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Full-Text Articles in Education

Silently Correcting Your Grammar: Responses To Feedback And Adult Learners' Rural Writing Ecosystems, Jessica Marie Kubiak Aug 2023

Silently Correcting Your Grammar: Responses To Feedback And Adult Learners' Rural Writing Ecosystems, Jessica Marie Kubiak

English Theses & Dissertations

Over a century ago, rhetoricians called on writing instructors in the U.S. to accept and even encourage language diversity among learners. Yet scholars of composition, rhetoric, and writing studies are still advocating for this via arguments for linguistic justice and translingualism, even referring to strict adherence to a single, mainstream standard for language use as a kind of violence. This disconnect between scholarship and practice is evident in the silences surrounding first-year composition language instruction. This dissertation charts that disciplinary disconnect and then describes how adult students at a rural, open-access community college experience first-year composition feedback, with special attention …


Addressing The Need For An Appropriate Adult Learning Environment To Increase Student Retention And Success, Karen L. Morgan-Bowyer Jul 2023

Addressing The Need For An Appropriate Adult Learning Environment To Increase Student Retention And Success, Karen L. Morgan-Bowyer

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) aims to transform a learning environment for adult learners who have faced trauma and have had negative educational experiences. The OIP seeks to identify barriers to learning and well-being for this group and develop effective strategies to create a supportive and inclusive environment that promotes learner retention, engagement, and empowerment. Through the lens of transformational and servant leadership, the OIP incorporates actionable steps, including the development of trauma-informed andragogy into daily practices and interactions with adult learners, the provision of training and support for faculty and staff to understand the needs of this group of …


Post-Pandemic Digital Experiences & Attitudes Among Adult Immigrant Esol Learners, Lacey D. Goodloe May 2023

Post-Pandemic Digital Experiences & Attitudes Among Adult Immigrant Esol Learners, Lacey D. Goodloe

Master's Theses

This mixed-methods study considers the current reality of the “digital divide” as experienced by adult immigrant ESOL learners following the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period. Although prior research often assumes foreign-born individuals to have lower rates of access, skills and motivation to engage with technology, or to lack it altogether, this study seeks to contribute a more realistic picture which encompasses the full diversity of digital experiences among the foreign-born population. The review of the literature first covers two levels of the digital divide that often evince socioeconomic disparities: primarily access, skills and usage; and more recently, attitudes and motivation. Then, …


Examining The Experiences Of Adult Learners In A First-Year Seminar Course At A Tennessee Community College, Michell Ivey May 2023

Examining The Experiences Of Adult Learners In A First-Year Seminar Course At A Tennessee Community College, Michell Ivey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of adult learners in a first-year seminar course at Columbia State Community College, located in middle Tennessee, to determine if the content of the course has an impact on the learners’ adjustment to college. With the statewide initiative to reach a goal of 55% of the state’s population having a postsecondary credential, a push has been made to focus on adult learners to help the reach this goal. Understanding and addressing the adjustment needs of adult learners is necessary to aid retaining adult learners through completion. The first-year seminar course …


Adult Learners And Credit For Prior Learning: Analytical Thinking And Motives, Carrie J. Boden, Catherine A. Cherrstrom, Todd Sherron Jan 2023

Adult Learners And Credit For Prior Learning: Analytical Thinking And Motives, Carrie J. Boden, Catherine A. Cherrstrom, Todd Sherron

Adult Education Research Conference

This study examined 364 adult learners using linguistic inquiry and word count (LIWC) of reflective writing assignments with implications for adult learners and educators and credit for prior learning (CPL).


Hispanic And Non-Hispanic Adult Learners: Analytical Thinking And Affiliation, Catherine A. Cherrstrom Jan 2023

Hispanic And Non-Hispanic Adult Learners: Analytical Thinking And Affiliation, Catherine A. Cherrstrom

Adult Education Research Conference

This study examined 364 Hispanic and non-Hispanic adult learners using linguistic inquiry and word count (LIWC) of reflective writing assignments with implications for adult learners and educators.


