Understanding and Planning for Adult Learners with Disabilities

Studies about adult education practices in various settings have recognized that learner needs are an integral component of curriculum design and implementation. Prisons are unique environments for conducting education programs and advancing adult education principles and practices. Canada has advanced adult education practices in its federal prisons since 1936 (Fox, 1994). However, research concerning adult education practices in Canadian federal prisons remains infrequent. This study examines what adult education principles and practices advocated by Knowles (1980) are utilized in the Adult Basic Education (ABE) and General Educational Development (GED) classes in one Canadian federal prison. The research shows that Canada, although committed to advancing adult education in its federal prisons, has failed to implement appropriate adult education practices in at least one of its federal prisons.

This article covers the issue of policy development on adult learning in Mali, West Africa. On January 2007, the Malian government adopted a policy document termed Adult Non-formal Education Policy Document. The document was intended to regulate the adult learning sector and federate the actions of policy makers, adult education providers, and adult learners. The purpose of this article is to critically review the policy document, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses. The article first depicts the context in which the policy was initiated and developed. Later on, it discusses the policy's effect on adult education practice, its limits, and its implication for the future of the field in Mali. Evolution of Adult Education in Mali: Why a Policy? Various terminologies are used to refer to the field of adult education such as literacy, andragogy, continuing education, non-formal education, popular education, adult education, lifelong education, and many more. Until the 1990s, some countries have rather stressed literacy, the acquisition of reading, writing, and numeracy skills. This activity was widespread in countries that had a very high rate of illiteracy. Meanwhile, other countries stressed continuing education through the skill development of working adults (Merriam & Brockett, 2007). The terminology of non-formal education was later used to refer to remedial educational opportunities beyond the formal school arena (Coombs & Ahmed, 1974). The concept of adult education stressing a larger dimension of learning opportunities for adults became popularized and internationalized through the UNESCO conference on adult education in 1976 (Torres, 1990). That definition was clarified further during the fifth edition of the International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA) in 1997 to include all dimensions of learning opportunities for adults in all settings. CONFINTEA is the international adult education forum held by UNESCO every twelve years since 1949. As in many African countries, the concept of adult education is not widespread in Mali. The terminologies of literacy and non-formal education are often used when referring to adult education. The first literacy programs in Mali started in 1962, just a couple of years after the country got its independence (Ministry of Education and Literacy, 2007). From 1962 to 1990, literacy activities were carried out through several programs that were experimental and low in scale. Those programs related to the needs of the young country to undertake mass literacy initiatives. An important step was reached in the 1990s when the national context was influenced by the shift to democracy which saw the rapid growth of civil society organizations and their involvement in literacy. The same era was marked by UNESCO's Education For All conference in Jomtien, Thailand in 1990, setting an international agenda for adult education. The need for developing a policy document on adult learning became pressing in the year 2000. This movement was favored by both the national and international contexts. In the national arena, Mali moved to democracy and a decentralization era which called for reforms in several sectors including education. The Education Orientation Act and the Ten-Year Educational Development Program, both adopted in 1999 introduced the notion of adult nonformal education, which was supported by both technical and legislative organizations of adult education (African Platform for Adult Education, 2008; Doucoure & Diarra, 2006). The Poverty Reduction Strategy Documents adopted in 2002 and 2007 recognized the link between the low access to education among the population and poverty and the need to reorganize the adult learning sector (Ministry of Education and Literacy, 2008). The need for a policy to regulate adult learning was also inspired by the international agenda. Mali engaged in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and the Educational For All (EFA) frameworks adopted by the United Nations and UNESCO in 2000, which, among other objectives, stressed the need for improved adult education opportunities. …

