Nontraditional Adult Learners

Joseph C Chen

doi:10.1177/2158244017697161

Abstract

In the discourse on diversity in colleges and universities in the United States, an often-neglected population is nontraditional adult learners. This article explores this invisible aspect of undergraduate diversity, and addresses how competence-based education, which focuses on demonstrating the actual ability to do, is an innovative approach that caters to adult learners’ life phase and learning needs. College arguably is a youth-centric phase of life generally designed for the younger student. However, the stereotypical full-time student who lives on campus is actually a small percentage of the entire postsecondary population. Due to the demands of an increasingly competitive world of work, nontraditional adult learners will continue to seek out postsecondary education. Unfortunately, the credit hour system is a significant barrier for both entry and success of adult learners. Merits of competence-based education are discussed, and implications are provided to best meet this significant component of student diversity.

Highlights

Over the past 15 years, the undergraduate student population in degree-granting postsecondary institutions of higher learning in the United States has seen significant growth in diversity
With the total undergraduate population projected to increase by about 37% to just less than 24 million students by 2022 (Hussar & Bailey, 2014), the increasing racial/ethnic diversity in the United States will invariably continue to impact the diversity on college and university campuses across the country
An important population of student diversity that is often neglected in postsecondary education, is nontraditional adult learners (NALs) even though they represent approximately 38.2% of the postsecondary population in the United States (National Center for Education Statistics, 2009)

Summary

Introduction

Over the past 15 years, the undergraduate student population in degree-granting postsecondary institutions of higher learning in the United States has seen significant growth in diversity. NALs, usually defined as aged 25 and over, include those under 25 but who have characteristics indicative of adult responsibilities, such as working full-time, being financially dependent, has nonspousal dependents, is a single parent, as well as having a nontraditional educational trajectory, such as delayed enrollment into higher education or did not complete high school (Horn, 1996) Given these characteristics, the majority of students in undergraduate programs can be classified as nontraditional, suggesting that the traditional student, who enrolls full-time and lives on campus, is the exception rather than the norm (Choy, 2002), even though they, the traditional student, arguably receive the vast majority of attention and resources from colleges and universities. The ability to provide access for both traditional and nontraditional students and all levels of academic achievement represents an American success unseen in virtually any other nation. (M. Harris, 2013, p. 54)

Objectives

Findings

Conclusion