This annual newsletter summarizes the work of the Post-secondary Student Mobility (PSM) Subcommittee of the Student Transitions Project (STP) . In an effort to better understand student mobility in the B.C. public post-secondary system, the Student Transitions Project continues to describe and quantify the numerous education pathways of students…

This report provides new and unique empirical evidence on postsecondary education pathways in Atlantic Canada based on the data from the Postsecondary Student Information System (PSIS). This study covers postsecondary students in public institutions at all levels of study--college, bachelor's, master's, Ph.D. and first professional degrees--with…

A study examined the barriers encountered by returning adult students and the potential change of those barriers over time. The 43 students constituting the survey population were enrolled in the graduate programs of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Students had to be…

Women who had been out of the educational system for some time and who had returned to a variety of college situations were interviewed in depth regarding their reasons for returning and the degree to which the colleges were meeting their needs as returning students. From the interview data, discussions with women's reentry program staff, and a…

A study of preservice MPA (Masters of Public Administration) students is explored. An analytical framework summarizing the preservice/mid-careerist interaction process is offered to provide a preliminary mapping of the MPA educational experience. The study concludes by delineating the implications of the findings for MPA instructional and program…

Descriptive data about mature, full-time students enrolled in three postsecondary nonuniversity institutes in Saskatchewan, Canada, were gathered. Information was sought about the personal characteristics of these students, about the decision making process they followed when deciding to return to school, and about the difficulties and benefits…

A sample of 42 post-secondary, educational re-entry women completed questionnaires focusing on background status, role dynamics, and satisfaction with their re-entry experience. Results showed no differences between students in a vocational program and those in a traditional, academic program. Role-dynamic variables--but not background-status…

The report summarizes data on the postsecondary educational experiences of 1980 high school graduates based on three major longitudinal data sets: the National Longitudinal Survey of the 1972 high school class; the High School and Beyond study of 1980 high school seniors; and the High School and Beyond study of 1980 high school sophomores.…

Besides having to cope with the usual pressures associated with the transition to adulthood, dropouts must deal with the stigma attached to the fact that they are school dropouts. Research reveals that, for a variety of socioeconomic and psychological reasons, dropouts are generally less able to plan, less willing to work hard, and less skilled in…

Detailed tabulations are presented on the topic of school enrollment, including the social and economic characteristics of students. Special topics discussed include racial differences in preprimary enrollments, an estimate of high school dropout rates, changes in the sex composition of college students, and the proportions of students who are…

A study examined the academic skills, study habits, and attitudes of returning adult students and compared them to those of younger, traditional-aged students at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. To gather data for the study, researchers asked 432 students aged 25 and older and 500 traditional-aged students to complete the following four…

The question of where "women returners" to education are returning from was examined through an exploration of the life histories of 18 women in southern England. The study focused on the biographies of women who regarded themselves as primarily responsible for the care of others and yet whose aspirations involved some form of continuing…

This document summarizes National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) data on the topic of lifelong learning, which is defined broadly as "all types of learning activities in which adults engage" and which includes both "traditional" and "nontraditional" (returning) postsecondary students. All 11 NCES data sets…

In the early 1990s, Australian policymakers began explicitly promoting increased use of flexible delivery in vocational education and training (VET). Some researchers argued that many students lack the learning skills required to deal with the unique demands of flexible delivery. Concerns were also raised about the VET sector's capacity to help…

The following papers are included: "Schoolhouse in the Factory: The Phenomenology of Literacy" (Berlin); "The Self-Directed Learning Projects of Employed, Married Mothers" (Boyce); "The Forever Plan: Adult Men Who Continue in Postsecondary Education Compared with Those Who Drop Out" (Brown); "Burnout and Associated Factors among…