A further education lecturer is an instructor who teaches any category of adult or young adult learners. This professional typically provides a kind of standard, traditional lesson in a lecture format, as part of various instructional courses and programs. The role of a further education lecturer relates to the type of students involved in these courses, which generally focus on career related skills and knowledge beyond the high school level.
As educational professionals, further education lecturers serve a specific category of students, but their roles vary greatly. Some experts refer to forms of this kind of teaching as post-graduate instruction, where students will have already matriculated from a high school, or even a college or university. Others define further education students as being older than a certain age, such as 18 or 21. The term “further education” often suggests that FE lecturers are not teaching “regular” undergraduate courses, but other kinds of specialized courses. The most common role for these professionals is in providing “auxiliary” instruction, such as vocational training or “night school,” where adults who did not go to or finish college, or need additional skills for their jobs, learn according to their own schedules.
Since their duties are actually more diverse than just lecturing, the title of further education lecturer can be somewhat misleading. In addition to delivering lectures, these professionals may design and craft lectures and other curriculum, or fit lectures into a schedule involving laboratory modules or other hands-on learning as well as seminars and workshops. These educators may also keep office hours to assist students outside of class, or work as part of a greater education department, where group meetings may be necessary to chart a direction for the department as a whole.
Another component of what many further education lecturers do is related to student assessment. These individuals may grade students on coursework. They may also assess a specific course or program from a distance to determine its effectiveness. They may consult with higher-level staff or outside educational consultants to design the best curriculum for educational programs. Part of what many of these professionals do is to deliver to employers an analysis of an educational program, from the standpoint of a qualified instructor who understands issues around adult continuing education.
Further education lecturers work in many different academic departments. They may be involved in lecturing and educating on the arts, sciences, mathematics, or new disciplines like those related to technologies. These educators might also be involved in more vocational lecturing for various trades or job roles. The key part of this job is that the educator most often teaches on adult or post-graduate groups of students who are “furthering” their education after having obtained a prerequisite degree, or who are learning outside of the normal undergraduate academic path, having not gained a prior degree.