Courageous and Visionary Adult Education Leaders: 2056

 

 By Janet Poley (HOF 2002)

"Where you stand depends upon where you sit." Nelson Mandela

"Knowledge is telling the Past. Wisdom is impacting the Future." W. Timothy Garvey

" There is no sadder sight than a young pessimist." Mark Twain

"Head, Heart, Hands and Health." Mahatma Gandhi and the 4-H Motto

 

I have lived my life by sayings, stories, models, equations, principles, and shorthand ways to act: ways to easily pull on past wisdom and apply it to the future. In that spirit, I share this blog.

RALE 

Arne Carlson did a great job of laying out the Recommendationon Adult Learning and Education (RALE) framework in his blog post. I see no reason to repeat his post. I support what he said. Arne exhibits strong international leadership qualities: dedicated to Lifelong Learning, an excellent listener who integrates concepts and synthesizes them in clear writing that we can read across national and cultural borders. Yes, Yes - Arne!

 

A Real-Life Leader and a Story We Can All Understand (Told to the Associated Press)

"Rajendra Dawadi was inside his classroom when a colleague rushed in with a warning: Floodwaters were racing through Nepal's Trishuli Valley, tearing apart homes, bridges, and entire villages. He immediately decided to stop the school and get the children out; His decision to evacuate saved at least 900 students from devastating flash floods in Nepal, unleashed after a glacial collapse in the Himalayas. The disaster killed over 950 people in Nepal and Tibet, while more than 4,000 remain missing. As Nepal grapples with the catastrophic natural disaster, Dawadi's story emerges as a striking example of why leaders need foresight and courage.  Maybe someday Automated Intelligence (AI) will substitute for human leadership but more probably it will augment it.

 

The Future: 2056 International Hall of Fame Induction of AE Leaders

Stories like this will become more prevalent 30 years hence, and the International Adult Education Hall of Fame will induct leaders at the 2056 ceremony who were prepared and acted heroically to empower learners. After spending many years in Adult Education practice, scholarship, and policy formulation in the U.S, and many other countries including in rural villages of Tanzania, Malawi, India, Nepal, the Caribbean, Central America, and more, some powerful leadership lessons stand-out.

 

Foresight – Seeing ahead is grounded in preparation, hard work, and homework. It requires brain and muscle memory, fortitude and risk-taking, and engagement with others.  Past and future leaders read even weak signals indicating what is to come. They integrate knowledge attained with those signals of the future. They take non-foolish risks, and put learner interests above self-interest. They co-create in learning communities and construct ways to help others learn and achieve.  They network and use whatever tools, technologies, and learning resources available. These leaders are themselves lifelong learners, willing to share what they know and understand that learning is a reciprocal process of teaching, learning, adapting, and acting.

 

Past Leaders I Knew: Their Leadership Lessons Are Powerful and Can Apply to 2056 Inductees. Will They? 

I was fortunate to be influenced and mentored by so many in the IHOF and I am including a few of the most powerful aspects of what I personally learned from them about future educational leadership.  I love “shiny new technologies,” but it will be people with the will and capacity to lead that will shape the next 30 years of education.  There will always be change and significant challenges.  Here are a few lessons from them I carry with me in both my head and my heart:

Wes Meierhenry: (IHOF 2003): My PhD Advisor who taught 4000 undergraduate and graduate students. He believed in the Multiplier Effect of Education: he believed the more enthusiastic learners everywhere could change the world.  He received the First Carnegie Foundation Grant to study motion picture use in adult education and tapped into my passion for discovering how not just knowledge but other less well understood dimensions that impact who gets to learn and how.

 

Howard McCluskey: (IHOF 2002): My first PhD “Visiting” Professor from the University of Michigan.  He was the Founding President of AEA, predecessor of AAACE, and a premier educational psychologist who articulated the theory of Adult Learning, Lifelong Learning, Adult Psychology, and Gerontology. From him I learned M=L/P.  Margin=Load/Power.  When applied to learners and learning communities it provides a profound formula for assessing what adult learners are facing and how to decrease their load and increase their power.  It is applicable everywhere.

 

Julius Nyerere(Mwalimu/Teacher) (IHOF 2008): He was the first President of Tanzania and Founding President of the International Council on Adult Education (ICAE), (IHOF Organizational Awardee). He was the reason I spent six years designing and leading programs in Tanzania after his request that the U.S. work with Tanzania to improve adult education at all levels with emphasis on agriculture, rural development, self-reliance, women’s empowerment, and healthy children.

