Characterization of young users of Adult Education in the Valparaiso Region, Chile (Abstract)

In Chile adult education has been transformed dramatically in recent decades, both by reforming its curriculum as the age composition of their students. Today, population using this type of education is no longer working adults who seek to complete their studies, they are mostly young teenagers who may be in regular education, which have drop out . The situation becomes even more complex because this educational alternative is one of the following options of study for young offenders. These complex realities have been little studied, not only in the Valparaiso region, but all the country. The article presents results of an empirical, quantitative approach, conducted between 2010 and 2011, aiming to characterize young users of adult education, between 14 and 18 years in the Region of Valparaiso. Young people are mostly single, living with parents and often have children. They have abandoned the regular education more than anything to have problems with teachers and not understand their explanations. They have chosen adult education mostly because it presents the differences compared to regular education.