This second edition of the ASHE Reader on Community Colleges addresses the need to examine community, junior, and technical colleges in the United States. It offers articles, book chapters, and papers that reflect the current research and thinking on two-year colleges. The reader is institutional in focus for the following reasons: two year…

This digest discusses adult students in community colleges, focusing on their learning expectations and needs. In 1997, nearly a third of community college students were age 30 or older. Adult students often have realistic, practical goals for their education and bring valuable life experience to the community college classroom. However, adults…

This skill packet presents strategies for training parents to be involved in their children's education. Section 1 focuses on understanding the relationship between positive self-esteem and academic achievement. Section 2 discusses the purpose of parent-teacher conferences and how to enhance communication. Section 3 focuses on research supporting…

This book explores the imperatives of a mass system of higher education through data drawn from a British study of access- and foundation-year students and their teachers. Chapter 1 introduces the book's purposes: to describe learning in postcompulsory education and reclamation of lifelong learning as a sociopolitical project in which universities…

The Model of College Outcomes for Adults explains why adults might do as well as traditional students, despite limited participation and involvement in traditional residential learning experiences. The model's six components are prior experience and personal biographies; psychosocial and value orientation; adult cognition; life-world environment;…

Following an Introduction by editor Gerald A. Straka that posits various definitions of self-directed learning and discusses the views of the various authors in the text, this book consists of nine papers addressing issues and conceptions of self-directed learning in Europe. The following are included: "Self-Directed Learning in Continuing…

Contains 12 summaries of papers presented at the 2nd International Conference on Higher Education at the University of Lancaster, England, September 1972, concerning continuing education. (PG)

A survey of Capilano College students by age group to determine any significant, substantive differences in student needs revealed that, despite several distinguishing characteristics in the below- and over-25 groups, younger and older students have a common set of needs. Older students have more needs and feel them more acutely. (Author/MSE)

Surveyed Virginia's colleges (N=23) to ascertain how financial resources, administrative support, and community interest might influence development of programs for older learners. Results indicated that general demand and administrative support were most positively related to growth while inadequate financial resources and cost to participants…

Compared the characteristics and needs of older college students (N=113) to traditional students (N=309) and described their counseling preferences. Survey results showed significant differences between the two groups, and stressed the need for evening counseling hours and phone contact for adult students. Career counselings was a concern of both…

A control group of students enrolled in a traditional program at Sinclair Community College was compared with an experimental group of College Without Walls (CWW) students. CWW students expressed significantly greater satisfaction with the accomplishment of numerous institutional goals than did their traditional student counterparts. (Author/MLW)

The perceptions of adult graduates (aged 25 or more at college entry) about the impact of their bachelor's degree, 3 to 5 years after graduation was studied. Results revealed that their two leading goals were to develop a new career and satisfaction of earning a degree. (Author/MLW)

The consortial approach to assessment of prior learning can reduce costs and increase the availability of service. CLEO (Compact for Lifelong Educational Opportunities), a consortium of 38 colleges and universities in the Delaware Valley region, is described. (Author/MLW)