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…

Developing online learning communities is a promising pedagogical approach in online learning contexts for adult tertiary learners, but it is no easy task. Understanding how learning communities are formed and evaluating their efficacy in supporting learning involves a complex set of issues that have a bearing on the design and facilitation of…

A February 1973 report of the Joint Committee on the Master Plan for Higher Education (California) is the source of this study of adult learning needs. (Editor)

States that the typical nursing student is older than before and that nursing education programs must develop educational alternatives that address student needs and learning styles. Discusses strategies used by some private providers of nursing education in dealing with adult students. Proposes the formation of a Center for Alternative Nursing…

This paper examines a comprehensive approach to training for child care practitioners and presents a framework for developing staff training. It considers each of the four elements essential to building training experiences: adult developmental change, growth in professional competence, characteristics of adult learning, and training options. Each…

The manual outlines some suggestions to assist the teacher-coordinator in organizing and administering adult distributive education programs. Suggestions are offered for determining community needs; instructing the adult learner; selecting instructors; promoting the program; evaluating the program; and designing, implementing, and evaluating…

Recent trends in institutional accommodation of adult students in postsecondary education are discussed, and five key issues are identified: integration, transition, developmental research, leadership and faculty redirection, and fair pricing of programs. It is argued that a commitment to serving learners of all ages gives institutions a new sense…

Rural Ministry Resources (RMR) was started in the early 1970s by the Rev. King Rockhill in order to meet the needs of ministers from various denominations who served rural communities in the Pacific Northwest. Executives from subscribing denominations and local parishes established a formal, representative board of directors to set policy and…

Each year one week is designated by the Governor of New York as Adult Learning Week because of the growing importance of adult education to society and the economy of New York State. The major purpose of Adult Learning Week is to promote greater public awareness of the availability and variety of learning opportunities for adults. In practical…

Cooperative planning, based upon a decade of reentry programs for adults, culminated in the establishment of a public service known as the Adult Resource Center at the University of Akron (Ohio). Located in a renovated building between the campus and the downtown community, the Adult Resource Center serves as a liaison with social service…

An 18-month study examined the way adults learn in rural settings, particularly those adults over the age of 25 who have not completed a high school education or its equivalency. The study was organized into three major phases. The first phase consisted of a survey interview of 93 adults living in a rural county in Vermont. The second phase…

This is the third of a series of three reports geared to educator training and which encompass alternative approaches to collaboration and expert input, as well as a range of diverse topics related to adult learning. This particular document begins with a forecast of what might occur over the next twenty years in adult learning. The remaining five…

This guide, which is intended for information and communication technology (ICT) tutors and tutor managers in Great Britain's further education sector, explains how to create effective ICT learning programs for adults. The guide emphasizes developing students' confidence and providing them with a sound foundation for further study. The following…

This guide highlights the many forces driving professionals to seek continuing education: rapidly changing information; new technological developments; mandated credit to maintain licenses and professional certification; emerging professions struggling to define their competencies; and development changes in adults that affect career practices. In…

Issues in distance education at the tertiary level in Australia are addressed in three papers. The need to provide mature students with information before course attendance is discussed by Edward R. Reid-Smith in "Why Educational Advisory Services for Mature Students?" During 1982-1984, new external students at Riverina College of…