Fewer than half of working-age adults hold a credential beyond a high school diploma. As the economy increasingly moves from an industrial base to a knowledge base, this population will need access to high-quality degree programs in relevant fields. Fortunately, online learning has made this achievable. The challenge of serving this population…

More than a third of all undergraduate students are 25 or older, and their presence on college and university campuses is growing. However, institutions of higher learning are struggling to meet the needs of, and improve persistence and completion rates for, this significant student population. "Increasing Adult Learner Persistence and…

Given the increased educational benefits of the Post 9/11 G. I. Bill for veterans, and as the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down and the troops come home, the number of military veterans entering colleges and universities is expected to increase. As non-traditional students with significant life experience, often including combat,…

Adult students are more anxious about writing for school, less familiar with academic conventions, and more likely to drop out than younger students. For students learning to move between personal, work, and academic discourse communities, the ongoing and explicit writing instruction argued for in the research of Sternglass, Herrington and Curtis,…

This study examined the strategies employed by program administrators in historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU), as they negotiate sociopolitical interests in developing continuing higher education programs. Using a qualitative research design, the analysis was guided by the Cervero and Wilson adult and continuing education program…

The Learning Together longitudinal study focuses on four counties' efforts to expand bachelor's degree opportunities in early care and education (ECE) for adults currently working in the field. The "student cohort" model--in which small groups of ECE students with similar interests and characteristics pursue a bachelor's degree together,…

The "Learning Together" longitudinal study focuses on four counties' efforts to expand bachelor's degree opportunities in early care and education (ECE) for adults currently working in the field. The "student cohort model"--in which small groups of ECE students with similar interests and characteristics pursue a bachelor's…

Interest in expanding access to higher education has been driven by concerns about ethnic and linguistic stratification within the early childhood workforce, and building a pipeline for diversifying the early care and education (ECE) field's leadership. "Cohort" B.A. completion programs, which target small groups of adults working in ECE…

This article presents an interview with Chere Campbell Gibson, a professor emerita in the School of Human Ecology and graduate program in Continuing and Vocational Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Gibson shares her years of experience in distance education, discusses her book titled "Distance Learners in Higher Education:…

The decision to open a University College at Creighton University is discussed. A Task Force on Nontraditional Students was set up to review the possibility of establishing a continuing education program. A list of 18 issues and questions for discussion is provided. (MLW)

The academic and support service needs of adult community college students are diverse, ranging from General Educational Development completers to people preparing for advanced degrees. Administrative and instructional strategies should consider modifications to accommodate differing learning styles, performance levels, goals, and cultural…

Humanities programs that involve citizens in discovering the relevance of the humanities to contemporary American experience are supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities through its state affiliates. State humanities agencies, catalysts in program design and delivery, and some programs are described. (Author/MLW)

Museums and art galleries have potential for exciting learning programs for adult students. Courses must be consciously constructed to meet adult learners' expectations for personal growth, and detailed planning is required for complex logistical details of courses offered locally or abroad. However, good programs will have a growing audience.…

This report reflects the first year of a multiyear effort to examine B.A. completion cohort programs in early care and education in four California counties. The six programs under investigation were developed with similar goals: (1) To increase and retain a pool of B.A.-level professionals in the ECE field with culturally, linguistically, and…

Midlife developmental concerns of returning women students included a focus on the future, the experience of a culminating event, and a mentor relationship. Needs assessment and other programs should reflect these concerns. (Author/JAC)