Read the notes, then try the practice. It adapts as you go.When you're ready.
Session Length
~17 min
Adaptive Checks
15 questions
Transfer Probes
8
Adult education encompasses the full range of formal, non-formal, and informal learning activities undertaken by adults after they have left initial education and training. It includes literacy and basic skills programs, vocational and workforce training, continuing professional development, higher education for non-traditional students, and personal enrichment courses. The field recognizes that adults have distinct learning needs shaped by their life experiences, responsibilities, and motivations, requiring instructional approaches fundamentally different from those used with children and adolescents.
The theoretical foundations of adult education draw heavily from the work of Malcolm Knowles, who popularized the concept of andragogy, the art and science of helping adults learn. Knowles identified key assumptions about adult learners: they are self-directed, bring rich reservoirs of experience to the learning process, have learning needs closely related to their social roles, are problem-centered rather than subject-centered, and are motivated primarily by internal factors. Other influential theorists include Jack Mezirow, whose transformative learning theory describes how adults revise their meaning perspectives through critical reflection, and Paulo Freire, whose critical pedagogy emphasized education as a tool for social liberation and empowerment.
Today, adult education is recognized globally as essential for economic competitiveness, social inclusion, and democratic participation. Organizations such as UNESCO promote lifelong learning as a fundamental right, and governments worldwide invest in adult education programs to address skills gaps, reduce inequality, and support workforce transitions driven by technological change. The rise of online learning platforms, micro-credentials, and competency-based education has dramatically expanded access, enabling adults to pursue learning opportunities that fit their schedules, budgets, and career goals.
One step at a time.
The theory and practice of educating adults, as distinct from pedagogy (educating children). Developed by Malcolm Knowles, andragogy is based on assumptions that adult learners are self-directed, experience-rich, relevancy-oriented, problem-centered, and internally motivated.
Example: A corporate training program that lets employees choose their own learning modules based on personal career goals, rather than assigning a fixed curriculum, applies andragogical principles.
A theory developed by Jack Mezirow proposing that adults learn most profoundly when they critically examine and revise their underlying assumptions, beliefs, and worldviews through a process called perspective transformation.
Example: A nurse returning to school encounters research challenging her long-held clinical assumptions, prompting her to fundamentally rethink her approach to patient care.
A process in which individuals take the initiative in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating goals, identifying resources, choosing strategies, and evaluating outcomes, with or without the help of others.
Example: A software developer independently identifies a skills gap in cloud computing, curates online courses and tutorials, sets a study schedule, and tracks progress toward earning a certification.
A learning theory, associated with David Kolb, holding that knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. The learner progresses through a cycle of concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation.
Example: An adult learner in a business program completes a real consulting project for a local company, then reflects on the experience in a journal and class discussion to derive broader principles.
A process by which adults can earn academic credit for knowledge and skills acquired through work experience, military service, volunteer activities, or independent study, rather than through traditional coursework.
Example: A veteran with 10 years of logistics experience submits a portfolio demonstrating competencies equivalent to college-level supply chain management courses and receives 12 college credits.
An educational philosophy, pioneered by Paulo Freire, that views education as a practice of freedom rather than domination. It encourages learners to question power structures, challenge oppression, and become agents of social change.
Example: A community literacy program teaches reading and writing through materials about local housing rights, helping participants both gain literacy skills and advocate for their community.
The ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge and skills throughout a person's life for personal or professional reasons. It extends beyond formal education to include all learning across the lifespan.
Example: A retired engineer enrolls in art history courses at a local community college, joins a book club, and takes online coding refreshers, all to stay intellectually engaged.
An approach to teaching and assessment that focuses on demonstrating mastery of specific skills or knowledge areas rather than on time spent in a classroom. Learners advance upon proving competency.
Example: Western Governors University allows adult students to progress through degree programs by passing competency assessments, enabling experienced professionals to finish degrees faster.
More terms are available in the glossary.
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What you get while practicing:
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