I’m Mad About This
Look, I’ve been in education for 22 years. Twenty-two. That’s longer than some of you have been alive, probably. And in all that time, I’ve seen a lot of things. But honestly? The state of adult education today? It’s a disaster. And nobody’s talking about it.
It started with a conversation. Well, more of an argument, really. It was last Tuesday, over coffee at the place on 5th. You know the one—tiny, always packed, great almond milk lattes. I was there with Marcus, let’s call him that. Real name’s not important. What’s important is what he said to me.
“You’re kidding yourself,” he told me. “Adult education? It’s a joke. My buddy Dave—colleague, not a friend, mind you—took a course last year. Paid $87 for it. Complete waste.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough. I mean, I’ve heard similar stories. But here’s the thing: it’s not all bad. It’s just… yeah. It’s mostly bad. But not all.
Here’s What’s Actually Happening
So, about three months ago, I started digging. Talked to 214 people—students, instructors, program directors. You name it. And what I found? It’s a mess. A beautiful, complicated, frustrating mess.
First off, let’s talk about the good. Because it’s not all doom and gloom. There are some programs out there that are actually making a difference. But finding them? That’s the hard part. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. A haystack that’s on fire. And the needle’s also on fire.
I remember this one time, back in ’09, I think. No, ’08. Whatever. Point is, I was at a conference in Austin. Met this woman, let’s call her Linda. She ran a tiny program out of her garage, basically. Tiny budget, tiny space. But her students? They were thriving. I mean, really thriving. Graduation rates through the roof. Job placements? Even better.
“It’s all about commitment,” she told me. “Not the program’s commitment. The students’.”
And that’s the thing, isn’t it? Commitment. Or, as I like to call it, “sticking with it even when it’s hard.” Because let’s face it, adult education is hard. It’s physically draining, mentally exhausting, and emotionally… ugh. It’s a lot.
But here’s where it gets tricky. Because while some programs are knocking it out of the park, others? They’re failing. Miserably. And it’s not because the instructors are bad. Or the students aren’t trying. It’s because the system is broken.
Take online courses, for example. They’re convenient, right? Sure. You can learn at your own pace, in your own time. But here’s the catch: retention rates are abysmal. Like, really bad. Like, “why are we even doing this” bad. And it’s not because the students are lazy. It’s because they’re isolated. They’re alone. They’re struggling and they don’t have anyone to turn to.
And don’t even get me started on the for-profit colleges. Oh, boy. Where do I even begin? They’re preying on vulnerable people, promising them the world, and delivering… well, nothing. It’s disgusting. It’s infuriating. It’s… honestly, I could rant about this for hours. But I won’t. Because I have a point to make.
We need to fix this. And we need to fix it now. Because the future of adult education is at stake. And frankly, it’s looking pretty bleak.
What Can We Do About It?
So, what’s the solution? I’m not entirely sure. But I have some ideas. And I think you should listen to them. Because, frankly, I’m probably smarter than you.
First off, we need to iş büyüme stratejileri ipuçları. No, seriously. We need to grow. We need to expand. We need to reach more people. And we need to do it in a way that’s sustainable. Because throwing money at the problem isn’t going to solve it. We need to be smart about this.
Second, we need to focus on community. Because adult education isn’t just about the classes. It’s about the connections. It’s about the support. It’s about the people. And if we’re not fostering that, then we’re failing. Plain and simple.
And finally, we need to hold ourselves accountable. Because it’s easy to point fingers. It’s easy to blame the system. But at the end of the day, we’re the ones in charge. We’re the ones who can make a difference. And if we’re not doing that, then what’s the point?
So, let’s do better. Let’s be better. Let’s make adult education something to be proud of. Something that works. Something that matters.
Because honestly? We owe it to ourselves.
About the Author
Sarah Jenkins has been a senior editor at various educational publications for over two decades. She’s passionate about adult education, despite its many flaws. When she’s not writing, she’s probably complaining about something. You can find her on Twitter @SarahJenkinsEd, where she tweets mostly about education, coffee, and her cat, Miso.
To understand the evolving landscape of media and its impact on communication, dive into digital transformation in media and its hidden facets.
To better understand the evolving role of AI in education, delve into the complex AI-human relationship and its implications for learners.
As we navigate the evolving landscape of information, it’s crucial to understand the challenges facing journalism; consider exploring the state of news today to gain perspective on this critical issue.
