Why is lifelong learning important for adult learners?

Lifelong learning allows adults to update their skills, remain competitive in evolving labor markets, and improve their economic mobility. For those who missed traditional education pathways, it provides a second chance to gain credentials that can meaningfully increase wages and career opportunities.

How does flexible online education help close wage gaps?

Flexible online programs remove barriers like rigid schedules and geographic constraints that often prevent working adults from pursuing education. By making skill development accessible on their own terms, adult learners can earn credentials that qualify them for higher-paying roles without leaving the workforce.

What does it take to build a system that truly supports adult learners?

Supporting adult learners requires intentional design across policy, technology, and institutional practice. Programs must offer scheduling flexibility, financial accessibility, and content directly relevant to workforce needs, while also addressing personal and logistical barriers that adults face compared to traditional students.

Creating a Future of Supporting Lifelong Learning Will Also Depend on Adult Learners and Their Access to Education

Flexible online education is helping adult learners access skill development opportunities that were previously out of reach, contributing to closing wage gaps. Lifelong learning depends on making education accessible to adults who missed traditional academic pathways. Supporting adult learners requires intentional policy, institutional design, and technology-driven delivery models.

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By Education Technology · October 5, 2023, 4:38 PM UTCAdult LearnersDisruptedDr. Howard LiebmanEducation

Key takeaways

Flexible online education is expanding access for adult learners who missed traditional higher education pathways.

Closing wage gaps is increasingly tied to enabling skill development and credentialing for working adults.

Lifelong learning ecosystems must be built with adult learner needs — schedule flexibility, affordability, and relevance — at the center.

Adult education is undergoing a radical transformation as adult learners are no longer an afterthought. Traditional classrooms are almost obsolete, and flexible, online programs tailored to individual needs are replacing them. This shift in teaching methods is not just about convenience—it has real-world implications. This is noted in a study conducted by the Department of Education citing that adults without a high school diploma were more likely to earn significantly less over their lifetime than those who do.

Adults without a high school diploma were more likely to earn significantly less over their lifetime than those who do.

Can adult learners, regardless of background, have the opportunity and resources to continue their education and achieve their goals?

For the second segment of “Supporting Adult Learning in a DisruptEd World,” host Ron J. Stefanski chatted with Vicki Greene, CEO of the GED Testing Service, and Dr. Howard Liebman, CEO and Superintendent of Schools at Smart Horizons Career Online Education. Their conversation examined the groundbreaking initiatives that Greene and Liebman have spearheaded, respectively, in the realm of adult education.

Sefanski, Greene, and Liebman further explored:

The collaboration between GED and Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, where adults are paid to study for the GED and offered jobs upon completion.
The transition from traditional tuition reimbursement to tuition assistance in corporations, with a focus on frontline workers.
The significant impact of advisors in adult learners’ journeys and the role they play in building confidence and providing support.

About the Speakers

Vicki Greene is the CEO of the GED Testing Service, a program committed to ensuring anyone has the opportunity to earn a high school equivalency diploma. Under her leadership, the organization has developed innovative partnerships with employers, implemented programs to support learners, and has redefined what adult education looks like.

Dr. Howard Liebman is the CEO and Superintendent of Schools at Smart Horizons Career Online Education. Known for re-engaging adults in education, Liebman is recognized for his initiatives.