 

Myron Johnsrud (IHOF 1996): He led U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cooperative Extension team that established the first adult education Extension program in Poland at the end of the Cold War. He was a PhD adult education graduate from Wisconsin, read future signals, appreciated innovation, and always shared leadership. Together, we worked with all the U.S. Cooperative Extension System to adopt issue-based programming and the use of new technologies, including satellite and internet.

 

Daniel Godfrey (IHOF 2006): He never met a stranger he couldn't introduce to learning something new and useful.  He advocated for public land-grant universities and the 1890 land-grant Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He inspired learners young and old serving communities from rural North Carolina to Fort Hare in South Africa and influenced the WK Kellogg Foundation’s approach to serving learners in minority communities. His last chapter was introducing distance education to rural learners and communities.

 

Charles Wedemeyer (IHOF 1998): Inspirational leader and author of "Learning at the Backdoor". The Charles E. Wedemeyer Award is given annually for outstanding application of distance education in North America. (I was honored to receive it in 2000).

 

Chere Campbell Gibson (IHOF 2011):  Wedemeyer Award winner for outstanding distance education research, she was the leader and co-founder of the Wisconsin International Distance Teaching and Learning Conference in Madison, WI. A dual citizen of Canada and the U.S., she never met a border she liked. Her motto was "Quality Distance Education (QDE): Access and Success. Education was her focus, and all techniques and technologies were flexed, mixed, matched, and shaped to fit hungry learners wherever they might be.

 

Ashook Frank Mayadas (IHOF 2007): From India to IBM to the Sloan Foundation, he was a true advocate for distance education and online learning. Frequently referred to as the Father of Online Learning for his leadership at the Foundation. He used corporate constructs to engage "best minds" into a consortium focused on “Quality Educational Delivery at Scale”, internationally available through the Online Learning Consortium (OLC).

 

Importance of Courage – In my humble advice, say “yes” to challenging and important opportunities even if they are moderately risky and outside previous experience. That's learning, and that develops courage. "Take it as it comes." (That came from my Mother and Grandmother and growing up being a rural Nebraska farmgirl.) But never give up - just get up when you fail and try, try again. Step back and move away to think about what went wrong, process your emotions, and reflect on the experience. Real leaders in adult education believe learning is central to individual, national, and cross-cultural life. Courageous and authentic leadership can't be faked and is most apparent in moments of truth, like the teacher leading his students up the hill.  Leaders dare to try to climb when things are difficult.

 

Growth and positive change means meeting challenging future situations and environments in community with others to Learn, Inspire, Serve and Act (LISA). This was the name of my recently departed daughter, who taught me so much through her amazing international life of service and her courage in a far too early death.

 

Continue the Conversation

Please share Your Take on what will define Leadership in 2056, drawn from your own reflections on powerful leaders. Who in the field inspired you to follow? What prepared you to read the signs of the future and to meet the moment? What energized you to act with foresight and courage in difficult adult educational situations?

 

Be All You Can Be: The True Meaning of Adult Education

 

