Mission Possible: Renewing Adult and Continuing Education Futures

 

By Professor Don Olcott, Jr., FRSA (HOF 2024)

 

Good Morning, Mr. Phelps: The world has seen some very turbulent times for adult and continuing education during the past decade. Political populism, public and employer disillusionment, increasing educational costs, and competing interests across institutions and sectors have created an uncertain future. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is for you and your PMF (Possible Mission Force) to seek out courageous and inspiring adult and continuing educators to bring forward new strategies, ideas, and best practices for sustaining a thriving and innovative future for adult and continuing education. If you or any members of your PMF team are captured, you and your team will be disavowed, and your Mission Impossible 8 complimentary theater tickets will be revoked – just kidding!

 

Leadership is Essential

Is the future of adult and continuing education secure and guaranteed? A rhetorical question, indeed. There are no guarantees for the future. Today, many educational leaders are advocating “future proofing” education against unanticipated change, geopolitical shifts, global crises, and natural disasters, and new normals (plural) that may or may not define future societal eras or Zeitgeists (Gast, 2022).

The problem with this conceptual approach is that it is reactive rather than building institution response scenarios that are agile, flexible, and responsive to any “new normal” or crisis. Visionary and creative leadership will make this happen, including reframing the possibilities ahead for adult and continuing education.

 

Adult and Continuing Educators are the Possible Mission Force (PMF)

We all need a touch of humor (thus the opening dialogue above) to help us navigate the challenges of the future. Regrettably, Tom Cruise may not ultimately save us from ourselves any more than artificial intelligence (AI) will be the panacea for all things educational. As adult and continuing educators, we must embrace the challenge and re-engage in the conversation to foster collaboration about what we can do to strengthen and expand the role of adult and continuing education for future generations.

 

State of the Profession

The OECD 2023 Report on Trends in Adult Learning provided a snapshot of current trends in adult learning. It is beyond the scope of this commentary to provide a detailed analysis. Here are some highlights from the report.

 

• Participation in many countries appears to be falling; more alarming is that overall participation is declining despite the gap between socio-economic groups narrowing.
• Formal education is playing a diminishing role in adult learning. The focus is increasingly on non-formal job training-related programs.  Countries with strong participation in formal adult learning programs tend to have higher non-formal learning engagement. Tertiary qualifications dominate formal education.
• Over 40% of non-formal job-related learning lasts one day or less. Unemployed adults tend to attend longer programs, given time availability and the need to develop meaningful employment skills.
• Improving job performance and employability is the main motivation for engaging in adult learning programs. Lack of time, family obligations, and cost remain primary barriers to participation.
• Participation tends to be highest when available in the workplace and supported by employers.
• Policy misalignment, where compliance with Lifelong Learning skill development is fragmenting the possible mission impacts of training 

 

Strategies for Success: Sharing the Experience

I want to invite my IACE Hall of Fame global colleagues to share their own ideas on how to renew and empower the profession for future generations of learners. Here are a few strategies of mine. They may stimulate some of your own ideas.

 

Storytelling

Do we tell our adult and continuing education story clearly to our multiple publics and stakeholders? Interestingly, in my own research (Olcott, 2024) recently on the future of open universities, I discovered some perplexing trends.

Governments, employers, and prospective students view open universities much the same way. The diversity, and by extension, capabilities of open universities to be innovative and unique got lost in translation despite distinguished leaders such as Sir John Daniel (2019) and experienced leaders such as Professors Alan Tait and Ross Paul (2019) noting the vast diversity. 

Telling our story better means articulating our value, our creativity, and our commitment to serving adult learners. The adult and continuing education profession inherently reflects a steadfast optimism built on empowerment, creativity, and commitment to human learning. Indeed, this is a noble endeavor, but there are many competing stories that remind us all that we must tell our story often and consistently better than the rest.      

