One of the largest and most significant problems in adult education and learning is apathy. Apathy can be defined as a lack of interest in activities or interaction, which I believe is very evident during the school day. Students of all ages suffer from a lack of interest in the material they are taught. However, this problem appears to be significantly more prevalent among adult students. Researchers have identified many causes behind classroom apathy, from the expectation of getting high grades to a lack of communication between teachers and students. Many teachers will use the same methods throughout their career, creating an outdated teaching method that is the root of the problem. If teachers and students worked together they could open a number of new doors in learning, such as updated ways of communicating in the classroom that would make learning more relevant and fun for everyone. In many academic contexts, teachers are viewed as authority figures. Students are often expected to sit quietly and absorb the information provided by the teacher, despite there being no interest in the topic or the way the teacher presents it to the class. Because of this, students create a lack of interest in what they are learning and simply memorize what is required of them to achieve desirable grades. This practice is harmful to students because they don't actually retain any of the information that is presented to them. Simply memorizing material is a constant problem with adult learners, as learning on a deep, vital level fails to occur, creating a rampant apathy in adult learning. With many students experiencing a lack of interest in their education, teachers and educators must...... middle of paper....... October 20, 2012. Works Cited Freire, Paulo. “The Banking Concept of Education.” Understanding Composition: Readings for College Writers. Ed. Rolf Norgaard. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's (2007) Print.Essex, Belinda and Sean O'Toole. “The adult learner may indeed be a neglected species.” Australian Journal of Adult Learning (2012) Print.Kohn, Alfie. “What does it mean to be well educated?” Principal Leadership (2003) Print.Tagg, John. “Why learn? What we could actually teach students.” About Campus (2004) Print.Cleary, Michelle Navarre. “How Antonio Graduated Out of Here: Improving Adult Student Success with an Individualized Writing Course.” Journal of Basic Writing (2011) Print. “Principles in Practice: Evaluating Institutions Focused on Adult Learning.” CAEL: The Adult and Experiential Learning Council. CAEL. (2005) Wednesday. October 20th, 2012.