Professional identity formation, the process of transformation from lay person to doctor, is at the heart of medical education. Medical student cohorts can include students who enter medicine from a previous career, i.e. with developed professional identities and who are usually older and more mature. Students with previously developed…

This paper details a small-scale research project that explores the student transition into higher education (HE), delivered in a further education college (FE), and considers whether the requirements of transition at this level impacts on emotional wellbeing. As such, it aims to contribute to the growing body of research on HE-in-FE from the…

This paper examines the online learning experience as related to work-life balance from the student's perspective. Four open-ended discussion questions were asked of 302 students in sixteen graduate business courses, over a three-year period. Two hundred and ten students voluntarily responded with their observations and perceptions of their…

Second language teacher education (SLTE) has changed its focus from cognitive to sociocultural perspectives. By considering located SLTE and community learning, this qualitative study was conducted to explore how preservice teachers of English as a foreign language learned to teach in response to learning needs in a Vietnamese city. Data sources…

The origins and focuses of adult education across Western countries are often about meeting adults' needs, and for purposes they have nominated, not those compelled by others. Unlike other sectors (e.g. schools, vocational colleges and universities) that were mainly initiated and sustained by church or state, adult education has long been grounded…

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education convened the Integrated Education and Training (IET) Symposium on January 15, 2020, to obtain information about the progress with and challenges in implementing IET models in adult education programs. Forty-five representatives from adult education state offices,…

This article provides the perspective of the executive director of a national education association as he retires after 19 years as a national workforce development thought leader. He provides insights including the essential skills required for all learners and the unique opportunities for adult learners to help fill the skills gap as baby…

Technological advances and changes to America's workforce have created a need for adult workers to upskill their abilities. Many of these adults address this need by pursuing a college degree. While adult learners tend to excel in their coursework their graduation rates lag behind those of traditional undergraduates. Credit for prior learning or…

This study focused on adults who were previously remedial students while enrolled in a higher education institution. The goal was to understand the perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and beliefs of adults who were previously in remedial higher education courses. Students who have been deemed as not college-ready fell into a few categories such low…

Selecting repertoire that adult piano students find motivating and musically satisfying is more complex than simply finding pieces that are aurally pleasing. Drawing on theories of motivation, adult learning and transformative pedagogy, this practitioner-based study describes how the author learned to involve her students in the selection process,…

Student swirl is a complex enrollment pattern that includes multiple (three or more) transfers and interruptions in college enrollment, which lengthens time to degree. Higher education scholars and practitioners began noticing and writing about this increased mobility in the 1990's. This phenomenon continues to confound degree attainment,…

The purpose of this study was to show the impact of community college transition programs on adult learners and on adult learners transitioning to post-secondary institutions. The research has shown that there is a great need for transition programs because adult learners, specifically those who have entered English as a Second Language (ESL) and…

For many mature-aged students, there can be a considerable gap between finishing formal study and beginning university. They are often required to draw on qualifications and skills, including mathematics, which are dated, but necessary for success. Most universities offer several pathways that prospective students can take to enter university:…

This chapter will define and illustrate the sustainable cycle of Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) benefits for both employees and employers in the U.S. workforce. Employer and student benefits of PLA will be reviewed, and program completion outcomes will be examined.

The most influential element in any educational system is to develop high- quality learners to effectively participate in their community. The body of research ascertains that Experiential Learning (EL) develops the learners' transferrable skills such as communication, responsibility, and social skills. Therefore, there is a push in adult…