The Problem With Adult Learning

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the need to rethink adult learning approaches, as the global adult education industry is expected to grow significantly in the coming years due to the demand for workforce upskilling and reskilling driven by the digital revolution. The author highlights the challenges faced in the adult learning domain, such as the disconnect between learning objectives and organizational outcomes, the declining half-life of professional skills, and the lack of employee participation in reskilling initiatives. The article proposes three key changes to shift the focus from adult learning to continuous learning: 1) Redefining the purpose of learning, 2) Embedding learning into the flow of work, and 3) Leveraging technology to enable personalized and adaptive learning.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Re-thinking adult learning approaches

1. What are the key challenges faced in the adult learning domain?

• The disconnect between learning objectives and organizational outcomes, where companies struggle to connect the impact of learning activities with desired business outcomes
• The declining half-life of professional skills, from an average of 10-15 years to just 5 years, putting pressure on the velocity and sustainability of training and retraining
• Insufficient participation from employees in reskilling initiatives due to time constraints, family priorities, and perceived difficulty in acquiring new skills like coding, data science, and data visualization

2. What are the author's proposed changes to shift the focus from adult learning to continuous learning?

• Redefining the purpose of learning, where the only real objective is learning itself, and forming a repeatable habit of continuous learning
• Embedding learning into the flow of work, rather than treating it as a separate activity
• Leveraging technology to enable personalized and adaptive learning experiences for employees

[02] Definitions of adult learning, continuous education, and lifelong learning

1. What are the key differences in the definitions of adult learning, continuous education, and lifelong learning?

• The definitions differ in their end objectives, as well as the expectations and mindset of the learner.
• Adult learning courses are often taken out of interest, while continuous education courses are more directly connected to the learner's immediate work.
• Lifelong learning is a broader concept that encompasses both adult learning and continuous education, with the goal of continuous personal and professional development throughout one's life.

2. How do the author's data analytics courses fit into these definitions?

• The author's data analytics courses would be considered as continuous education, as they are directly relevant to the learners' work.
• They may also be considered as adult learning if the participants enroll out of personal interest, rather than solely for professional development.