 

Micro-Credentials:  Strategic Game Changer or Tactical Diversion

Micro-credentials are not new. Short-term adult education and continuing education training programs have been around for decades, particularly evident in vocational-technical professions and the military (McGreal & Olcott, 2022). Micro-credentials are unique today because of the rigor applied to assessing knowledge and skills, with skills/competencies validated and certified. 

 

Remember the days when we attended a one-day seminar on Saturday and received a certificate of completion or attendance. This was not validation of new skills and knowledge, and these short-term, less rigorous activities could not be stackable into formal qualifications. This renewed focus on assessment provides the conduit to validating non-formal training and educational activities and in-turn leverages the stackability and conversion of non-formal learning normative units or value to be applied to existing or new formal qualifications.

I try to articulate to institutional leaders that micro-credentials can be a strategic tool as well as a tactical training approach for program delivery. Educational organizations are often criticized for trying to be all things to all people and often doing some of this very poorly. Conversely, the strategic integration of micro-credentials can, in fact, change the fundamental mission and architecture of an institution in ways that are catalysts for better serving our diverse stakeholders. An example of this is our approach to lifelong learning.      

 

Lifelong Learning (LLL) – Walking the talk

Indeed, it is mindboggling trying to scan the range of keynotes, organizational documents, and formal publications on lifelong learning for the 21^st century. What is even more amazing is that nearly all of these are predicated on a fundamental strategy that lifelong learning really means some type of magical transformation that happens ONLY after a student gets a first degree. The assumption suggests that a degree in Shakespearean tragedies is much more valuable than a micro-credential in hospitality management that leads to a workplace internship and employment.

If we return to the idea that micro-credentials can be a strategic approach for organizations, this suggests that skills development and employment become central priorities. This, in and of itself, has significant implications for how organizations are funded, structured, staffed, and marketed, and for which credentials and qualifications (degrees, certificates, micro-credentials) can be combined. 

Lifelong learning in its purest form means that learning occurs across the lifespan and that an 18-year-old can start with micro-credentials first and then return for a degree later. It means no imposed chronology of credentials: you get a degree first, then lifelong learning begins. As it stands, we advocate lifelong learning as long as it fits within traditional organizational structures that have stood for decades but are clearly not serving the needs of students, employers, and societies. Reframing this misalignment between education and society is perhaps the greatest challenge we face in the next fifty years, particularly the challenges facing students and employers in the developing world. 

 

Summary – We are the Champions!

All of us are adult and continuing education’s Possible Mission Force (PMF). I’ve shared a few of my own strategies to renew our commitment to the future. We must tell our story and better communicate our value. Micro-credentials are strategic as well as for tactical program delivery. And finally, a true lifelong learning model is flexible and offers the maximum options for engaging in a synthesis of formal and non-formal educational activities based on the learner's needs, not the mandates of the system.    

What are your strategies for sustaining and nurturing the future of adult and continuing education, including the broader framework of lifelong learning? 

 

References

Daniel, J. S. (2019). Open universities: Old concepts and contemporary challenges. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 20(4). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v20i3.4035

Gast, A.  (2022).  Four ways universities can future-proof education. World Economic Forum.  https://www.weforum.org/stories/2022/01/four-ways-universities-can-future-proof-education/ 

McGreal, R., & Olcott, D. J. (2022). A strategic reset: Micro-credentials for higher education leaders. Smart Learning Environment, 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-022-00190-1

OECD.  (2023). Trends in adult learning. https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/trends-in-adult-learning_ec0624a6-en.html

Olcott, Jr., D. (2024). Open universities: Reinventing, repurposing, and reimagining innovative futures. Journal of Open, Distance, and Digital Education (JODDE), 1(2), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.25619/ntkvsz26  

Paul, R. & Tait, A. (2019). Special issue editorial: Open universities: Past, present and future. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 20(4). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v20i4.4575

 

 

Inclusive Data for Global Impact – Shaping the Future of Adult Learning Evaluation

