of Adult Education and Community Development, and the Head of UG Learning Centers. Isaac writes in the areas of adult education, community development, entrepreneurship and lifelong learning. Isaac has over 50 articles, book chapters and three books published to his credit. Isaac lectures at the Department of Adult Education and Human Resource Studies, University of Ghana, and engages in capacity building of employees of statutory/private organizations in alternative livelihoods programs (ALP). 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  Data: Is Adult Education Related to Community Development? An Exploratory Study in Ghana
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Isaac+Kofi+Biney%22">Isaac Kofi Biney</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3994-5039">0000-0003-3994-5039</externalLink>)
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  Data: This paper draws on Freire's social philosophy arguing that adult education (AE) relates to community development (CD). The provision of AE opportunities serves as bait for community members (CMs) to participate in CD projects. This exploratory study undertaken in Ghana, interviewed 9 PhD students on how AE relates to CD, and how adult educators revive waning self-help spirit for CD projects, and networking to sustain communities. Data was analyzed using thematic, narrative and interpretivist approaches. The results revealed that AE create awareness in CMs to participate in self-help CD projects; yet, more inclusive and transformational dialogue and education among CMs are broadly required. The study recommends that adult educators' leverage group learning and networking in CD projects to improve communities in Ghana.
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