ABSTRACT
Societies that compete successfully in international markets, satisfy the cultural yearnings of different groups and harness new technologies, all place high priority on the education of adults and, as a result, need trained personnel. It has generally been assumed that trained adult educators are better than untrained ones and that a profession with clearly defined career paths, rewards, and a coherent knowledge base is better than the marginal circumstances that still encompass too many practitioners in most parts of the world. Many workers maintain that no one should be denied an opportunity to practice adult education because of a lack of training. There are many opinions about, but little research pertaining to, the characteristics or training of adult educators. Most importantly, distinctions between training and education have been blurred. The primacy of concern has decisive effects on the amount of training that can be provided, but should not alter the quality of the experience.
