Serving Adult Learners in the 21st Century
The National Institute on the Assessment of Adult Learning 2012
Judy Wertheim
Vice President, Higher Education Services
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Review the document “Focusing on Adult Learners in Postsecondary Education: Responding to the Challenge of a New Age”
Suggest additional recommendations, with a particular focus on PLA
Brainstorm about how to influence policy and practice at all levels to integrate PLA in postsecondary education and help ensure success for adults.
Today’s Session will:
ALFI = Adult Learning-Focused Institution
Identifies 9 principles that are essential for effectively serving adult learners
Relation of Today’s Session to Some of the ALFI Principles
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ALFI Principle #2
ALFI Principle #2
Life and Career Planning The institution addresses adult
learners’ life and career goals before or at the onset of enrollment in order to assess and align its capacities to help learners reach their goals.
Opportunity for credit for work-related credentials
5
One Best Practice: Life/Career Planning
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ALFI Principle #4
ALFI Principle #4
Assessment of Learning Outcomes The institution defines and
assesses the knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired by adult learners both from the curriculum and from life/work experience in order to assign credit and confer degrees with rigor.
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ALFI Principle #5
ALFI Principle #5
Teaching/Learning Process The institution’s faculty use
multiple methods of instruction (including experiential and problem-based methods) for adult learners in order to connect curricular concepts to useful knowledge and skills.
Collaboration and group work
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One Best Practice: The Teaching/Learning Process
Priorities for Transforming Institutions to Serve Adult
Learners*
1.Provide help for adults in navigating education and career information
2.Launch a national marketing and
communications campaign
*From Lumina/CAEL convening and CAEL conference, 2011
To Serve Adult Learners in the 21st Century
3. Recognize learning outcomes (vs. seat time), as well as the assessment and validation of all types of learning
4. Conduct more research – and establish a better understanding of what we know already
5. Focus on financial aid and institutional financing
Priorities (cont’d.)
6.Integrate learning and work
7.Recognize the importance of local and regional drivers
8. Develop a credit bank for students
9. Focus on technology as an integral part of adult learning
Priorities (cont’d.)
A National Learning Recognition Agenda for
Adults
Establish a National Education and Career Navigation Service
Launch a campaign to educate students and faculty about PLA
Action Plan
Advocate for institutional, government, and accrediting policies focused on learning outcomes and recognition of prior learning
Carry out research to support adult learner success and institutional transformation
Action Plan (cont’d.)
Link with metro and urban strategies focused on Talent Dividend and postsecondary education attainment
Develop new strategies to reach rural adults
Action Plan (cont’d.)
◆Explore the creation of a National Leadership Commission on the Adult Learning Recognition Agenda to oversee and publicize the work
Next Steps
Additional Recommendations Reactions to the
Recommendations Reaction to Action Plan How to Implement Next Step(s)
National Institute on the Assessment of Adult Learning 2012
Session Participants Suggest: