Lifelong Learning

World Education has led the SABES Program Support Professional Development Center for over 30 years. In partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, we support approximately 900 teachers, advisors, and directors annually, extending our reach to thousands of adult learners they serve. Our team coordinates and delivers professional development and coaching on educational leadership, career pathways, and digital literacy. The project also manages a Help Desk that assists over 1,000 learners each year in navigating the technical and educational requirements to enroll in adult education programs.

Through the IDEAL Consortium, World Education supports high-quality, technology-enriched instruction in adult education and literacy programs across the United States. For over 15 years, we have provided technical assistance and web-based tools to help states design and implement distance, blended, and hybrid-flexible learning options. As a national community of practice, IDEAL brings together leaders from over 20 member states to work on effective digital learning systems. We work closely with state and regional leaders to build capacity through professional development and data-driven program evaluation. By combining research-based strategies with insights from practice, IDEAL supports state leaders and educators to leverage emerging technologies that expand learning beyond the classroom and accelerate adult learner success.

Through the 21st Century Learning Ecosystem Opportunities (21CLEO) project, World Education partnered with Portland State University to research how frontline service workers engage in workplace-sponsored learning. This initiative identified the factors that motivate workers to build essential skills, including digital literacy and English language proficiency. A defining feature of the study was the inclusion of frontline workers as advisors to shape data collection and interpret findings, ensuring the research remained grounded in real-world experience. These insights helped inform instructional strategies and workplace learning designs that expand access to relevant professional development and digital problem-solving opportunities.