The 2024 Hall of Fame Induction Conference in Florence hosted a significant working group discussion on the Marrakech Framework for Action (MFA), the outcome document of the 7^th International Conference on Adult Learning and Education held in Morocco in June 2022 (CONFINTEA 7), and its monitoring and data collection mechanisms. Facilitated by Working Group 1 (WG1) Mentor Arne Carlsen (IACEHOF 2017), chaired by UIL Director Isabell Kempf, and with critical contributions from Nicolas Jonas of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), the session explored strategies for developing inclusive and context-sensitive data frameworks to support global monitoring of Adult Learning and Education (ALE) through GRALE—the Global Report on Adult Learning and Education.

 

This working group focused on addressing the pressing need to broaden the scope of actors involved in data collection, moving beyond traditional government-led structures. As ALE is increasingly shaped by a diverse network of public and non-public entities, current monitoring strategies often fall short in capturing the full breadth of ALE activities, particularly those led by civil society organizations (CSOs) and private providers. The group’s objective was clear: to develop actionable recommendations for a more inclusive and effective data monitoring system.

 

Before the in-person meeting in Florence, a preparatory webinar set the stage by identifying best practices for engaging non-state actors. This pre-conference engagement ensured participants came prepared to dive deep into the complexities of global ALE data systems.

 

Key Challenges Identified

• Incomplete Data Coverage: ALE programmes run by CSOs and private providers are often not reflected in government reports, resulting in a fragmented picture of learning opportunities.
• Institutional Capacity Gaps: Many national monitoring systems face limitations in technical capacity, human resources, and infrastructure, hindering their ability to collect and validate comprehensive data.
• Misaligned Frameworks: Global monitoring tools like GRALE must account for diverse regional priorities and localized mechanisms—a difficult but crucial task.

 

The Role of Non-State Actors

Non-state stakeholders—especially CSOs and private companies—play an instrumental role in ALE delivery and innovation. Their involvement in data collection is not only logical but essential, as these actors often reach marginalized populations typically excluded from mainstream statistics. Participants discussed how their inclusion would improve both the reach and quality of data.

 

Recommendations for Capacity Building and Collaboration

Participants underscored the importance of joint initiatives that bring together governments, private sector organizations, and civil society. Cross-sector partnerships can create capacity-building programmes that develop data literacy and establish consistent methodologies. Moreover, participants called for ongoing, multi-level dialogue—national, regional, and global—to ensure monitoring systems remain relevant, inclusive, and widely adopted.

 

Exploring Alternative Data Sources

A forward-looking suggestion involved leveraging unconventional yet promising data sources, such as LinkedIn analytics or company-based human resource databases. While non-traditional, these sources could help fill data gaps, particularly regarding employment and skill development trends. Transparency and communication were deemed essential for securing buy-in from all involved parties.

 

Workshop Recommendations

The working group put forth several actionable strategies:

• Implement capacity-building activities to promote collaboration between government agencies and CSOs.
• Develop a global communication strategy to disseminate the goals and findings of GRALE 6.
• Maintain open dialogue with key stakeholders to align global monitoring tools with local and regional priorities.

 

Outcomes and Future Directions

As a direct result of the working group, partnerships were strengthened with key international actors, including ICAE, AONTAS, and DVV International. These enhanced collaborations are expected to play a pivotal role in advancing the implementation of GRALE 6. In parallel, UIL plans to integrate the workshop’s feedback to refine its monitoring framework.

 

Capacity-building activities led by UNESCO field offices are also in the pipeline, aimed at supporting more inclusive and context-sensitive data collection processes tailored to regional needs.

 

Beyond the technical outcomes, the session highlighted the essential role of data in shaping global agendas for ALE. ALE’s potential to address pressing global challenges—ranging from digital transitions and climate change to aging populations—can only be fully realized when monitoring frameworks capture the full diversity of learning environments and actors.

 

By prioritizing inclusion and collaboration, WG1 set a new global standard for evaluating lifelong learning.