degree attainment for adult learners noelle waggett the
TRANSCRIPT
Running Head: DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR ADULT LEARNERS
Degree Attainment for Adult Learners
Noelle Waggett
The Pennsylvania State University
DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR ADULT LEARNERS 1
“Today’s adults need higher levels of academic and technical knowledge to remain employable
in an information and service economy characterized by frequent job and career change
(Bosworth et al., 2007, p. 2).”
Introduction
The importance of working adults in today’s economy to obtain some form of higher
education degree is rapidly increasing. Approximately 85 percent of adult learners indicate
career reasons as the key factor for why they enroll in higher education programs (Kasworm,
2003). In this paper I will examine aspects of an Input-Environment-Output (IEO) model for
degree attainment for adult learners. I will first look at the output of the model and provide a
definition of degree attainment and why it is important for adult learners to achieve degree
attainment. Next I will review the input of the model by defining characteristics of adult
learners, important statistics to know, and the potential barriers that they may bring with them
to higher education. I will then look at the environment piece of the model and present
information on the typical programs and services that are currently in place to help the adult
learner reach degree attainment at higher education institutes. After reviewing all of the
components for my model, I will then discuss how all of the pieces fit together in the model and
how to apply the model I have created to other student populations in higher education. Lastly,
I will suggest recommendations for how faculty and staff can improve the programs and
services that are currently offered and what additional programs and services should be put into
place to assist the adult learner and potentially other under-represented student populations in
higher education.
DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR ADULT LEARNERS 2
Output
Degree attainment is crucial for adults who wish to earn higher wages and strive for a
better quality of life (Bosworth et al., 2007). According to Patricia Brown, the need for
credentialed workers in the workforce continues to increase (Brown, 2011) which is positively
correlated with the need for institutions of higher education to respond to an increase of adult
learners pursuing degrees. For the purpose of this paper degree attainment is defined as a
student earning the degree that they set out to achieve; Associates, Bachelors, or Masters. I
chose to not look at persistence or retention as those both take the length of time it takes adult
learners to graduate into consideration. Due to the complexities of evaluating length of time for
degree attainment for this population I chose to look only at degree attainment. According to
Brown, persistence is measured in different ways, including retention rates, but these do not
“give the full picture of adult student participation (Brown, 2011).” Brown suggests that
removing obstacles, such as barriers to access, increases one’s level of persistence and
demonstrates that due to other responsibilities, adult learners frequently “stop out” in the
process of pursuing a degree.
The nation’s current labor force includes 54 million adults who have no college degree
(Brennamen et al., 2007, p. 1). In order for individuals and the nation’s economy to succeed we
must keep up with the skills and educational qualifications to be relevant with global economic
competition. During the 1990s, more than a third of the largest U.S. employers reported
creating new jobs in some divisions while at the same time eliminating positions in other areas
(Bosworth et al., 2007). Another change that has forced adults to obtain degrees is the change
in educational requirements over time. By 2020, 65 percent of all jobs will require
DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR ADULT LEARNERS 3
postsecondary education and training, up from 28 percent in 1973 (Carnevale, Smith, & Strohl,
2013). Of those jobs, 11 percent will require a master’s degree or better. In order for employees
to remain competitive in the job market they must continue to learn.
Earning levels have proven to typically be based on the level of an individual’s education.
The median earnings of an American worker with no higher education is $30,800, which is 38
percent less than the $48,800 median for those with a bachelor’s degree (Bosworth et al., 2007,
p.4). Approximately 44 percent of adult learners report a current income that is between
$10,000 and $29,999. Only 29 percent of adult learners report a current income that is more
than $30,000 (Kasworm, 2003). The positive return to increasing one’s education has
continued to increase over time. In 1975 a worker with a bachelor’s degree made
approximately 1.5 times the salary of a worker with only a high school degree. By 1999 the
ratio had grown to 1.8 times the amount (Bosworth et al., 2007, p. 4).
Input
Adult learners turn to higher education for a variety of reasons. When considering why
adults enroll in higher education you first need to look at where they are in their life. Some
adults have had little or no higher education experience and others may have already obtained a
degree. There are many reasons why adults may decide to attend a degree granting institution.
A few examples could be to improve their marketability in the job market, to enter into the job
market, or to satisfy a personal desire to obtain new knowledge or skills (Chao, 2009).
