In recent decades, higher education has undergone a profound transformation with the increased enrollment of non-traditional students, representing a diverse cohort pursuing education later in life. The purpose of this comprehensive qualitative meta-analysis of existing literature is to meticulously examine the multifaceted challenges and barriers…

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to discover the asynchronous online learning experiences that support learning motivation for community college degree-seeking non-traditional adult learners in the United States. The theoretical framework guiding this study is Knowles' andragogy adult learning theory. The utilization of…

In this article the authors explore the notion of 'common good' in relation to adult education. They do this by drawing upon the experiences of working-class family members who were both social learners and autodidacts, and who engaged in learning for their own sake and for what they believed to be the common good. The authors use diaries, letters…

This study explores the lived experiences of individualized and interdisciplinary students enrolled in a 4-year public university in the Upper Midwest region of the United States. Those enrolled in this individualized degree program are working adults with significant family, work, and life obligations. As Brookfield (2006), Knowles (1980), and…

The adult participants in this study range in age from 20 to 50 years. They describe their remembered experiences of learning mathematics in both primary and secondary education. None of the participants achieved the qualifications in mathematics which would allow them access to higher education. They are now studying mathematics after many years…

This dissertation explores the experiences of adult English as a Second Language (ESL) learners in an Adult Basic Education (ABE) program. ABE/ESL learners are a unique but integral population within the language learning community and are largely excluded from the scholarly discourse. Research in the context of language learning and instruction…

The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore nontraditional students' experiences and strategies used to overcome math anxiety. It addressed two research questions; how adult students developed their beliefs about math anxiety, and how they described the strategies used to change their beliefs and become successful in completing an…

This study of 12,851 students from 34 member institutions of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities examined the predictors of student thriving, as well as racial and ethnic differences in thriving and its predictors, within undergraduate, adult, and graduate student samples. Thriving was defined as being vitally engaged in the…

Adults with ADHD maintain some success in higher education but underperform their non-ADHD peers despite having normal intelligence. This study explored the essence of the lived experiences of female graduate students with ADHD navigating their academic journeys in graduate school. Using a phenomenological approach through the lens of…

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to understand the experiences of adult graduate students who stop-out, or take a break from enrollment, but who ultimately persist by reenrolling. The participants in this study were enrolled in an online master's degree program. Symbolic interactionism was the theoretical framework for this study…

This qualitative study was an exploration of the lived experiences of adult learners (over age 24) enrolled in graduate teacher preparation programs and their distinct needs and expectations related to program entry, persistence, and completion. Five graduate teacher preparation degree-seeking study participants openly shared their respective…

Every student deserves a college education that provides a welcoming environment regardless of demographics. For adult students and students with autism, academic environments may not contain the needed protective support interventions for these populations to be successful. This study seeks to address the gap in literature that exists regarding…

This qualitative research study describes the experiences of eight graduates of an online career or technical education (CTE) program. Through transcendental phenomenology, this study explores the student perspective in an in-depth and personalized fashion to create a composite description of the experience. Existing literature in this field was…

A large percentage of women veteran students at a local 4-year university are transitioning from active duty to the role of adult learner on a college campus, and some have overcome barriers, such as inadequate childcare, lack of transportation, and financial aid issues and completed their educational goals. Unfortunately, some women veterans are…

Recent research reveals that many students are "swirling," or transferring more than one time, and not always vertically. This rise in swirlers suggests that some students choose transfer institutions that do not fit their needs. Yet, very little research examines the choices students make as they seek to transfer from one school to…