- Recognition addresses the fact that adult learners, whether part-time or full-time, need to have
access to suitable learning opportunities at various times throughout their lives. Recognition of
this fact may require a fundamental shift in the policies and practices of educational institutions,
a shift that would result in understanding, accepting, encouraging and facilitating lifelong
learning. For example, disadvantaged adult learners should not have to justify to funding
agencies why they need to attend learning activities on a part-time basis. The message conveyed
with such policies and practices is that part-time learning is second-rate and that the “proper way
to get an education is to move directly from high school to post-secondary education as a young
person studying full-time” (Potter & Ferguson, 2003, p.9).
Recognition must also extend to taking into account a learner's existing credentials and prior
learning. The lack of recognition of the credentials of immigrants and refugees is particularly
problematic. Many adults become discouraged before they begin pursuing their learning needs
because of their expectation that their previous learning will be ignored and they will have to
start over again if they wish to obtain a credential at a new and higher educational level or in a
new country.
While prior learning is increasingly being recognized by educational institutions, the only
province reported in the literature as currently having a system-wide strategy for assessing and
recognizing prior learning is Nova Scotia (OECD, 2002). The transfer of credits from one
institution to another or from one level of the education system to another is also problematic.
Improved linkages need to be created between and among public and private secondary and
post-secondary institutions, and between educational institutions and business, industry and
community agencies that provide learning opportunities.
- Support addresses the needs of adult learners in areas related to academic skills, financial
support, career development, and family and work responsibilities. All adults go through periods
of transitions in their lives during which they may need additional support in all these areas.
Those adults who are relatively well-educated appear to have little trouble accessing more
educational opportunities and the support services necessary to succeed; but the challenges
facing under-prepared and under-educated adults are formidable. Educational institutions need
to be able to provide all adult learners with guidance throughout their search for and
participation in suitable learning activities.
- Flexibility addresses, not a need to reduce educational standards, but a need to understand that
“the realities of adult learners' lives often differ dramatically from [those of] ‘traditional’
students”
(Potter & Ferguson, 2003, p.14). Adult learners need access to a variety of different
teaching and learning formats; flexible times and locations for learning activities (e.g., distance
education, online learning, daylong workshops, evening and weekend sessions); modified
residency requirements, and credit for prior learning and for credits obtained at other
institutions. Employers can encourage adult learning by allowing flexible work schedules or
making learning activities part of the workday.
- Accessibility and availability address the need of adult learners to be able to access learning
activities at times, locations, and formats suitable to their multiple family, work and community
roles and responsibilities. These learning activities need to be available when the learner needs
them rather than when educational institutions are willing to offer them. Flexible online learning
activities with multiple access points and continuous intake would go a long way to making the
elements of accessibility and availability functional.