This dissertation explored the effect of two planning conditions (the multiple planning condition with rehearsal and online planning time, and the single planning condition with online planning time only) on L2 production complexity and accuracy and the subsequent development of these two linguistic areas in the context of written synchronous…

This qualitative study was designed to investigate the challenges encountered and support systems needed by digital immigrants enrolled in an online master's degree program. Participants were digital immigrants who were born before 1980 and enrolled or recently graduated from an online master's degree program. Survey data and demographic data were…

Digital games have the potential to create active and engaging environments for learning, supporting problem-solving, communication and group activities, as well as providing a forum for practice and learning through failure. The use of game techniques such as gradually increasing levels of difficulty and contextual feedback support learning, and…

Eastern University has moved from a distributed model to a centralized model for administration of its adult degree programs. This move involved numerous factors and motivations but one central component in the ultimate success of that move was a significant change in the role of faculty assigned to the program. Once regarded as rather ancillary…

Purpose: As two doctoral students and adult learners, the authors strongly believe that story telling can be a great tool for educators working with adult learners. The purpose of this paper is to increase awareness of how effective storytelling can be for adult learners. Design/methodology/approach: The approach of this paper is one of gathering…

This article presents an interview with Robert Mendenhall, president of Western Governors University, who is the 2012 recipient of the Virginia B. Smith (VBS) Innovative Leadership Award. The annual award recognizes his leadership in redesigning higher education delivery for adult students. In the interview, Robert Mendenhall talks about his work…

This study investigates the effect of timed reading (TR) and repeated oral reading (RR) on 35 adult students of English as a foreign language. Students in the TR (n =18) and RR (n =17) groups read 52 and 26 passages respectively over a 13-week period. Reading rates and comprehension levels were measured at three occasions: pre-intervention,…

When adult ESL (English as a Second Language) learners enter our classrooms with little or no first language literacy, their instructors teach them to read for the first time in an unfamiliar language. It is a tremendous task, and the context for teaching "adult emergent readers" is complex. This complexity is coupled with a growing, but still…

The article presents results of the empirical research revealing readiness of adults to participate in the lifelong learning process using e-learning, m-learning and t-learning technologies. The research has been carried out in the framework of the international project eBig3 aiming at development a new distance learning platform blending virtual…

This study examined the differences between persistent and dropout students enrolled in an online course with five factors: support from family and work, academic locus of control, academic self-efficacy, time and environment management skills, and metacognitive self-regulation skills. Moreover, this study investigated the most significant factors…

Quality in distance higher education is one of the main concerns among institutions today. This study sought to explore students' experiences with quality tutorials in ZOU an open and distance education institution. The study employed the descriptive survey design and generated both quantitative and qualitative data using a questionnaire with both…

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 doctoral dissertation describes a study that explored needs and expectations for adult part-time graduate students enrolled in a career switcher alternative route teacher licensure program. The qualitative case study relied primarily on interview data and led to the development of the Facilitator-Blocker Theory for Career Switchers. The…

It's rare for policymakers to think of higher education pathways beyond their own experiences as traditional students. Many went to college directly after high school, stayed in dorms and graduated ready for careers. But the world today must depend upon learners (young and older) who may not be able to choose this path to career success. Today's…

In a previous study it has been suggested that there are six stages that adults move through before they feel ready to participate in higher education, and proposed a chain-of-response (COR) model to describe the process. In this study we examine the reported experiences of nine adult entrants during the second year of a work-related degree…