Adult learners, and women in particular, have to combat a number of specific barriers to participate in lifelong learning opportunities. Frequently, delivery modes of adult learning programmes do not take these varying demands into consideration (McCulloch & Stokes, 2008). However, when they do, positive results ensue. This case study…

A part-time degree programme has been run at the Liverpool John Moores University, formerly Liverpool Polytechnic, for some 20 years without any systematic attempt to evaluate its effects on students. An evaluation was begun by focusing on graduates of the programme who entered between 1992 and 1994 and continued with recent part-time students.…

A study examined the characteristics, experiences, and performance of undergraduates enrolled in part-time degree programs at polytechnics and colleges in Great Britain. Data were collected from questionnaires completed by 2,876 (of 4,227 contacted) part-time undergraduates enrolled in 66 courses in 1985. The median age of the respondents was 30,…

Twenty-one women who were full- or part-time returning students of higher education in England, most at the Dorset Institute, were interviewed about their secondary schooling, age of leaving school, reason for disappointing examination results, career guidance given at school, parental influence, career aspirations, first job after leaving school,…

The enrollment pattern at Canadian universities during the period 1962-1963 through 1974-1975 was studied for eight fields of study and 60 to 70 disciplines. Undergraduate, master's, and doctoral enrollment for both full- and part-time students during this period was examined. During this twelve-year period, the total full-time undergraduate…

This article explores the pattern of formal study activities over a period of 11 years for a group of adult learners. It is based on a two-phase study of students who enrolled in 1999 on courses run by the Faculty of Continuing Education at Birkbeck, University of London. Taking a longitudinal perspective, conducted retrospectively for 1994-1999,…

Part-time first degree courses have grown rapidly in Britain in the last decade, but little research has been done on this growth and on the part-time students themselves. Reasons for this growth, difficulties for continued growth, and characteristics of a sample of part-time business students are examined. (IS)

This report contains short descriptions of about 200 selected distance education institutions throughout the world. Most of the descriptions are based on questionnaires completed by members of the institutions as well as on corrections of and comments on a preliminary version of the descriptions. Descriptions contain some or all of the following…

Theories on adult development and learning and some of the Ontario universities' programs and services for the adult learner are examined, and Athabasca University, Alberta's answer to the British Open University, is described. Peter O'Donnell discusses adult learners' needs and explains how Athabasca University serves this specific type of…

This document contains 13 papers on the policies, politics, and future of lifelong learning in the United Kingdom (UK) and Europe. The following papers are included: "An International and Historical Context for Recent Policy Approaches to Lifelong Learning in the UK" (Ann Hodgson); "The Vocational Training Policy of the European…

Of those 16-year-olds who stay on in full-time education, almost half choose to do so in further (adult) education. Although the percentage of students enrolled in general education programs has fallen off slightly since 1980, this group still forms the largest single group of 16-to-19-year-old students in the United Kingdom. Of all of the areas…

This book, which is intended for academics, educators, educational managers, and policymakers concerned with higher education, examines how universities and colleges can prepare their students for lifelong learning through continuing education, specialized courses for adults, and mainstream teaching programs geared toward traditional students. The…