An Autoethnograpy Of A Baby Boomer In Higher Education: Challenges And Catalysts For Change, Deborra Finlan Dec 2022

An Autoethnograpy Of A Baby Boomer In Higher Education: Challenges And Catalysts For Change, Deborra Finlan

Theses & Dissertations

Higher education as a baby boomer brings mental, physical, and economic adjustments, concerns, and insecurities. Additionally, life delivers unexpected challenges and barriers which can cause hardships requiring various types of motivation. Fortunately, there are also catalysts which can contribute toward successes. Literature from four major elements were the focus in this study: motivation, adult learning, challenges, barriers, and catalysts. Theorists and theories included Vroom’s expectancy theory of motivation with the added factor of cost, and Ryan and Deci’s theory on self-determination; Mezirow’s transformative learning and Knowles’s self-directed learning; Cross’s theory on educational barriers—situational, dispositional, and institutional; and Cobb’s social support …


Best Practices Of Exceptional College Professors Who Program Relevance Into Online Distance Learning Courses: A Phenomenological Study, Keri Ann Palasz Oct 2022

Best Practices Of Exceptional College Professors Who Program Relevance Into Online Distance Learning Courses: A Phenomenological Study, Keri Ann Palasz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this proposed transcendental phenomenological study was to describe specifically the experience of exceptional professors who convey relevance to students in online distance learning higher education courses. The theory that guided this study is Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory (ALT), as it clarifies the relationship between course design and delivery and the characteristics of adult learners. This study addressed four research questions posed to a sample of award-winning college professors who teach online distance learning courses in the American field of higher education to understand better what these professors do to convey relevance in a way that appeals to …


A Trauma-Informed Inquiry Of Covid-19’S Initial Impact On Students In Adult Education Programs In The United States, David A. Housel Dec 2021

A Trauma-Informed Inquiry Of Covid-19’S Initial Impact On Students In Adult Education Programs In The United States, David A. Housel

Publications and Research

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on adult education programs throughout the world, abruptly transforming in-person instruction to distance teaching/learning. Can the lessons learned from adult students, especially related to the “digital divide,” be leveraged to enhance adult education and create more inclusive policies and practices moving forward? To grapple with this question, this exploratory qualitative study sought the insights of adult learners in the northeastern United States through an online survey of primarily open-ended questions. Through multiple rounds of coding using a trauma-informed lens, the following themes emerged: (a) anxiety and loss; (b) distractions, adjustments, and balance; …


Adult Education For Japanese Immigrant Community: Social Bonding To Social Bridging, Naomi Nakamura Apr 2021

Adult Education For Japanese Immigrant Community: Social Bonding To Social Bridging, Naomi Nakamura

Community Engagement Student Work

Many Japanese who have been living in the U.S. for more than decades identify themselves as Japanese, not U.S. citizens. This so called transnational identity has an impact on how they assimilate or integrate to American social life. The purpose of this project is to explore the better learning environment and the effects of education for Japanese adult immigrants who may not actively participate in local communities. A workshop was held with Japanese residents in the Boston area to explore microaggressions and how people can think about their engagement with their communities. Workshop evaluation findings suggested that there is a …


Junior Faculty Advising For Effective Student Growth And Academic Success: A Qualitative Study, Noreen Powers, Russell Wartalski Feb 2021

Junior Faculty Advising For Effective Student Growth And Academic Success: A Qualitative Study, Noreen Powers, Russell Wartalski

Teacher-Scholar: The Journal of the State Comprehensive University

Supporting the academic advising needs of adult learners is paramount for colleges and universities. Research suggests that the faculty advisor's role is pivotal in students' academic progress. At both the undergraduate and graduate levels, faculty advisors are tasked with supporting adult learners in achieving their professional goals and providing resources to ensure their academic success. Specifically, they help students navigate curriculum requirements and provide support both inside and outside the classroom. The tasks and responsibilities associated with faculty advising can vary based on the institution type and program needs. However, junior faculty who take on advising responsibilities at regional public …


The Impact Of Teacher Methodology Training For Higher Education Faculty Members, Nicole Baker May 2020

The Impact Of Teacher Methodology Training For Higher Education Faculty Members, Nicole Baker

Ed.D. Dissertations

Many college programs are designed to graduate individuals who are experts in their field of study, but not necessarily individuals who are trained in how to teach. This quantitative, quasi-experiment study examined college faculty member’s level of training in the area of teaching practices and methodology. The relation to student satisfaction, current course performance, attendance, the belief in the need for training, and faculty member’s sense of efficacy in teaching was explored. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to organize the data using a one-way ANCOVA to analyze the impact the level of training had on …


Ums_Community Guidance_New Community Resource Guide For Adult Learners And Employees, University Of Maine System Apr 2020

Ums_Community Guidance_New Community Resource Guide For Adult Learners And Employees, University Of Maine System

Community Guidance

Screenshot of University of Maine System Coronavirus Disease Community Guidance concerning "New Community Resource Guide for Adult Learners and Employees".


Ums_Covid-19 Resource Guide, University Of Maine System Apr 2020

Ums_Covid-19 Resource Guide, University Of Maine System

Community Guidance

University COVID-19 Resource Guide for learners of all ages, educators, Maine citizens, and communities. Includes screenshots of various resources added to the Guide over time on a range of subjects.


