S E C T I O N I

SOCIETAL TRENDS

NEW LEARNERS

This section discusses key societal changes occurring in the family unit and how a new set of learners is participating in education and the workforce. Traditional family models are giving way to blended family structures in which caregivers include not just a mother and father but also single parents, same gender couples, siblings, grandparents, and the like. Balancing work and family is a priority for most Americans, and they look to their workplace environment to recognize this need.