Vol. 0 No. 0 ADULT LEARNING
Original Article
“It is not Working for Them but with Them”: Adult
Educators Roles With Community Groups in
Transforming Communities
Isaac Kofi Biney, PhD1
Abstract: This paper reflects on Freire’s they should employ more dialogical, story-
discourse on liberating education and adult telling, and conversational approaches; and
educators’ educational roles with community must listen to community members’ views on
groups in transforming communities. Mineral- community development programs. The study
rich communities in Ghana are concludes that adult
in danger of losing water educators drive community
bodies, rich arable lands, and THIS STUDY development programs via
forest vegetation cover EXPLORED ADULT inclusiveness and networks
through “galamsey,” which “ ’ to make communitiesEDUCATORS LIBERATINGrefers to the gathering of rich sustainable.mineral resources illegally for EDUCATION ROLES WITH Keywords: adult educators,sale. Yet the fourth Industrial COMMUNITY GROUPS IN community development,
Revolution Age positions
TRANSFORMING MINERAL- community groups, galamsey,adult educators strategically in
making learning the needed RICH COMMUNITIES FROM
Ghana
skill among community THE ILLEGAL
groups to improve Introduction
communities. This qualitative GALAMSEYERS IN Globally, adult educators
study adopted GHANA.” work not only with individuals
a convenience sampling and institutions, but also with
procedure to select and community groups to
interview eight graduate students in a higher transform communities (Biney, 2022, 2023;
education institution (HEI) in Ghana. Data were Knowles et al., 2020; Knowles et al., 2020). The
analyzed using thematic and narrative purpose of this study is to examine liberating
approaches. The results indicate that adult education and adult educators’ educational roles
educators’ educational roles are empowering, yet in working with community groups to improve
DOI: 10.1177/10451595231201361. From 1University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana. Address correspondence to: Isaac Kofi Biney, PhD, University
of Ghana, Airways Street, Kisseman, Accra +233, Ghana. email: ibiney@ug.edu.gh.
Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions
Copyright © 2023 The Author(s)
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ADULT LEARNING nn 2023
communities. Sousa (2021) asserts that the tools like shovels and washing bows. The same
commitment to building communities to liberate cannot be said today, because young Ghanaian
and transform society is a driving force of adult adults and their foreign partners use excavators
education and practice. Similarly, Mayombe and heavy earthmoving machines in their
(2018) avers that adult education and training galamsey activities. These illegal mining activities
(AET) programs are tools in community lead to the pollution of major water bodies
development (CD) for the transformation of including the Pra, Ankobra, Tano, Bia, Birim, and
communities. But what is a community? In this Bonsa rivers. This galamsey has caused
study, a community refers to a place where incalculable damage to cocoa farms and forest
people live together, work, and undertake vegetation cover (Biney, 2023). The turbidity of
programs in common. Yet, much of the the river Bonsa that supply water to Tarkwa,
improvements in CD programs are initiated by a mining community, is so high that the Bonsa
community groups and local leadership, often treatment plant records low water levels (Boye,
aided by adult educators (Biney, 2022). 2023). The damage caused by illegal mining
Community groups in this context include youth, activities seems bigger today than yester-years,
“asafo” companies—group of people who work and requires urgent community action.
