대학평생교육원 여성교육의 성과와 한계

A Study on Women's Education at University Lifelong Education Centers

본 연구는 대학평생교육원이 사회봉사적, 계몽적 초기 접근에서 실용주의적이고 상업적인 방향으로 전환하는 과정에서 주요 참여자인 여성들에게 어떠한 교육을 제공하고 있으며 그 교육적 기여의 성과와 한계는 무엇인지를 밝혀 보고자 하였다. 이를 위해 대학평생교육 환경의 변화 및 교육 동향과 국내 대학평생교육원의 교육프로그램을 조사하여 여성교육에 대한 접근 경향을 분석하였다. 그 결과 대학평생교육원은 여성의 평등한 발전을 위한 미래지향적 요구보다 현재의 즉시적 요구를 반영하는 경향이 있고, 작업과정의 확대를 통해 여성의 경제활동 참여에 기여하고 있으나 주로 전통적 여성 직종에 국한되는 교육을 하고 있으며, 여성의 의식화나 정치적 세력화를 통해 여성의 사회통제력을 증대하는 데는 별로 기여하지 못하고 있다고 볼 수 있다. 여성을 교육소비자로 인식하면서 여성이 당장 소비하기를 원하는 교육에 중점을 두고 있다고 볼 수 있으며, 이는 대학의 공공성, 사회봉사적 소명 의식이 약화되는 과정에서 초래된 결과라고 할 수 았다. 향후 대학의 공공성과 상업지향성이 조정되는 과정에서 여성교육의 방향도 균형을 이루어 야 할 것이다.

This study aims to examine lifelong education centers at universities by gender perspective. The major participants of lifelong education centers are women. Universities have been providing many educational programmes for women. However, as universities have been pursuing economical profits, the idea of social service of university education has been weakening. This situation has been also influencing university lifelong education. Recently. the main purpose of lifelong education centers at universities has been changing from social service into making profits. The research problems are how lifelong education centers have been helping and supporting women's growth and what the contributions and limits of university lifelong education for women's development are. To discuss these problems, this researcher examined university lifelong education centers in Korea and foreign countries such as The United States and Canada. The results are as follows. Lifelong education centers have been providing educational programs for Women based on their practical needs such as vocational programs and recreational programs. In addition, most of vocational programs are providing education for women-friendly jobs. They have little attention on the strategic needs for women's future development such as the programs for women's consciousness raising, political empowerment, and nontraditional job training etc. In spite of many professionalized programs at university lifelong education centers, the programs can't contribute effectively the growth of social status of women and the gender equality level of our society. We have to reconsider the educational purpose of lifelong education centers at universities. Universities should keep their social service function in spite of growing market demands. They have many educational resources to make a contribution for the growth of people. Universities should use their resources not for profits only but for social service also. They should not consider women only as consumers. They have to find a balance between educational idea and market interest.