Threats,Utopias and Development Continuities in the Future of Adult Education

This study is based on the hypothesis of futurology stating that future images influence in many ways the present activities and decision‐making of both individuals and communities. The purpose was to forecast various possible future developments in adult education based on future images of adult educators (N = 117) working in Finnish institutions of vocational education. The information was gathered by mailed questionnaires which were collected at training sessions arranged by regional governments for adult educators. The data contained 832 future images. Threatening and desirable images associated with the functions and resources of adult education were most frequent. There were least mentions regarding continuities and the organization and process of education.