By Grey Edwards (HOF 2012) After five years in public school education as a teacher and coach, I completed my master's degree in education supervision and was selected to serve as an elementary school principal. I held that position for two years. Then, in 1972, I left Virginia Beach, Virginia, for a two-month assignment working at the Munich Olympics. Before I knew it, that brief assignment had opened the door to an entirely new career. I contacted the Department of Defense about working in an Army Education Center, and in September 1972, I began what would become a 45-year career in adult education. I remained in that field until my retirement in August 2017. The Army slogan Be All You Can Be came to represent what adult education meant to me. It later became the theme of quarterly articles I submitted to Military Educator. In those articles, I highlighted the educational journeys of deserving service members in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Their stories showed how men and women in uniform continued serving their country while also working toward important personal and professional goals. Helping Service Members Earn a Diploma I was fortunate to hit the ground running as a supervisor for the High School Completion Program, or HSCP. At the time, the high school diploma was becoming the expected standard for service members, rather than the General Educational Development, or GED, credential. Through the HSCP, service members earned diplomas from American high schools in Frankfurt, Nuremberg, Stuttgart, and Kaiserslautern - the same schools attended by their dependent children. Classes were offered in nine-week terms, with as many as four courses taught in two-hour periods. The program continued successfully for more than ten years. The Education Centers offered much more than high school completion. They provided counseling, testing, and learning centers, as well as access to academic and technical programs leading to associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. These opportunities were available to service members and their spouses. To me, this was adult education at its best: practical, accessible, and capable of changing the direction of a family's life. Germany, Fort Hood, and a Return Overseas I was fortunate to remain in Germany from 1972 to 1994, despite the Department of Defense's five-year overseas rule. At the Department's request, I continued receiving extensions that allowed me to take on greater responsibility, earn promotions, and keep building the Adult Education Center programs that service members deserved. When my final extension ended in 1994, after 22 years in Germany, I was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas - the Army's largest installation at the time, with approximately 50,000 soldiers. As supervisor of the 1st Cavalry Division Education Center, I worked with an outstanding staff to help soldiers pursue their goals as adult learners. It was one of the most productive periods of my career. After the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, I had the opportunity to return to Germany, and it was one I could not pass up. I brought four Fort Hood educators with me to work in Army Education Centers. The years that followed were demanding. We faced the events of September 11 and conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with missions connected to Uzbekistan, Macedonia, and other locations. Even during those unsettled times, service members continued working toward their educational goals. Education in a Time of War Two of my final three years in Germany, from 2003 to 2005, were among the most memorable of my 45-year career. I joined colleagues in establishing testing, counseling, and learning centers, as well as online and traditional college programs, in deployed locations. Our work took us to Baghdad with the 1st Armored Division; to Tikrit, where we stayed in Saddam Hussein's former palace with the 4th Infantry Division; and to Mosul with the 101st Airborne Division. We also worked in Balad, Iraq, in 2003. In 2004, similar work took us to Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Uzbekistan. Seeing service members take part in testing, counseling, and college courses under those conditions was inspiring, moving, emotional, and heartwarming. I will always be grateful for those experiences. Whenever I think about professional challenges, I remember what the 101st Airborne Division, the 4th Infantry Division, the 1st Armored Division, and many others were facing in combat. Yet they still wanted to improve their education and provide more opportunities for their families. Their commitment put every challenge into perspective, and I will always remember their sacrifice. A Career Devoted to Lifelong Learning In 2005, after nine more years overseas, I was offered another promotion and returned to my birthplace, Fort Rucker, Alabama, as director of education for military installations in the Southeast.  By then, I had also become deeply involved with the Commission on Military Education and Training, known as CMET. CMET was one of eight divisions of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE), one of the nation's oldest organizations devoted to adult and lifelong learning. My goal was to increase awareness of military education and its connection to adult education, lifelong learning, and andragogy - the practice of helping adults learn. I was honored to serve as president-elect, president, and past president of AAACE from 2006 through 2008. In those roles, I had the privilege of sharing with adult educators the important place military education holds within the larger field. The subjects people study may change as civilian careers and job markets change, but the purpose of military education remains constant. Whether service members stay in the military, transition to another role, or retire, military educators want to help them reach their educational goals and prepare for civilian employment. Their studies may include information technology and Microsoft programs, HVAC, food service, automotive technology, aviation, and many other fields. I am especially proud that ten members of my former staff have gone on to leadership positions in military education centers. Their success reminds me that an educator's influence extends far beyond one classroom, one office, or even one career. Looking back, Be All You Can Be was more than an Army slogan. It captured the true meaning of adult education: meeting learners where they are, helping them see what is possible, and giving them the support they need to move forward. I was privileged to spend my career doing exactly that. Continue the Conversation Grey Edwards’s Be All You Can Be: The True Meaning of Adult Education reminds us that adult education can transform lives wherever learning takes place—from education centers and workplaces to military installations and even deployed settings. His experiences demonstrate the importance of making education accessible, responding to adults’ changing circumstances, and supporting learners as they pursue personal, professional, and family goals. His story also reminds us that the influence of an adult educator can extend well beyond a single learner, classroom, or career. We invite you to continue the conversation: ·       What does “Be All You Can Be” mean to you in the context of adult education? ·       How can adult educators better meet learners where they are and help them see new possibilities for themselves? ·       What can we learn from military education about providing flexible and accessible learning opportunities for adults facing demanding or changing circumstances? ·       How have you seen education change the direction of an adult learner’s career, family, or life? ·       As an adult educator, how do you hope your influence will extend beyond the learners you directly serve? Join the conversation and share your perspective. How can we continue creating opportunities that enable adult learners to be all they can be?

 

More than a Decade of RALE: Why Adult Learning Matters More Than Ever

 

 

By Arne Carlsen (HOF 2017)

A little over ten years ago, UNESCO Member States adopted the Recommendation on Adult Learning and Education (RALE). At the time, many of us regarded it as a landmark achievement—the first comprehensive international normative framework for adult learning in almost forty years, replacing the 1976 Recommendation on the Development of Adult Education. Looking back today, I believe its significance has only grown.