for the good of their community, and professional This study attempts to explore the use of
people. liberating education strategies to galvanize
Though CD is an intrinsic part of adult community groups to build capacities and
education (Sousa, 2021); working with become conscious of communities, and take
community groups requires adult educators to purposeful action and make communities
serve as change agents (Brookfield, 1995). I sustainable. The study also seeks to explain adult
argue that adult educators adopt participatory educators work with community groups. The
working approaches with community groups to mineral-rich communities in Ghana started
aid community members to become experiencing serious destruction of water bodies
conscientized and participate in community for nearly twenty years now. Governments after
programs. Note et al. (2021) assert that the field of governments designed programs, including
adult education refers to educating adults, hence alternative livelihood programs, community
adult educators’ work with community groups to mining, reformation of the mining sector, and law
improve communities. Yet, there is a gap in enforcement agencies to clamp down on
mineral-rich communities in Ghana, where galamseyer, yet, galamsey persist in
community members are not galvanized to halt communities. Though some minimal progress,
“galamsey” activities using liberating education. including improvement in turbidity level of some
Meanwhile, galamsey is destroying forest water bodies is made (Ghanaian Times, 2023), I
vegetation cover and creating trans-boundary argue that when community groups are
water pollution challenges. The Bia and Tano conscientized, there will be improvement in
rivers, which flow from Ghana to Cote d’Ivoire communities.
into the Bia-Tano basin to provide water for Considering the interconnected problems
consumption and agricultural purposes, are galamsey pose to community members in terms
seriously polluted (Ackah, 2023). of health, socioeconomic and environmental
The term galamsey connotes the “illegal issues make it imperative that galamsey activities
process of gathering mineral resources, are halted. Griswold et al. (2022) affirm that
especially gold, for sale.” This is an age-old environmental injustice is often an intersection of
activity engaged in by young adults even in the economic, social, and environmental disparities,
1960s (Biney, 2019); yet, the galamsey activities and addressing the inequalities requires support
carried out in the communities’ were in the form for lifelong learning opportunities. I argue that
of artisanal mining. The operators used simple the environmental calamity being experienced in
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Vol. 0 No. 0 ADULT LEARNING
some mineral-rich communities in Ghana via action to transform their communities by
galamsey activities has dire consequences for restoring the water bodies and reclaiming the
community members. The questions are: Why disused pits. Adult educator’s educational roles
has the Government of Ghana not succeeded in bring about cognition among people as they
halting galamsey? Why do young adults still learn to become empowered and take action to
engage in galamsey activities? These questions better communities (Freire, 2014). However,
have to be answered if galamsey is to be halted succeeding in this requires that adult educators
in Ghana. I argue that adult educators should build inclusiveness and networks as they adopt
work with community groups to step up dialogical, conversational, and story-telling
activism to address galamsey menace in approaches in their work. This creates
communities. opportunities for the voiceless in the
Granted the argument that unemployment community to gain their voices and share
confronting young adults will make galamsey experiences on the polluted water bodies and
activities persist hold substance, yet, galamsey work in revitalizing communities sustainability
is illegal in Ghana. It is for this reason that the for current and future generations yet unborn.
Government of Ghana introduced “community
mining,” a legal alternative to galamsey, yet
young adults cushioned by their funders in the Liberating Education
cities continue to engage in an illegality. This Liberating education targets vulnerable,
challenge confronting communities in Ghana disadvantaged, and disempowered groups in
informed this study to showcase adult communities (Freire, 2014). This study focuses
educators change agents role as they adopt attention on gold-rich communities in Ghana
liberating education strategy with community suffering from galamsey activities engaged in by
groups to create awareness and make young adults. In liberating education, adult
communities sustainable. This paper seeks to educators work with groups to create awareness
ascertain the liberating education strategies in community members to engender
adopted by adult educators working with sustainability of communities. Dialogue is crucial
community groups to empower them. It also in such a situation because it is fundamental to
sought information about adult educator’s recognizing others and finding ways of working
educational roles in the communities, and together (Evans et al., 2022). Freire (2014) opines
inclusiveness and networks built to make that problem-posing education regards dialogue
communities sustainable. as indispensable to the art of cognition that
unveils reality. Individual development and
Literature Review collective consciousness go hand in hand
The literature review considered three areas; when exploited groups take learning seriously
liberating education, educational roles of adult (Freire, 1998). Community groups learn to
educators, and inclusiveness and networks. acquire knowledge which emerges through
These areas can aid adult educators appreciate invention and re-invention and become
groups learning to engender transformation in creative and use ideas gained to transform
communities. Liberating education communities (Freire, 2014). The critical
emphasizes awareness creation in people; and awareness created among groups’ members
in this context, the environmental factors that empowers them to question issues related to
keep people in the state of dependency and polluted water bodies and take action to halt
becoming free. As people learn in groups to the galamseyers. As community groups act
assess the state of their community vis-à-vis the together to pursue authentic concerns
galamsey activities destroying water bodies bordering them after engaging in inquiry, the
and forest vegetation cover, they can take action they take can transform communities.
