Posts Tagged ‘adult learner’
Redefining Adult Education
What is Adult Education?
When I returned to college recently, I realized that I was a “non-traditional” student since having well surpassed the age of 30, but I was struck by the over emphasis of the use of the term “Adult Education“. Between terms a few years ago, I took the summer off to do website redesign, development, Internet marketing and website maintenance on a major Ohio university website overhaul project with my Army buddy and business partner, Ryan Sharrer, Level 5 Development Group (L5DG). In preparation for the sales meetings, we both did a lot of research (Internet surfing) of other university website’s to get a good sense of the needs, direction and design for the project. Again and again, I came across the term Adult Education on nearly every single college, university, technical and other post-secondary school and education site.
Adult Learner
Believe me, I understand the marketing base, reasoning, and tactics in catering to adults who already have full-time lives with job, family and other commitments, who feel the need to get further ahead, or even just to set a better example for their own children. However, something still struck me as almost offensive when I was labeled an “Adult Learner” – I drove to the campus just like everyone else, no short bus picked me up along the way to the university.
Defining an Adult Learner
My fill finally came when I was enrolled in an online, upper-level computer information class; our first assignment was to post a discussion on BlackBoard (a CRM specifically designed for higher learning institutions) about, “What does being an ‘Adult Learner’ Mean to You?” I’m enrolled at Western Kentucky University (WKU). Gordon Ford College of Business, Marketing Management degree seeker, taking an online computer course mainly directed at MS Excel that I’ll probably never use (no offense, Mr. Gates – great foundation you and Melinda have by the way) and this instructor wants to know what it means to me to be an Adult Learner?! It finally struck me, I was offended – feeling discriminated against, catered to, all because I was over the age of 22!
College Students are Adult Learners
Nah, I could not be that concerned, conceited or vain about my age, could I? I was only 39. Then it struck me again, just a little harder and square in the face this time – an 18 year old entering college is not considered an adult! Why not? Is not all post-secondary, college and university learning in fact Adult Learning? Were not all college and university students in fact in Adult Education? Are colleges and universities a higher end of boarding schools where parents send their children? Well, in a way I suppose so. However, in college versus boarding school, you are expected to be more responsible, more accountable, more … adult!
College Education is Adult Education
Let’s stop labeling only the “non-traditional” older students at a college as members of Adult Education and members in an Adult Learning category – it’s all adult learning, all adult education, all about preparing for bigger and better things in life … as an Adult! Not picking on one of my own Alma Mater’s necessarily, they just happen to be a realistic, known example to me, but at WKU, as I am sure is a growing trend among major U.S. colleges and universities, incoming freshman are required to take mandatory classes about “life skills” and “higher education” – I am not talking about an orientation class here (they have those too, of course), but full-blown, full semester classes for college credit. In many colleges, freshman, and often higher grades, are required to live on-campus, in dorms, and purchase a meal plan to ensure they eat. Huh? Yep, from the cradle of home to the campus of collegiate coddling.
Preparation for Adult Education as an Adult Learner
Granted, not every student entering into a college or university, is fully prepared to take their educational career to the next level. Granted, it is a tough transition from high school to college for some. Granted, it is incumbent upon colleges and universities to ensure they provide all of the necessary resources for the success of their students – we all want bang for our buck. But do we really need to avoid calling these young adults entering into a world where greater responsibility, greater accountability, and greater results are expected of them, adult learners part of the adult education program and process?
I will not pretend to have the answers, just simply questions that need answering. However, it seems that we need to accomplish a few things as members of society, educators, and parents: protect, provide and prepare – if we do our jobs right, every student entering into college will know that they are an adult learner, part of an adult education process, regardless of age; with that knowledge comes a greater sense and respect for the responsibilities, tasks, and successes expected of them – now, and for the rest of their adult lives.
Safe surfing!
