High-Impact Practices and the Adult Online Learner

Institutions of higher education are challenged to get students engaged, especially adult or non-traditional online learners. In this study, the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) 2017 & 2018 data on High-Impact Practices (HIPs) are examined to understand the extent to which adult online learners are engaged in HIPs. This analysis finds that engagement levels for adult learners are lower than those of traditional learners (under the age of 24) for all HIPs surveyed by the NSSE. Moreover, the levels of engagement of the subset of adult learners who took only online courses was even lower than the levels of the broader adult population, and part-time adult online learners had the lowest engagement of all student populations examined. Based on these findings, suggestions for improving the engagement of adult and online learners in HIPs are discussed. Institutions should focus on incorporating opportunities that allow more learners to experience HIPs, as research findings suggest that HIPS increase engagement and could result in significant improvements in student success measures, such as program completion and graduate school attendance (Stoloff, Good, Smith, & Brewster, 2015).

From Digital Exclusion to Digital Inclusion for Adult Online Learners

There is an alarming attrition rate of adult students in distance education programs because of socio-economic, gender, and technology factors. In the United States, digitally excluded online adult learners include the poor, mostly women, who have minimal technology skills. This chapter provides some solution strategies for ICT directors, higher education administrators, online instructors, and the older students they serve. With technology training and financial assistance, adult online learners can be motivated to succeed.

From Digital Exclusion to Digital Inclusion for Adult Online Learners

There is an alarming attrition rate of adult students in distance education programs because of socio-economic, gender and technology factors. In the United States, digitally excluded online adult learners include the poor, mostly women, who have minimal technology skills. This chapter provides some solution strategies for ICT directors, higher education administrators, online instructors, and the older students they serve. With technology training and financial assistance, adult online learners can be motivated to succeed.

Library Issues in Adult Online Education

Adult online learners have unique information and technology needs which are best met by libraries and library professionals. Combining the concept of andragogy along with best practices for the library profession significantly assists librarians in providing meaningful learning opportunities. Effective library support for adults in online learning experiences incorporates the concepts of learning style theories, thinking style theories, and library anxiety research. Best practices in information literacy and technology literacy assist librarians in supporting the broad needs of adult online learners.