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ADULT LEARNING nn 2023
Adult Educators Educational Roles with the local leadership and community groups
With Community Groups to halt the galamseyers via building relationships
Adult educators are facilitators of learning and to bring them into a central role in developing
a source of education and educational force in the their communities.
community (Bowl, 2014). They work with Purpose of the Study
community groups to keep the community
informed about issues affecting its development The study explores liberating education
and create opportunities for CD. They add strategies adult educators adapt working with
richness to lives of people in communities via community groups to empower them to make
initiating programs with community groups and communities sustainable. As adult educators’
integrating adult education with community work with community groups to learn, the
action. They do face frustrating situations in CD; synergies engendered could aid community
yet, enthusiastic adult educators who undertake groups to halt the illegal operations of
the process with the intention of helping galamseyers in communities. The galamsey
communities, end up developing projects for the activities have become an existential threat to
community, rather than with the community local communities, and the Government of
(Gajanayake & Gajanayake, 1993). Adult Ghana chose to resource the military to fight it.
educators gather information about the Meanwhile, community members suffer from
community s environment in which people live polluted water bodies and degraded fertile lands’
(Brook eld, 1995). They learn and work with from galamsey activities. Unsafe waterfi
community groups to experience their lives, consumption could increase typhoid burden.
developments, and guide them to initiate and Exploring educational roles adult educators can
discuss issues affecting their community, and act deploy working with community groups, and
appropriately. Adult educators work adapting inclusiveness and networks could help
democratically with community groups to take in halting the galamsey activities in Ghana.
collective action via research, projects, and
encourage community groups to explore their Methods
solutions (Brookfield, 1995). This study which I conducted in one of
Ghana’s higher education institutions (HEIs) used
a case study design. The intention was to garner
Building Inclusiveness and views from graduate students knowledgeable in
Networks adult educators’ educational roles with
Community issues are interconnected and community groups in employing liberating
require integrated solutions. Adult educators education strategies to make communities
work with community groups to build sustainable in Ghana. The study data came from
inclusiveness and participate in development eight graduate students reading adult education
programs. In Ghana, some communities lack at one of Ghana’s HEIs. I argue that graduate
resources for all they need to do and need to students possess the requisite characteristics to
reach out to organizations and other levels of participate in the study since as adult learners,
government for cooperative ventures. More they can figure out educational roles adult
networks are to be built to achieve the goals adult educators can institute as they work with
educators set with the community groups; community groups. The mineral-rich
meaning, adult educators build links with groups communities in Ghana are suffering from
who have similar interests. The Government of galamsey activities engaged in by young adults.
Ghana is using strategies to halt the galamseyers, Additionally, the galamsey issue is not only
yet not successfully. Adult educators can network a Ghana issue, but has a repercussion on the
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Vol. 0 No. 0 ADULT LEARNING
neighboring countries, including the Cote three objectives underlying the study: (1)
D’Ivoire, who use the Bia and Tano rivers in liberating education strategies adult educators
many activities. Qualitative study is appropriate could adapt working with community groups; (2)
for such a study where participants can share adult educators’ educational roles in
their experiences on strategies to halt galamsey communities; and (3) inclusiveness and networks
activities in Ghana. built to make mineral-rich communities
sustainable. Each participant spent between 45
Participants and 55 minutes to respond to the 9 open-ended
Study participants were graduate students type questions posed to them. This made it
pursuing Adult Education at one of Ghana’s HEIs. possible for me to probe further so as to describe
The participants were within the age ranges of and explain patterns and themes that emerged
25–45 years and knowledgeable about galamsey from the study from the participants’
activities in communities. They have watched perspectives. It enabled me and the participants
footage of the effects of galamsey activities on to co-construct the narrative.
both the traditional and social media platforms.