The articles in this issue of Adult Learning address varied ways of facilitating adult learning or administering programs. They are designed for different settings and purposes, but all discuss facilitating learning of adults. Some focus on specific teaching techniques, some on events in classroom, others on classroom climate, and a few on philosophies and viewpoints of teachers of adults. Why an issue focusing on teaching techniques and classroom environment? It is easy to become distracted from our central focus of teaching adults among necessary and real requirements of ensuring that programs for adults are planned and administered. Programs need to be created and marketed, students enrolled, teachers hired, facilities located and managed, funds generated, evaluations conducted, and reports written. Demands on teachers of all ages for increased accountability and documentation cost time and money while competing with concerns that needs of adult students are met and valuable programs survive. An issue of Adult Learning that refocuses our attention on needs of adult students and different approaches to facilitating their learning may be inspiring and revitalizing for adult educators. Another reason is to return our focus to central issue of adult learning. In The New Update on Adult Learning, Merriam (2001) writes that knowledge of adult learning is at heart of our practice of adult education, whether we are involved in planning and administering programs, teaching, and/or counseling adults. It is also the most studied topic in adult (p. 1). Unfortunately, many adult education theories do not always come attached with practical ideas for how to apply information, even when theories have been drawn from practice. Translation of theory to practice is work of inspired educators working directly with adult students. One part of moving away from distractions of program development and administration is to focus our attention on adult learners we meet. Employing a humanistic perspective, Nuckles describes student-centered teaching as alignment of teacher's concerns with learners. He explains what is needed for teachers and administrators to be more responsive to students' needs and concerns. Student-centered teaching begins with preparation prior to learners arrival, requires understanding of adult learners, self-assessment of one's own teaching style and content mastery, ability to model skills being taught and modify preferred teaching styles to accommodate learners with varied preferences, and an administration that is congruent with and reinforces facultys responsive teaching styles. Recognizing complexities involved with being empathetic with needs of diverse students, Nuckles indicates that honest, authentic effort, and not perfection, is aim. This issue includes several articles that describe specific teaching practices or techniques. Paul Lones examines relationship between learning and creativity to explore implications for adult learning. He outlines a model for developing and facilitating creativity with adults students, and uses his experiences of learning to lead mountain club activities as an example. The model requires visualization of what a person wishes to create, a clear view of current reality, and ability to use tension between vision and reality as an energy source for action. Developing actions to activate this vision involves ability to conceive a new reality, freedom to create it, and critical reflection and discussion. Facilitating a simulated field trip without leaving classroom also requires creativity and imagination, and involves an attempt to change perceived reality of a physical space. Douglas describes a method for field trip simulation created for a graduate class in adult education. He notes that pedagogical literature on field trips has not been examined in adult education. …

This book is designed to assist adult education practitioners in their understanding of the field of adult education as a whole in relation to the multiple roles of adult educators. It introduces issues, debates and literature focusing on several major areas of practice in adult education, taking into account the effects of two major developments since the publication of the first edition in 1995. The first development is global economic restructuring and the effects of these political and economic changes on adult education and training are discussed at various points in the book. Secondly, the emergence of more critical analyses of adult education and training informed by various theoretical frameworks have the potential to contribute to a more effective understanding of the field. These frameworks underpin the discussion throughout the book and detailed examples of their application are included in some chapters. The book contains four major sections: foundational, containing a discussion of knowledge that is fundamental to adult education practice; contextual, in which the central theme that adult learning and education are contextual, complex and contested activities, is illustrated; workplace change and learning; and, other contemporary developments in adult education. Each section begins with an introduction which summarises the content and each chapter, concluding with a short list of recommended reading, is a complete unit. The book also includes an extensive bibliography. The chapters are as follows: A framework for understanding adult learning and education / Griff Foley; Understanding adult learners / Philip Pogson and Mark Tennant; Teaching adults / Griff Foley; Program development in adult education and training / Michael Newman; Evaluating adult education and training / James Athanasou; Research in adult education and training / John McIntyre; Policy formation in adult education and training / Griff Foley, Alastair Crombie, Geof Hawke and Roger Morris; Flexible learning for adults / Richard Edwards and Katherine Nicoll; Reading the discourses of adult basic education teaching / Alison Lee and Rosie Wickert; Organisational learning: basic concepts / Laurie Field; Understanding and achieving successful change in adult education / Geoff Scott; Competency-based education / Clive Chappell, Andrew Gonczi and Paul Hager; Cross-cultural training in the workplace / Daphne Brosnan, Hermine Scheeres and Diana Slade; Experience-based learning / Lee Andresen, David Boud and Ruth Cohen; Women and learning / Susan Knights; Adult education and Indigenous Australians / Michael McDaniel and Rick Flowers; Learning, education and social action / Michael Newman; Conclusion: critical theory and adult education / Griff Foley. Selected papers are indexed from TD/TNC 61.135 to TD/TNC 61.145.

