Should unique adult higher education programs be preserved and even championed, or should such programs succumb to the pressures of the day and get folded into more conventional higher education? This essay argues that, in addressing such vital questions, we need to become more aware of the relationship between human development and college study,…

This article explores Robert Kegan's adult constructive-developmental (ACD) theory. We compare these ideas to the way educators at each of Kegan's meaning-making levels might plan, implement, and assess digitally enhanced teaching activities. Using Drago-Severson's interpretation of Kegan's concepts, the authors propose that behaviors of…

Today, young people are transitioning to adulthood later in life than they were in the 1960s and 70s. Why has this change occurred and what does it mean for young adults, their families, and the larger society? This article discusses the transition to adulthood from an historical perspective. It then explores the challenges of this later…

Although higher education understands the need to develop critical thinkers, it has not lived up to the task consistently. Students are graduating deficient in these skills, unprepared to think critically once in the workforce. Limited development of cognitive processing skills leads to less effective leaders. Various definitions of critical…

A common outcome of entering post-compulsory education as a mature aged learner appears to be development and growth of the self. However, this is often only viewed as an outcome or considered an added benefit, rather than an integral part of the academic process itself. This paper explores the relationship between academic growth and personal…

How do ABE/ESOL (Adult Basic Education/English for Speakers of Other Languages) programs shape adult learners, and how do adult learners, in turn, shape their programs? Beyond the acquisition of important skills (such as greater fluency in the English language) what are the bigger internal meanings for adults of participating in ABE/ESOL…