This article re-evaluates the concept of participation in adult learning and education (ALE), introducing a novel framework based on Kelty's work on modes of participation. The article contends that investigations into ALE must venture beyond simplistic, one-dimensional approaches to participation that focus solely on participant numbers or hours…

Because of rising life expectancy and declining birth rates, reducing early retirement and prolonging employees' working lives have become major goals on social policy agendas. In this context, ensuring the adaptability and employability of the existing workforce has become an important issue. The aim of this article is to conduct a review of the…

Today's workplace is going through tremendous changes and becoming highly complex in terms of technology and tasks. Thus, critical problem-solving skills are key to creating a sustainable career in today's global economy. Indeed, the global COVID-19 epidemic has amplified the need for these skills in almost all occupations. This study examined the…

The Adult Participation in Learning Survey provides unique insights into adult learning across the UK. It adopts a deliberately broad definition of learning, reflecting the fact that learning is about much more than formal courses and qualifications. The 2024 survey shows just over one half (52%) of adults have taken part in learning in the last…

Childhood education affects how individuals adapt to the challenges of adulthood. Although various generalizations are made relating childhood educational experiences to characteristics of adults, there is scant evidence to support those assertions for adult literacy learners in the United States. This study investigates the relationship of…

In 2020, the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) began working with the Urban Institute to develop a picture of adult learners in Chicago. We developed a comprehensive definition of adult learners that guided specific data inquiries from publicly available American Community Survey data. In this data profile, we define an adult learner as: anyone who…

Drawing on the PIAAC data, in this paper I examine how motivational factors such as motivation to learn and grit are related to low-numerate adults' employment status and their actual participation in lifelong learning in Germany, the United States and South Korea. In particular, the study uses PIAAC self-reported data on the degree to which the…

Demographic trends and technological change increase the need for adults to learn and adapt to changing job content and working conditions. Despite this, most EU Member States have consistently underperformed in their efforts to reach targets for adult participation in lifelong learning. In 2010, the EU set a target of 15% of adults participating…

Concise, clear and comprehensive snapshots of vocational education and training systems in EU, Iceland and Norway: this is what the Cedefop Spotlight on VET series offers. Building on individual country Spotlights, this publication provides an overview of VET systems with their distinctive qualities, such as main accession and progression routes…

The U.S. federal government's Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Senior Executive Service (SES) is losing institutional knowledge at a rapid pace due mostly to "baby boomer" retirements. To retain as much knowledge as possible, the OPM must identify means and methods that extend the current senior executive knowledge base and quickly…

Higher education has provided New England with an economic advantage, as the region without strong natural resource advantages has relied on its higher education institutions (HEIs) and brainpower. A higher education-based economic advantage has enabled the region to develop strong well-paying technology and knowledge-based industries tied to New…

Knowing how adults learn through work is central to understanding their development across working lives. That development is important for their personal trajectories, and ability to contribute, sustain and advance the interests of their workplaces, and collectively to the social and economic viability of their communities and nations. This paper…

Studies in adult learning have increased and better developed in the past century. From them adult learning theory emerged, comprised of andragogy, self-directed learning, and transformational learning. The main purpose of this study is to measure the teaching style preferences of trainees at a mid-size police department. The second purpose is to…

This project study is an evaluation of a job-training program designed to serve unemployed adult learners at a community college. The program lacked empirical data about participants finding employment. The rationale for selecting the problem is the need to provide skill development and vocational training in response to high unemployment rates.…

Many factors affect students selecting a university to attend and almost as many factors that can present challenges once they enroll and begin attending classes. Once they start taking courses, the next challenge is completing them, and this can be particularly taxing for online students. In the case of online universities, quality assessment…