Designed for college instructors and administrators, this 14-chapter monograph discusses the education of adult learners who are returning to school and working toward undergraduate or advanced degrees. Chapter I examines the number of adults who are returning to college, trends since 1945, and the information sources used in preparing the monograph. Chapter II identifies the characteristics of adult students and their reasons for returning. Chapter III compares adult learners with traditional students in terms of life experiences, motivation, and academic behavior. Chapters IV and V discuss the impact of social (e.g., family) and traditional (e.g., classroom) influences on the adult student's learning environment. Chapter VI examines the effect of age on learning, while Chapter VII discusses the characteristics of and techniques used by exemplary teachers. After Chapter VIII reviews instructional techniques appropriate to adult learners, Chapter IX delineates nine principles for instructional success. Chapter X covers special problems faced by instructors of reentry students. Chapter XI offers advice from exemplary instructors. Chapter XII suggests institutional changes required to accommodate adult students and Chapter XIII looks at current areas of disagreement among educators of adult students. Finally, Chapter XIV lists sources of further information. (JP)