This paper explores the question of the purpose of education within the context of Lyotard's framing of the postmodern condition. It points to some of the continuities and discontinuities in the framing of the current condition as postmodern and the recurrent problematics of truth-telling which is the mark of this condition. It suggests that…

Economic and technological change have altered the way knowledge is produced and transmitted. In modernism, "useful" knowledge is emancipatory; in postmodernism, knowledge is exchanged on the basis of its value to the consumer. Its real use value is tied to increasing the efficiency of the distribution system. (SK)

Examines humanistic guidance and counseling from two perspectives: the notion of confession as described by Foucault (a means of self-regulation) and modern versus postmodern concepts of identity. (SK)

Autobiographical accounts of two adult educators address questions of what it means to be an adult educator in an environment of individualization and reflexivity. Cultural conditions that give rise to similarities and differences in their accounts, such as postmodernism and popular culture, are identified. (SK)

Argues for a less rigid conception of leisure. Describes how leisure has been socially constructed and how the concept is changing in postmodern consumer culture. Suggests that adult education discourse neglects consumer culture and leisure, thus ignoring part of adults' everyday existence. (SK)

The pressures of economic competition affect the narratives of adult educators. Three interrelated themes provide insights into the contemporary condition of adult educators: the turn to "textuality," changes in the economy and organization of work, and debates over postmodern identity. (SK)

Situates lifelong learning within the framework of postmodernism, particularly the notions of performativity, decentering, and lack of mastery. Describes lifelong learning in postmodernist terms as a condition of constant apprenticeship in which proficiency is never final or complete. (Contains 44 references.) (SK)

"New right" governments may support experiential learning because of its role in developing self-discipline and law-abiding citizens and consumers. Adult educators and trainers must understand and engage in debates about experiential learning and postmodernism to understand their own practices. (SK)

Examines such trends as vocationalization, marketization, and the commodification of knowledge within the discourse of lifelong learning. Explores the concept of boundaries in education and lifelong learning and the implications for the role of adult educators. (Contains 58 references.) (SK)

Examines the prospects for university adult education from a perspective of postmodernity. Reviews the economic, social, and cultural dimensions of the postmodern condition and implications for understanding knowledge, education, and the role of the university. (SK)