The Resource for Adult Education is a peer-reviewed publication intended to be a primary learning and inspiration resource for adult educators.

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Current Edition

Financial Literacy

This special edition represents a meaningful collaboration between COABE and the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, grounded in our shared belief that financial capability must be accessible, inclusive, and embedded within adult education. By integrating financial literacy into adult education programs, we strengthen the connection between academic learning, workforce preparation, and real-world application—helping learners move beyond survival toward sustainability and opportunity.

Keywords: adult education, workforce, financial literacy, adult literacy, money wise, budgeting

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Submit an Article

Submit an Article

The COABE Journal is a theme-oriented, practitioner-focused publication released twice a year. For the Fall 2026 edition, we invite contributions from adult education professionals that share best practices, research, innovations, reflections, and reviews under the theme: The Talent Pipeline: Adult Education’s Role in Workforce Development

This edition will highlight how adult education programs prepare and equip adults with credentials, training, support, and skill development to advance in the workforce.

COABE serves educators working with adults who often participate in Adult Education programs with workforce-related goals. Whether through adult basic education (ABE), English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), high school equivalency preparation, or vocational training, programs integrate foundational skills—such as literacy, numeracy, English language proficiency, digital literacy, and critical thinking—that benefit adults in multiple life roles.

The Talent Pipeline issue will emphasize programs and practices that strengthen adults’ capacity to actively and effectively contribute to today’s workforce.

Submission Guidelines

Articles should address one of the suggested topics below or a related area.
Manuscripts must follow the COABE Journal submission guidelines and the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association for format, grammar, citations, and references.
Please also review the COABE Journal Style Guide before submitting.

The submission deadline is June 22, 2026.

Introduction

Submission Guidelines

Submission deadline is June 22, 2026

Submit an Article

Instructional Practices and Learner Engagement / Program Development and Innovations

(Double-Anonymous Peer Review) submissions should focus on best innovative practices for engaging learners in instructional settings and/or programs with unique characteristics or innovative characteristics that yield exceptional adult learner outcomes. These articles should provide evidence of effectiveness and positive impact on adult learners so that administrators and practitioners can replicate such innovations in their practice. Authorship is limited to those who have made substantive contributions to the manuscript and should be capped at five. Submissions should range between 2,000 and 5,000 words.

Original Research and Theory to Practice

(Double-Anonymous Peer Review) submissions include original quantitative and qualitative research and/or the effective integration of educational theory to practice. These pieces aim to inspire others to apply these findings and/or practices to their adult education settings or contexts. Authorship is limited to those who have made substantive contributions to the manuscript and should be capped at five. Submissions should range between 3,000 and 5,000 words.

Innovative/Effective Material Integration

(Double-Anonymous Peer Review) submissions should focus on innovative or cutting-edge practices that integrate print, electronic, software, or other technologies that demonstrate effective student understanding and outcomes. Manuscripts should present concise overviews of the technologies/materials, including relevant publications, URLs, or other information for accessing the resource. Readers should be able to effectively integrate these materials into their adult education settings, expecting similar learner impact and outcomes. Authorship is limited to those who have made substantive contributions to the manuscript and should be capped at three. Submissions should range between 1,500 and 2,500 words.

Reflection Essays

(Editorial Review) include thoughtful discussions on issues (societal, policy, political, theoretical, etc.) and their impact on adult education administrators, practitioners, learners, or other stakeholders. These pieces may be written in first-person narrative form to provoke thoughtful reflection in the reader. Authorship is limited to two. Submissions should range between 1,000 and 1,200 words.

Review Essays

(Editorial Review) should discuss recently published books, instructional materials, or online instructional resources (websites, YouTube, TED Talks, etc.) that adult education administrators, practitioners, learners, or other stakeholders might find useful in their practice. These materials may include commercially available resources; however, such reviews should focus on the utility of the materials in adult education settings and should not be submitted by the resources’ author, an employee, or an affiliate of the project or publisher. Authorship is limited to two. Submissions should range between 800 and 1,200 words. If you wish to submit a reflection piece, please contact journal@coabe.org before you begin writing. This is an important step in the process.

Each submission should be written in APA 7th edition style format and also include:

A 200-word abstract giving an overview of what the article will cover.
A minimum of five keywords that researchers can use to find the article in the future.
A 50-100 word bio of each author, written in the third person.

The submission deadline is November 17, 2025.

Submit an Article

Journal Editorial & Peer Review Processes