Adult education learned societies: Professionalism and publications

Webb explores the research directions of adult education and lifelong learning through the publication practices of two Australian learned societies. This chapter draws on thematic content analysis of recent publications in the journals of Adult Learning Australia and the Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association. The analysis draws on the lens of the sociology of professionalism to highlight fragmentation in the field between educational sectors (adult and community education, vocational education and training and universities) and between the sites for research and knowledge production and the sites for the professional development of practitioners who teach adults in the field. Some implications for how researchers and learned societies might continue to build and sustain the research knowledge base and the professional development of practitioners are developed.