Education has taken quite a different role in peoples’ lives in the more recent past. While it has always been available to anyone, adults seem to be more of prevalent in the education community with all of the options available. People are able to enhance their professional skills or get additional degrees from a variety of sources. What defines adult learners is a controversial discussion. The Southern Regional Education Board describes adult learners as, “A very diverse group (typically ages 25 and older) with a wide range of abilities, educational and cultural backgrounds, responsibilities and job experiences,” (2015, p. 1). This is often people who decide to attend school later in life or take more specific courses for their career. These
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Author Steven W. Schmidt (2013) looks into the future and what this means for education in his article, “The Future of Adult Education.” More specifically, Schmidt looks into five ideas that will help promote adult education in the near future. Having “flexibility” in the way education is given to students is the first idea, “As adult educators, we need to be flexible in the response to the changing needs of adult learners and ready to provide the educational opportunities they need, when they are needed,” (Schmidt, 2013, p. 80). The second idea that Schmidt promotes is being careful with technology. In other words, take advantage of the ways technology can help education, but do not go overboard, especially with the abundance of social media (Schmidt, 2013, p. 80). Also, “working together” and combining programs to be of most use to adult educators. Collaboration can be beneficial to programs and give more opportunities to students (2013, p. 80). An interesting concept that Schmidt adds to his five ideas is “sharing’ your own work. For example, as an adult educator you should “promote” what you have done and where you have learned. “It is important to the profession that our successes are shared and celebrated,” (2013, p. 80). Finally, Schmidt discusses working towards “professional sustainability.” In other words, after you have success as an adult educator, give back and help the next group of students (2013, p 81). This article looks at the future of adult learning and how we can ensure that it moves in the right direction. Instead of focusing on the specific skills to take in educating, we can also focus on how to appropriately move into the
Author Steven W. Schmidt (2013) looks into the future and what this means for education in his article, “The Future of Adult Education.” More specifically, Schmidt looks into five ideas that will help promote adult education in the near future. Having “flexibility” in the way education is given to students is the first idea, “As adult educators, we need to be flexible in the response to the changing needs of adult learners and ready to provide the educational opportunities they need, when they are needed,” (Schmidt, 2013, p. 80). The second idea that Schmidt promotes is being careful with technology. In other words, take advantage of the ways technology can help education, but do not go overboard, especially with the abundance of social media (Schmidt, 2013, p. 80). Also, “working together” and combining programs to be of most use to adult educators. Collaboration can be beneficial to programs and give more opportunities to students (2013, p. 80). An interesting concept that Schmidt adds to his five ideas is “sharing’ your own work. For example, as an adult educator you should “promote” what you have done and where you have learned. “It is important to the profession that our successes are shared and celebrated,” (2013, p. 80). Finally, Schmidt discusses working towards “professional sustainability.” In other words, after you have success as an adult educator, give back and help the next group of students (2013, p 81). This article looks at the future of adult learning and how we can ensure that it moves in the right direction. Instead of focusing on the specific skills to take in educating, we can also focus on how to appropriately move into the