The transformative potential of continuing education services for adults

Abstract

"In CEGEPs, more than 20% of students in technical programs are adults enrolled in a continuing education (CE) program leading to an Attestation of College Studies (ACS) or a Diploma of College Studies (DCS). When subsidized and non-subsidized private institutions are included, the number is even more significant. Every year, some 30,000 people are enrolled in CE, representing 25% of the technical sector workforce. In public CEGEPs alone, more than 20,000 people participate in CE services each year, more than half of them full-time.

For these adults, returning to school marks an important step in their lives. Often undertaken in times of socio-economic precariousness and lack of recognition, this return takes the form of a process of self-transformation and social reintegration, beyond the goal of acquiring skills and a recognized diploma (Mezirow, 2000). This journey is part of the process of acquiring greater capability (Sen, 1997) and the social recognition needed to "appear in public without shame" (Honneth, 2004, p. 355).

One thing is clear, however. Despite its importance to these individuals, CE at the college level is virtually invisible in the scholarly literature, in internal CEGEP policies, in governance rules and in day-to-day college activities (Martel, 2023a, 2023b). This article aims to remedy this shortcoming by highlighting this area of teaching and its importance for adult learners." -- AQPC