An increasing number of part-time adult learners have enrolled in master's programmes globally for career advancement and personal growth. The educational and working backgrounds of these part-time master's students are diverse. Their motivations for pursuing master's degrees and continued learning are also varied. We explored part-time master's…

Recent trends in higher education indicate a steady increase in the number of adult and non-traditional learners returning to complete college degrees. Though higher education can provide numerous economic and career enhancement opportunities, adult learners experience several challenges when they return to college. The purpose of this qualitative…

This qualitative research is a narrative research study of the experiences of eight post traditional students enrolled in the case study community college. The student participants were invited to be part of this research based on their demographic. Male students over the age of 24, matriculated in a program of study with a minimum of 12 credits…

To truly provide inclusive learning spaces for all students, inclusive education must be provided for people with disabilities during the transitional period from compulsory school to employment. México's 2011 law of inclusion provides rights to people with disabilities for access to education and professional training. In the interest of…

Higher education and lifelong learning projects aimed at adults have become more widespread and have sparked a debate on how to restructure higher education policies and support lifelong learning. In Finland, a recent initiative in higher education policy is based on the theme of continuous learning. Different supporting structures and practices…

As the movement to tap and grow the talents of working adults continues to gain momentum, CAEL continues its thought leadership by spearheading a research partnership with Stanford Pathways Network (pathways.stanford.edu) and Strada Education Foundation. In this joint initiative, "Designing Opportunity for Working Adult Learners," the…

In this report, AIR shares an exploratory analysis of how the past and present experiences of adult learners of color shape their perceptions of college and decisions they make. Existing research highlights some common motivations, strengths, and barriers for adult learners (see, e.g., Patterson, 2018); however, it does not deeply explore the full…

Despite popular framings about skills for 21st-century jobs, there are few studies of how new media literacies unfold in workplaces, nor of how professional education programs can build on adult learners' previous experiences to foster effective digital communication practices. We argue that seminaries and divinity schools are a particularly rich…

Traditional education and training models are failing to equip many job seekers--especially people of color and individuals living in low-income communities in urban and rural areas--with the skills and experience they need to succeed in today's workforce. This report is about combining the best evidence, practices, and policies to drive a broader…

As the Australian labour market restructures and the pace of technological advances quickens, reskilling and up-skilling are now required for sustained employability. Thus, many adults embark on further study after spending a period of time in the workforce. To examine the reasons for re-engaging, and for not re-engaging with education during…

Emerging adulthood is defined as age-based (18-29 years of age). This age range is central to traditional age collegians who are a very diverse group (i.e., relative to race/ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, relationship status, and educational attainment). In an effort to explore the career development process of college students this…

Our research explores the experience of adults looking for flexible online learning opportunities that intersect with university study. We interviewed 58 people living in 14 African countries who have taken a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) developed by the University of Cape Town. The interview data reveals diverse uses of MOOCs in workplace…

Mature-age postgraduate students are those who are late to higher education or have returned to postgraduate study after an educational hiatus in industry. While some mature-age students seek a postgraduate qualification out of extrinsic motivations such as for vocational reasons, there are older non-traditional students who seek higher status;…

The number of adult learners entering or returning to higher education institutions has increased tremendously in recent years. Through this growth and change in student demographic, traditional non-profit four-year universities have begun to invest in online degree programs to become more accessible and provide another avenue for adult learners…

Undergraduate distance learning-based programmes in the field of engineering have become one of the popular educational qualifications internationally. Besides traditional-age university students, non-traditional, returning, evening, and adult (NTREA) students make up groups of large significant enrolments at many distance learning programmes.…