Muncie Community Schools' Adult Education Prooram How does an adult student learn to dissect a frog? Have you ever heard of a dry lab? Ever hear of a Cybermobile? Are your teachers up to speed with computers? All of these questions deal with bringing computer technology into the adult education classroom. It is imperative to integrate computer technology in the Adult Basic Education (ABE) and Adult Secondary Credit (ASC) classrooms. Adults are faced with using computers in just about every aspect of their lives from data entry to obtaining a movie rental card at the local video rental store, or completing a pre-employment examination given on a computer terminal at a nearby automotive plant. In today's society, one of the basics of education is computer literacy. This includes everything from using computers as tutorials for building basic skill levels to using various software programs that an adult would encounter in the workplace. Muncie Community Schools' (MCS) Adult Education Program has integrated the use of computers in their ABE and ASC programs to benefit adult learners, not only in accomplishing their educational goals or gaining employment, but for improving their confidence levels when they find out that they too can operate a computer. MCS Adult Education Program has, through various local grants, obtained funds that have provided computers at most of the ABE and ASC sites. Grant writing is hard work, but the students' results are worth the headaches. At some sites where it is not feasible to set up computers, MCS partnered with the Muncie Public Library to bring computers to the ABE site through the use of their Cybermobile. What is a Cybermobile? It is a former bookmobile that contains six computer stations complete with software and Internet access. The library personnel selected software for the cybermobile that teaches adults about computers and applications for building basic skill levels. It proved to be a great partnership! ABE and ASC students use a combination of application and curriculum software. Microsoft Office 97 is the major application software. Students use the word processor for reports, essays, letter writing and journal writing. For many adult learners, there is a great deal of satisfaction that comes from seeing their thoughts prepared in a typed format. They use Excel for producing spreadsheets and preparing graphs. PowerPoint is used as a report tool and a tutorial. For example, credit students completing a math credit are required to build a slide presentation explaining a math concept or problem that the student had difficulty understanding, based upon their TABE results. The end result is a better understanding of the math concept, the skills to use Powerpoint, and a lot of fun incorporating graphics, clip art and sound effects into their presentations. We also have a program called The Student Writing and Resource Center that is used in all subjects. This program is a desktop publisher that is integrated with the Compton's Encyclopedia. This allows the student to go from the word processor to the encyclopedia and back again through program icons. An advantage this software provides is the student can copy any article or picture they want and place it in their document. …

Adult basic literacy education program requires the integration of creativity into learning activities to increase the rate of adult learning in adult basic literacy education program. The study assessed the extent of integrating creativity in facilitating adult learners in adult basic literacy education program. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The instrument titled, Integrating Creativity in the Facilitation of Adult Learning through Analytic and Synthetic Methods Questionnaire was administered to 880 adult education administrators, adult literacy facilitators and adult learners. Data were presented through the use of mean, standard deviation and ANOVA. The results of the study revealed that integrating analytic and synthetic methods to a moderate extent facilitated the learning of adults in an adult basic literacy education program. The study recommended that state agency for mass literacy, adult and non-formal education should encourage adult literacy facilitators to create personalized programs of instruction and lesson plans that are based on the adult learners’ skill level and learning styles.

Стаття присвячена аналізу теорії і практики медичної просвіти дорослого насе-лення в умовах неформальної освіти Україні. Обґрунтовано актуальність проблеми освіти дорослих у сучасних соціально-економічних вимірах. Проаналізовано пріоритетні напрями функціонування центрів освіти дорослих в Україні як закладів неформальної освіти. Наголошено на пріоритетності розвитку неформальної освіти дорослих в Україні. Визначено, що підґрунтя розробки нормативної і науково-методичної складових медичної просвіти дорослих складають комплексна оцінка, аналіз тематичного спектру освітніх потреб дорослих в сфері медицини, а також можливостей їх задоволення, оцінка якості, територіальної і фінансової доступності різних типів просвітницьких програм. Акценто-вано увагу на необхідності розширення кола провайдерів медичних послуг з освіти дорослих. Охарактеризовано розвиток освіти дорослих у контексті реалізації міжнародних програм та виявлено перспективні напрями розвитку медичної освіти в структурі неформальної освіти дорослих в Україні.

