A study was done of adult students at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in 1991 to gather information on the characteristics of this population. A survey instrument defined the non-traditional student or adult learner as any student over the age of 24 attending MTSU. A total of 1,200 surveys were sent to full-time students, and 300…

A survey method was developed and used to determine interest in new course topics at the Learning Institute for Elders (LIFE) at the University of Central Florida. In the absence of a known validated method for course concept testing, this approach was modeled after the "message pretesting," or formative, research used and validated in…

The effects of the graduate experience on the intra- and inter-family relationships among married doctoral student couples were studied. Full-time students 35 years old or less enrolled at Ohio State University in 1982 and their nonenrolled spouses made up the sample. The ways that these students coped with the dual student-spouse role and made…

The dichotomy of language acquisition versus language learning is critically examined by comparing the concepts presented in Krashen's Monitor Model and Stevick's Levertov Machine to information from the field of neurophysiology regarding the brain's processes. It is proposed that support exists for the theory that two very different processes…

Britain's Associated Examining Board for the General Certificate of Education believes that an examination taken by adults should provide room for the use of experience. The article provides two examples of the Board's courses illustrating that policy: "Living Decisions" (based on a BBC series) and "English Language for Mature…

This article examines the evidence and arguments for and against the position that young children are better equipped to profit from foreign language studies than adults, with special reference to FLES programs. Adult and child learning patterns are compared, along with the formal and informal contexts of language acquisition. (CLK)

In the Nordic countries, schooling for adults is a pastime, a passion, and a source of national strength. (Editor)

Students in institutions of higher education are, in effect, consumer of a high priced product. University continuing education is in a unique position to operationalize a warranty system with the Continuing Education Unit, which gives the student some assurance that his alma mater will continue to be concerned about him. (Author)

A system for teaching foreign languages to adults is described. The course material is divided into categories based on the language needs of the students, and credits are given for each completed category. (Text is in French.) (PMP)

Explains how to simulate dinner at a foreign restaurant to aid language learning in adult education classes. (CK)

A comprehensive profile of the Division of Continuing Education (DCE) undergraduate students enrolled in credit courses at Massachusetts public colleges and universities is presented. Information is included in the categories of: overall profile of DCE students; profile of university DCE students; profile of state college DCE students; profile of…

Many community college student activities and programs focus on programming for the traditional college-aged student. However, appropriate support and meaningful extra-curricular activities are also needed for the ever-increasing number of adult students. Specially designed activities for adult students can be very helpful in: (1) integrating the…