As Director of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), I had the privilege of chairing the Steering Committee that guided the drafting of the Recommendation. It was a fascinating and rewarding process. Governments, international organizations, researchers, and civil society representatives came together to discuss what adult learning should look like in the twenty-first century. We did not agree on everything, but we did agree on one essential point: learning does not stop when people leave school.

The new Recommendation did much more than update its predecessor. The 1976 Recommendation was visionary for its time. It established adult education as an integral part of national education systems and affirmed its importance for personal development, social progress, and international understanding. But the world had changed profoundly in the four decades that followed. Globalization, technological innovation, demographic change, new patterns of work and migration, and the emergence of lifelong learning as a guiding educational principle all called for a broader vision.

RALE responded to these changes by reframing adult education as adult learning and education, recognizing that adults learn throughout their lives in formal, non-formal, and informal settings. It explicitly embraced technical and vocational education and training (TVET) alongside literacy, continuing education, community learning, and higher education opportunities for adults. It also placed far greater emphasis on quality, governance, sustainable financing, professionalization of educators, recognition of prior learning, monitoring, and accountability. Importantly, it recognized that international cooperation—through knowledge sharing, capacity development, research, policy dialogue, and partnerships—is essential if countries are to strengthen adult learning systems and respond collectively to global challenges.

That broader perspective may seem self-evident today, but in 2015 it represented an important shift in thinking. Adult learning had too often been viewed narrowly—as literacy programmes or vocational training. Those remain fundamental, of course, but they are only part of the picture.

RALE embraced a much broader vision. It recognized that adults continue to learn throughout their lives—in workplaces, communities, families, and everyday experiences. It highlighted the importance of learning not only for employment, but also for health, civic participation, culture, personal fulfilment, and social inclusion.

One feature of the Recommendation that I continue to value is its recognition of the three interconnected domains of adult learning: literacy and basic skills; continuing education and professional development; and liberal, popular, and community education. This was one of RALE's most important conceptual innovations. Together, these domains acknowledge that adult learning serves multiple and interconnected purposes. It contributes to economic growth and employability, certainly, but it is equally important for strengthening communities, supporting democratic participation, fostering social cohesion, and enhancing individual well-being.

Another important aspect of RALE is that it looks beyond individual programmes. Sustainable adult learning depends on strong systems. That means coherent national policies, adequate financing, professional educators, flexible learning pathways, recognition of prior learning, quality assurance, and reliable monitoring of progress. These may sound like technical issues, but they determine whether adults actually have meaningful opportunities to learn throughout their lives.

The year 2015 was significant for another reason. It was also the year the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with Sustainable Development Goal 4 committing the international community to "ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all." RALE has provided an important framework for translating that global commitment into national policies for adult learning.

Much has changed over the past decade. Digital technologies have transformed how we work and learn. Artificial intelligence is reshaping economies and societies. Climate change demands new knowledge and new forms of civic engagement. Populations are ageing in many countries, while migration continues to reshape communities. And, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic reminded us how quickly people's lives can change—and how essential learning is for adapting to new realities.

These developments have reinforced something that many adult educators have argued for years: adult learning is not simply about preparing people for jobs. It is about helping people navigate change. Adults need digital skills, media literacy, critical thinking, health literacy, environmental awareness, and the confidence to participate actively in their communities and democratic institutions. Lifelong learning has become an essential source of resilience—for individuals and for society as a whole. UNESCO's landmark report Reimagining Our Futures Together: A New Social Contract for Education reinforces this vision by placing lifelong learning at the heart of education for the future.

One lesson I still carry from chairing the drafting process is that international consensus is possible when discussions are grounded in evidence, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to human development. That spirit is reflected not only in the way RALE was drafted but also in the Recommendation itself, which calls for stronger international cooperation in research, policy exchange, capacity development, and mutual learning. RALE reflects contributions from every region of the world. It is not simply a UNESCO instrument; it is the product of Member States working together to strengthen adult learning and education.

Progress in implementing the Recommendation continues to be monitored through UNESCO's Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE), published by UIL. The successive reports demonstrate both encouraging progress and the considerable work that still lies ahead.

Of course, no recommendation changes the world on its own. Its impact depends on what happens after adoption. Governments, employers, educational institutions, civil society organizations, and learners themselves all have important roles to play in ensuring that adults have genuine opportunities to continue learning throughout their lives.

