Adult Learning in a Non-Western Context: The Influence of Culture in a Senegalese Farming Village

Abstract

In Senegal, as in many developing countries, the education of adults is often guided by theories of adult learning developed in Western societies. There is little evidence, however, that such theories are useful for educating farmers living in rural African villages. This study, conducted in a rural fanning village in Senegal, explored what, when, why, how, and from whom do adults in African villages learn? Using ethnographic research methods, information was collected from the village chief, six key informants, and individual villagers (N = 38). The results suggest that a community's social-cultural norms and values exert a powerful influence on the learning of African adults. For this reason, educational programs in African villages would be most effective if they were woven into the social-cultural fabric of the community. The results also suggest that cultural traditions influence the what, when, why, and from whom-but not the how-of adult learning.