Abstract
This chapter summarizes the general state of knowledge regarding nontraditional adult learners, including the challenges and obstacles they face. Specific recommendations for providing support and increasing success in vulnerable students in general, and especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, are discussed at both the institution and the classroom levels. One of the strategies that can improve retention in nontraditional learners right now is the development of an inclusive, supportive classroom by faculty members. In order to adapt to a modern workforce, higher education must work with industries to adjust its approach to training and preparing today's graduates for current careers in technology, business, and healthcare.
TopBackground
Unlike in previous recessions, the recession that accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic did not result in an increase in enrollment; in fact, enrollment dropped sharply for two consecutive fall semesters, especially for community colleges (The Princeton Review, 2021). Although the economic prospects of young adults are looking up as many companies and service industries are hiring, the pandemic has irrevocably altered the landscape of education. According to Levine and Pelt (2021), higher education has undergone a transformation in order to serve a global, digital, and knowledge economy. There is debate as to whether these changes will be incremental, as they have been historically, or whether they will occur so suddenly that many institutions will struggle or even become bankrupt.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Work-Life Credits: College credits awarded for specialized training, experiences, or knowledge.
Zoom: A video platform that allows users to hold meetings, webinars, and online events such as online classes.
Nontraditional Student/Learner: The increasing and majority population of college students who have at least one of the following criteria: 25 or older; single parents; dependents; part-time students; a GED; delayed college attendance; financial independence; and full-time employment.
“Just-in-Time” Education: A learning strategy that is focused on meeting the learner’s needs, so it is available and ready exactly when and how the learner needs it.
Distance Education: Education that uses technology to provide content to students in a separate environment from the one in which the instructor prepared and delivered it.
Inclusive Classroom: A classroom where academically and socially diverse students learn together.
Andragogy: The method or practice of teaching, based on research or theory, used with adults.
Active Learning Strategies: Active learning engages students in learning using various techniques such as role-playing, case studies, collaborative projects, peer revision, presentations, and demonstrations, followed by class discussion or other forms of student feedback to assess student understanding.
Sense of Community: A feeling of belonging in the classroom, whereby the learner feels supported, challenged, and accepted.
First-Generation College Student: A student whose parents did not attend college.
Learning Management System: A software application, such as Blackboard, Canvas, or Brightspace, that institutions use to create and deliver educational courses and other programs.