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BEmENECSTASY AND TERROR: MANIFESTATIONS OF MARGINALITY IN THE EXPEmNCES OF ONTARIO SCHOOL BOARD TEACHERS OF ADULTS Elizabeth Wallace Williams A thesis submitted in conforrnity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Adult Education, Counselling Psychology and Cornmunity Development Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto O Copyright by Elizabeth Wallace Williams, 1999 National Library Bibliothèque nationale I*m of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliogrsphic Services services bibliographiques 395 Welligton Street 395, nre Wellington O(tawaûN K1AW OttawaON KtAON4 Canada canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distriiute or seii reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fkom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. BETWEEN ECSTASY AND TERROR: MANIFESTATIONS OF MARGINALITY IN THE EXPERIENCES OF ONTARIO SCHOOL BOARD TEACHERS OF ADULTS Elizabeth Wallace Williams Supervisor: OISE/University of Toronto, 1999 Professor A.M. Thomas The genesis of this study is the statement that adult education is marginal. The purpose of the research was to examine this claim and gain greater understanding of the status of adult education practitioners. Teachers employed by Ontario school boards to work with adults were chosen to participate in the study. A qualitative research paradigm was chosen which adopted a five-stage approach to the investigation. First, background information about school board adult education was gathered, in order to demonstrate the context for the study. Next, the literature was reviewed and three theoretical constmcts of marginality were identified, along with research questions. Those questions formed an interview protocol for the third stage of inquiry, which was the interviewing of school board teachers of adults. Fourthly, the data fiom the interviews were analyzed using the constructs of marginality as a hnework. Finally, conclusions were drawn f?om the findings. One conclusion of the study is that there are manifestations of margînality in the experiences of school board teachers of adults. Other conclusions are that those teachers of adults are in the margins of the teaching profession, and also in the margins of school board organizations. Furthemore, it is concluded that the belief that schoot boards exist to educate youth results in the perception that adult educators are marginal, and causes them to experience the effects of that status. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Six years. Nobody told me it would take this long, or that the rest of my iife wodd have to be put on hold. But 1 have enjoyed every minute -well almost every minute. And, throughout, 1 have been encouraged by family, fÎiends, neighbom, w- workers in Ontario and British Columbia and the students, staffand faculty at OISERJT. To dl, 1 owe my thaaks. In addition, there are some people 1 want to acknowledge in particular. Firsf 1 must thank the two people who have loved me al1 my life and supported me in every way: Mary and Peter. Behaving more like surrogate parents, than sister and brother-in-law, their unfailing faith in me has sustained me and given me a reason to go on. 1 cm never repay them for everything they have done for me, except to promise not to bully their son, John, any more. My graduation will cause almost as much celebration as if Wales had beaten England at rugby, and even my late mother and father must surely be singing Welsh hyrnns of praise together somewhere. My daughters, Kimberley, Deborah and Vivienne must receive special awards for living with a mother who is addicted to leaming. For twenty years our kitchen table has been covered with half-written essays instead of fieshly-baked cookies. In spite of this, or dare 1 Say because of it, they have al1 grown up to be bright, responsible young women who have made me proud. Of al1 the people who have encouraged me in my studies, it is Edward who has been by devoted mentor, day by day. He never doubted that 1 would finish, and 1 cannot iii thank him enough for his assistance. I have been inspired by bis own brilliant min& his talents in so many disciplines, and his unshakable beiief that mi wine and garlic can cure al1 evils. Tnbute must aiso be paid to al1 the students and staff on the seventh floor of OISEKJT. Above dl, 1 must give a Wtual hug to the three people who have been my study support group for over three years: Dr. Gordon Ball, Jayne Butler and Maureen