Idealism, professionalism and the origins of the Workers' Educational Association: revisiting the Oxford Report of 1908. Issue 5 (3rd September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lee, Chih-Hao
• Is Part Of: History of education. Volume 50:Issue 5(2021)
• Page Start: 587
• Page End: 604
• Publication Date: 2021-09-03
• Subjects: Idealism -- professionalism -- adult education -- university reform -- Workers' Educational Association; Education -- History -- Periodicals; 370.9
• DOI: 10.1080/0046760X.2020.1833992
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0046-760X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper uses the 1908 Oxford Report, a founding document for the Workers' Educational Association, as a window onto the internal contradictions of the university adult education movement, an issue that has been neglected by historians of education. Examining the early history of the WEA shows that while the movement was inspired by Oxford Idealism and set itself the aim of democratising higher education, it also drew support from people who intended to professionalise the university by introducing the principles of trained expertise and selection by merit. The confluence of Idealism and professionalism resulted in a ground-breaking but inconsistent educational programme outlined in the Oxford Report . This paper suggests that the attempt to simultaneously democratise and professionalise higher education was untenable and foreshadowed later tensions within the WEA movement.