There are many definitions and aspects of adult education. In general, the term refers to any pursuit of learning by non-traditional aged students. It can cover adult literacy, higher education, taking classes for fun or any other number of activities involving education beyond the traditional school years. Here is a closer look at some of the types of educational offerings that exist for adult learners.
Adult Literacy and Adult Basic Education
Adult Literacy Education refers to the process of teaching adults to read. Two organizations that work to ensure more adults are able to read in this country are the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the U.S. Department of Education. Adult Basic Education is a program that teaches additional life and educational skills, beyond the basics of reading. Enrolled adults can learn things like reading maps, simple accounting and computations, and other such useful everyday information. Adult Basic Education classes are managed by each state individually and can be located through an internet search or by contacting an organization such as your local community college.
In addition, adults who have not completed high school or those who did finish an Adult Basic Education program can go on to take the General Educational Development, or GED, exam. The GED is equivalent to a high school diploma and students can take a class to prepare for it either in a classroom or online.
Advanced Adult Education Opportunities
There are a variety of adult educational opportunities beyond basic literacy and education. Some adults may simply be looking to pursue continuing education courses for the sake of learning something new. Community colleges and other organizations in cities throughout the country offer courses in everything from computers to cooking. If you want to learn it, chances are there’s a class available in your geographic area. If you can’t find a course near you, you can probably find one online.
Pursuing higher education, either an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree or graduate level degree, is an avenue many women pursue later in life instead of at the traditional age. Adult college students tend to be quite successful due to their life experience and self-directed reasons for enrolling in college.
Some careers require that professionals obtain educational credits in order to maintain certification or license. These mandatory education credits are usually called Continuing Education Units or CEUs. A CEU is equivalent to 10 learning hours in an accredited program geared toward a particular profession. In order to keep their certifications or licenses up-to-date, all sorts of professionals are required to pursue yearly CEUs, including CPAs, real estate agents, teachers, doctors, engineers, lawyers, and more.
Related Resource: Instructional Design
As you can see, education for adults covers a wide variety of choices. If you’re needing to gain valuable basic skills such as reading and life skills, want to pursue an advanced formal degree or anything in between, there is likely some offering to help you reach your educational goals. Adult education is a valued pursuit in our country that builds a foundation for learning.
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