Some of the participants have been to the Data Analysis
mineral-rich communities to experience first- Data garnered was analyzed using computer
hand the destruction of galamsey operations on software called NUD.IST. I transcribed the
the environment and major water bodies. The responses, reviewed, and checked for accuracy
participants are not into galamsey activities; but and completeness. Results garnered were used as
as students’ of adult education, they are expected anecdotal evidence to triangulate the responses
to be knowledgeable about the power of received. As a qualitative researcher, I took a cue
liberating education in empowering groups. from qualitative researchers, including Merriam
Through dialogue, awareness creation, and and Grenier (2019) and Wohlfart (2020)
reflection on communities, the empowered regarding steps to take in analyzing the data
community groups can take action to transform gathered. Emphasis in this study is on the co-
their communities. I used a qualitative design, construction of meaning between the researcher
and eight participants participated in the study. and participants. I took an in-depth scrutiny of the
The participants were graduate students at the data I gathered and built thematic framework
Department of Adult Education and Human made up of final themes after identifying general
Resource Studies (DAEHRS). They formed the patterns. I used a data analysis grid which is
unit of analysis of the study. I conducted the a useful way of organizing qualitative data to
interview to access the “voice” of the students on facilitate report writing. All quotations are
adult educators work with community groups to presented verbatim to present the true reflection
make communities sustainable as they learn via of the voices of the participants.
liberating education strategies, including groups
learning to become empowered and take action
and halt galamsey in Ghana. Results
My analysis of adult educators’ adapting
Data Collection liberating education as a strategy to work with
The participants were informed about the community groups in transforming communities
study by the researcher three weeks before the revealed the power of dialogue, conversations,
study was conducted. The participants agreed and story-telling as powerful facilitation
and participated in the study. The participants approaches to pull community groups along in
were brought together at the DAEHRS and tackling problems facing them. Liberating
interviewed using nine (9) open-ended education strategies are required to halt galamsey
questions. The questions sought to address the activities and its effects on health, environment,
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ADULT LEARNING nn 2023
and socioeconomic wellbeing of people. Adult Working With Community Groups
learners did not mince words by stating that adult Adult learners provided reasons why adult
educators’ change agents’ roles are empowering educators work with community groups. They
and democratic, since it creates opportunity for stated that community groups often represent the
the voiceless to regain their voices, and share best views, opinions, and assets of communities.
experiences on working together and stepping They also reduce the cost of programs
up activism to make communities sustainable. implemented in communities since they offer free
labor and contribute ideas, knowledge, skills, and
Liberating Education Strategies expertise in addressing community needs and
The following themes emerged from problems. Community groups are assets to
analyzing liberating education strategies adult communities because some group members are
educators adapt working with community professionals with diverse skills and knowledge
groups: Employing dialogue in CD work, to tap into for development. This observation
working with community groups, using visual resonates with Deggs and Miller (2011) assertion
and pictorial representations, and learning that the quality of life in a community is directly
from communities. tied to the capital available to its citizenry. Adult
learners added that adult educators work with
Employing Dialogue in CD Work community groups to galvanize community
Adult learners indicated that dialogue helps in members to participate in programs. An adult
identifying needs and assets of community learner had this to say:
members. This is because dialogue brings to fore
the diversity of ideas and synergies community Adult educators and community groups aid
groups come along with, working with adult in conscientising community members on
educators in designing strategies to halt galamsey assets they can tap into in addressing
activities in communities. Thus dialogue, problems confronting their communities.
