A survey of educational activities of adults in the United States was a component of the 1991 National Household Education Survey, a telephone survey of 12,568 adults. This survey found that 32 percent of adults, defined as persons aged 17 and over, were enrolled in a part-time educational activity over a 12-month period in 1990-91. Eleven percent of senior citizens participated in such educational activities. Most frequently, participants wanted to improve, advance, or keep up to date in their current jobs. Other reasons included personal enrichment, training for a new job, and obtaining a diploma or degree. The reasons cited depended on the participants' age, sex, race/ethnicity, and educational attainment. Young adults were more likely to participate to obtain a diploma or train for a new job. Men were more likely to enroll in courses to improve or update their work skills in their current jobs; women were likely to enroll in courses for personal, family, or social reasons. More Whites than Blacks or Hispanics took courses to improve skills in the workplace. Whites were more likely to enroll for a diploma or degree than Blacks and less likely to train for a new job or to enroll in basic skills than Hispanics. Adults with some postsecondary education were more likely to participate in adult education. (Three data tables and one figure illustrate participation rates and main reason for participating by age, sex, parental status, race/ethnicity, and educational attainment and standard errors for those participation rates.) (YLB)