This overview of the adult degree movement since World War II focuses on factors of creation before 1970, the adult degree revolution of the 1970s, the post-baby boomer enrollments in the 1980s, and globalization and technology-based distance learning in the 1990s.

This chapter serves as a review of the nature of transitions confronting adult learners and points to applications and strategies for anticipating coming changes.

This study explores the meanings that learners of English as a foreign language give to teachers' gestures. It is a qualitative, descriptive study of the perceived functions that gestures perform in the EFL classroom, viewed mainly from the language learners' perspective. The data for the study was collected through interviews with twenty-two…

Longitudinal research, conducted between 1999 and 2002, tracked the academic progress of a small sample of mature students entering the University of Tasmania, Australia, from a disadvantaged region of Tasmania to pursue degrees in accounting and education. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to examine the impact of alternative…

As people are living longer and enjoying better quality of life, there has been a corresponding increase in interest in recreational music-making by adults. This study examined the demographics and motivations of students enrolled in the Community Piano Experience hosted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Music. Twenty-six…

Integrating technology into the classroom and using the Internet for learning are now the norm in community colleges. Instructors are busy developing online resources and using them either in conjunction with traditional classes or in online courses. While this implementation surges ahead, how can teachers learn to use the online environment for…

This paper reports the effects of communication strategy instruction on second language performance (communicative success, speech rate, message abandonment) and on the use of communication strategies (paraphrase). Two classes of adult immigrants, enrolled in a full-time intermediate proficiency ESL program at a post-secondary institution in…

Learning is a natural process shared by its members in most social and educational institutions, and is seen as both the primary vehicle and foundation for the building and achievement of one's career and/or personal goals. This research offers critical insight into the dimensions of cohort based learning communities and the implications it…

The purpose of this study was to investigate how Canadian adult students collaboratively learn with peers in both formal and non-formal adult literacy programs. A multisite case study research design was used involving several local literacy organizations. Data collection occurred over a four-month period and focused on nine different program…

This article provides guidance for meeting the educational needs of "learners on the periphery"--those learners who traditionally have been disenfranchised by formal education because of the structure and nature of face-to-face courses but who now may be returning to higher education due to the promises of the online classroom. The guidance comes…

More and more, adult learners are finding the convenience and flexibility of online learning a match for their learning goals and busy lifestyles. Online degree programs, courses, and virtual universities targeting adult learners have proliferated in the past decade. Although students can easily locate an online course or degree program that's…

This paper, based on a questionnaire and interview study of 118 married and single mothers who had interrupted their studies at one of three New South Wales universities, explores the question of what factors prevent successful completion of study. A cluster analysis was performed on the responses to an item that listed 21 reasons for dropout. A…

A study investigated the effects of eight sessions of classroom instruction on the ability of adult learners of English as a Second Language (ESL) to produce Wh- questions orally. Preliminary assessment of the students' writing samples enabled classification of two groups: "proficient" (n=6), consistently able to produce written samples…

A research project assessed the effect of Open College Network (OCN) accreditation on learner motivation and progression. It reviewed the effectiveness of OCNs in reaching the learners they seek to target--those who have benefited least from existing initial and continuing education. A postal survey was conducted of all learners registered with…

Issues related to the use of technology in literacy programs, such as how decision makers can sort through the claims made by hardware and software vendors and how scarce resources can be found to purchase technology, are the focus of this report. The paper also provides a framework for incorporating technology into the curriculum. It gives a…