But, is it Adult Education? Disciplinary Boundaries of Adult Education and Higher Education

Abstract

Manuscript submissions that are not adequately defined as adult education are a dilemma we, as the coeditors of Adult Learning, frequently confront. Many lack sufficient references to contemporary adult education literature. Instead, some manuscripts we receive are situated in higher education with insufficient attention paid to how the participants are “adults.” Sometimes, authors arguewith us whenwe suggest the addition of more careful description of adult participants and the inclusion of more adult education literature. Adult and higher education are distinct but related disciplineswith established disciplinary boundaries that serve to maintain disciplinary uniqueness, values, and epistemologies, and provide professional identity and disciplinary cohesion (Starr-Glass, 2019). The purpose of this editorial is to investigate the disciplinary boundaries of adult education and higher education, explore the concept of interdisciplinarity, and provide guidance to authors who might be considering submitting to Adult Learning.