As the field of adult and continuing education matures, it is useful to more fully understand bot... more As the field of adult and continuing education matures, it is useful to more fully understand both the nature of practice and the characteristics of practitioners. Although some attention has been devoted to these topics in the literature, this article focuses on those practitioners who work in a university setting. and reports the results of a national study of university continuing educators. The data, which was gathered on a RÉSUMÉ Au fur et à mesure que les domaines d’éducation permanente et d’éducation aux adultes se développent, il est utile de mieux comprendre leur nature ainsi que les caractéristiques des personnes s’y intéressant. Bien qu’il y ait eu de l’attention consacrée à ces sujets dans la littérature, cet article insiste sur les personnes intéressées travaillant dans un milieu universitaire ainsi que sur le rapportage des résultats d’une
This study explored how adult students define success in college and their perceptions of factors... more This study explored how adult students define success in college and their perceptions of factors that either support or hinder achievement of this success. Thirteen returning adult students at two institutions were interviewed using a grounded theory approach. Data were analyzed inductively and iteratively to identify persistent themes. Students made clear and mutually exclusive distinctions between definitions of success in college and success in learning on the basis of two dimensions--the ownership of knowledge and the perceived potentiality or actuality of its use. Six themes emerged about factors identified as either contributing or hindering adults ' success in college and learning: (1) experience, (2) maturity, (3) motivation, (4) self-monitoring ability, (5) reinforcement systems; and (6) classroom experiences. The study's findings support the need for new conceptualization of outcomes and the factors associated with these for increasingly diverse student bodies. ...
ABSTRACT This book is intended primarily for adult and continuing educators who develop collabora... more ABSTRACT This book is intended primarily for adult and continuing educators who develop collaborative programs for adults in not-for-profit settings. Chapter 1 summarizes the literature on interorganizational collaboration and links insights from this literature to the planning and provision of educational programs for adults. Five major ideas about collaboration are introduced and discussed. The following chapters build on this theoretical foundation by examining examples of collaboration in seven not-for-profit, adult, and continuing education settings. Chapter 2 details processes used to select practitioners to interview, to gather information from them, and to analyze that information. Chapter 3 examines the roles of leadership and vision. Chapter 4 focuses on tensions and transformations that practitioners experienced in the collaborative efforts in which they had been involved. Chapter 5 describes strategies for dealing with the tensions and transformations, including monitoring the relationship, building trust and communicating, and dealing with differences. Chapter 6 deals with assessment of collaborative programming prior to, during, and after a program has been developed and offered. It identifies and describes aspects of programming that characterize different levels of program complexity. Chapter 7 focuses on the interconnected dynamics of program development and collaboration and presents conclusions about the connection between the processes. Contains 36 references and an index. (YLB)
ABSTRACT In place of the negative connotations of marginality in the relationship of continuing e... more ABSTRACT In place of the negative connotations of marginality in the relationship of continuing education and its parent institution are offered three new images: continuing education as learning network; intellectual front parlor, a place for dialogue and idea exchange; and missionary vision. (SK)
: The purpose of this research was to compare a current instructional approach used in one course... more : The purpose of this research was to compare a current instructional approach used in one course, C510: Strategic, Operational, and Joint Environments, of the Command and General Staff Officer Course (COSOC) to an alternative instructional approach derived from the Problem-Based learning (PBL) approach. Specifically, this research sought to determine if: (1) a cued retrieval instructional strategy in a problem oriented instructional situation would foster encoding specificity, hence, retention; and, (2) a focus on identification of learning issues by participants would foster an orientation to self-directed, continuing learning.
The information-seeking activity (ISA) of 16 rural health practitioners (occupational, physical, ... more The information-seeking activity (ISA) of 16 rural health practitioners (occupational, physical, and respiratory therapists; radiological technologists; speech/language pathologists; and nurses) was explored using qualitative methods of participant observation, document collection, and in-depth interviews. Field notes and documents were collected in two rural nursing homes. Participants described situations in which they needed information to solve clinical problems. Contextual differences appeared in how in-house and external contract practitioners used time and resources. In-house staff were more connected to their community, facility, and work space; external staff had connections outside the work setting. Making connections emerged as the core strategy used. Access to time and resources was a core condition influencing ISA. Barriers to ISA were classified as internal, intangible, and tangible. Preferences included technology access and continued learning close to home. Conclusio...
