Knowledge renewal for the 21st century: A single institution study of the needs of alumni in knowledge fields

This study investigated the contemporary perceptions of knowledge workers concerning higher education's role in providing professional lifelong learning and the progressive development of adaptive expertise. A quantitative research design, utilizing an online survey tool, focused on alumni from one public university that actively supports degree programs in a diverse range of knowledge-based career fields. Underlying dimensions of the study compared variances based on individual, gender, and intergenerational attitudes, motivations, and needs regarding lifelong learning.;The literature review examined four areas influencing lifelong learning in the 21st century: economic change initiated by rapid technological innovation and an explosion of knowledge; higher education's adjusting mission to societal needs and expectations; demographic change resulting in an adult workforce spanning multiple generations; and contemporary assessments of incorporating theories on adult learning to create an educational structure that supports adult development.;The findings suggested that adult educational needs exist beyond the role of traditional degree completion. Knowledge worker respondents, regardless of gender or generational identity, valued the importance of knowledge renewal and skill development throughout their career lifecycle, and perceived that higher education had a responsibility to be an active educational provider of professional lifelong learning. The findings also identified two course design preferences, professional lifelong learning programs structured as certificates and short courses instead of credit degrees, and individual courses formatted for distance learning instead of classroom. Knowledge workers also perceived a greater need for professional learning that could build adaptive expertise by adding new areas of knowledge and skill development, instead of only augmenting their current degree expertise.;Further study of higher education's perceived mission in the 21 st century could take a more reflective view. For example, a public university's internal perception by faculty and administrators of the institution's role in knowledge renewal and professional lifelong learning could provide a useful comparison for additional research.