What Adult Educators Need to Know About Apprenticeship
Amber Gallup is an adult educator and instructional designer specializing in meeting the learning needs of adults with limited literacy and those with limited English proficiency. A consultant, her areas of expertise include second language acquisition and instruction, workforce learning, and apprenticeship. She is a doctoral candidate at the University of New Mexico in the Department of Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences. She also holds an MA in Spanish Linguistics and an MA in TESOL and Applied Linguistics, both from Indiana University. Amber lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with her husband and daughter.
Abstract
Apprenticeship is an internationally recognized model of learning receiving increased attention as it evolves to meet the needs of modern workers, employers, and the labor market. As apprenticeship expands, and new industries explore the model, adult educators are being asked to help develop programs and pathways, write curriculum, serve as teachers, and troubleshoot to help diverse learners succeed within the model. This article, based on both evidence and the author’s long practical experience in apprenticeship programs, discusses what adult education practitioners need to know to be effective contributors to learner-centered apprenticeships.