Adults Return to the Classroom

The vast majority of employees seeking upward mobility within the workplace often pursue education as the most effective means of achieving these goals. (Kim and Baker, 2015). The adult student does not receive the same benefits as a traditional student on campus. The adult students apply for financial aid and qualify for student loans. The traditional students qualify for scholarships and grants. The adult student gave that the majority of adult learners are likely employed, their opportunity costs compared to those of a traditional student have substantially different aspects. (Kim and Baker, 2015). Adult learners’ educational pursuits are largely job-related, while conversely, traditional students’ jobs are not related to their field of study. (Kim and Baker,

The time involved in acquiring a degree plays heavily on how long an adult stays engaged. Multiple demands on an adult learner make it difficult to juggle everything and stay motivated. Jovita Ross-Gordon states that “courses, certificates & degrees should be designed to be completed in a time frame [which are] more responsive to adult learners lives “(Ross-Gordon). Utilizing courses designed to be completed in less time would be a motivating factor for adults to seek out degrees and finish

College has traditionally been a path that one follows right out of high school. Over the past few decades, there has been a spike in enrollment of older adult women returning to college. The article “Starting from Ground Zero:” Constraints and Experiences of Adult Women Returning to College discusses this trend and studies the experiences of women returning to college as adult students. Researchers found that these returning female students face unique challenges and require supports from society, families and academia. Each student walks their own path and overcomes the roadblocks that they face to achieve success.

Adult students are simply people over the age of 25, who have elected to return to port-secondary education. They differentiate from your typical students in the facts that adult students, all things considered, have increased life responsibilities and face unique challenges. This research project explores the negatives, the positives what adult students face when returning to post-secondary education, and certain solutions. I analyzed recent research that deals with adult education and I included those results along with the results from a study I conducted in 2016, part two of this paper explains in detail the research I preformed.

Older students often know what it means to make less than they're worth. Being laid off, or passed over for promotion, can be tremendously motivating. Sacrificing your needs for children or older parents can also clarify your own goals. When you are finally able to go after your own desires, you may find that all those experiences have built up reserves of strength and determination you never knew you had.”

“We have three cats. It's like having children, but there is no tuition involved” (Reagan, 2017). This might be the way to go for today’s millennials futures. College tuition has become a great financial burden over the course of a few years. After high school, students have many different career options such as: being apart of the workforce, joining the military, and of course. . . going to college. Many who choose the workforce and the military over college though is almost always for the same reason though. College is just too expensive. Living in too much debt could lead to lots of stress in life, and no one wants to stress about getting a higher education just to make it through life. Many students who do choose college over the workforce

The adult learners in our communities are increasingly living longer these days and taking on the after school care for the grand-children in the family (e.g. homework assignments via computers and social media). Not too long ago there are signs of non-traditional adult learners on college campuses seeking undergraduate degrees, filling some of the seats formerly occupied by the traditional, 18-22 year old students according to (Apps, 1981; Cross, 1981; Leckie, 1988). Cross (1981) noted that part-time students make up the greater part of this increase. In other words, the number of full-time adult learners are still quite small, particularly at four-year colleges and universities. While universities are noticing the presence of mature adults

For one reason or another, many older adults find themselves having to go back to school either to boost their chances of getting a better position, become competitive to land a new job or even enter a new career. When deciding to go back to school there are two clear choices; attend classes on a campus, or attend online classes. Raising a family, working full-time or other everyday commitments leaves precious little time for attending a traditional classroom. Adults, who need to boost their education, may find attending an online class more beneficial. While there is no face-to-face interaction with the professor or other students, an online class is less stressful for older returning adults because they do not have to agonize about their

First, adult learners, see education as leading to a deeper understanding of oneself and therefore as intrinsically valuable (Weathersby, 1981). They have a great desire to be treated equally and respected as students. Their expressionism of independence is translated as the adult learner makes choices in the design, functionality and progression of their college career.

This paper will explain the variety of programs designed for adult learners; henceforth, it will disclose the purposes of the programs and the contextual application of the programs. There will be a presentation analyzing how foundational knowledge of adult education is manifested in current practice for planning adult programs that will be support by relevant examples. This paper will also compare and contrast models of program planning for adults; therefore, it will include insight into the contextual application of program planning for adults.

I was born during the baby boomer era, and it is for this reason that I focus on the position of people aged 55 and over in the market today. People my age have been hit with the socio-economic and financial crisis, which contributed unemployment and long term unemployment. And unfortunately this is a primarily problem, I do not want to become one of the unemployed elderly because that I am not the right fit because of my age. There are a number of stereotypes that profess a key obstacle to employment of persons aged 55 and over. These stereotypes suggest that older workers: are not as interested in learning new skills, are not physically energetic and mentally ready to respond to the stresses of their jobs, and time would be a wasted in training

Because they have been away from a formal classroom for an extended time or it is their first collegiate experience, adult learners may experience anxiety as they pursue a certificate or degree in higher education. Since the average adult learner at Baker College is 30 years old, it is understandable. It is important to remember that the learner’s adult sophistication

By estimate, more than 47% of enrollees in U.S. higher education institutions can be classified as adult learners (Creighton & Hudson, 2002). Adults pursue higher education for various reasons including personal enrichment, change of career, or a requirement for promotion. The majority of adult students enroll in community colleges to fulfill educational and training needs. Adult students may face barriers when attempting to enroll in college. Program planners must understand characteristics of adult students, recognize social issues, and identify with cultural issues to effectively develop training and degree programs that not only attract students, but also encourage student retention. Community colleges have the ability to reduce or eliminate student barriers and subsequently prepare adults for the workforce.

Adult learners face significantly different challenges to completing an education program than students who enroll in college immediately after high school, depend on their parents financially, and work part time or less while in school. A 1998 study by Mathematica Policy Research found four consistent and powerful barriers to further education for working adults (Silva et al. 1998):

I’ve always had the passion to educate and work with students in the higher education setting. Although, I am fresh professionally in the higher education setting, I believe this would be the perfect opportunity to gain experience educating students in the collegiate level. My graduate education has certainly prepared me to work with traditional and non-traditional students in higher education. Additionally, I’ve had the experience of earning my Master’s degree through an online program while working full-time. This experience has provided a first-hand opportunity to see the challenges that non-traditional adult learners have to overcome, while balancing the school, work, family, and social lifestyles.