Practice melds with inquiry. Trial and error merge with instinct and common sense. Teacher and learner compound as investigator. This is a curious form of alchemy, one void of metal and mineral, yet infused with newly-born knowledge. In the educational world, we name this alchemy action research or distinguish it as practitioner inquiry. Despite the labels assigned, this manner of exploration remains a transformational device for the classroom. It has the potential to change instructors, learners and adult education as well. there's a problem, it's not only one person's responsibility to solve it, said Beth, a spirited 20-something GED apprentice who beats me to my desk each day mean, doesn't it make sense that the more research a teacher does, the more she learns? And, we (students) could be part of something, instead of being the ones who are left out. If it's going to help people learn, why not give it a try,? she added. I gave it a try, as Beth suggested. Two studies, three presentations and innumerable ideas later, action research is an emblem of my adult basic education practice. It represents my curiosity, a desire to know that serendipitously led me to this field and the graduate program at Kansas State University. It symbolizes a progressive change in my perspective, a new filter for the reality of my chosen profession. The Glorification of Curiosity Following the indoctrination to action research, I was not very confident of its merit in adult diploma and basic education centers, nor convinced of my ability to assume a new role, that of practitioner-researcher. While explaining inquiry of this kind to friends, eyebrows raised and foreheads furrowed upon mere mention of the word research. Bewildered colleagues countered, `You're doing what?' I gulped, wondering the same. Research was a thoroughly intimidating term, a seemingly enigmatic concept. I considered it a task for the `experts,' a sterile and tedious venture removed from the everyday world of students and instruction. And so, my first and most arduous challenge was also the most obvious: imagining research beyond clip-boards, questionnaires and stacks of number-filled papers, visualizing it as a living process, a dance of discovery. Dr. Allan Quigley defied me to make this transformation. It's -- that's all it is. Research is just a glorified form of curiosity explained the educator and author (workshop, 1998). I embraced this new interpretation and all its implications, which Quigley revealed in Rethinking Literacy Education (Quigley, 1997) and during a daylong workshop in the summer of 1998. To anchor my freshly adjusted attitude, I picked up a thick marker and, with great ceremony, blacked out the traditional definition of research in the bulky dictionary that sits computerside. Research, when envisioned as about the nature of adult learning and adult learners, became a reasonable, welcoming concept. After all, I am terminally inquisitive: Why does one young woman attend to every word spoken within the classroom, as another twirls her hair, stopping to snap off the split ends? What of students' abilities, habits, motivations, cultures, histories? And what of mine? What of the myths and values and preconceptions that accompany me to the classroom each day? By focusing on such questions with action research as the lens, practitioners may begin to anticipate their roles in uncovering `The Truth' and mapping the route to program improvements. Certainly, adult educators know the terrain, including every bone-jarring pothole and maddening detour. …

So, what is philosophy? And what does it have to do with adult education the one hand, it seems like a subject for elite academics, far removed from the everyday practices of adult educators. On the other hand, ask any adult educator what the purpose of education is, or what they are trying to do in class, and therein lies something of their espoused educational philosophy Look at their practice, and that tells you even more. One's educational philosophy is imbedded both in what one believes about teaching and learning, and what one actually does in their practice. All adult educators have an educational philosophy; we may not be able to articulate it well, but we all have a belief about what we should be doing in the adult education classroom. Further, adult learners in our classrooms also have an educational philosophy--a belief about what we should be doing. Sometimes these philosophical beliefs clash and result in conflict. Knowing one's educational philosophy and how it relates to our practice and to those beliefs of adult learns in our classrooms can help us better negotiate the everyday realities of life with adult learners. We believe that defining one's educational philosophy is important--not only because our beliefs impact what we do in the classroom, but in defining our educational philosophy, we must examine our practice critically In so doing, we often become conscious of some of our unconscious beliefs or behaviors that affect our practice. Critically examining our practice makes apparent some of the discrepancies between what we say we believe and what we actually do. For example, one colleague said that she believed in all students equally as part of her educational philosophy. But after a closer look at her practice, she found that she unconsciously gave validation to some over others based partly on their gender, race and class. This became apparent by observing who she gave attention, affirmation and mentoring to in the instructional setting (partly because some were demanding than others), and by noting who was most often represented in her curriculum. After critically examining her practice and curriculum, she reasoned that if required authors and classroom examples were primarily whites and/or males, it perhaps sent a message about whose knowledge was really valued; it might appear that she believed some were more equal than others. As a result, she had to rethink the notion of what she really meant in regard to treating all students equally. Thus, she began to change some of her classroom practices and also began to redefine her educational philosophy In short, as we have seen in this example, an examination of one's educational practice and one's beliefs about practice inform each other--our philosophy informs our practice, which in turn informs and helps develop our philosophy. And, so, the cycle continues. In order for this cycle to be set in motion, we must make conscious our underlying educational philosophy and how it is reflected in our practice. Thus, our intent in this article is two-fold; to discuss some different adult educational philosophies, and to help readers explore their own educational philosophy in light of their adult education practice. In particular, we invite the reader to reflect on the following questions in relationship to their own thinking about their adult education practice: 1. What is the purpose of education? 2. What is the role of the adult educator? 3. What is the role of students or adult learners in the classroom? 4. What is your conceptualization of differences among adult learners? 5. What is your worldview, or the primary lens you use in analyzing human needs? To be sure, not all adult educators have the same answers to these five questions, or the same philosophical orientation. Elias and Merriam (1995) discuss a number of philosophical orientations to adult education including liberalism, progressivism, humanism, behaviorism and radicalism. …

