This dissertation examined how adult learners who took developmental mathematics in a community college and passed the courses, viewed their self-efficacy and the roles they felt self-efficacy had on their successful completion of mathematics. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 adult learners in two U.S. community colleges.…

Online education has increased access to higher education for many populations of students. One group of students that has grown in this area are nontraditional students. A sub-population of this group that is absent from the research are nontraditional students of color. Using the conceptual frameworks of Adult Learning Theory and…

Prior research has shown that adult learners who are non-traditional (NT) college students come to college with different needs, desires, and goals than traditional college students. The problem is that community college educators need to better understand the needs of the changing population of the student body to equitably and effectively serve…

This article explores the limitations of technology-focused teaching and online learning in 'widening participation' tertiary preparation programs, from the perspective of non-traditional university students, and in their own words. Specifically, the article draws on data derived from the "Life Literacies" academic preparation and action…

Immersive scheduling engages students in one or two subjects at a time over short teaching periods. While there is incipient evidence that immersive delivery can heighten academic outcomes in undergraduate education, much less is known about its effectiveness in pathways or access programs. This exploratory mixed-methods study investigated how a…

Using a transcendental phenomenological approach, this study explored what and how noncognitive characteristics including self-concept, self-appraisal, navigation of the system and racism, goal-setting, an available support person, leadership experience, community involvement, and acquired knowledge impacted the learning experiences of students…

Community colleges have been challenged to increase their graduation, transfer, and general success rates. Because they serve the largest proportion of nontraditional students and students of color, their participation in programs to enhance the number of college graduates contributes to social equity and justice. One of the biggest obstacles has…

During the Fall of 2015, faculty and staff at a large community college district with an enrollment of 55,000 in the Southwest United States were encouraged to apply for Innovation Challenge Grants. The goal of these grants was to allow faculty and staff an opportunity to create, innovate, and share ideas, so that the college could strive to be…

English language learners' nonparticipation and reticence in adult literacy classes are often presented problematically from a deficit lens of student "resistance" and "disengagement." This article draws from an ethnographic case study of Generation 1 learners, who are defined as adult-arrival immigrant learners, transitioning…

The goals of placement reform and the elimination of developmental education at community colleges were to decrease the misplacement of students and to provide students with quicker access to college-level courses to improve retention and student success rates. However, the new placement reforms may be preventing some nontraditional students from…

Non-traditional learners (NTL's) are students who have delayed college enrollment, have dependents, are single parents, are financially independent, have non-standard high school credentials, attend part-time or work full-time. They are a growing segment of college students. Their success is critical to the future of the American workforce, but…

This paper, based on a qualitative study, explores the transition experiences of Post-9/11 Era military veterans from active duty military service to college students for the purpose of adding to the body of knowledge about this student population. The subjects, who voluntarily offered to participate, were 15 community college student/veterans and…

Attrition for entry-level, non-traditional college students taking developmental reading courses is a concern for higher education institutions. Students need to complete basic developmental reading courses in order to progress in their vocational or collegiate studies. This phenomenological study followed a social constructivist approach to…

Teachers of developmental education are familiar with non-traditional students who are balancing innumerate stressors in their lives, in addition to the overwhelming stress of college. Stress relief methods like yoga and meditation are essential life management tools in helping new college students succeed, not only in their education but also in…

This practice report discusses the development of the Head Start Online MOOC. This initiative targeted flexible learners, defined as adults engaged in part-time or online distance learning, during the initial stages of the study life-cycle. Drawing on the literature, the experiences of major international Online and Distance Learning (ODL)…