To fill critical health care workforce gaps, national and local initiatives are encouraging adult learners to pursue health care degrees by offering financial aid, flexible scheduling, and dedicated support resources.
These returning learners, typically aged 25 or older and often referred to as “adult learners,” are drawn to health care for its competitive salaries, abundant job opportunities, and clear pathways for advancement.
With its stability and strong projected growth, the health care sector is especially appealing to those seeking long-term career security and opportunities for professional development.
This article explores strategies to support adult learners pursuing graduate health care degrees and addresses the challenges educators may encounter when teaching them.
Who Are Adult Learners?
Before exploring how to prepare adult learners for careers in health care, it’s important to first understand what sets them apart. Adult learners bring unique characteristics and perspectives that differentiate them from traditional students.
Here are the key traits that define adult learners:
- Autonomy: Preference for self- direction, with a desire for flexible learning options and choice in their learning environment.
- Goal-Oriented: Strong focus on setting and achieving goals that drive their participation in learning.
- Practicality: Preference for knowledge and skills that have that have direct professional relevance.
- Wealth of Knowledge: Depth of life experience and knowledge that guide the learning process.
- Outside Responsibilities: Need to balance education with existing commitments like family, work, and community.
Understanding the unique characteristics of adult learners is essential for designing teaching methods that effectively meet their needs. “Adult learners are not just students—they’re professionals balancing multiple priorities who bring a wealth of real-world experience into the classroom,” says Dr. Melissa Randazzo PhD, CCC-SLP, speech-language pathology academic officer at Evidence In Motion (EIM). “To truly support them, we need to design learning experiences that value their expertise, honor their autonomy, and leverage digital learning tools to provide flexibility and access.”
As Malcolm Knowles, a pioneer in adult learning theory, stated, "An essential aspect of maturing is developing the ability to take increasing responsibility for our own lives—to become increasingly self-directed" (Knowles, 1975).
Adult learners thrive in programs that offer self-directed learning opportunities, emphasize real-world application, and provide flexible structures to balance education with personal and professional responsibilities.
Best Practices for Teaching Adult Learners
Effectively teaching and empowering adult learners requires a holistic approach that recognizes their unique challenges, life circumstances, and professional aspirations.
Institutions must implement strategies that prioritize flexibility, practical learning experiences, and personalized support to address these learners' needs while positioning them for long-term success.
“Flexible learning isn’t just about convenience—it’s about equity,” Dr. Randazzo notes. “By integrating hybrid models, asynchronous options, and digital resources, we reduce barriers for adult learners who are managing careers, families, and their education. Flexibility makes graduate healthcare education accessible for adult students who have much to contribute to the healthcare field.
Flexible Learning Models
Flexible learning models are a key way higher education institutions attract and support these students, many of whom balance education with significant personal and professional responsibilities.
A survey of adult learners found that nearly 45% of individuals interested in further education cite family and work-related commitments as their primary barrier to enrolling.
Flexible learning options, such as hybrid or online programs, directly address this challenge by offering the adaptability needed to balance education with personal and professional responsibilities.
These models also help reduce cost barriers by minimizing travel, enabling learners to continue working while pursuing their studies, and streamlining scheduling to fit their busy lives.
By prioritizing flexible and practical solutions, institutions can empower adult learners to overcome obstacles and achieve their educational and career aspirations.
Leveraging Prior Experiences to Enhance Adult Learning Outcome
Incorporating learners' prior experiences into the curriculum is a cornerstone of adult learning theory, particularly Malcolm Knowles' principles of andragogy.
Adults bring a wealth of prior knowledge, skills, and experiences to the classroom, which serve as critical resources for their own learning and that of their peers.
“The most powerful learning happens when adult learners connect their professional experiences to new challenges,” Dr. Randazzo shares. “Designing activities like simulations, case-based learning, and peer discussions lets them see immediate value in the material while fostering critical thinking and collaboration.”
Research shows several key approaches help adults learn effectively:
- Relevance and Real-World Application: Adults engage most when content directly applies to their lives and careers. This immediate relevance helps learners grasp material's value, research shows.
- Hands-On Learning: Activities like case studies and simulations let students apply past experiences while gaining new skills. Education theorist David Kolb found this reflection on prior knowledge leads to deepen understanding.
- Peer Learning Opportunities: Group discussions and collaborative projects enable adults to learn from diverse perspectives. This shared learning creates mutual respect and enriches classroom dialogue.
When curriculum designers incorporate these methods, they see stronger student engagement and retention. For example, using real-world problem-solving helps learners connect theories to practice while building on existing knowledge.
Tailored Support to Empower Adult Learners
Personalized support is central to adult learning models, as it helps address individual shortcomings through mentorship, accessible resources, and career guidance. Research highlights that career goals are often the primary reason adult learners return to higher education, driven by desires to advance their careers, transition to new roles, or overcome economic barriers.
Career guidance plays a pivotal role in helping these students align their academic experiences with professional aspirations, empowering them to manage competing priorities and bridge knowledge gaps effectively.
By applying these strategies, educators can implement adult learning theory to meet the unique needs of adult learners, ensuring they achieve their personal and professional goals while navigating the complexities of higher education.
Challenges in Teaching Adult Learners
Adult learners navigate complex landscapes, balancing the demands of work, family, and education while pursuing their academic and career goals.
Balancing responsibilities is no small feat, with 58 percent of adult learners working while enrolled in school. For example, Nick, an adult learner and Doctor of Physical Therapy student at Bowling Green State University (BGSU), reflected on his experience: "Trying to work 20 hours while starting my program was overwhelming.”
Skill gaps, such as limited familiarity with technology or foundational knowledge, can significantly impede progress for adult learners.
Nick highlighted how targeted resources helped him address these challenges: "The online orientation was a game-changer. It helped me identify my knowledge gaps and develop more effective learning strategies."
Research supports the importance of well-structured, supportive, and engaging orientations, showing that students satisfied with online orientations are 85% more likely to express high levels of academic self-efficacy compared to those who are unsatisfied.
Tailored Support to Adult Learners
Structural support is another critical component in overcoming these challenges. Nick praised the program's supportive culture, noting: "The faculty here truly understands. They're not just accessible, they're committed to finding the right support for each student."
This type of personalized and collaborative support is essential for creating an environment where adult learners feel valued and capable of succeeding.
To thrive, adult learners need structured educational pathways that provide clear goals and benchmarks. These frameworks not only help students gain the skills and knowledge necessary for meaningful employment but also enable them to support their families and contribute to their communities.
By addressing these challenges with flexible, targeted, and supportive strategies, institutions can unlock the full potential of adult learners.
Empowering Adult Learners to Transform Health Care
Adult learners bridge critical gaps in health care education, bringing professional experience and clear career goals. Flexible, supportive learning models that recognize their unique challenges can transform individual trajectories and address workforce shortages.
By designing adaptive programs that integrate practical skills with professional development, institutions empower these students to succeed, ultimately strengthening the entire health care system.