Retaining students through degree completion is a challenge for community colleges, with nontraditional, adult students being retained at a lower rate than their traditional counterparts. Though student engagement is recognized as an effective strategy for retaining students, there is a gap in research on how effective these strategies are for…

Technological advances and changes to America's workforce have created a need for adult workers to upskill their abilities. Many of these adults address this need by pursuing a college degree. While adult learners tend to excel in their coursework their graduation rates lag behind those of traditional undergraduates. Credit for prior learning or…

The increased enrollment of adult learners in colleges and universities that offer online programs has provoked a need for skilled online adjunct faculty. Administrators at online universities in the Mideastern region of the United States have sought to better understand the relationship between formal evaluations and teaching practices of the…

The learning conceptions and priorities of adult learners in higher education institutions (HEIs) are essential to explicating the meaning adults make to teaching and learning processes as well as their knowledge and skills development. Through knowledge formulation, comprehension and reflection of what they learn, adult learners develop a mental…

Research has shown the importance of goal orientation in predicting academic performance for children, adolescents, and college students in traditional educational settings. Studies on this relationship within adult distance education, however, are lacking. To fill this gap, the present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between…

This paper presents a critical account of the extent and the ways in which learner-centred education approaches are used as a tool for enhancing adult learning in distance learning universities as well as the conditions and restrictions they face. The exploration is illustrated by qualitative data from interviews with eight adult educators and 16…

The adult learner has experienced a massive change in learning options. From a traditional face-to-face classroom with the professor imparting knowledge to a mobile digital learning venue that encourages self-direction and transformative learning, the student is the focus and the professor becomes the facilitator. Adult learners seek out learning…

The purpose of this paper is to explore attitudes towards learning and perceptions of the learning environment. Our theoretical examination is based on the social-cognitive theory of motivation and research that emphasizes the connections between an individual's perceptions of the learning environment and his/her motivation, interest, attitudes…

Evidence suggests that many adult learners have not developed the competencies needed to fully function effectively in today's society. Questions remain, however, on the levels of influence exerted on self-direction and motivation among this population. The purpose of this correlational study using a multiple measurements assessment approach was…

More nontraditional, adult learners are entering higher education than ever before due to the continued growth in technology and current economic conditions that encourage adults to acquire additional skills for the workplace. The pressure for these students to do well in school and finish quickly can lead to increased anxiety associated with the…

Adult students are now enrolling into colleges and universities in large numbers. Their life responsibilities and time away from school create challenges for academic success. A portion of these learners are also non-native English speakers who face compounded difficulties. One of the skill areas that these students need to cultivate is academic…

According to the increasing rates of unemployment and poverty a significant share of the European population can be considered at-risk-of-social exclusion. In order to combat social exclusion adult education seemed to be a possible tool, which can increase social inclusion among adult learners. This study explores factors relating to training…

This qualitative study was undertaken in order to gain an understanding of the lived experiences of adult students and how they made meaning of their journey. To that end, through in-depth interviews with twenty participants, the study inquired into the journeys to an associate's degree of adult students who were also active duty military service…

This essay offers a commentary on how the relationship between language and literacy practices in and out of school has been conceptualized. It draws upon two new books in the field. Shirley Brice Heath's new book, "Words at Work and Play: Three Decades in Family and Community Life," which makes use of rich ethnographic accounts of…

Globalization and technology advancement are creating more biculturalism at workplaces and learning settings. However, little is known about acculturation experience and its influence on a person's cultural values and learning preference. The research reported in this study investigates the impact of acculturation experiences upon the relationship…