The Limits Of Pedagogy, Kelsey Moore Feb 2019

The Limits Of Pedagogy, Kelsey Moore

Greater Faculties: A Review of Teaching and Learning

No abstract provided.


The Lived Experiences Of Veteran And Military Students In The Context Of A “Military Friendly” Institution: A Phenomenological Case Study, Gail Y. Rouscher Apr 2018

The Lived Experiences Of Veteran And Military Students In The Context Of A “Military Friendly” Institution: A Phenomenological Case Study, Gail Y. Rouscher

Dissertations

There have been many studies of military and veteran students attending a higher education institution after a period of time on active duty. The studies on this population can be divided into four categories: (a) stopping out (Belch, 2004; Cavote & Kopera-Frye, 2007; DiRamio & Spires, 2009; Schnoebelen, 2013), (b) financial (Winston, 2010), (c) enrollment, (Hassan, Jackson, Lindsay, McCabe, & Sanders, 2010) and (d) programming (APSCU, 2013; Burnett & Segoria, 2009; DiRamio, Ackerman, & Mitchell, 2008; Lokken, Pfeffer, McAuley & Strong, 2009; Mangan, 2009). There is limited research on completion rates for veteran and military students who have the opportunity …


Evidence-Based Instructional Strategies For Adult Learners: A Review Of The Literature, Rebecca Carlson Mccall, Kristy Padron, Carl Andrews Feb 2018

Evidence-Based Instructional Strategies For Adult Learners: A Review Of The Literature, Rebecca Carlson Mccall, Kristy Padron, Carl Andrews

Publications and Research

Students who are older than age 25 are increasingly becoming a higher portion of enrollments in higher education. These students, known as adult learners, have different educational needs, expectations, and interests than traditional college students because they enter college with life and work experiences as well as responsibilities. Andragogy is the main theory of adult learning that addresses ways to teach adult learners. While the construct of andragogy is subject to debate, the education field draws on its findings to create learning environments for adult learners. Academic libraries can apply andragogy in their library and information literacy instructional practices. This …


An Inquiry Into Creating And Supporting Engagement In Online Courses, Robin Hummel, Genevieve Lowry, Troy Pinkney, Laura Zadoff Jan 2018

An Inquiry Into Creating And Supporting Engagement In Online Courses, Robin Hummel, Genevieve Lowry, Troy Pinkney, Laura Zadoff

All Faculty and Staff Papers and Presentations

In this chapter, authors offer what they have discovered about creating and facilitating structures that support active engagement that promote social construction of knowledge in online interactions.


Book Review: Information Literacy In The Workplace, Lore Guilmartin Jan 2018

Book Review: Information Literacy In The Workplace, Lore Guilmartin

Communications in Information Literacy

No abstract provided.


Assessing Adult Learner Experience At Northern Stark University: An Exploratory Study, Kathleen Burke Apr 2016

Assessing Adult Learner Experience At Northern Stark University: An Exploratory Study, Kathleen Burke

Higher Education Student Work

Close to 40% of students currently enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities are adult undergraduate learners, many of whom attend school on a part-time basis (Day et.al., 2011). The rate of college enrollment by adult students, age 25 and older, can be expected to rise even further due to the current economic recession, as adults find themselves in need of new skills and knowledge to pursue continued employment (Day et. al., 2011). This capstone project was conducted through a transformative paradigm with the intention of making a positive change for the adult population at Northern Stark University. I conducted eight …


Not Just A Watered-Down Version Of A Freshman Orientation, Emily Skibski Apr 2016

Not Just A Watered-Down Version Of A Freshman Orientation, Emily Skibski

Honors Projects

I developed and piloted two 40 minute sessions for Bowling Green State University’s (BGSU) Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) Program, a one-day intesenive orientation program. After developing facilitation guides for these sessions, I trained a group of eight Orientation Leaders (OLs) to facilitate sessions for nontraditional and transfer students during SOAR, which occurred on January 8, 2016. Depending on how a student self-identified, the student attended among sessions for nontraditional, transfer, or traditional students. A facilitator’s guide for a session for traditional students was already developed and in use. The facilitation guides created for this honors project were designed …


Adult Learner Perceptions And Experiences In A Community College Engaged In Intensive Student Success Reforms, Susan J. Barcinas, Tracy A. Kachur, Duane Akroyd, Heidi N. Mccann, Yaxin Zheng Jan 2016

Adult Learner Perceptions And Experiences In A Community College Engaged In Intensive Student Success Reforms, Susan J. Barcinas, Tracy A. Kachur, Duane Akroyd, Heidi N. Mccann, Yaxin Zheng

Adult Education Research Conference

This qualitative study is based upon 200 hours of observation and 30 participant interviews aiming to deeply describe and analyze adult learner perceptions of community college intensive student success reform initiatives.


