Allen Tough

Dr. Allen Tough (born 1936) is Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto. He has contributed to the fields of Adult Education, Futures Studies, and SETI. Linking these fields together is Dr. Tough's concern with the long-term future of humanity in the cosmos, and humans' search for meaning and purpose on personal, societal, and global levels. He taught at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, for 33 years, retiring from teaching in 1997.

Born and raised in Toronto, Dr. Tough earned his MA from the University of Toronto, and PhD from the University of Chicago. His first books, The Adult's Learning Projects[1] and Intentional Changes,[2] were based on his thesis research.

In 1981, Dr. Tough expanded his areas of study to include the fields of Futures Studies and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, or SETI.[3] His 1991 book Crucial Questions about the Future,[4] brought these themes together. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Dr. Tough continued to pursue these subjects, both through publishing and presenting papers at European SETI conferences, SETI League symposiums, and the World Space Congress. His book "When SETI Succeeds" was chosen as one of eight works "The Editors Recommend" in the December 2000 issue of Scientific American.

In 1996, figuring that the development of the World Wide Web presented new possibilities for contact with intelligent extraterrestrials, Dr. Tough issued an online "Invitation to ETI." [5] [6] In 2000, he published an essay, "How to Achieve Contact: Five Promising Strategies."[7]

In 2006, Allen Tough initiated The Billingham Cutting-Edge Lectures,[8] a series of annual lectures to be held at the meetings of the International Academy of Astronautics SETI Permanent Study Group. That same year, Allen Tough was awarded the Malcolm Knowles Self-Directed Learning Award, and was inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame [9] in Dallas, Texas.

Selected publications

Tough, A. (1999). Reflections on the study of adult learning. Centre for the Study of Education and Work, OISE/UT. WALL Working Paper 8. [1]

References

Tough, A. (1967). Learning without a teacher: A study of tasks and assistance during adult self-teaching. Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

  1. ^ Tough, Allen. 1971. The adult's learning projects: A fresh approach to theory and practice in adult learning. Toronto: OISE
  2. ^ Tough, Allen. 1982. Intentional changes: A fresh approach to helping people change. Chicago: Follett.
  3. ^ Darling, David. "Internet Encyclopedia of Science". http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/T/Tough.html. Retrieved 2008-05-01. 
  4. ^ Tough, Allen. 1991. Crucial Questions about the Future. Lanham, MD: University Press of America
  5. ^ Baker, Oliver (2001, 28 July). "ET-mail". New Scientist (2301). http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg17123015.000-etmail.html. Retrieved 2008-05-01. 
  6. ^ Feedback (2004, 18 December). "ET on the Internet". New Scientist: 76. http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18424782.700-feedback.html. Retrieved 2008-04-13. 
  7. ^ Tough, Allen. 2000. "How to Achieve Contact: Five Promising Strategies." In Tough, ed. When SETI Succeeds: The impact of high-information contact. Foundation for the Future, Bellevue, WA.
  8. ^ International Academy of Astronautics, SETI Permanent Study Group. "Announcing: the Billingham Cutting Edge Lecture". http://iaaseti.org/jb_lect.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-01. 
  9. ^ "International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame". http://www.halloffame.outreach.ou.edu/2006/tough.html. Retrieved 2008-05-01. 

External links