conversations, and story-telling used by adult Thus, working together often decides the
educators help in diagnosing strengths and future of communities, as it creates
weaknesses of community groups strategies to opportunities for people to learn and
curtail galamsey activities and engender become conscious of the conditions in their
development programs in communities. communities, and take action to remedy
Dialogue ensures inclusiveness in the decision- situations for better.
making process of community groups and adult
educators toward action. An adult learner Using Visual and Pictorial Representations
expressed it in this way: The adult learners indicated that visual and
pictorial representations adapted by adult
Dialogue offers me the opportunity to share educators conscientize community members on
ideas and discuss with colleagues [the] problems facing their communities and the need
prospects of community programs based on to take action. This is in line with Freire’s (2014)
the fact that ‘no one head is a repository of all “generative” word method used to promote
knowledge and wisdom.’ Everybody has literacy education in Brazil and some parts of the
knowledge and wisdom to share on globe. This facilitation by adult educators, adult
development of our communities. And as learners admitted, aided community groups to
people become focused on transforming reflect and take action in improving their
their communities, they succeed on the basis communities. They added that this approach to
of unity of purpose. facilitation helps in prioritization of community
needs. An adult learner expressed it in this way:
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Vol. 0 No. 0 ADULT LEARNING
Visual and pictorial representations adult social media platforms. Community groups can
educators adapt in their presentations with learn to strategize to improve communities. The
community groups provide to community purpose of education is human liberation
members the true reflection of the (Freire, 1971); hence, when people learn in
community they find themselves in. That groups, they can take initiatives to improve their
pushes community groups to take action to lot and communities.
make their communities better. The mental
picture painted by adult educators tends to Adult Educators Educational Roles
ignite community members to take action to
remedy their community for better. These themes emerged from analyzing adult
educators’ educational roles in communities:
Learning From Communities learning with community groups, and mobilizing
Adult learners indicated that community and galvanizing community members.
groups learn from their communities via
discussions and dialoguing for solutions to Learning With Community Groups
community problems. Adult learners added that Adult learners affirmed that adult educators’
learning from one’s community provides insight facilitative roles often lead community groups to
and development of human skills to leverage on reflect and become aware of the state of their
lessons from previous works done to address communities. They added that creative
present needs. An adult learner expressed it this facilitation by adult educators empowers
way: community groups to tackle problems
confronting them via participation in programs. A
Learning from communities provides us participant indicated that “group learning is one
[with] evidence to take action to improve on key approach to tackling community problems
our communities. As an adult learner, the because, group members learn to become
deplorable conditions being created by conscientized and empowered to initiate
galamseyers in communities provide an development programs and work together to
avenue to take action to remedy our make their communities better.” This observation
communities from destruction. This is supports Freire’s (1970) assertion that education
because our water bodies and environment is co-learning, and the true knowledge of reality is
are in danger. conscientization, which Freire refers to as
praxis—a union of reflection and action. As
The participants demonstrate that it is good in people learn, they become empowered and
CD work to mobilize community groups and tap improve communities.
into their ideas in implementing CD programs.
Freire (2014) indicated that as adult educators, we Mobilizing and Galvanizing Community
have to respect the levels of understanding that Members
people have about their reality because no one Adult learners indicated that adult educators
knows everything and no one is completely focused attention on mobilizing and galvanizing
ignorant. Everybody matters in the decision- community groups to participate in programs to
making and implementation of CD programs. promote ownership of programs. The
Learning, therefore, is a key ingredient for participants added that as community groups
community groups to free their communities own the programs, they build the culture of
from exploitation by greedy individuals. maintenance and sustainability into the
Employing liberating education leads to programs. As community groups initiate and
empowerment of people in the digital age where participate in programs, they reduce the cost of
information is available from traditional and implementing programs and create harmony for
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ADULT LEARNING nn 2023
effective implementation of programs. This is Building Networks
a way an adult learner puts it: Adult learners indicated that building networks
in CD work is crucial since no one community
Working in groups mostly creates positive can do it all when it comes to programs that
synergy to get work done successfully than require huge capital outlay. More so, certain
working alone. The point is that working as programs may require certain specialized skills to
a group often leads to bootstrapping - successfully execute them hence the need for
achieving success step-by-step, and this building networks. An adult learner expressed it
brings about sustainability in communities in this way:
programs.
