The document discusses the invisibility of social class in adult education. It notes that while race and gender are often considered in diversity efforts, social class is largely ignored. Theoretical frameworks suggest social class disadvantages students throughout the education process through lack of belongingness and feeling like imposters. Low-income students often work full-time to pay for school and lack the social capital and support that wealthier students have. The implications are that adult educators must make social class visible and create supportive environments for low-income students.

1. The Invisibility of social class inadult educationLauren Kodiak and Susan Klees

2. “Capitalist societies are stratified into classes, hierarchies of power and privilege related to the ownership and control of various forms of capital” (Nesbit, 2005, p. 6).The United States is often thought of as a classless society (an assumption that everyone is middle-class), but we do in fact have three main classes: lower, middle, and upper (Putten, 2001).What is social class?

3. When looking at research and programs focused on diversity in higher education, social class is largely ignored.Race and gender are often used to guide increased diversity efforts, while social class is absent from the mix.The concept of social class and its effects on adult learners has been underexplored by scholars, especially in comparison to the rigorous studies on race and gender in higher education.(Nesbit, 2005)The invisibility of social class

4. Aronson (2008) theorizes that class differences are shaped by “a funnel that disadvantages and filters out deprived young adults at each stage of the postsecondary education process” (p. 42).Nesbit (2005) postulates that education perpetuates dominant values instead of confronting them.Ostrove and Long (2007) theorize that higher-social class background is related to a feeling of “belonging” on campus, which is related to better adjustment and performance in college.Theoretical framework

5. Many working-class students feel like “imposters” that don’t belong in a college setting.

6. These students often feel guilt or pressure to be working to help support their families instead of attending school.

7. Many low-income students work full-time to finance their education. There is a constant struggle to balance attention to schoolwork with their jobs, and oftentimes social outings are not an option. Some students cannot afford books, let alone go shopping or dining out with friends.

8. Because these students are mostly first-generation, they lack the social capital needed to successfully navigate a college campus.