Adult and Continuing Education (A&CE): An Overlooked Educational Sector
In Ontario, Canada, publicly funded compulsory education is available for children ages four to 18, from kindergarten through to grade 12 (K-12). For most students, the completion of this compulsory education stage results in the obtainment of a high school diploma and a readiness to transition into college, apprenticeship, university, or work. However, for those learners over the age of 18 who do not complete their high school diploma as part of the K-12 system, adult and continuing education (A&CE) provides flexible programs and supports to help them meet a variety of educational goals including: language training, high school diploma completion, accessing postsecondary education, career transitions, and employment skills training.
A&CE learner cohorts often include vulnerable and transient populations who may not have experienced prior learning success due to challenges they experienced as youth (e.g., learning disabilities, mental health challenges, addictions, difficult home life). In addition, A&CE learners maybe newcomers to Canada seeking language learning and skills upgrading. With this in mind, A&CE provides adults with an opportunity to achieve success where it was previously unobtainable. For many learners, A&CE is transformational because their lifelong goals of high school completion and postsecondary participation are suddenly possible.1 Refugees and immigrants (newcomers to Canada) who land in Ontario often access A&CE for language training and re-taking school credentials in the Canadian system, in order to actively participate in Canadian society and achieve their educational and employment goals.
A&CE has not historically been prioritized in the Ontarian educational system. Many school board administrators, trustees, and staff of the regular K-12 system are unaware of A&CE programs offered in their board and the impact they have on their learners; consequently, A&CE staff are not always included in strategic planning1 or professional development activities. Importantly, A&CE administrators, teachers, and instructors tend to lack specialized training in how to teach adults or support adults with diverse needs, as most are trained to teach in the K-12 system. Subsequently, A&CE teachers have relied on formal and informal networking as their main professional development activity.2
The Network and Networking Context