This paper considers the body of research on adult learning and adult college experiences and out... more This paper considers the body of research on adult learning and adult college experiences and outcomes that can inform the planning, development, and evaluation of accelerated degree programs. It addresses many of the issues confronting faculty and administrators as they design accelerated programs using a model of college outcomes developed to explain adult learners' experiences in college. The model, which offers a way of describing and understanding the experience for adults and nontraditional students, consists of: (1) prior experience and personal biographies; (2) psychosocial and value orientations; (3) adult cognition; (4) the connecting classroom; (5) life-world experience; and (6) college outcomes. The model was supplemented by research that asked adult students to define success in learning and in college and to identify the factors that led to their perceived success. These findings were used to develop a set of principles to help college administrators design program...
The new ACT College Outcomes Survey was used with a national sample of 9,348 undergraduate studen... more The new ACT College Outcomes Survey was used with a national sample of 9,348 undergraduate students to evaluate the effects of the college environment on academic and intellectual development. It compared the outcomes for adult learners with those for younger students. An index score was created that considered both the progress the students reported as well as their assessment of the importance of that aspect of development. Adult and younger students were also compared regarding their involvement and participation in the college environment. Findings indicated adults were much less involved in the campus events and much more involved in caring for their families. Despite this lower level of involvement in the college environment, adults reported slightly higher levels of growth on most academic and intellectual items than did the younger students. Possible explanations are given for the results including other ways adults can integrate what they have learned that takes the place o...
This study explored how adult students define success in college and their perceptions of factors... more This study explored how adult students define success in college and their perceptions of factors that either support or hinder achievement of this success. Thirteen returning adult students at two institutions were interviewed using a grounded theory approach. Data were analyzed inductively and iteratively to identify persistent themes. Students made clear and mutually exclusive distinctions between definitions of success in college and success in learning on the basis of two dimensions--the ownership of knowledge and the perceived potentiality or actuality of its use. Six themes emerged about factors identified as either contributing or hindering adults' success in college and learning: (1) experience, (2) maturity, (3) motivation, (4) self-monitoring ability, (5) reinforcement systems; and (6) classroom experiences. The study's findings support the need for new conceptualization of outcomes and the factors associated with these for increasingly diverse student bodies. The...
... Record Details - EJ492402. Title: The Working Roles of Continuing HigherEducation Administrat... more ... Record Details - EJ492402. Title: The Working Roles of Continuing HigherEducation Administrators: The Case of a Geographically Decentralized Continuing Education Organization. Full-Text Availability Options: ...
ABSTRACT Triangulation of 3 sets of data (176 student nominations of faculty for excellence; inte... more ABSTRACT Triangulation of 3 sets of data (176 student nominations of faculty for excellence; interviews with 68 adult graduate students and surveys of 181 adult undergraduates about outstanding teachers) showed that adults considered some teacher-centered and some student-centered attributes as effective. Undergraduate or graduate status was very important in differentiating student preferences. (SK)
This study explored the social and personal dynamics that deter underserved women from participat... more This study explored the social and personal dynamics that deter underserved women from participating in formal adult education. From a grounded theory perspective, an inductive analysis revealed four integrated categories of deterrents that describe factors leading to nonparticipation (a) preadulthood factors; (b) patterns of nonsupport in adulthood; (c) conventional deterrents; and, (d) lack of "voice" in adulthood.
Nursing schools strive to select a diverse student population who are likely to succeed by ensuri... more Nursing schools strive to select a diverse student population who are likely to succeed by ensuring timely student progression through the program and effective use of educational sources. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to explore the preadmission variables and selection criteria that predict student success in 4-year baccalaureate nursing programs in the U.S. Sixteen articles met the eligibility criteria, and six measures were used to define student success: (a) early academic success, particularly during the first and second year; (b) attrition; (c) timely completion of the program; (d) graduation; (e) performance in nursing courses; and (f) academic performance in other science courses. Typically, the core set of cognitive predictors used in the admission process in nursing schools were pre-nursing GPA, pre-nursing collegiate science GPA, and scores on standardized aptitude exams. This review suggests that it is challenging to isolate one single variable as the best predictor of student success; however, using a combination of variables can offer a reliable prediction method. More researchers should consider using a theoretical basis to guide their inquiry on this topic. Additionally, researchers should examine admission variables that are most relevant across programs.
ABSTRACT The purpose of this research was to articulate the pressures faced by USA higher educati... more ABSTRACT The purpose of this research was to articulate the pressures faced by USA higher education leaders lived experiences and the relationship to problem definition, attention focus, and strategy choice. A conceptual Model of Strategy Choice by Higher Education Leaders is proposed to capture the dynamics between exogenous pressures and problems and leaders’ choice of strategy, and decision-making. The model addresses two social processes (sense-making and decision-making) associated with reproducing and altering institutional logics. The findings highlight distinctions between conventional, pre-transformative, and transformative leadership thinking and their association with different dimensions of problem definition, organizational learning, and strategy choice.
