The purpose of this research was to investigate the motivational orientations of non-traditional adult students to enroll in a degree-seeking program based on their academic goal. The Education Participation Scale (EPS) was used to measure the motivational orientations of participants. Professional advancement, cognitive interest, and educational…

While the GI bill after WWII encouraged education for the older students, the combination of baby boomers and the rise of feminism have prompted a new wave of returning students to academia. The nontraditional student since the 1970s has often been an older female returning for a graduate degree. Making the decision to return has not been easy,…

This study describes the experience of younger, so called "emerging" adults, as they transition to full-time work, focusing specifically on the role of education in this process. When leaving their family-of-origin, emerging adults re-center themselves to settle down in permanent identity and different role commitments. Our findings show…

As baby boomers approach the age of retirement, they are increasingly returning to higher education to pursue degrees for encore careers. Academic planners must pay careful attention to the specific concerns of this population to help ease their transition to a university setting after decades of absence. This qualitative study investigated the…

While many adult learners may feel hesitant to voice their opinions in a classroom, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) adults are especially aware that they are functioning in a critical, heteronormative society. However, in a climate of respect and safety they can gain confidence in sharing their true selves and opinions. An…

This essay outlines the key lessons I re-learned about teaching adults when I decided to earn my private pilot license. I faced a steep learning curve and needed to conquer my fear of falling from the sky when learning required flight maneuvers. The lessons are not about adult development or learning theories or instructional techniques. The…

The adult education literature on disruptive behavior of adult learners was reviewed and a survey on disruptive behavior of adult learners was conducted with adult educators. The findings are synthesized in a conceptual framework for understanding the types and causes of disruptive behavior, which fall into the categories of inattention,…

This study aimed to study the andragogical and pedagogical orientations of adults learning English as a foreign language. The Turkish version of the Educational Orientation Questionnaire (Christian, 1983) was used. Sixty adults at evening classes in Turkey were included in the study. The results of the study revealed that the subjects were more…

A series of four studies identified the conative factors associated with the constructs of desire, resourcefulness, initiative, and persistence through the development of a conceptual model that provides a framework for understanding autonomous learning. The studies ultimately produced a single instrument, the Learner Autonomy Profile, that…

This article describes the origins, development, and changing directions in the oldest peer-reviewed online journal in adult education. An analysis of journal issues by the first author provides evidence of the impact and legacy that "New Horizons in Adult Education" has had on the field of adult education around the world during the past two…

Adult Continuing Education (ACE) and Human Resource Development (HRD) have grown tremendously in the last quarter century. ACE experienced tremendous growth in the 60s and 70s, with over 17 million attending colleges and universities, and local school and community adult education programs by the end of the 1970s. More ACE programs were started…

This article examines the potential of personal storytelling as a pedagogical method. When incorporated into the educational experience, autobiographical stories serve as a primary and fruitful link between lived experience and curricular content, a connection integral to adult learning. These stories enable learners to identify congruencies and…

The Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) curriculum and teaching method uses art to help students think critically, listen attentively, communicate, and collaborate. VTS has been proven to enhance reading, writing, comprehension, and creative and analytical skills among students of all ages. The origins and procedures of the VTS curriculum are…

Using web-based bulletin boards in classes elicited enthusiastic responses from 109 graduate education students. They felt it enhanced learning, created a greater sense of community and encouraged participation through its use. Some negative aspects of web-based conferencing (need for self-direction and technological literacy, lack of spontaneity…

Teachers, instructional designers, and corporate trainers pursuing graduate degrees in education participated in small-group collaborative activity in an asynchronous online graduate course. A group charter, which provided structure for group evolution and collaboration, was a powerful element in success. Proactive and reactive means of nurturing…