The adult learner can be defined in many ways that take into consideration a variety of
characteristics. Common definitions that are used are similar to how Penn State University
defines an adult student:
A student who has been away from formal education for four or more years
DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR ADULT LEARNERS 4
A veteran of the United State Armed Services
Someone 24 years of age and older
A person of any age who assumes multiple adult roles, such as parent, employee,
spouse/partner and student (Zitomer, 2005).
The percentage of adult learners in higher education in 2011 was approximately 42
percent when looking at students enrolled in all post-secondary degree granting institutions.
Of those students who were enrolled full-time, 71 percent of the students that attended private
for-profit 4-year institutions were adult learners and only 12 percent of enrollments at public
4-year institutions were adult learners. When looking at 2-year institutions adult learners made
up 52 percent of full-time enrollments at private for-profit institutions and 41 percent of
enrollments at public institutions. Students who were enrolled part-time had slightly higher
percentages overall. At the 4-year institutions 78 percent of the part-time enrollments at private
for-profit institutions were adults and at the public institutions they accounted for 50 percent of
the enrollments. At 2-year institutions adult learners made up 61 percent of the part-time
enrollments at private for-profit institutions and 48 percent of the part-time enrollments at
public institutions were adult learners (U.S. Department of Education, 2013a).
In 2007-2008 the major fields of study with the highest percentage of adult students at
2-year institutions was construction trades, public administration and social services, and
transportation and materials moving. At 4-year institutions a high percentage of students were
enrolled in computer and information sciences, social sciences, and transportation and
materials moving programs (U.S. Department of Education, 2013b, p. 378).
The percentage of adult learners that attend degree granting institutions has had little
DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR ADULT LEARNERS 5
change over the past 20 years. In 1990 the percentage was 44 percent, in 2011 it was 42
percent and the projected percentage of enrollment in 2021 is 43 percent (U.S. Department of
Education, 2013b, p. 322). The only significant difference is that the enrollments for students
who are 35 years old and over has grown at a higher percentage rate than students who are 25
years old to 34 years old. The percentage of students that attend full-time has decreased over
the past 20 years while the part-time enrollments have increased.
The adult learner brings a variety of barriers that without intervention from the higher
education institute may prohibit them from obtaining the degree that they seek. Not all adult
learners will bring in these barriers, but these are a few of the potential obstacles that the adult
learner may face. The image below is the input for the IEO model that I have created and it
displays the barriers that will be described in this paper.
Figure 1. Input for adult leaners
The first barrier that an adult learner may bring with them is the lack of information in
regards to higher education. Having all of the correct information available for any student is
essential for their success. The adult learner typically has had no prior higher education
DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR ADULT LEARNERS 6
experience and therefore has no knowledge of the processes and procedures that go along with
attending a higher education institute. Adult learners who have been away from the academic
setting for an extended amount of time may find higher education to be a challenge. Some adult
learners will need to use skills that they have not used since having learned them in high school
(Hardin, 2008).
One of the most stressful obstacles that adult learners are faced with is being able to afford
their tuition. Approximately 60 percent of adult learners are in single-income households
(Brennamen et al., 2007, p. 9). Adult learners are typically financially independent and
therefore must take on the burden of the cost of higher education on their own. Single parents
make up approximately 29 percent of adult learners (Kasworm, 2003).
Michael Dooris and Marianne Guidos completed a study that looks at trying to understand
the program completion of adult learners. One of the conclusions that they reached is that even
though adult learners indicate financial reasons as hindering their ability to persist, “many adult
students, especially part-time students, fail to apply for aid (Dooris & Guidos, 2007).” Some
adult learners are unaware of the financial aid options available to them and the process they
need to complete in order to obtain funding.
The next two barriers, time availability and outside responsibilities can be reviewed
together. Many adult learners are faced with a limited amount of discretionary time that they
have to devote to their studies due to other obligations. At least two out of three adult learners
work full-time and see themselves as employees first and students second (Bosworth et al.,
2007, p. 9). Adult learners also have the responsibilities that come along with being an
independent. Fifty-three percent of adult learners also have dependents other than a spouse,
DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR ADULT LEARNERS 7
such as children or aging parents, which they need to provide care for (Kasworm, 2003). These
facts along with other outside obligations will cause the adult learner to not have a lot of time to
allocate towards educational responsibilities. Not only does this make it difficult for students to
attend courses, but it also causes the adult learner to not be able to make use of academic
services that are not available outside of regular business hours.
Environment
Higher education institutes create the environment for students with the different programs
and services that they make available to their students. It is the responsibility of faculty and
staff to create and provide these services for all students. The image below is the environment
piece of the IEO model that I have created and displays the programs and services available to
students that will be discussed in further detail in this paper.