As we move into the second decade of RALE, I hope we see it not simply as a milestone worth celebrating, but as a reminder of unfinished work. The challenges facing our societies have become more complex, not less. That makes the case for lifelong learning even stronger than it was in 2015.

If there is one message I would leave with policymakers, educators, and all those who care about education, it is this: investing in adult learning is investing in more inclusive, resilient, democratic, and sustainable societies. More than a decade after RALE, that remains its most important lesson.

Continue the Conversation

RALE reminds us that adult learning is much more than preparing people for work—it is about empowering individuals and strengthening communities throughout life. More than a decade after its adoption, its vision remains highly relevant as societies respond to rapid technological change, demographic shifts, climate challenges, and evolving workforce demands.

We invite you to join the conversation:

• How has RALE influenced adult learning and education policies or practices in your country or organization?
• Which of RALE's principles do you believe are most critical for addressing today's global challenges?
• What progress have you seen in strengthening adult learning systems, and where do significant gaps remain?
• How can adult learning better support inclusion, resilience, democratic participation, and lifelong learning in the years ahead?
• What actions should educators, policymakers, institutions, and communities prioritize to ensure that adult learning remains central to building more equitable and sustainable societies?

Share your experiences, perspectives, and examples in the comments below. Together, we can continue advancing the vision of lifelong learning for all.

 

 

My Journey into the Field of Adult Education

 

By Shauna Butterwick, Professor Emeritus (HOF 2018), University of British Columbia

 

To honor the 30th anniversary of the Hall of Fame, I was invited to submit a short reflective piece on a moment that represented my contribution to the field. What follows is not a reflection on one moment; rather, it is a story of my discovery of adult education and serendipitous journey into academia. Adult Education was a territory of practice and theory unknown to me during my early career as a hospital and public health nurse. However, upon later reflection, I realized a central part of my job as a nurse was indeed adult education. I was always drawn to supporting adults’ learning and meeting them “where they were at.” After some time in the health field, I sought a career change and found support at the Women’s Resource Centre at the University of British Columbia (UBC), where I was invited to create and run workshops. Wanting to further my knowledge and skills of adult education, I began the Adult Education graduate program at UBC. There, my identity as an adult educator was solidified as I joined a community that shared my interests and passions.

My first MA course, in the summer of 1984, was with Paulo Freire. I was mystified by the frenzy his presence generated. Students and faculty were in awe of him, and in the first few days of that summer intensive course, few spoke. Unaware of his celebrity status, I asked Freire questions about how his ideas ignored gender. He agreed that gender was important and seemed happy to have someone with whom to engage. At that time, I was also very involved with feminist groups including the Canadian Congress for Learning Opportunities for Women (CCLOW) and the Women’s Employment and Training Coalition (WETC). Through those connections I became aware of policy activism informed by feminist theory. These engagements greatly enhanced my graduate studies, although some faculty regarded them as unrelated distractions. Freire’s ideas plus my activism led me to my MA thesis, a comparative analysis of Freire’s notion of conscientization with the practice and theory of feminist pedagogy and consciousness raising. I faced sharp critiques of my argument that feminist theory and practice had much to offer critical theory.

This resistance propelled me to continue with my research into feminist pedagogy and women’s learning, which became the focus of my dissertation, a study of government-funded women’s re-entry programs. I was subsequently contracted by the provincial government to submit a review of best practices for re-entry programs. Noting the lack of women’s voices, I connected with an anti-poverty organization and a group of single mothers receiving social assistance. I included their mostly negative experiences of programs in my report. The majority of my research has emerged from my community engagement and exploration of women’s lived experience.

After completing my doctorate, I worked at UBC’s unit supporting faculty’s academic growth, bringing my attention to another arena of adults’ learning. After securing an academic position, my research into women’s learning took an interesting turn. Working in collaboration with Jan Selman, a member of the UBC theatre faculty, we discussed the challenges we faced in feminist coalitions. Using popular theatre methodology, we explored the power of this approach to inquiry and storytelling, a powerful pedagogy. I became even more convinced that community was a significant site of adult learning and also an important site of knowledge. In my UBC teaching, I began to bring in collage poetry, music, and theatre, noting how these non-discursive activities enhanced learning and inclusivity. Another partnership led to research into women’s informal and alternative pathways to computer technology jobs. One of my last research projects was carried out through my connection with the wider feminist community. I was invited to work in partnership with the Philippine Women’s Center to document and explore their creation of three political fashion shows; another way of speaking truth to power.

