Flexibility and individualisation in adult education work: The case of portfolio educators

Citation

Fenwick T (2003) Flexibility and individualisation in adult education work: The case of portfolio educators. Journal of Education and Work, 16 (2), pp. 165-184. https://doi.org/10.1080/1363908032000070675

Abstract
'Portfolio educators' is a term adopted here to represent people engaged in adult education activities, who create portfolios of self-employed work arrangements to contract their skills in a variety of contexts. This qualitative study explores the personal experiences of negotiating teaching, research and programme-planning activities as a 'portfolio educator', focusing on the life histories of 12 individuals in western Canada. Within these stories of flexibl1isation and individualisation in education work, four tensions in particular are examined: the tensions of personal choice, of continuous change, of fluid knowledge, and of flexible location. Implications are discussed related to the changing state of adult education and the nature of portfolio careers.

Journal
Journal of Education and Work: Volume 16, Issue 2