10 Current and Emerging Trends in Adult Learning via Getting Smart

10 Current and Emerging Trends in Adult Learning

Getting Smart: 10.21.2017 by Tom Vander Ark

What Do Harvey and Irma have to do with learning?

When (what we thought were) once in five hundred year storms hit every other week, it suggests there is something new going on–and another sign that we live in a world where the unexpected is the norm.

As more of us move into cities, connect and trade with people around the world, and take advantage of automation, the result is the clash of natural and man-made systems in ways that we don’t understand.

Urbanization, automation and globalization are resulting in unprecedented waves of novelty and complexity. The only thing we can be sure of is that change will occur more rapidly and more unexpectedly in the future. And that means we all need to learn fast and keep learning.

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What does all of this mean for adult learning? What about young adults who didn’t finish high school? What about the more than 30 million Americans that earned some college credits but not a complete degree. What about adults new to speaking English who need job skills–fast? We see 10 trends in this adult learning.

1-3. Online, mobile and blended are foregone conclusions.

4. Broader aims. Like leading K-12 schools, adult learning programs are adopting growth mindset (effort matters) and social and emotional learning (self and social awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making).

5. UI/UX. Adult learning programs are beginning to rethink user interface (UI) and the full user experience (UX).

6. Better Feedback. Adaptive learning systems and platforms are providing real-time feedback, and digital curriculum usually includes embedded assessments.

7. Learner supports. Access to support services is key to success. For learners who have struggled, these services often go unused unless activated through an advisory relationship.

8. Employer partnerships. HigherEd completion program positioned as an employee benefit.

9. Mix & Match + Support. “education as an employee benefit” partnerships. Academic coaches work with adults to assemble fast and cheap degree pathways.

10. Collaboration is key for scaling effective solutions. Personalized learning is promising, particularly for older learners who have struggled academically.

What’s Next?

1. Artificial intelligence behind everything.

2. Mastery transcripts. It’s increasingly a show what you know world. In many job categories, demonstrated mastery matters more than degrees.

3. Automated skill assessment. Like adaptive learning and automated writing feedback,  AI-powered skill assessment is improving rapidly.

4. Entrepreneurship. With more people freelancing and more employers seeking intrapreneurs, there is growing demand for entrepreneurship training–

5. On demand learning. Many adults have little patience for new courses to begin. An increasing amount of adult learning will be on demand or with rolling enrollments.

6. Own the learning plan. Now that we all need to keep learning, the scramble is on to support your learning plan.

7. National institutions. national service universities with (see Realm 4-5 in the graphic below) the development of tech-enhanced learning.

8. Impact opportunity. It’s never been easier to build an app, launch a campaign or assemble a big data set and analyze it with smart tools. The opportunity set allows young people to consider contribution now rather than 10 years from now.

9. Advocacy. Despite our best efforts, it’s quite likely that income inequality will grow in the information economy. We need to continue to teach and advocate for working adults.

10. Conditions for learning. Adult learning outcomes may be as much a function of who you are as what you do.  READ MORE @