Describes a study of the learning projects completed by 41 adult male community college students. The 290 learning projects completed by the students were usually self-planned, active, viewed enthusiastically, and conducted for pragmatic motives. Differences in learning behaviors related to locus of control were examined. (DMM)

Reports results from a survey of 70 adults who had withdrawn from the Open Foundation Course, a matriculation course for adults at the University of Newcastle. Reasons for dropping the course included a change in circumstances, low motivation, and conflict of interest. Most respondents felt they had gained something from participating in the…

Examines internal and external factors which may influence women's decisions to return to school and which may affect their lives as students. Considers implications of the factors for the academic community. Personal and institutional barriers to a woman's reentry are discussed, and institutional responses to reentry women are suggested.…

Liberal education is as essential as continuing professional education, partly because the humanities and liberal arts are "adult matters." Institutions must (1) raise consciousness about its role, and (2) develop concrete ideas for using university resources effectively. (LB)

Investigated the role of life events and "relationship" morality in women's decisions to enroll in college. Interviews with 38 women, ages 25-46, indicated that the timing for women returning to college was determined by the state of their relationships and life events and not solely by motivation. (ABL)

In this study, Education Participation Scale data from 13,442 learners in Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States were combined and subjected to a cluster analysis designed to examine the extent to which Houle's typology fitted the phenomenological reality that exists within adult education participants. Results are described.…

Financial assistance for displaced homemakers should be available from a variety of traditional sources, but special funding is needed on both state and national levels. Characteristics of displaced homemakers, financial resources, provisions for assistance, and current financial aid programs are discussed. (MLW)

A study of relationship between teaching style (measured by Principles of Adult Learning Scale) and student achievement based on teacher assessment involved teachers and students in an adult basic education (ABE) program. Though teaching style and achievement are linked, approach in ABE and English as a second language settings differs from more…

Using Boshier's Education Participation Scale, this study analyzed reasons for participation in adult basic education programs. Patterns related to Levinson's life stages were examined. Recommended classroom strategies included small group instruction, mentoring, field experience, and community awareness programs. (SK)

This article focuses on the distinction between needs assessment and demand assessment and presents a methodology for operationalizing and measuring demands. Results are reported of a survey of a national sample of 32 university and college administrators to assess their need and demand for an adult student opinion package. (Author/LMO)

The author discusses three issues related to the understanding of needs assessment in adult education in a critique of Brackhaus's article. These issues are definition of need, measurement of need indicators, and inference of need based on available indicators. The author discusses these issues at length and includes examples. (CT)

Explored events triggering enrollment of adult students (N=1,343) in an undergraduate degree program. Lack of interest, work, and family responsibilities were cited as earlier barriers to degree completion, while changes in job and family responsibilities and encouragement from family were important triggering events to degree completion. (JAC)

Compared 21 older married couples with one spouse attending university classes to 33 control couples to examine the impact of university involvement on attitudes toward aging and marital relations. Results showed students valued intrinsic more than extrinsic incentives, had more positive attitudes toward aging, and felt minimal marital impact.…

Reports the results of a study indicating the anxiety of returning students is not as high as instructors think it is and that returning students experience a greater reduction in writing anxiety than do regular students in a freshman composition class. (AEA)

Compared the effectiveness of didactic and experiential group counseling techniques for improving the personal and vocational development of 45 Black freshmen evening students. Results showed no positive changes in any of the treatments. Possible contributing factors are discussed. (JAC)