Today’s lifelong learners demand more from colleges and universities than a transactional approach to their learning experiences. They expect opportunities that extend beyond a credential, including access to alumni networks and employers and a guarantee that their educational pursuits will meet their desired outcomes. As colleges and universities lean into serving learners who would typically fall into the post-traditional space, they should be prepared to align their staffing and resources with modern learners’ expectations.
Transactional Engagement in Lifelong Learning
Since their inception, continuing education and lifelong learning units have been known for highly transactional engagements. Individuals seeking to further their knowledge, acquire a specific skill or obtain a credential have engaged with a college or university that, in turn, accepts payment for admission to a course, certificate or degree. The underlying assumption is that the learner will complete a prescribed curriculum in linear progression to gain the desired outcome, then move forward with their personal or professional pursuits. While this model continues today, it is flawed because it is a one-size-fits-all approach to learning that does not correlate with learners’ current reality, including the availability of on-demand content, the use of artificial intelligence and the need to network beyond a formal learning environment.
The transactional approach to lifelong learning relies heavily on traditional models of enrollment services such as registration, payments and financial aid. While these transactions are necessary for starting the learning process, they should not be the only available resources for learners. Continuing education and lifelong learning units must deepen their commitment to learner-centric approaches to student and external affairs, including academic advising, career services and alumni engagement.
From a learning perspective, engagement with faculty or experts in the transactional model relies on formal learning settings, with the instructor serving as a lecturer. This type of learning environment does not create an opportunity for meaningful engagement, particularly the kind the post-traditional learner seeks.
UCLA Extension’s Transformation from Transactional to Relational
At UCLA Extension, we are changing how we serve and engage with learners. The first step in this process was to assess our existing operations. Through that assessment, we determined our systems and structures were antiquated and grounded in late-20th-centurycontinuing education models. Our systems and models were built around transactions, not outcomes. It is also noteworthy that student experiences with our institution varied considerably across the organization based on individual academic departments and decentralized service models, resulting in inconsistencies and inefficiencies.
Since 2020, we have moved toward a learner-centric student engagement and success model. With the understanding that all students, no matter their chosen discipline of study, should have the same opportunities and experiences with our institution, we have set forth on changing support systems and staffing to meet the needs of mid-21st-century learners and beyond. Two key initiatives have reframed our structures to ensure engagement with our learners: creating the Center for Academic Advising and Student Success and forming our External Affairs unit. These strategic priorities are laying the groundwork for organizational transformation.
Creation of the Center for Academic Advising and Student Success
We have created the Center for Academic Advising and Student Success within our Enrollment and Student Services unit. The center and its staff ensure equitable student success by providing advising, success coaching and career services. More broadly, the team enhances student recruitment and retention and improves learner educational experiences beyond the classroom. The center oversees a broad range of learner success and engagement functions. It serves as a bridge between learners and resources, ensuring they can access the tools and support they need to succeed.
As part of the center’s establishment, we are hiring new employees and retraining existing employees to become success coaches. Success coaches play a vital role in continuing education by providing personalized support and guidance throughout a student’s academic journey. They help learners navigate the complexities of attending university, from academic planning and goal setting to time management and overcoming personal challenges. By fostering solid and supportive relationships, success coaches can boost students’ confidence, motivation and engagement, leading to improved academic performance and retention rates.
Creation of an External Affairs Team
Through creating an External Affairs unit, we have centralized five key departments: Alumni Relations, Development and Donor Relations, Government and Community Relations, Outreach and Events, and Strategic Communications. The departments and team that comprise our External Affairs unit are responsible for a broad set of goals ranging from outreach and community engagement to storytelling and alumni networking. The team is responsible for ensuring that we continue to support our learners after they complete our classes and programs and that we serve as a lifelong resource for learning, networking and engagement.
The synergies between the Center for Academic Advising and Student Success and our External Affairs team have enabled us to think strategically about supporting our learners and our community. Specifically, we are reimagining our work with career services to connect learners directly with prospective employers, providing resume and interview preparation and setting up in-person interviews with actual employers. This tie-in meets our division’s strategic priorities of student success and community engagement.
Academic Opportunities for Relational Engagement
In the academic realm, there are multiple opportunities to move from transactional to relational learning, including:
- Fostering strong instructor-learner relationships
- Promoting active learning
- Utilizing technology for engagement
- Setting clear expectations and providing consistent feedback
- Encouraging student autonomy
With the implementation of new models to support learners outside the classroom, we will shortly be turning our efforts to better support our instructors through professional development and training.
Conclusion
Regardless of your organization’s current state, it is essential to begin prioritizing learner experiences and learner relationships. Continuing education and lifelong learning are now central to the higher education landscape and must become a priority. Over the years and decades ahead, colleges and universities must view continuing education and lifelong learning as pivotal to their institution’s success. Such programs can enhance an institution’s reputation and reinforce a university’s role as a hub for knowledge, innovation and professional development.
About the Division of Continuing Education and UCLA Extension:
For over a century, UCLA Extension has helped prepare people to live better lives through the power of education. As one of the nation’s older, largest and most comprehensive continuing and professional education providers, UCLA Extension provides multiple pathways for learners to advance their careers, enter a new profession or achieve personal growth. UCLA Extension serves more than 38,000 learners per year.
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