The article is devoted to the problem of global trends and directions of development in adult learning and education that are considered in UNESCO’s documents. It is noted that UNESCO, as a specialized agency of the United Nations, promotes international cooperation in education, science and culture, its priorities include the achievement of quality education for all and lifelong learning, as well as the creation of an inclusive knowledge-based society through information and communication.
 The author summarizes that UNESCO as a world international organization has a crucial significance in promoting and developing adult learning and education through adopting a number of documents, concepts and reports that define mainstream trends and development directions. The latest may be referred to the following: replacement the concept of Development of Adult Education with the Adult Learning and Education, widening by this way sphere of its implementation; defining three core learning domains in the field of ALE as: literacy and basic skills; continuing education and professional development; liberal and community education (active citizenship skills); confirming the paradigm of traditional distinction between three basic categories of learning activity: formal, non-formal and informal learning; noting, however, that there should be a distinction between purposeful informal learning and random informal learning.
 It is noted in the article that the efforts of numerous UNESCO organizations are focused on specific areas that need improvement, such as: giving everyone a fair chance at education so that everyone has equal access to adult education; a significant increase in participation in adult learning and education in order to achieve equal progress in adult education and learning in different countries, etc.
 Key words: the UNESCO, lifelong learning, adult education, adult learning and education, formal, non-formal and informal learning, equal participation

It is an interesting assignment to think about the future of adult education. In fact, it is an assignment I have the graduate students in my Introduction to Adult Education class at East Carolina University consider during one of our course units. In that unit, which occurs after examining the history of adult education, we consider where our field is heading. Not surprisingly, responses to this question are as diverse as the students in the class and as diverse as the field of adult education itself. Most students are excited about the future and interested in considering how their interests, education, and particular skill sets might best serve them in the field of adult education. Many who work in the field of adult education bemoan the lack of resources, institutional ambivalence, and other obstacles. Almost all students discuss their interest in working with adult learners and underlying motivation for helping adults learn and grow. Some comment on the diversity of the field, as represented by the many different jobs held by the members of the class. Despite the differences in backgrounds, career goals, and interests within the field, in the end, some common themes emerge. We agree that passion for helping adults learn and being present when light bulb moments occur is what drives us to do what we do. It is what motivates us and keeps us going as adult educators. We are also optimistic about the future and enjoy speculating about what the future of adult education holds for us. As a member of the Board of Directors for the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE), and now as incoming President-Elect, I have also been considering the future of our discipline. AAACE recently completed a strategic planning process and evaluated where the organization stands and where it is headed. Through a member survey and self-assessment, AAACE examined how the board can best serve the needs of members and promote the organization and the discipline. As a result of these discussions and my own contemplation, several themes emerged that may hold the keys for future success for AAACE and the field of adult education. The Future Means Being Flexible We can look at the concept of flexibility in several different ways. Technology, for example, provides adult educators and learners flexibility in program delivery methods and access to formal education. This does not mean traditional face-to-face teaching will become obsolete. It simply means we can be more innovative in the options we offer learners. Flexibility also allows us to be more responsive to learner needs. Gone are the days when adults stayed in one job for their entire lives. Now, people change jobs and entire career paths on a regular basis. Often, they need education as part of these transitions. Furthermore, demographic shifts mean retiring baby boomers are looking for leisure-time learning activities. Social justice issues in our world continue to evolve. The demand for adult basic skills education continues to increase. As adult educators, we need to be flexible in response to the changing needs of adult learners and ready to provide the educational opportunities they need, when they are needed. Flexibility means we at AAACE must continually evaluate the products and services we offer our members and make changes when appropriate. The recent additions of the Special Interest Group on Sustainability and Environmental Adult Education and the Special Interest Group for Labor/Workforce Education are good examples of responsiveness to the changing field of adult education and new needs of our members. We must be open to the opportunities that present themselves as the field of adult education evolves. The Future Means Using Technology Wisely As noted above, technology has changed the way we educate adults. It has also changed the way we communicate. We at AAACE are always looking for better ways to communicate with members and now use Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn and continuously work to improve the AAACE website. …

