2016 Annual Conference

This session explores strategies and tools for retaining and engaging bi-racial and multi-cultural adult learners by expanding understanding and opportunities within a university setting. Please join us to learn new tools and to contribute new strategies to best practices within higher education.

The target audience for this round table are those individuals who have an interest in adult education such as faculty, staff, administrators, and program planners. The discussion will include prior best practices and strategies for academic and social integration of bi-racial/multi-cultural adult learners and provide opportunity for interactive discussion focusing specifically on strategies and tools for retention and assimilation of bi-racial/multi-cultural adult learners.

The most common racial makeup of individuals in America today is that of bi-racial or multi-racial identity (Townsend, Markus, and Bergsieker, 2009, p.187). This increase of bi-racial/multi-cultural adult learners creates a need for a variety of services and academic support measures that are not being met through traditional educational practices. In this round table, the presenter will introduce talking points and then allow educators, administrators, and staff from a broad array of organizations and educational institutions to share ideas, techniques, and experiences in relation to best practices for bi-racial/multi-cultural adult learners. In particular, concerns unique to bi-racial/multi-cultural learners. This is especially relevant as prior research has shown being sensitive to the needs of bi-racial/multi-cultural learners expand the opportunity for success as multi-racial individuals are often victims of institutional racism that makes multi-racialism invisible or non-normative (Salahuddin and O’Brien, 2011, p. 495). Therefore, this topic is timely and important as it provides a valuable resource to not only meet the needs of bi-racial/multi-cultural adult learners, but to help them succeed. Last, multiple perspectives and suggestions allow participants to make informed decisions about implementation of future practices and research.