This article presents a general and overarching view on partnerships between adult education and STEM disciplines. Drawing from their individual STEM backgrounds, personal perspectives and experiences with such partnerships, and the science of team science, the authors consider the benefits of adult education for STEM, the benefits of STEM for…

In this article, I discuss the academic field of adult education as it relates to critical media literacy, critical public pedagogy, social and civic activism, and higher education in this era many have labeled "post-truth." I ask readers to reconsider the traditional university tenure process and the academic publishing industry as…

This article discusses the interwoven disruptions caused by the multiple crises of the COVID-19 pandemic, violent incidents against persons of color, social justice concerns, and political and civil unrest. Discussion will center on how these crises impacted and continue to affect careers, schools, workplaces, and personal lives. The chapter will…

This autoethnographic study documents the stories of two adult education faculty members' experiences when their respective academic programs were closed. We situate our stories within changes in higher education economics and two theoretical frameworks: expectancy theory and psychological contract theory. Despite our isolation as the sole faculty…

This article highlights the multiple crises experienced since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 that have encouraged adult educators to rethink and revitalize their professional practices to respond to learners with understanding and care as they work through their own challenges. The reflections and perspectives shared inform our own…

Adult educators are often seen as proponents of social justice but what does it really mean to be an advocate for racial justice in and outside the classroom? Draconian policies implemented by the Trump administration have placed additional hardships on Americans. The increasing attacks on education have clear ramifications for adults in formal…

This article examines the intersection of race and poverty on the lives of Black women living in urban communities. Historical systemic racism continues to leave many marginalized communities on the periphery and struggling to maneuver in a society that limits access to empowerment to move out of poverty. To transform the lives of those living in…

This article draws together the diversity of practices and experiences presented in the previous articles. We identify the challenges and opportunities facing adult educators in Latin America and the Caribbean in a context of growing social movements and discuss the potential relevance of these practices and experiences for US adult educators.

Military service members belong to a unique culture identified, in part, by their clothing, language, job requirements, and relationships. Their experiences within the military set them apart in ways that are unlikely to be understood by most in the civilian employment community. When transitioning into civilian employment, veterans navigate…

This closing article urges adult educators to continue to question our role, our ideas, and our pedagogical strategies in order to renew our efforts to support social change and social justice.

This article provides a critical analysis of adult educators' cherished notion of "experiential learning" and of the ways in which our assumptions limit our ability to respond effectively to a world of "truthiness" and "alternative facts."

This paper uses the constructs of capacity and competencies to explore how transversal and vertical skills are becoming more central than in the past for adult educators and higher educational design teaching. In this chapter, the authors will describe the context where this idea was created and describe two approaches that develop transversal and…

This chapter explores ways that incarcerated men and women in New York State prisons made use of both formal and informal educational initiatives to transform themselves and build a cadre of leaders who have played a key role in the movement for criminal justice reform--in the process raising questions about the role adult educators can play in…

This chapter describes evidence-based predictors and practices of postschool success for students with disabilities. Examples for implementation and implications for adult education practitioners as they design instruction and programming for individuals with disabilities are provided.

By comparing Dewey to adult educators who shared his philosophical values but not his faith in the promise of public schools, this chapter provides a fresh perspective on his concept of building education on experience.