Our Story
Great Teachers are Great Learners
Teach Grown-Ups Well
At the Academy of Learning for Adults, we believe adult learning is a journey of curiosity, growth, and connection. Our purpose is simple but powerful: teaching grown-ups well.
Founded to bridge the gap between research, philosophy, and real-world practice, AoLA works alongside educators, leaders, and learners to design experiences that are rigorous, meaningful, and reflective of human needs. We know that learning flourishes when people are seen, supported, and thoughtfully challenged.
Led by Lisa Ellem, EdD, The Educator’s Advocate, AoLA blends expertise, insight, and compassion to empower educators to teach, learners to grow, and organizations to thrive. Because when adults are taught well, the ripple effects reach far beyond the classroom—shaping communities and unlocking potential at every level.
Our Vision
AoLA envisions a world where adult learning is inclusive, meaningful, and aligned with real life — where educators are supported to teach grown-ups well, and learners are recognised for what they can understand, apply, and stand behind. We imagine adult education systems that value judgment, reflection, collaboration, and ethical practice over compliance and credentialism.
Our Mission
AoLA builds capacity in people who teach adults across diverse professional pathways by supporting teaching practice, design and assessment that are academically aligned, practice-based, and responsive to the realities of adult learning in a rapidly changing world. Through education, community, and reflective practice, AoLA empowers educators to create learning experiences that support change, strengthen identity, foster connection, and sustain joy — for learners and educators alike.