My research partnerships with community and grassroots organizations, a form of community-engaged scholarship (CES), are, however, poorly recognized, and my work in this area has been questioned as a legitimate form of knowledge creation and distribution. This challenge led me, along with other community-engaged faculty, to advocate for changes to UBC’s tenure and promotion policy so that CES would count. That struggle continues. These passions continue to influence my retirement activities. Through online dissertation-writing workshops, I coach doctoral students to help them carve out space for their writing amid the many demands of their work, family, and community. My advising and support of graduate students is yet another way I believe I contributed to our field. I stay connected because these students bring the world to me. In May I attended the 2026 CASAE-AERC conference at UBC where I encountered a younger generation of adult education scholars (and activists) whose energies and passions for research were also oriented to social justice. I was surprised and delighted to hear references to my feminist and community-based orientation, my use of creative expression, and my experience with and research into social movement learning.

My entry into the academic study of adult education occurred at a time when adult learning seemed to be on the map and recognized as an important element of lifelong and life-wide learning. This recognition, at least in Canada, has declined and has almost disappeared at the formal policy level. Many adult educators have lost their jobs, particularly in services that support newcomers and immigrants, as well as students not well served by formal schooling. The dominant policy ideology reflects a view that there are no “second chances.” Despite much evidence showing how putting resources into supporting these programs has huge payoffs, the cuts continue with devastating impacts on learners and educators. I am collaborating with other scholars to undertake an oral history of adult education in British Columbia, a project in which we want to capture practitioners’ stories and knowledge before it disappears. Another change in adult education has been the closing of many academic programs. What was once a vibrant network of adult education scholars has become fragmented. How unfortunate when we are facing a time when adult education has so much to offer in response to divisive politics, authoritarian regimes, the undermining of democratic engagement, and dangerous nationalistic orientations.

 

Continue the Conversation

Shauna Butterwick’s reflections remind us that our professional journeys are often shaped by unexpected opportunities, community engagement, and a commitment to social justice. Her story highlights how practice, scholarship, and advocacy can come together to create meaningful change in adult education.

We'd love to hear your perspective:

• What unexpected experience led you into the field of adult and continuing education?
• Who has had the greatest influence on your work as an educator or leader?
• How has community engagement shaped your teaching, research, or professional practice?
• What do you believe is the most pressing challenge facing adult education today?
• Looking back on your journey, what lesson would you share with the next generation of adult educators?

Share your thoughts in the comments and join the conversation. Your experiences and reflections help preserve the rich history of our field while inspiring future educators and leaders.

 

 

From Andragogy to Artificial Intelligence: Tracing the Evolution of Adult Education Through Scholarly Journals Published by AAACE

 

 

By Lilian H. Hill (HOF 2018)

 

In adult and continuing education, scholarly journals provide a unique lens through which to examine how ideas develop over time, revealing not only what educators and researchers have studied, but also whose voices have been amplified, whose perspectives have been overlooked, and how the field has responded to changing social realities. A review of publications in adult and continuing education journals demonstrates that the field has undergone significant intellectual transformation over the past several decades.

 

Looking Beyond Familiar Names

Introductory adult education texts in the U.S. foreground a relatively small group of influential scholars, including Eduard Lindeman, Malcolm Knowles, David Kolb, Jack Mezirow, Sharan Merriam, and Stephen Brookfield. While these individuals made foundational contributions to the field, relying on a handful of familiar citations creates an impression that adult education scholarship is static. Instead, adult education is a rich and evolving field shaped by hundreds of scholars, practitioners, and community leaders across the globe.

 

An illustration of this diversity is the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame, which over the past thirty years has recognized nearly 500 leaders from over 40 countries for their contributions to adult and continuing education. The Hall of Fame includes researchers, practitioners, policy leaders, and innovators whose work spans community development, literacy, workforce education, transformative learning, lifelong learning, higher education, and social justice. The work of the Hall of Fame is ongoing with a new inductees honored each year.

 

Hall of Fame members have contributed directly to the scholarly literature. Foundational scholars include Malcolm Knowles (1996), Phyllis Cunningham (1996), Jack Mezirow (2003), Sharan Merriam (2003), Thomas Sork (2008), Stephen Brookfield (2009), John Dirkx (2013), and Patricia Cranton (2014). They published influential work, helping shape major areas of inquiry including andragogy, transformative learning, critical reflection, adult development, and lifelong learning. The date in brackets that follows scholars’ names represents the year they were inducted. Induction tends to occur when scholars are well-established, and sometimes years later. For example, Eduard Lindeman was inducted posthumously in 2002, yet his well-known publication, The Meaning of Adult Education, was released in 1926.