As the field of adult and continuing education matures, it is useful to more fully understand bot... more As the field of adult and continuing education matures, it is useful to more fully understand both the nature of practice and the characteristics of practitioners. Although some attention has been devoted to these topics in the literature, this article focuses on those practitioners who work in a university setting. and reports the results of a national study of university continuing educators. The data, which was gathered on a RÉSUMÉ Au fur et à mesure que les domaines d’éducation permanente et d’éducation aux adultes se développent, il est utile de mieux comprendre leur nature ainsi que les caractéristiques des personnes s’y intéressant. Bien qu’il y ait eu de l’attention consacrée à ces sujets dans la littérature, cet article insiste sur les personnes intéressées travaillant dans un milieu universitaire ainsi que sur le rapportage des résultats d’une
This study explored how adult students define success in college and their perceptions of factors... more This study explored how adult students define success in college and their perceptions of factors that either support or hinder achievement of this success. Thirteen returning adult students at two institutions were interviewed using a grounded theory approach. Data were analyzed inductively and iteratively to identify persistent themes. Students made clear and mutually exclusive distinctions between definitions of success in college and success in learning on the basis of two dimensions--the ownership of knowledge and the perceived potentiality or actuality of its use. Six themes emerged about factors identified as either contributing or hindering adults ' success in college and learning: (1) experience, (2) maturity, (3) motivation, (4) self-monitoring ability, (5) reinforcement systems; and (6) classroom experiences. The study's findings support the need for new conceptualization of outcomes and the factors associated with these for increasingly diverse student bodies. ...
ABSTRACT This book is intended primarily for adult and continuing educators who develop collabora... more ABSTRACT This book is intended primarily for adult and continuing educators who develop collaborative programs for adults in not-for-profit settings. Chapter 1 summarizes the literature on interorganizational collaboration and links insights from this literature to the planning and provision of educational programs for adults. Five major ideas about collaboration are introduced and discussed. The following chapters build on this theoretical foundation by examining examples of collaboration in seven not-for-profit, adult, and continuing education settings. Chapter 2 details processes used to select practitioners to interview, to gather information from them, and to analyze that information. Chapter 3 examines the roles of leadership and vision. Chapter 4 focuses on tensions and transformations that practitioners experienced in the collaborative efforts in which they had been involved. Chapter 5 describes strategies for dealing with the tensions and transformations, including monitoring the relationship, building trust and communicating, and dealing with differences. Chapter 6 deals with assessment of collaborative programming prior to, during, and after a program has been developed and offered. It identifies and describes aspects of programming that characterize different levels of program complexity. Chapter 7 focuses on the interconnected dynamics of program development and collaboration and presents conclusions about the connection between the processes. Contains 36 references and an index. (YLB)
ABSTRACT In place of the negative connotations of marginality in the relationship of continuing e... more ABSTRACT In place of the negative connotations of marginality in the relationship of continuing education and its parent institution are offered three new images: continuing education as learning network; intellectual front parlor, a place for dialogue and idea exchange; and missionary vision. (SK)
: The purpose of this research was to compare a current instructional approach used in one course... more : The purpose of this research was to compare a current instructional approach used in one course, C510: Strategic, Operational, and Joint Environments, of the Command and General Staff Officer Course (COSOC) to an alternative instructional approach derived from the Problem-Based learning (PBL) approach. Specifically, this research sought to determine if: (1) a cued retrieval instructional strategy in a problem oriented instructional situation would foster encoding specificity, hence, retention; and, (2) a focus on identification of learning issues by participants would foster an orientation to self-directed, continuing learning.
The information-seeking activity (ISA) of 16 rural health practitioners (occupational, physical, ... more The information-seeking activity (ISA) of 16 rural health practitioners (occupational, physical, and respiratory therapists; radiological technologists; speech/language pathologists; and nurses) was explored using qualitative methods of participant observation, document collection, and in-depth interviews. Field notes and documents were collected in two rural nursing homes. Participants described situations in which they needed information to solve clinical problems. Contextual differences appeared in how in-house and external contract practitioners used time and resources. In-house staff were more connected to their community, facility, and work space; external staff had connections outside the work setting. Making connections emerged as the core strategy used. Access to time and resources was a core condition influencing ISA. Barriers to ISA were classified as internal, intangible, and tangible. Preferences included technology access and continued learning close to home. Conclusio...
