Beyond Classroom Borders: Linking Learning and Work Through Career-Relevant Instruction

This white paper offers an exploratory approach for enhancing career-relevant learning in the higher education classroom. The resource focuses on the instructor's role to better understand and align with industry and employer standards and needs.  It also focuses on supporting students to build skills and knowledge so that they may be successful beyond the classroom. The authors draw on research and evidence-based teaching, best practices, motivation, and career exploration and planning, to inform this report.  They address topics such as:  adaptability, authentic work opportunities, career relevant work experiences, creating a culture of  career-relevant teaching.  They also include an exemplary program spotlight and suggested techniques to make instruction more career relevant.  The report concludes with implications for instructional practices and research.   What the experts say Adult education is wrestling with its role in workforce development. This article reveals a similar conversation happening in higher education between factions supporting liberal arts education as opposed to career technical education. The authors use research to make a strong argument for career-relevant educational strategies to be infused throughout higher education in order to build skills, 'habits of mind and social abilities' needed by all of us in the evolving world of work. The emphasis on career-relevant contextualizing and application of learning underscores the importance of student adaptability in current and future work and learning. A mental shift is necessary for instructors to engage students in deeper conversation about how specific knowledge, skills and attitudes connect to future work and learning. Adult educators should be mindful that the content requires massaging and, in some cases, reimagining to ensure its value-add to adult education instruction and instructional strategies. Resource Notice This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites. Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.