The COABE Journal is a theme-oriented and practitioner-focused journal that is published semi-annually. The COABE Journal seeks contributions from adult education professionals to share best practices, research, innovations, reflections, and reviews for the Spring 2024 edition, focusing on the theme of Advocacy for Adult Education. 

Adult Education is an impactful field that transforms the lives of adult learners, their families, and communities, yet it is often overlooked, underfunded, and misunderstood, particularly by local, state, and national decision-makers. In recent years, adult education has gained the attention of government leaders at local, state, and national levels through coordinated advocacy efforts. Many advocacy efforts center on sharing student success stories, economic returns, cost-effective delivery of instruction, and the positive impact adult education has had on families and communities. Typically, advocacy campaigns involve in-person visits to local government offices, statehouses, and Capitol Hill, but online meetings with officials and staffers are gaining in popularity and effectiveness.

Over the past decade, COABE has taken a leading role in advocating for adult education programs with a focus on increasing funding and capacity building to foster learner, program, and community success. These efforts have inspired and have been inspired by efforts at the local and state levels.  

The “Advocacy for Adult Education” edition of the COABE Journal seeks article submissions focusing on adult education advocacy efforts, models, campaigns, and partnerships that have positively impacted and empowered learners and their programs. Submissions presenting replicable models and techniques are of particular interest and encouraged.  

Articles for consideration should focus on topics such as those listed below and follow the criteria for the type of article noted in the COABE Journal submission guidelines and be formatted according to the style of the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Check here for general paper formatting, grammar, and citation and reference guidelines. Please review and apply the principles outlined in the COABE Journal Style Guide prior to submitting your article.

The submission deadline is October 19, 2023.

Suggested Topics:

Models for Adult Education Advocacy:

• Cooperative efforts between like-minded organizations (state associations, educational entities, national organizations, etc.)
• The development and execution of statewide campaigns and best practices for impactful advocacy
• Grassroots advocacy formed around specific issues such as funding, program cuts, or reorganization
• Advocacy featuring student success stories
• Mail/email/social media-based advocacy efforts and their impact
• Student-led advocacy efforts and training
• Classroom activities and program/community initiatives that promote and facilitate student advocacy and civic engagement

Reflections on advocacy practices and their impact on adult education students, practitioners, and programs:

• Teacher/program advocacy efforts and their impact
• Student advocacy efforts and their impact
• Efforts for forming impactful advocacy partnerships
• Advocacy efforts resulting in tangible results for adult learners and programs
• Remote advocacy efforts (email, social media, mail, and calling campaigns)