 

Journals as Windows into the Field

Journals demonstrate how knowledge production changes over time. Academic journals reveal the questions that scholars considered important, theoretical frameworks that gained prominence, and social issues that influenced research. They reflect shifting priorities, emerging debates, and growing recognition of previously marginalized voices. By examining publication trends, it becomes possible to trace the evolution of adult education as both a scholarly discipline and a social practice. This blog post focuses on publications of the American Association of Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE): Adult Education Quarterly, Adult Learning, and Journal of Transformative Education.

 

 

Mid-Twentieth Century: Education for Democracy and Community Development

During the 1950s - 1970s, adult education scholars focused heavily on program development, community education, civic participation, and democratic engagement. Adult education was viewed as a practical endeavor that could strengthen communities and support social progress. Research emphasized effective teaching strategies for adult learners. Theories such as andragogy, experiential learning, and humanistic education gained prominence, reflecting a strong interest in understanding how adults learn and how educators could facilitate that learning more effectively. Broader social movements, including civil rights activism, labor organizing, and community development efforts, influenced the field. Adult education was closely connected to social purpose, citizenship, and collective improvement.

 

The 1980s and 1990s: Critical Reflection and Theory Development

The 1980s and 1990s marked a significant shift in adult education scholarship. Rather than focusing primarily on instructional methods, scholars began exploring deeper questions about power, inequality, and social structures. This era saw the emergence and expansion of transformative learning theory alongside growing influence from critical theory, feminist scholarship, and critical pedagogy. Researchers began asking important questions about who participates in adult education, who benefits whose knowledge is considered legitimate, and how learning experiences shape identity and power? The field moved beyond questions of how adults learn to examine why education matters and whom it serves. Adult education became increasingly concerned with issues of justice, equity, and social transformation.

 

The Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame inducted its first 78 scholars in 1996. The Hall had been in development for several years, and the induction recognized adult educators who were active in previous decades. Scholars who contributed to the literature who were inducted that year included Phyllis Cunningham, Cyril Houle, Alan Knox, and K. Patricia Cross. Authors inducted in the remainder of the decade include Peter Jarvis (1997), Myles Horton (1998), Donna Queeny (1998), and Dorothy Enderis (1998).

 

The Early 2000s: Globalization and Lifelong Learning

As globalization accelerated, adult education became increasingly international and interdisciplinary. Researchers explored cross-cultural perspectives and examined how global economic, political, and social changes influenced learning. Governments, international organizations, and educational institutions increasingly promoted lifelong learning as essential for workforce development, economic competitiveness, and adaptation to rapid social change.

 

At the same time, scholars debated competing visions of education. Was adult education primarily an economic tool designed to increase productivity and employability? Or was it a means of promoting social justice, civic engagement, and personal growth? This tension between economic and social purposes remains a defining feature of contemporary adult education discourse. Hall of Fame members who contributed to that debate included Ronald Cervero (2003), Stephen Brookfield (2009), Patricia Cranton (2014), John Dirkx (2018), and Laura Bierema (2022).

 

The 2010s: Equity, Identity, and Technology

During the 2010s, adult education scholarship increasingly focused on issues of equity, inclusion, identity, and culture. Researchers examined how race, gender, social class, disability, and other dimensions of identity influence educational experiences and outcomes. The field responded to major global challenges, including migration, economic instability, and public health crises. Greater attention was given to amplifying marginalized voices and understanding how systemic inequalities shape access to learning opportunities. Technology emerged as another major area of inquiry. Scholars investigated online learning, digital access, and the ways technology influences participation, engagement, and educational outcomes. Research increasingly blended theoretical analysis with practical applications, reflecting the growing need to address real-world challenges facing educators and learners. Hall of Fame Members active during this time included Stephen Brookfield (2009), Juanita Johnson-Bailey (2009), Elizabeth Tisdell (2014), John Dirkx (2018), Simone Conceição (2018), Paulette Isaac-Savage (2019), and Edward Taylor (2024).