Adult Learners In The Library–Are They Being Served?, Makiba Foster, Kristine Helbling May 2015

Adult Learners In The Library–Are They Being Served?, Makiba Foster, Kristine Helbling

University Libraries Publications

Like many academic librarians, after completing the marathon of the traditional school year, we often use the summer semester to reflect, revise, and plan for the upcoming fall. In the summer of 2012, during a casual conversation in which we shared stories about rewarding reference interactions, we stumbled upon an “aha moment,” discovering an opportunity to connect targeted library outreach with an underserved user group. During this exchange, we realized how much we both enjoy working with adult learners and how they always seem genuinely interested in gaining skills to make themselves better library users, and therefore better students. This …


Is It Time To Teach Traditional Undergrads As Adult Learners?, Steve Holtrop, Eric Forseth Mar 2015

Is It Time To Teach Traditional Undergrads As Adult Learners?, Steve Holtrop, Eric Forseth

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Students vote with their tuition dollars, and over half may now be classified as adult learners. Focusing on the learner's needs and behaviors means integrating relevant life and work experiences into our courses and addressing all students' need for respect, practical applications, and varied learning tasks.


Using Ethnography To Understand Twenty-First Century College Life, Constance A. Iloh, William G. Tierney Jan 2014

Using Ethnography To Understand Twenty-First Century College Life, Constance A. Iloh, William G. Tierney

Constance Iloh

Ethnography in the field of postsecondary education has served as a magnifying glass bringing into focus university culture and student life. This paper highlights the ways in which ethnography is especially useful for understanding more recent dynamics and shifts in higher education. The authors utilize existing literature to uphold the relevancy of ethnography, while exploring its opportunities for research on adult students, online education, and for-profit colleges in particular. They conclude with methodological recommendations and directions for both qualitative research and higher education scholarship.


Persistence Of General Educational Development And Advanced Diploma Recipients At A Southeastern Public Community College, Ann Underwood Smith Jan 2014

Persistence Of General Educational Development And Advanced Diploma Recipients At A Southeastern Public Community College, Ann Underwood Smith

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

With the current emphasis on accountability and the importance of a college education in today's economy, the success of nontraditional students at community colleges is critical. How to improve the success of high-risk students such as GED recipients is a complex challenge for college leaders. While the GED is widely accepted for admittance to college, GED holders have experienced low levels of postsecondary success and clearly face many complex challenges. Lack of persistence has been found in most studies of all nontraditional adult college students, but there is no consensus on whether or not traditional high school graduates perform better …


Learner-Centered Instructors' Beliefs About Adult Learning: A Phenomenological Study, Sarah Scherling Jul 2013

Learner-Centered Instructors' Beliefs About Adult Learning: A Phenomenological Study, Sarah Scherling

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The population of adult learners in higher education continues to increase. In many cases, the majority of faculty teaching adult learners are adjunct instructors. These instructors bring a rich background of experience and expertise to the classroom, but may lack experience in designing and implementing effective instructional practices for adult learners. Instructional practices of adjunct instructors are influenced by their beliefs about teaching and learning. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to examine learner-centered adjunct instructors' beliefs about adult learning and how these beliefs influence their instructional practices. The study used written reflection, interview, and classroom observation data …


Adult Learner Graduation Rates At Four U.S. Community Colleges By Prior Learning Assessment Status And Method, Milan S. Hayward Apr 2012

Adult Learner Graduation Rates At Four U.S. Community Colleges By Prior Learning Assessment Status And Method, Milan S. Hayward

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The college completion agenda demands improved graduation rates among adult learners and prior learning assessment (PLA) is a promising solution. PLA permits students to earn college credit for knowledge acquired outside of higher education and is associated with improved student outcomes. The current study expanded the literature regarding adult PLA learners in the community college by examining the graduation rates of adult learners in four U.S. community colleges by PLA status and method. Results confirmed significant difference in graduation rates between adult PLA learners and adult non-PLA learners, uncovered significant difference in the graduation rates of adult PLA learners by …


Thankful Learning: A Grounded Theory Study Of Relational Practice Between Master’S Students And Professors, Harriet L. Schwartz Jan 2009

Thankful Learning: A Grounded Theory Study Of Relational Practice Between Master’S Students And Professors, Harriet L. Schwartz

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

No abstract provided.


Diversity In Kansas Adult Education Programs, Dianne Glass Sep 2007

Diversity In Kansas Adult Education Programs, Dianne Glass

Educational Considerations

Kansas is not typically considered a state with a great deal of diversity. In the past few years, however, Kansas has become more ethnically diverse. Kansas adult education programs could serve as a bellwether for diversity across Kansas.