2019 Annual Conference

Colleges and Universities

Shared Concurrent Session (Approx. 12 or 20 minutes)

Session presents data about adult learner perceptions of their future and the future of their communities. Framed within an institutional logics perspective (Thornton, et al., 2012), futures framing is used to clarify dominant and emerging narratives and needs for more adaptive, dynamic, and interdependent understandings of and opportunities to learn.

This session is appropriate for scholars and practitioners alike who are interested in the larger topic of re-conceptualizing adult education contributions to adult and community capacity building.  It also is appropriate for those scholars and practitioners who work with adult learners and wish to learn about, “What comes next” in terms of how adult learners perceive their own learning and capacity building in relation to navigating their lives and communities after their studies are complete.

The learning goals for this session:
• Introduction to the concept of futurist and the role that adult education plays in community capacity building
• Consider the meaning and application of data addressing how adult learners perceive their futures, their communities, and the role their learning and capacity building plays
• Consider the ‘so what’ of what strands of future research or policy are needed to better include adult and lifelong learners in creating sustainable, equitable communities
• Expand the institutional logics perspective in constrained fields such as education to explore the potential of futures framing for changing educational narratives

This session presents data which explores a futures-oriented framing of learning and adult education as it influences community sustainability and well-being. The research begins with a logic model theorizing how futures-oriented adult education relies upon the alignment of varied inter-connected philosophical orientations, contexts, social dynamics, and corresponding adult learning and education strategies.  Using this model-centered approach (McKelvey, 2000), the researchers designed a qualitative study investigating how postsecondary adult learners perceive their futures beyond their immediate roles as learners or soon-to-be new graduates.  How do ALs perceive their futures?  Their future communities/spheres of influence?  How do they believe their adult learning – formal and informal – is preparing them to navigate a society which is dramatically changing in unpredictable and diverse ways?   The research topic is exploratory in nature largely because it is a question that often remains unasked and under-explored within the adult education field.  We understand how adult learner identities are related to their capacity to study, change, grow and complete a credential. The data from this study is of vital importance in sharing empirical data with the intention of stimulating a conversation about how our adult learner and adult education efforts are contributing to thriving, sustainable communities of the future.

This session will include a powerpoint presentation and will allow sufficient time for audience participation, questions and discussion.