Networking saves time and resources since it
The participants re-affirm the essence of becomes easy to consult stakeholders or
group learning. This confirms Imel (1997) prominent members in the community or
assertion that adult education can be promoted organizations operating in the catchment
via group learning. This observation is communities for assistance and support in
obvious, because in group learning, people executing a particular project or program in
come up with ideas, and cross-fertilization of the community.
ideas is experienced. This aid community
groups to work in unity and step up activism to The participants affirm the fact that
halt the galamsey activities. inclusiveness and networking in CD work is
important, because it leads to avoidance of
Inclusiveness and Networks Built conflict(s) since everybody is encouraged to
My analyses resulted in two themes from participate in the decision-making processes and
building inclusiveness and networks in adult implementation of programs in the community.
educators’ works with community groups: The involvement of key stakeholders in CD work
inclusiveness in CD work and building leads to efficient use of resources devoid of
networks. duplication and waste. This indicates that when
adult educators and community groups strategize
Inclusiveness in CD Work well, the effort of galamseyers can be thwarted to
Adult learners stated that adult educators make communities in Ghana sustainable.
stress inclusiveness in working with Implications and Relevance for
community groups in CD work to create
equality among community members and Adult Education and Community
reduce conflicts. This often leads to creating Development
common value and attracts diverse ideas. They The results that emerged from the study have
added that placing emphasis on inclusiveness implications for practice to the broader CD and
leads to enhancing community engagement, adult education. The results demonstrate that
innovation, and a sense of belonging to the adult educators should work with community
community. An adult learner put it in this way: groups as change agents, ensuring that group
learning is built among community groups. This
Every segment of the community member(s) can make community groups endeavor to make
matters in CD work. Everybody’s ideas, learning a lifelong venture and aid them to step
knowledge, skills, expertise, financial up activism and transform communities.
contributions, and labor counts in CD work. Educating for democratic social change in
After all, communities are made up of web of communities is crucial as Horton and Freire
experts and their expertise is needed in CD (1984) alluded to in their book: We Make the
work execution. Road by Walking. This is because, people in
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Vol. 0 No. 0 ADULT LEARNING
communities in Ghana should learn via liberating Even as adult educators build up the activism
education to gain an intense passion for self- of community groups to protect their
emancipation and improve communities. communities, they should operate within the
Adult educators should also ensure that they confines of the law to make communities
synergize properly, reflect, and act in unison to sustainable. This makes dialogue crucial in CD
engender sustainability of communities in Ghana. work; and means that adult educators give
To be successful, adult educators should serve as attention to the concerns of the community
change agents in CDwork; because, Freire (2014) groups because they are insiders and know
averred that liberating education basis itself on more about their community needs. As
creativity and stimulates praxis upon reality. voiceless community members gain their voice
Thus, in inviting community groups in gold-rich to share personal experiences from activism,
communities to learn in groups to become they can make their communities sustainable
authentic, adult educators should ensure that as they mobilize to tackle the activities of the
community groups jointly participate in the needs galamseyers. This means that adult learning is
analysis of their communities. In so doing, they transformative, and adult educators should
will participate in development programs and emphasize on working with community
transform their communities. groups in transforming communities, because
Adult educators should adopt inclusive knowledge becomes complete when it leads
dialogue, critical conversations, and story- people, including community groups, to act
telling approaches as a facilitating strategy in upon their reality.
