Educational Experiences Throughout Adult Life

Abstract

This article explores the allocation and nature of educational experiences throughoutadult life. The authors are especially concerned with the opportunities and barriersassociated with the pursuit of educational experiences during the middle years, inwhich work and family roles are typically well formed or at their peak. On the onehand, they explore a set of social factors that suggest there may be new possibilitiesfor educational experiences throughout adult life and for life-course flexibility. Onthe other hand, they put forward another set of social factors that lead them to take amore pessimistic view of these possibilities. They also consider a third set ofindividual-level characteristics that may serve as either opportunities or barriersdepending on their direction. Researchers, educators, and policymakers must turntheir attention to the roles that these factors play in promoting or preventing educational experiences for adults. This will allow them to better facilitate these experiencesand ultimately build more flexible life courses.