Figure 2. Environment of higher education institute
The Adult Learner Programs and Services Office at Penn State is an example of an office
that provides information for adult learners that is specific to their situation. The overarching
DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR ADULT LEARNERS 8
mission of the office is to facilitate the adult learner’s transition from entering the University
through to graduation (personal communication, February 24, 2014).
In order to foster this outcome, the Adult Learner Programs and Services office strives
to meet student needs through their mission and vision. According to Leslie Laing, the
Assistant Director, the vision of the office is:
Adult Learner Programs and Services office works to meet the needs of adult learners
by providing advocacy, information, educational programming, support services, and
referrals relating to any concerns adult learners might have. We offer these services in
partnership with Penn State Outreach and with University academic units (personal
communication, February 24, 2014).
However, as a one-person office, Ms. Laing is limited in resources with minimal collaboration
from other units. The mission of the office states:
We are committed to serving adult learners in the spirit of diversity and social justice and
providing them with tools they need to function as they navigate their college careers. We
know that some of the obstacles they may encounter include learning how to balance their
multiple roles and the demands that arise from beginning college course work at a
nontraditional age or returning to college after five or more years absent from the
classroom, and our mission is to facilitate their successful transition through graduation
(personal communication, February 24, 2014).
In response to the needs of adult learners, Ms. Laing works to provide a wealth of knowledge,
resources, academic advice, and orientation services to help them with the transition of
entering college all the way through to degree obtainment.
DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR ADULT LEARNERS 9
The majority of higher education institutes have a single financial aid office that provides
the same level of information and services to all students and is not specialized for any specific
population. Since the enactment of the federal Higher Education Act in 1965, financial aid and
its policies have been geared toward dependent adolescents who are pursuing a traditional
degree program and are enrolled full time in courses (Bosworth et al., 2007, p. 27). These
policies and regulations for receiving most types of aid do not work for adult learners who do
not meet the necessary requirements.
Scheduling options that are currently available through continuing education offices are a
limited number of night and weekend courses. Higher education institutes have long offered
“night school” by offering courses outside of the typical eight-to-five business day (Bosworth
et al., 2007, p. 16). Some master’s degree programs through the World Campus at Penn State
offer accelerated programs of study. These degrees typically consist of 12 courses and are
completed in continuous seven-week terms over two years. The course work is designed so the
adult learner can continue to work full-time while earning a master's degree. For these
programs the courses last only 7 weeks so that a student who would typically only be able to
take one course per semester can complete two courses by the end of a traditional semester
(World Campus, 2014).
Higher education institutes offer some of their courses via distance education. In the past
this typically consisted of students completing required assignments and mailing them in for
evaluation. More recently higher education institutes have begun to offer online courses which
mirror the academic courses taught on campus. Online courses provide adult learners with a
flexible option for earning a degree. The asynchronous format allows the adult learner to learn
DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR ADULT LEARNERS 10
at their own pace and whenever their schedule permits without having to step onto a physical
campus (World Campus, 2014).
IEO Model and Recommendations
The IEO model that I have created pulls together all of the pieces that I have described in
this paper. The image below displays the complete IEO model and how each of the pieces
connects to each other.
Figure 3. Inputs-Environment-Output model
The overall theme of the model that I have created is that programs and services need to be
designed with specific populations in mind. This model can easily be used for any population
that could benefit from having targeted information available that meets the specific needs of
that group. The traditional environment created at higher education institutes of only providing
information for the traditional student population is becoming less acceptable as the number of
non-traditional student populations continue to grow. There are several groups, not just adult
learners, which can greatly benefit from having programs and services customized for their
DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR ADULT LEARNERS 11
needs.
The model I have created follows Bean and Eaton’s Psychological Model of College
Student Retention. The basis of the model is that “programs are effective when they assist
students in gaining positive self-efficacy, approaching rather than avoiding social and
academic activities, developing an internal locus of control with regard to social and academic
matters, and developing positive attitudes toward being at school (Bean & Eaton, 2001, p. 78).”
The image below is a representation of this model.
Figure 4. Bean and Eaton’s psychological model of college student retention
The Adult Learner Programs and Services Office at Penn State is an example of having
dedicated staff and programs to assist adult learners that face the barrier of a lack of knowledge.
