Education Commons^™

From Stopout To Scholar : Pathways To Graduation Through Adult Degree Completion Programs., Matt Bergman

Faculty Scholarship

Although colleges and universities are facing increased scrutiny to demonstrate a return on investment for their students, the demand for college-educated workers continues to grow. As of 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that more than one-fifth of Americans age 25 and older—around 43.5 million people—have some postsecondary education but no degree (Lumina, 2012). This article presents an integrative review of relevant, rigorous, and research based programs that create a fast path to degree completion for working adults. While national data still shows that postsecondary credentials remain a good investment for individuals and the overall economy (Carnavale & Rose, 2015), …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study On The Perception Of Second Language Acquisition And Personality Type By Adult Second Language Learners In A Formal Learning Environment, Rebecca Shisler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe the perceived experience of second language acquisition for adult second language learners in a formal learning environment at the Community College of Virginia (a pseudonym) and to describe how these learners perceived that their personality type either enhanced or inhibited their experience of second language acquisition. All students who were enrolled in an introductory-level Spanish course at the Community College of Virginia were invited to complete a preliminary questionnaire to determine their initial eligibility for the study. Prospective participants who met the initial eligibility requirements of the study took the …

Credits Earned, Credits Due: Forging New Degree Completion Pathways For Post-Traditional Students With The Aid Of Prior Learning Assessment Portfolios, Patrick Guilbaud, Greg Oakes

Winthrop Conference on Teaching and Learning

In recent years, there has been a surge in the number of adult students who have expressed interest in returning back to school to complete their undergraduate degrees. Research, however, shows that many adult students who start degree completion programs do not complete them.

An oft-cited roadblock to degree completion by adult students is lack of recognition of prior learning obtained on the job or through other means. As a result, prior learning assessment (PLA) has now become an important tool used by colleges and universities to facilitate access to higher education by adult students.

The Council for Adult & …