This qualitative study of students in mid- and later-life (MLL; age 40 and older) sought to address the role faculty play in facilitating student success and how institutions support faculty, especially adjunct faculty. Adjunct faculty teach a majority of classes at community colleges but are not provided the same professional development…

This qualitative study is designed to illuminate the factors that drive motivation and academic confidence in adult learners and how these factors influence their desire to persist in Adult Basic Education programs. Specifically, it interrogates the classroom environment and identifies teacher behaviors and other elements that may influence…

Over the past 40 years, colleges and universities have seen an increase in groups of traditionally marginalized people as students. Groups such as mature adult learners, African Americans/Blacks, and female students have closed the disparity gap but continue to fall behind their White, male, and female counterparts in terms of degree success. The…

Each year, nearly 17,000 community college students participate in Tennessee Reconnect (TNR), which allows adults to attend eligible colleges free of tuition and mandatory fees. However, many adult students face obstacles to persistence. In 2019, fewer than half of Reconnect students persisted as Reconnect students the following year. This paper…

This study examined the perceptions of satisfaction, engagement, comfort, and confidence level with Web 2.0 technologies as learning strategies in online courses, as well as differences based on gender, age, race, income, and a correlation among these factors and digital skills. The researcher survey design was used for this study, and was sent to…

The global economy has evolved in recent decades, resulting in increased demand for credentialed, skilled workers in a variety of industries. To meet this need, the U.S. higher education industry continues its pursuit of producing qualified graduates. Colleges and universities historically focused on serving traditional-aged students,…

Discourse markers (DMs) as linguistic devices have a significant role in the coherence of conversation--a speakers' fluency. With the growing use of English worldwide, it is of great importance to focus on DMs as an essential part of communication which provides discourse coherence. This study was conducted to develop a description of spoken…

Twenty adult ESL students at a community college participated in a semester reading intervention. Participants received a modified extensive reading treatment, and some participants received an additional repeated reading direct instruction reading intervention. The author examined the impact of the reading interventions on ESL students' reading…

Adult postsecondary transition programs can be found within larger cities; however, school districts in rural communities have their own challenges due to limited resources. With transition programming, do families in the community understand and utilize the services, activities, and programs offered by outside agencies? The purpose of this…

Little research has been conducted to examine the participation and persistence of adult basic education students in northern and rural Canada. This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was conducted with adult learners to address this research deficit. The study consisted of questionnaire and interview phases. Using thematic analysis, five…

Purpose: This article reports on a critical race theory (CRT) analysis of the perspectives of providers of employer-supported educational opportunities and adult learners, who identified as Black, indigenous or as a person of color, and were employed in service industries. Design/methodology/approach: A review of the literature was used to shape…

NC Reconnect's goal is to ensure adult learners across North Carolina have maximum opportunity to pursue training at one of the state's 58 community colleges. NC Reconnect consists of two outreach components, re-engage adult students who previously earned some college credit but left without a credential, and deliver targeted communication to…

This brief examines enrollment patterns, demographics, education patterns, and financial aid use for Minnesota undergraduate students who are adult learners. The analysis also explores the changes in those patterns and characteristics as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. For purposes of this brief, the differing characteristics of two important…

In the 21st century economic landscape, many argue the importance of a college degree, as entry into many occupations now requires advanced credentials. Pursuing a college degree costs time and money, often presenting barriers to those pursuing the dream. Prior learning assessment (PLA) offers a solution to spend less time and money earning a…

This article is a reflection on the National Further Education and Training (FET) Learner Forum (NFLF). It uses the NFLF as an example of learner voice in practice, retracing the history of the NFLF as a means of reflecting on some of the benefits and challenges of bringing learner voice into public policy. The article outlines educational debates…