Simpkins. Thank you for the challenging debate and laughter. Two down, two to go. Our meetings will continue until we have al1 graduated; our fiiendship will endure long after. Many OISERIT faculty have dso played an important role in my joumey, and 1 have appreciated the hours they have spent reading my papers and guiding my thinking, particularly my first faculty advisor, Dr. Bill Alexander, canoeist extraordinary. A deep debt of gratitude is owed to my thesis cornmittee: my supe~sor,Dr. Alan Thomas, who has energized me by his cornmitment to adult education; Dr. Richard Townsend, whose warm enthusiasm and attention to detail have carried me forward step by step; Dr. Marg Schneider, whose analytical mind and gentle prodding to use fewer words helped me to reach the end of this study. As well, I am grateful to Dr. James Draper and Dr. David Radcliffe for their kind support during my oral examination. The final acknowledgements go to the meen people who must forever be nameless. They are the school board teachers of adults who were intewiewed for this study, and contributed in so many ways to the research. I was moved by the stories of their work with adult students, and awed by their dedication, honesty and keen appreciation of the issues. These outstanding adult educators have my admiration. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Abs tract ii Acknow ledgernents iii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY 1.1 Preamble 1.2 Purpose of the Study 1.3 Sûucture of the Thesis 1.4 The Researcher and the Research Paradigm 1.5 Working Defmition of Terms 1.6 Rationale for and Significance of the Study 1.7 Context for the Study 1.8 Statement of the Problem 1.9 Research Questions 1.1 OMethodology 1.1 1Limitations of the Study 1.12Expected Outcomes of the Study 1.13Chapter Summary CHAf TER 2: BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY: A CHRONOLOGY OF ADULT EDUCATION 2 1 2.1 Introduction 21 2.2 Adult Education in Ontario School Boards: History and Early Policy 21 2.3 Adult Education in Ontario School Boards: Programs and Participation up to the 1990s 30 2.3.1 Community and Non-Credit Continuhg Education 3 1 2.3.2 AduIt Courses Leading to a Seconâary School Diploma 36 2.4 School Board Adult Education 1990-1996: From Boom to Bust 44 2.4. I The Boom Years in the Early 1990s 44 2.4.2 Growing Concems in the Fall of 1994 47 2.4.3 Events of Early 1995 48 2.4.4 Changes in the Spring and Summer of 1995 49 2.4.5 Announcements in the Fa11 of 1995 52 2.4.6 Conflict Erom January to June of 1996 55 2.4.7 Status of Prograrns in the Fall of 1996 62 2.5 Chapter Summary 65 CHAPTER 3: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 3. l introduction 3.2 Marghality and Adult Education 3.2.1 US Opinion on Marginality and Adult Education 3.2.2 Canadian Opinion on Marginality and Adult Education 3.2.3 Marglliality and Ontario School Board Adult Educatian 3.3 Marginality and Adult Education: Confusion, Order, Issues and Questions 3.3.1 The Issue of Defining Marginality 3.3.2 Entry into Marginality 3.3 -3 Relationships 3.3.4 Experiences of Marginality 3.3.5 The Response to Marginality 3.3.6 Summary of Questions Drawn fiom the Adult Education Literature 3.4 Questioning Marginality 3.4.1 What is Marginality? 3.4.2 What are the Circurnstances Surrounding Entry into Marginality? 3.4.3 Who or What is at the Centre, and What are the Relationships.. .? 3.4.4 What are the Experiences of Marginality? 3.4.5 What are the Responses to Marg inality? 3.5 Seeking Manifestations of Marginality in the Experiences of School Board Teachers of Adults 3 .S. 1 Caveat 1 3.5.2 Caveat 2 3.6 Chapter Summary CWPTER 4: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Theories Under-Pinning the Research Methodology 4.3 Considering Qualitative and Quantitative Research 4.3. I Quantitative Research 4.3.2 Qualitative Paradigrns 4.3.3 Choosing a Qualitative Approach 4.4 Key Considerations in Framing Questions 4.4.1 Validity of the Interview Data 4.4.2 Bias of the Researcher and Participants 4.4.3 The Extent of Structure in the Interviewing 4.4.4 Research Relationship 4.5 The Interview Protocol 4.5.1 Frarnework for Questioning 4.5.2 Rationale for Interview Questions 4.5.3 Field Testing of Questions 4.6 The SeIection of Participants 4.6.1 Criteria for SeIection 4.6.2 IdentifLing the Population 4.6.3 Recruitrnent of Participants 4.7 The lnterviewing Process 4.8 Data Management and Interpretation 4.9 Chapter Summary CHAPTER 5: TEACHERS OF ADULTS SPEAK 5.

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