Five institutions under one governing board have begun a degree program that is more responsive to the needs of the mature adult. Work remains to be accomplished in work competency assessment, but there is a growing commitment to the program, because it serves people not previously served--effectively. (Author)

Reflecting upon three conferences questioning the role of the private liberal arts college in educating the adult student, the author reviews the development of higher education, obstacles to be overcome, and the program needs of the experienced learner. (MW)

This report presents national statistics on trends of participation in adult education. The source of the data is the Survey of Adult Education that was conducted triennially between 1969 and 1984 by the Census Bureau for the Center for Education Statistics. Overall trends are portrayed through the use of graphs. Data are presented in these areas:…

Distance higher education for adults, media selection, and country profiles are considered in conference papers. Titles and authors are as follows: "Distance Education, Trends Worldwide" (Lord Perry of Walton); "Adults in Higher Education: Lowering the Barriers by Teaching and Learning at a Distance" (Hans G. Schutze);…

College attendance by Italian and American women over age 30 is compared, and attention is directed to whether mature Italian and U.S. women who continue their education do so for similar reasons and whether they experience similar problems. The analysis is based on two studies of women over 30 in post-compulsory degree programs: (1) a study on…

The relationship of learning style and teaching style to student academic achievement was studied with nontraditional health professional students in credit-seeking educational efforts. Participants were 256 adult students in undergraduate and graduate health professional majors of allied health education, allied health research, and health…

The focus of a study was to determine the role of continuing education students in the selection process for instructors. A 65.8 percent response rate from administrative heads at 38 Canadian universities was achieved on a mailed questionnaire. Study results indicated that continuing education students have little impact on the process of…

Interactions between learning styles, gender, and life cycle stages of graduate students were investigated. Six learning styles were identified through use of the Grasha-Riechmann Student Learning Styles Scales: avoidant, collaborative, dependent, competitive, independent, and participant. Life cycle stages were based on Levinson's theory of the…

Ways that technology is being integrated into the instructional and administrative operation of U.S. colleges are considered, along with the application of one of the technologies, microwave, to adult learning opportunities. Changing demographics relating to adult learners over the next 10 to 15 years are identified. Eight projects applying…

During fall 1986, the Older Adult Services (OAS) program at De Anza Community College (California) administered a needs assessment survey to a representative number of students registered in OAS classes. The study sought to determine the mean age, educational and occupational background of the population served; and to determine students'…

The quality and quantity of assessment programs used at the Career Planning and Placement Department of Virginia Commonwealth University were improved, especially as such programs relate to two special needs groups. The two groups were freshmen in the humanities and sciences who lack clear vocational identity and adults who need to understand…

A study of the expectations and attitudes of adult foreign students toward their instruction in English as a second language, the classroom environment, and the extent to which the instruction was meeting their language skill development priorities also examined the teachers' perceptions of their own teaching styles and the instructional milieu…

There is a need for instructional models in English as a second language (ESL) and adult basic education (ABE). However, before adequate models can be built, a unifying theory of learning for this unique instructional category must be advanced. Existing learning theories, particularly for adult learners, are helpful but need to be refined to fit…

In March 1988, the Institute for Literacy Studies at Lehman College, New York, initiated a short-term, participatory research project in alternative assessment. It consisted of two major components--a five-session seminar held for two hours on Wednesday afternoons in May and June and two rounds of interviews with Adult Learning Center (ALC)…