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Institute for Lifelong Learning has been publishing the Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE) every three years since 2009. These reports provide comprehensive analyses of adult education policies, governance, budget allocation, participation, and quality across United Nations member states, offering a global perspective on adult learning and education. In this study, all GRALE reports published to date were examined, their content analyzed, and their reflections on adult learning and education policies in Turkey were evaluated. The findings indicate that the GRALE reports are significant as they present a comprehensive overview of adult learning and education on a global scale and encourage the development of policies and institutional frameworks in the field of adult education. However, the lack of standardized policies on lifelong learning and adult education among countries reduces the validity and reliability of the evaluations presented in the GRALE reports. The issues addressed in the reports are also found to be prevalent in adult learning and education efforts in Turkey, with the persistent problem of inequalities in education for women, migrants, and the elderly being particularly emphasized. In this context, it is foreseen that there is a need for initiatives specifically planned for women and other disadvantaged groups. Moreover, adult education has the potential to address unemployment challenges that may arise due to advancements in artificial intelligence, enabling individuals to acquire new skills. By doing so, it can support workforce transformation and play an active role in mitigating job losses.

America is becoming a less educated nation (National Commission on Adult Literacy, 2008). While this is frequently measured through comparisons of the number of adults with college degrees, strategies to address sagging educational attainment statistics in the United States are typically focused on K-12 reforms--mostly through expanded definitions of college readiness. In the past, college readiness has been defined primarily in terms of high school courses taken and grades received along with scores on national tests as its primary metrics (Conley, 2008, p. 5). Creating a more robust definition of college readiness is important, yet K-12 efforts do not provide a model that supports adults attempting to access and succeed in college, especially first-time college-goers. Focusing solely on youth will not fill the nation's widening education and skills gap (Strawn, 2007). Currently, two-thirds of our workforce is beyond the reach of virtually all K-12 reform efforts. Of those, 88 million adults in our current workforce have at least one major barrier to further education: no high school diploma, no college experience, or limited proficiency in English (National Commission on Adult Literacy, 2008). Thinking in terms of college readiness for adults is particularly compelling for U.S. colleges and universities. Over 70% of current undergraduates are considered nontraditional: older students, parents (especially single parents), students who work fulltime, students who are financially independent, and/or students who come to college without a traditional high school diploma (U.S. Department of Education, NCES, 2002). Entering college with basic skills needs requiring more than a year of reading remediation significantly lowers the likelihood of success (Adelman, 1998). This paper examines a subset of those nontraditional students--individuals from adult education programs, and describes a study of program models designed to better prepare adults for college. About Adult Education As required by federal funding, all states provide Adult Basic Education (ABE), Adult Secondary Education (ASE) or General Educational Development (GED) preparation, and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. State adult education departments may also provide other programs, such as Family Literacy and EL/Civics (integrated instructional programs and services that incorporate both English literacy instruction and civics education). Overall, federal funding represents 25% of the total spending on adult education, with state resources accounting for the remaining funds; seven states account for approximately 80% of total state investment in adult education, giving a range of total cost per student falling between $350 and $2,100. The average yearly total cost per student is $812 (Duke, 2007). Governance and service provision varies from state to state. Thirty-one states administer adult education through their K-12 department, 14 through a postsecondary agency, and 5 through departments of labor (Morest, 2004). Services may be delivered through school districts, colleges and universities, community-based organizations, libraries, housing authorities, correctional facilities, to name a few. Are Adult Education Students Interested in College? Providing formal transition supports and services is a relatively new area of concern for adult education. In looking at this activity, the first question that should be asked is: what evidence do we have that adult education students actually want to go on to college? One way to document student interests is by the goals students set while they are in adult education programs. This is theoretically possible for adults participating in federally-funded adult education programs because federal guidelines require that programs document student goals and outcomes. The National Reporting System (NRS) is the state-administered accountability system used by the Office of Adult and Vocational Education, U. …

