The Adult Learner

Written by

Michael A. Robinson

A major contemporary issue facing community colleges today is how to effectively and successfully engage their increasing population of adult learners. A national analysis regarding adult learners revealed that they compose as much as 33.4 percent of adult education enrollments at community colleges. In some states, such as Alabama, Illinois, North Carolina, Nevada and Wisconsin, 50 percent or more of their adult education students enroll in community colleges (Morest, 2004). Increasing demands for a skilled workforce who is ready and prepared to meet the performance challenges of today’s high growth industries, has resulted in many adult learners finding themselves back in the college classroom for the first time in decades. For others, it may be their first time ever at college. In both situations, college administrators are discovering there are different definitions of learning.

There a need to develop strategies that impact the success of the adult learner and the process has not been an easy one. The definitions of the adult learnervaries and is as myriad as the community colleges which serves their educational goals. However, the most commonly accepted definition of an adult learner is that of Arthur Chickering, as cited in Yi(2005) defines the adult learner as an individual whose major role in life is something other than full-time student.

What is learning for an adult student? Learning is defined as a process of developing new knowledge and skills to achieve the final outcome of improving individual and organizational performance (Yi, 2005). The author’s assessment of what is learning, dovetails what is typically identified as the goals and objects of the adult learner. The process of engaging the adult learner is distinctive and unique when compared to the traditional student. To truly impact adult learner s, it is important to understand how they learn and to incorporate the necessary strategies to fully engage them.

One of the primary criticisms regarding strategies for adult learners is that they simply are not needed. Many who believe the traditional methods of curriculum delivery is sufficient and that there is no real difference between the way children learn and adults learn. This belief is the center of some controversy.

Malcom Knowles, who many credit as the pioneer of the field of adult learning, suggest adults’ and children’s learning is not equivalent, though there is not an absolute boundary between the two (Yi, 2005). Given the complexity surrounding their lives, it becomes imperative institutions see the adult learners as the unique and develop effective strategies and methods to impact their success in the classroom. Knowles identified the characteristics of adult learners as: (a) autonomous and self-directed; they need to be free to direct themselves; (b) having accumulated a foundation of life experiences and knowledge that may include work-related activities, family responsibilities, and previous education, (c) goal-oriented, upon enrolling in a course, they usually know what goals they want to attain; d) relevancy-oriented, they must see a reason for learning something; and (e) shown respect, academic instructors must acknowledge the wealth of experiences that adult participants bring to the classroom (Lieb, 2002).