 

The 2020s and Beyond: Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Challenges

The current decade is generating new questions for adult education scholars. Digital, media, and artificial intelligence literacy, and the ethical implications of emerging technologies have become prominent topics of discussion. Adult educators are learning to teach adults about addressing misinformation and disinformation, digital inequity, workforce disruption, and the changing nature of knowledge production. At the same time, foundational literacy skills remain important concerns. Ongoing focus on social justice, global interconnectedness, and lifelong learning continue to shape research and practice. Hall of Fame authors publishing in this decade include Chad Hoggan (2025), Lisa Baumgartner (2024), Lisa Merriweather (2024), and Laura Bierema (2022). There are more adult educators still to be recognized in this decade. Future scholarship will likely explore how artificial intelligence, data-driven systems, and evolving digital environments influence learning, teaching, and participation in society.

 

Lessons from the Evolution of Adult Education

Adult education has evolved from a largely practice-oriented field to one that is theoretically sophisticated, critically reflective, globally connected, and increasingly interdisciplinary. Throughout its history, the field has maintained an ongoing dialogue with society. Changes in scholarship have often mirrored broader social, political, economic, and technological developments. New ideas have emerged in response to changing contexts, while longstanding debates about purpose, access, equity, and power continue to resurface in new forms. The challenge for contemporary scholars is to engage with the broader and continually expanding body of literature that reflects the diversity, complexity, and global nature of adult learning and education.

 

Understanding this intellectual evolution helps educators and researchers situate their own work within a larger scholarly tradition. It highlights the diversity of voices that have contributed to the field and encourages engagement with both foundational theories and contemporary scholarship. Most importantly, the history of adult education reminds us that the field is not defined by a handful of influential thinkers. Rather, it is a living, evolving conversation shaped by generations of scholars, practitioners, and learners working to understand and improve the role of education in adult life.

 

Celebrating 30 Years of Global Leadership in Adult and Continuing Education

 

By Simone C. O. Conceição (HOF 2018) and Gary Miller (HOF 2004) 

International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame (IACEHOF) 1996–2026

For three decades, the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame has recognized leaders whose work has shaped adult and continuing education worldwide. Since its first induction ceremony in 1996, the Hall has honored more than 400 members from over 45 countries whose scholarship, leadership, advocacy, and innovation have transformed the field during a period of remarkable social, technological, and global change.

As we celebrate the Hall’s 30th anniversary, we also celebrate the collective impact of the individuals and ideas that helped define adult and continuing education over the last generation. This anniversary is not only an opportunity to reflect on the past, but also to engage with the present and imagine the future of lifelong learning worldwide.

Over the past 30 years, the field has experienced major transformations. Lifelong learning emerged as a global framework guiding education, workforce development, and civic participation. Distance and online learning expanded access to education across geographic and institutional boundaries. More recently, artificial intelligence and digital technologies have begun reshaping how adults learn, work, communicate, and participate in society.

At the same time, adult educators have continued to address persistent challenges related to access, participation, workforce preparation, democratic engagement, and the changing needs of learners across cultures and generations. Throughout these changes, Hall of Fame members have played important roles as researchers, institutional leaders, policymakers, practitioners, and advocates of adult learning worldwide.

To commemorate this milestone, the Leadership Perspectives blog will feature a special anniversary series throughout 2026. The series will include reflections from Hall of Fame inductees, thematic essays, timeline-based historical perspectives, and future-oriented discussions about where adult and continuing education is heading next.

The series will include:

• “Voices of the Hall” reflections from inductees sharing significant moments from their careers and perspectives on how the field has evolved.
• Timeline reflection posts exploring key developments from 1996–2005, 2006–2015, and 2016–2026.
• Thematic essays on lifelong learning, digital transformation, workforce learning, online education, and artificial intelligence.
• “Looking Ahead” posts focused on the future of adult learning and the role of technology in shaping society and professional life.

More importantly, this anniversary series is intended to foster dialogue across generations and regions worldwide. The Hall’s strength has always been its international and interdisciplinary character. By bringing together diverse voices and experiences, the series seeks to create a living digital record of how adult and continuing education has evolved and where it may go in the future.

The Hall of Fame is more than a recognition—it is a living record of the people and ideas that have shaped adult and continuing education globally.

We invite Hall of Fame members and the global adult education community to share reflections, stories, and insights as part of this anniversary series. As we celebrate 30 years of leadership, we also look ahead to the next generation of challenges, innovations, and possibilities for lifelong learning.

Share your reflections

• Looking back on your own experience, what change in adult and continuing education has had the greatest impact on your work or community?
• What moment or experience best reflects your contribution to the field of adult and continuing education?
• What gives you the most hope about the future of lifelong learning?

The Hall of Fame is more than a recognition—it is a living record of the people and ideas that have shaped adult and continuing education globally