2019 Annual Conference

Undergraduate Student Education

Shared Concurrent Session (Approx. 12 or 20 minutes)

This session presents a qualitative study investigating how adult learners experience their studies and make informed decisions within a student success culture-rich community college. Findings explore the alignment and misalignment of adult learner views with institutional initiatives, and adult learner perceptions of student success oriented strategies and contexts.

This presentation is suitable for academics and practitioners who study or work with undergraduate adult learners or whose focus is community college and workforce development environments. For the researcher, the study findings are helpful in analyzing theories and corresponding institutional approaches to promoting adult learner informed decision-making and guided pathways. For the practitioner, the study findings will offer tailored adult learner strategies for advisors, faculty members and students.

At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to:

Articulate how student success initiatives implemented in an undergraduate and/or community college setting aligns with our existing understanding of postsecondary adult learners.

Explore the concept of informed student decision-making from multiple perspectives (administrator, advisor, faculty, adult student).

Explain the various factors that adult learners consider in making informed decisions during their educational journey.

Consider adult leaner views and experiences regarding college support services and outside supporters (family, friends, peers).

Discuss how ‘adult learner’ is viewed, described, and defined from multiple community college perspectives (adult learner, faculty, advisor, administrator).

This qualitative case study seeks to learn, describe, and contribute to understanding of the experiences and decision-making of adult students who attend a community college with student success initiatives and a student success-rich culture. Specifically, the findings address how adult learners perceive and navigate their informed decision-making process such as the limited choices in guided pathways and adult learner needs, i.e. need for part-time study, fewer courses/electives, and the ability to make their own decisions regarding courses. The findings further analyze how those adult learner decision-making processes align with institutional practices and preferences. This research’s significance lies in both its timing and its filling a research/practice gap.  First, the student success movement has evolved and is embedded within many community college and other postsecondary environments but has not been predominant with sufficient longevity to fully analyze its influence.  Second, the existing postsecondary adult learner literature was primarily researched and has sustained in its frameworks and focus outside of the student success college context.  The study highlights the connections between the stated institutional student success priority of empowering adult learners in informed decision-making and how students believe their decision-making and student experience navigation actually occurs within their community college environment.

This session will include a presentation of data via PowerPoint.  The presenters will additionally share a white paper, bibliography, and implications short guide.  The presentation design allows ample time for facilitated audience and presenter discussion.