This paper considers the body of research on adult learning and adult college experiences and out... more This paper considers the body of research on adult learning and adult college experiences and outcomes that can inform the planning, development, and evaluation of accelerated degree programs. It addresses many of the issues confronting faculty and administrators as they design accelerated programs using a model of college outcomes developed to explain adult learners' experiences in college. The model, which offers a way of describing and understanding the experience for adults and nontraditional students, consists of: (1) prior experience and personal biographies; (2) psychosocial and value orientations; (3) adult cognition; (4) the connecting classroom; (5) life-world experience; and (6) college outcomes. The model was supplemented by research that asked adult students to define success in learning and in college and to identify the factors that led to their perceived success. These findings were used to develop a set of principles to help college administrators design program...
The new ACT College Outcomes Survey was used with a national sample of 9,348 undergraduate studen... more The new ACT College Outcomes Survey was used with a national sample of 9,348 undergraduate students to evaluate the effects of the college environment on academic and intellectual development. It compared the outcomes for adult learners with those for younger students. An index score was created that considered both the progress the students reported as well as their assessment of the importance of that aspect of development. Adult and younger students were also compared regarding their involvement and participation in the college environment. Findings indicated adults were much less involved in the campus events and much more involved in caring for their families. Despite this lower level of involvement in the college environment, adults reported slightly higher levels of growth on most academic and intellectual items than did the younger students. Possible explanations are given for the results including other ways adults can integrate what they have learned that takes the place o...
This study explored how adult students define success in college and their perceptions of factors... more This study explored how adult students define success in college and their perceptions of factors that either support or hinder achievement of this success. Thirteen returning adult students at two institutions were interviewed using a grounded theory approach. Data were analyzed inductively and iteratively to identify persistent themes. Students made clear and mutually exclusive distinctions between definitions of success in college and success in learning on the basis of two dimensions--the ownership of knowledge and the perceived potentiality or actuality of its use. Six themes emerged about factors identified as either contributing or hindering adults' success in college and learning: (1) experience, (2) maturity, (3) motivation, (4) self-monitoring ability, (5) reinforcement systems; and (6) classroom experiences. The study's findings support the need for new conceptualization of outcomes and the factors associated with these for increasingly diverse student bodies. The...
... Record Details - EJ492402. Title: The Working Roles of Continuing HigherEducation Administrat... more ... Record Details - EJ492402. Title: The Working Roles of Continuing HigherEducation Administrators: The Case of a Geographically Decentralized Continuing Education Organization. Full-Text Availability Options: ...
ABSTRACT Triangulation of 3 sets of data (176 student nominations of faculty for excellence; inte... more ABSTRACT Triangulation of 3 sets of data (176 student nominations of faculty for excellence; interviews with 68 adult graduate students and surveys of 181 adult undergraduates about outstanding teachers) showed that adults considered some teacher-centered and some student-centered attributes as effective. Undergraduate or graduate status was very important in differentiating student preferences. (SK)
This study explored the social and personal dynamics that deter underserved women from participat... more This study explored the social and personal dynamics that deter underserved women from participating in formal adult education. From a grounded theory perspective, an inductive analysis revealed four integrated categories of deterrents that describe factors leading to nonparticipation (a) preadulthood factors; (b) patterns of nonsupport in adulthood; (c) conventional deterrents; and, (d) lack of "voice" in adulthood.
Nursing schools strive to select a diverse student population who are likely to succeed by ensuri... more Nursing schools strive to select a diverse student population who are likely to succeed by ensuring timely student progression through the program and effective use of educational sources. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to explore the preadmission variables and selection criteria that predict student success in 4-year baccalaureate nursing programs in the U.S. Sixteen articles met the eligibility criteria, and six measures were used to define student success: (a) early academic success, particularly during the first and second year; (b) attrition; (c) timely completion of the program; (d) graduation; (e) performance in nursing courses; and (f) academic performance in other science courses. Typically, the core set of cognitive predictors used in the admission process in nursing schools were pre-nursing GPA, pre-nursing collegiate science GPA, and scores on standardized aptitude exams. This review suggests that it is challenging to isolate one single variable as the best predictor of student success; however, using a combination of variables can offer a reliable prediction method. More researchers should consider using a theoretical basis to guide their inquiry on this topic. Additionally, researchers should examine admission variables that are most relevant across programs.
ABSTRACT The purpose of this research was to articulate the pressures faced by USA higher educati... more ABSTRACT The purpose of this research was to articulate the pressures faced by USA higher education leaders lived experiences and the relationship to problem definition, attention focus, and strategy choice. A conceptual Model of Strategy Choice by Higher Education Leaders is proposed to capture the dynamics between exogenous pressures and problems and leaders’ choice of strategy, and decision-making. The model addresses two social processes (sense-making and decision-making) associated with reproducing and altering institutional logics. The findings highlight distinctions between conventional, pre-transformative, and transformative leadership thinking and their association with different dimensions of problem definition, organizational learning, and strategy choice.
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