This paper examines how generative knowing theory reimagines adult education, highlighting a vital interdependence where differences are not erased but valued. First, two vignettes explore the complex challenges of an aging society and underrecognized attempts to marginalize older adults. Calling for adult educators to stop (re)producing systemic…

This article, a conceptual and theoretical piece, opens a window on "playful learning" as a philosophy of education and a suite of diverse pedagogical approaches, methods, and techniques. The paper criticizes the serious ambience of adult education with its high levels of instrumentalism and performativity. It argues for playful learning…

This article introduces the Critical Literacies Advancement Model (CLAM) as a practical and theoretical framework designed to disrupt bias through adult learning. Grounded in critical literacy and critical thinking traditions, CLAM integrates diverse literacies (e.g., racial, human rights, media literacy, etc.) into a unified model that empowers…

Women's workforce and higher education participation have increased in the past 30 years. This article reviews the literature on women in "Adult Learning" from 1989 through 2022. Key findings include that women were portrayed as marginalized, deficient, learners, educators, juggling social roles, and resilient. Various positionalities…

The United States has been the global leader resettling refugees since the 1970s; its resettlement program is the largest in the world. The state of Texas has a high number of admissions and longstanding refugee programs which makes it a strategic site for research. This article reports findings of a reflective case study within an open enrollment…

This paper draws on Freire's social philosophy arguing that adult education (AE) relates to community development (CD). The provision of AE opportunities serves as bait for community members (CMs) to participate in CD projects. This exploratory study undertaken in Ghana, interviewed 9 PhD students on how AE relates to CD, and how adult educators…

Higher education programs are rapidly transitioning online in support of a broader geographic base, working professionals, and, recently, emergency contingencies such as COVID-19. The flexibility of online courses makes them attractive to adult learners; as such, there is much academic discussion about online learning for adult learners and the…

Based on observations of a rural community and in-depth interviews with five rural women, this paper shows how access to smartphones enables marginalised rural women to engage in digital literacies in their everyday life practices. The research shows that rural women learn digital skills, communication skills, and literacies in an unplanned and…

This article reviews LGBTQ literature in US-based adult education journals and proceedings. Categories focused on workplace issues, identity, health, learning climate, educational methods, and research. Key themes included (1) harassment, isolation, and discrimination, (2) meaning-making in a heteronormative society, (3) a call for inclusion, and…

Social and systemic barriers contribute to students' attrition from K-12 education and enrollment in adult basic education (ABE) via the reduction of available resources. Informed by Conservation of Resources Theory, the current study assessed the impact of stress-related risk factors, including trauma and COVID-19-related stress, on ABE students'…