The purpose of this study is to understand the ways in which meditation practice can be used as an online pedagogical method based on adult learners' experiences with various forms of meditation practices. To arrive at this purpose, the researcher found it necessary to gather data about frequency of use, preferences, and related transformative…

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) programs are unique to the institution and the students they serve. While a variety of best practices persist, the need for academically rigorous and credible programs is ever-present as institutions evolve to keep up with the growing needs of adult learners today. This article provides a case study overview of…

This article focuses on a case study of adult learners in Accra Learning Center (ALC) to explore limiting factors to learning in higher education institutions (HEIs) using distance education (DE) mode in Ghana. Educated adults possess experiences that help them take up leadership roles and transform communities. However, limiting factors including…

The present study explores the formation and benefits of communal cohorts within an EdD program. Data were gathered through focus groups and surveys. Findings include the roles of participants, activities, and shared spaces in developing communal cohorts, and the importance of the communal nature of cohorts in realizing their benefits.

As a concept for preparing and promoting adult student success in an undergraduate, Interdisciplinary Studies degree program with an online senior capstone, this article analyzes how the senior capstone serves as the penultimate component in the students' degree completion. To capitalize on student success, academic advisors and faculty members…

This study examined nontraditional students using linguistic inquiry and word count (LIWC) of their reflective writing assignments. Participants included 364 adult students enrolled in a degree completion program. Data comprised a multiweek reflective writing assignment and demographic data, linguistically and statistically analyzed. The study…

This article explores the allusion possibilities for distance education career pathways and the well-known hierarchy of needs--a theory first introduced by American psychologist Abraham Maslow. A grounding concept learned by all Psychology 101 students in high school or college, Maslow's theory can provide a similar base for understanding,…

Who are adult undergraduates? How do we define this specialized clientele for program designs, support services, and research? Given changing profiles of young collegiate adults as part-time, worker, parent, and e-learning students, how do we differentiate these younger adults from our older adult undergraduates for our services and advocacy?…

Throughout continuing education focusing on the adult learner, standardized and sometimes even effective measures of instructor performance have remained elusive. As Smith (2012) stated, "Teaching practice cannot be measured according to lists of competencies or techniques, it cannot be safeguarded by a collection of prescriptions for good…

Many students return to graduate programs as experts in their prior fields. "Returners," as they are commonly termed, have undergraduate degrees and have worked five or more years before returning for a graduate degree. While there is a significant body of literature on graduate students in general, there is less research on students…

Andragogy provides a framework for how adults learn, and contemporary researchers have explored its validity and usefulness in varied contexts. This article joins the discussion by examining andragogy in an as-yet-unstudied setting--an outdoor science education event (HJA Day). In this mixed-methods study, we examine how andragogy applies to HJA…

Online education continues to grow, and the application of theory to practice becomes increasingly important as practitioners examine the impact technology has on e-classroom interaction. Adult students, in particular, look for interaction that is collaborative and student-centered. A common area for dialogue within the online classroom is the…

Historically, distance education was designed to connect with people for whom educational experience was otherwise unavailable. While origins of distance education date back to the 19th century, it was around the mid- 1980s that it became well-established in the United States ( Matthews, 1999). Reports note continually steady growth in distance…

Prior learning assessment (PLA) is the process whereby a student's outside-of-the-classroom learning is evaluated for college-level credit. PLA has been gaining momentum across the United States as part of the efforts to improve institutional completion rates for adult learners. In the present article, we provide an overview of the PLA portfolio…

The history of Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) can be traced back to World War II when the American Council on Education (ACE) began conducting credit evaluations of military training. However, it wasn't until the 1970s with the inception of adult-serving colleges such as Charter Oak State College (COSC) and others, the altering of ACE to expand…