The American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE)--the umbrella organization for the diverse field of adult and continuing education--is undergoing a transformation, and with it comes the opportunity and the challenges to define itself and its purpose for the twenty-first century. As we, the board of AAACE, contemplate our future, we share with you a critical reflection on our past in order to shed light on fundamental issues, as well as the pitfalls to avoid and promises to embrace. We hope this will encourage your participation in the ongoing and dynamic process of growing and refreshing the association. Formative and Early Years AAACE is the latest incarnation of adult education associations dating back to 1921 when the National Education Association (NEA) formed its Department of Immigrant Education. In 1924, this became the Department of Adult Education. Originally, as the name suggests, this group served the teachers of immigrants; however, it was soon expanded to include teachers of adults within school-based programs (Knowles, 1994). In 1926, the American Association for Adult Education (AAAE) was established through funding by the Carnegie Association. This Association was founded to advance a particular vision of adult education, one that was community-based not school-based, and that was also non-vocational and non-utilitarian. However, this vision was never entirely clear, and it was subsequently undermined, first by the Great Depression and later by World War II (Rose, 1989). By 1941, the AAAE was withering, with its activities curtailed. In 1949, a new burst of activity led to the merger of the two groups and the formation of the Adult Education Association of the USA commonly referred to as AEA. However, this marriage was not an easy one, and in 1952 the National Association for Public School Adult Educators (NAPSAE) was founded. As with its earlier incarnation, its mission was to work with teachers in school settings. The name was changed in to the National Association of Public and Continuing Adult Educators (NAPCAE) in 1972. In 1982, the two organizations merged (again!) forming the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE). At the time, AEA was a broad umbrella group of adult educators while NAPSAE was made up primarily of Adult Basic Education (ABE) and General Educational Development (GED) educators and administrators. This merger worked well for almost twenty years, bringing together two groups with intersecting histories (and some animosity). The ABE/GED teachers maintained a separate identity (and conference) through the Commission for Adult Basic Education (COABE). However in 2000, COABE broke away from AAACE to become an independent organization. Recent Past Since 2000, AAACE has gone through profound changes. These changes were not entirely due to the departure of COABE, but rather by the financial problems that precipitated COABE's exit. Membership dropped from over 5,000 to under 300 and the staff of the Association was reduced significantly. When the two groups split, COABE continued separately, and AAACE was left to reconsider its central purpose. With a much reduced membership, the principal issue was survival. The Association's activities were reduced to running the conference and publishing two journals, Adult Learning and Adult Education Quarterly (AEQ). While AEQ continued publication without problem, Adult Learning, lost its staff editor. This led to problems with publication that plague us still, although great improvements have been made in recent years. Another problem revolved around the conference itself. With reduced membership, there was a smaller pool of individuals interested in attending. The mainstays of the conference were the Commission of Professors of Adult Education (CPAE), the Commission on Military Education and Training (CMET) and the Commission on International Adult Education (CIAE). …

This article examines how changes related to the processes of globalization are impacting teaching and learning practices and presents a vision for the future of adult education. By examining these changes, with the purpose of understanding their relevance to adult education, the author makes recommendations for how to adapt to new landscapes of work and learning. Three key recommendations to strengthen adult educators’ professional practice are presented based on literature in the field of adult education and professional practice. These three recommendations are to engage in critical reflection, develop communities of practice and commit to lifelong learning. While each of these recommendations are distinct, they are mutually reinforcing to support adult educators' practice and prospects. Adult educators can be influencers in fostering transformation through learning that will shape and strengthen the future. This is more relevant than ever in the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic. Discovering what to be aware of and incorporating awareness of the potential for adult education to inspire positive change will promote personal and professional success in practice.