Educational needs are changing as social and economic characteristics of society evolve. Since teacher education institutions have historically had the responsibility for preparing educators for elementary and secondary schools, they must now take the responsibility for preparing educators for business, industry, government, human services, and other diverse educational settings. Women and senior citizens can also benefit from training in teaching skills tailored to their specific needs and interests. The human service educator is a new role being conceived for teachers, implying change, redefinition, and creativity in response to adult education needs. To address the needs of the human service educator, teacher education institutions must adapt and, in many cases, reform their curriculum focus. These programs are already being offered in a growing number of universities to meet the needs of three groups of educators: (1) teachers seeking alternative teaching careers; (2) preservice teachers seeking positions in nonschool settings; and (3) professionals already teaching in nonschool settings. (FG)