Exploring disparate philosophies and applications of adult education practice illuminates principles that can contribute to effective adult education practice to facilitate lifelong learning. However, only one thing seems clear: no single approach alone adequately addresses the diverse abilities of individual learners, the multiple missions of institutions, the changing needs of society, and the dynamic environment of markets and cultures.

For example, exploring major adult learning models provided insights into how some adults learn in some situations but did not find a universal prescriptive approach.