2016 Annual Conference

Adult learners often experience challenges to their success and retention because of unmet non-academic needs. This session will provide an overview of non-academic student needs, as well as strategies for addressing them so that students can not only survive, but thrive, in the educational environment.

This session is designed for educators who work with at-risk adult learners in a variety of settings, from basic education programs to college/university environments. The session will also be informative for researchers, graduate students, and others interested in solutions-based strategies for assisting at-risk adult learners.

At-risk adult learners have the potential for success in educational settings, but are often hampered by unmet non-academic needs which distract them from their goals. However, if provisions for these needs are prioritized by both institutions and communities, many of these students will not only survive, but thrive, in their academic pursuits.
This session will examine definitions/criteria for non-academic needs of at-risk adult learners, address ways in which those unmet needs may inhibit retention and success for those learners, and identify potential sources of assistance/intervention for those needs. Some solutions-based strategies which have proven successful will be explored. Attendees will consider approaches which may be viable options for their own practice settings, then discuss these ideas in small groups.