The coping behavioral theory is apparent in almost all of the services that this office provides to
adult learners. Coping is a variety of behaviors used to adapt and to deal with all stressful
situations (Bean & Eaton, 2000, p. 51). The Adult Learner Handbook that the office creates
DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR ADULT LEARNERS 12
each year is a prime example. The handbook is full of several suggestions on how to cope with
being a new student as well as provides a plethora of resources for adult learners to reach out to
for assistance. This theory is also represented by the Adult Learners of Penn State group. One
of the benefits of this group is that it provides adult learners with an opportunity to increase
their social integration at the University. “Coping behaviors allow a student to adapt to school,
and adaptation is the process by which a student becomes integrated into the new school
environment (Bean & Eaton, 2001, p. 77).” Thus, the ability of the Adult Learner Programs
and Services office to integrate adult learners in the campus environment is crucial to their
success.
Changes need to be made to financial aid in order to help adult learners overcome their
financial issues obstacle. Currently federal loans are only available to students who attend
courses half time or more (Bosworth et al., 2007, p. 26). This schedule is not conducive to adult
learners who work full time and have other obligations that they need to schedule around. Pell
grant eligibility is based on the previous year’s income and does not allow for immediate
modifications when there is a change in income (Bosworth et al., 2007, p. 26). The majority of
states have deadlines of March or April for the following fall semester. The outside obligations
that an adult learner faces deter them from making long-term plans for their education.
Modifying aid policies to allow for the intricacies of the adult learner would help to alleviate
the stress that this barrier causes.
The adult learner’s obstacles of time availability and outside responsibilities can be
addressed by higher education institutes increasing the amount of course options and provide
more flexible scheduling for their degree programs. Currently for most adult learners it takes
DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR ADULT LEARNERS 13
them anywhere from three to seven years to complete a two-year program (Bosworth et al.,
2007, p. 16). The need for alternative options for earning degrees in a shorter time frame is
critical for adult learners who need to obtain a degree in order to keep their current job or to
qualify for a new position if their position has been eliminated. Offering more courses in the
evenings, weekends, online, or in intensive blocks using vacation time would be beneficial for
adult learners who wish to earn a degree in a shorter amount of time (Bosworth et al., 2007, p.
16). Another option that would help with degree attainment for adult learners would be to offer
accelerated options for associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs like the master’s degree
program offered at Penn State World Campus that is described in the Environment section of
this paper.
Helping students earn Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credits is an example of
another theory from Bean & Eaton’s model is the self-efficacy theory. This theory looks at an
individual’s perception of their abilities to complete a certain task. “As the individual
recognizes his/her competence and gains self-confidence, that individual will demonstrate
higher aspirations for persistence (Bean & Eaton, 2000, p. 53).” Dr. Patricia Shope of the
Adult Learner Advocacy Office in Penn State Outreach is working with University offices to
increase the acceptance of PLA credits at Penn State. Obtaining these credits could increase
an adult learner’s confidence of their academic abilities. Brown states,
Penn State University’s analysis of its 2005 adult applicant survey, designed to learn
why admitted adults either did not accept the offer or accepted the offer but did not
enroll, showed a number of participants were concerned about taking courses that
duplicated learning they had previously gained in the workplace (Brown, 2011).
DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR ADULT LEARNERS 14
Two of the ways of reviewing PLA are credit by portfolio and credit by examination (Shope,
2013). Offering PLA to students will assist in increasing the degree attainment rate for adult
learners because it will reduce the amount of time that it will take for them to graduate. If
students are able to earn PLA it will increase their academic and self-efficacy, which will in
turn increase their academic and social integration (Bean & Eaton, 2001, p. 77).
Higher education institutes can assist adult learners in earning their degrees by becoming
more customer service oriented. One of the changes that would increase adult learners’
opinions of customer service at higher education institutes would be to make student support
services available outside of normal business hours. Higher education institutes invest a lot of
their resources to ensure that currently enrolled students view the institution as the premier
provider of educational services (Hadfield, 2003). Providing assistance to adult learners during
convenient times for them will help to increase the students’ satisfaction with the school.
Conclusion
The IEO model that I set out to create was intended to pull together the pieces of how adult
learners can successfully complete their intended degree. The model that I ended up creating in
fact can be used for any under-represented student population in higher education. The Council
on Adult and Experiential Learning (2000) indicates that several higher education institutes
have struggled to adjust to the changing demographics at their institutes (Hardin, 2008). The
solution to this issue is not complex, but does require college administrators to re-evaluate the
necessity of having educational specialists to address the specific needs of multiple student
populations. Providing specialized services for these populations will increase degree
attainment for that group.
DEGREE ATTAINMENT FOR ADULT LEARNERS 15
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