CD work, because it serves as a means for In the broader CD work, adult educators
emancipation (Evans et al., 2022; Mayo & should employ participatory techniques in
Ranford, 2023). Education, then, becomes attracting community groups to participate in
a force of liberation with social responsibility CD programs. Bopp and Bopp (1985) argued
attached to it. Freire (1998) asserts that that community-based participatory
education for liberation is an act of learning [programs], first, help create a mirror by which
and a method for the kind of transformative a community can see its own eyes; that is, its
action that human beings should exercise over own wisdom and knowledge, and second, it
reality. This means that adult educators can help a community integrate cultural
dialogue with community groups in devising wisdom with academic. As outsiders, adult
liberating education strategies and take action educators should listen to the community
to protect their communities from galamseyers. groups in CD work, because inclusive dialogue
Thus, community groups become empowered between adult educators and community
first before they take action in programs; groups could aid in halting the galamseyers,
hence, understanding and knowledge comes and ensuring sustainability of communities in
before effective change is realized. Education Ghana.
precedes development, and education is Adult educators should also create
development. Knowledge, to Mayo (2022), is opportunities for community groups to
not pre-given but evolves through dialogue, participate in programs they initiate in
and makes adult learning important in the communities. This means that adult educators
contemporary context. and community groups share experiences to
In this situation, dialogue breaks away from promote learning in communities. This is where
the monotonous narrative nature of education inclusiveness and networking becomes
to that of critical intervention in communities’ paramount in CD work because active
life (Freire, 2014). Community groups in involvement of stakeholders via effective
Ghana should be conscientized to take the networking is crucial in implementing CD
destiny of their communities into their hands. programs.
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ADULT LEARNING nn 2023
Conclusion networks to make communities in Ghana
This study explored adult educators’ sustainable.
liberating education roles with community
groups in transforming mineral-rich Declaration of Conflicting Interests
communities from the illegal galamseyers in
Ghana. I used open-ended questions to solicit The authors(s) declared no potential conflicts of
responses from adult learners because open- interest with respect to the research, authorship,
ended questions that invite dialogue are and/or publication of this article.
a simple format for building confidence and
creating relationship for learning (Vella, 2008). Funding
Freire (2014) observes that knowledge evolves The author(s) received no financial support for
from continual interaction and cycles of praxis the research, authorship, and/or publication of
and occurs when human beings participate in the article.
a transforming act. Thus, when community
groups act in unison via learning using the ORCID iD
liberating education strategies, they can make
communities better. Isaac Kofi Biney  https://orcid.org/0000-0003-
This study results were presented in three 3994-5039
broad themes: liberating education, adult
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community environmental education. Adult Author Biography
Learning, 1–11, https://doi.org/10.1177/ Isaac Kofi Biney, PhD, is an Adult Education
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Horton, M., & Freire, P. (1990) We make the road by
walking: Conversation on education and social a senior lecturer and head of UG Learning
change. In B. Bell, J. Gaventa, & J. Peters (Eds.), Centers. Isaac lectures at the Department of Adult
Temple University. Education and Human Resource Studies, SCDE,
Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F., III., & SwansonRobinson, University of Ghana, and has over 40 articles,
R. A. P. A. (2020). The adult learner: The definitive book chapters, and two books published. Isaac’s
classic in adult education and human resource research interest areas include Adult Education
development (9th ed.). Routledge. and Community Development, Lifelong
Mayo, M. (2022). Changes in community life. In R. Evans, Learning, Youth Entrepreneurship, Distance/
E. Kurantowicz, & E. Lucio-Villegas (Eds.), Remaking
communities and adult learning (pp. 191–204). Brill. Blended, and Self-Directed Learning. Isaac also
Mayo, M., & Randford, F. (2023). Radical popular researches in development oriented program
education today: Popular education in populist times. christened, Alternative Livelihoods Programs for
European Journal for Research on the Education and corporate mining organizations in Ghana.
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