ERIC Number: EJ1022222
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0737-7363
EISSN: N/A
Reentering College: A Nontraditional Student's Story about His First Course
Orgnero, M. Carolina
Journal of Continuing Higher Education, v61 n3 p165-174 2013
This is a narrative case study that analyzes Carl's experience as a nontraditional student who enrolls in a transition course after a 15-year hiatus from college. Specifically, the study aims at understanding the perceived impact that the course had on shaping the personal narrative of learning in college of a reentry student. Using a three-dimensional inquiry metaphor as an analytical framework, Carl's experience of reentering college is reconstructed in terms of interaction, continuity, and situational dimensions. Through the interplay of the three dimensions, an understanding is gained of Carl's mixed emotions in the choice of his first course, how his absence from school influenced his present academic performance, and how personal and academic transformation were evident as he reconstructed his identity. The findings suggest that Carl's experience in the course cemented his decision to complete his degree, and a transition course can be a resource to address nontraditional students' needs.
Descriptors: Nontraditional Students, Reentry Students, Personal Narratives, Student Experience, Achievement Need, Transformative Learning, Transitional Programs, Adult Students, Transcripts (Written Records), Course Selection (Students), Academic Achievement, Case Studies
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Postsecondary Education; Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A