Why I Hate "Program Planning" (Part 3)

When Knud Illeris wrote about education’s “sorting function” (Illeris, 2007, p. 237), he was primarily concerned with role that education plays in the replication of social inequity from one generation to the next; but, when I read the phrase, I thought of another reason why I don’t like the phrase “program planning.”

Hanson (1991) on Participation

Hanson, A. L. (1991). Understanding participation in programs. In T. J. Sork (Ed.), Mistakes made and lessons learned: Overcoming obstacles to successful program planning (New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, vol 49) (pp. 29-41). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Type of Work
Book chapter
Focus / Goal
Discusses “elements that influence participation in continuing education programs” (p. 29)
Audience

• Program planners, in general
• Special emphasis is placed on planning continuing education events

My Notes
Raises important issues to think about when planning programs. However, because it is geared toward continuing education and approaches this topic from a business-like perspective, it seems a little less relevant to me. All those years of working in churches drove home the message that every participant is important and that programs should continue to be offered regardless of the size of the audience. While I understand that program planners cannot continually operate with negative cash flow, I will never feel truly comfortable with any that smacks of a profit motive.