The rapid pace of technological change is revolutionizing every sector of the economy, transforming how value is created and delivered to consumers through technologies like robotics, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things. This transformation underscores the need for a diverse workforce as the new skills valued and…

Safety practices impact production. The teaching of safety practices is impacted by the training of educators, the attitude of superiors, the perception of the importance of safety, and acquired training in adult learning methods. This study examined administrators' and instructors' current proficiency and dedication to safety training and adult…

A significant demographic shift in community colleges reveals that more than half of enrolled students are adults aged 25 and older. In response, states are instituting reconnect programs aimed at recruiting and reengaging adult learners. Despite these initiatives, existing processes and practices within community colleges often inadequately…

While there is overwhelming evidence of the positive impact of culturally responsive and equitable practices for adult learners and students of color, there is a remaining lack of infrastructural and institutional support for culturally sustaining work. Much anti-racist work has relied on individual dedication, grant-specific funding, and…

As higher education institutions across Colorado continue to address the impact of COVID19 on enrollment and identify practices that promote student success and institutional sustainability, many are focusing their attention on the enrollment of adult learners. The Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) has actively engaged in building…

Community-college professors possess knowledge in distinct disciplines and have varied experiences that they encompass in their college classrooms. Additionally, creating effective environments for teaching and learning require these assets from instructors to fulfill their curriculum needs. Teaching is a multidimensional and complex activity that…

Adult English language instruction is the fastest growing segment of U.S. adult basic education population. Supporting adult emergent multilingual students through English as a Second Language or English for Speakers of Other Languages classes, referred to here as ES(O)L, and developmental literacy programs presents a "wicked problem"…

In 2019, MDRC launched the Scaling Up College Completion Efforts for Student Success (SUCCESS) project to improve college completion rates for traditionally underserved students, such as students from low-income backgrounds and students of color, at community and broad-access colleges (those that have open or minimally selective admissions…

This dissertation research reports on the experiences of a team of community college educators who develop, implement, and teach an introductory biology course on the inverted classroom platform. Research questions addressed include: (1) What have been the motivations and professional influences of the instructors for transitioning to the inverted…

For the first time in United States history, five of the six living generations matriculate together through college classrooms. The ever more rapid speed of change in the past 100 years has stimulated each generation's increasingly singular developmental experience resulting in ever expanding "generation gaps." In community colleges,…

A midwestern community college utilized a corequisite model to accelerate students' developmental education that allows adult learners to take developmental writing and English composition simultaneously. First-year composition instructors had no formal training at the college on andragogical methods and teaching strategies to foster successful…

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to learn about, describe, and understand the experiences and perceptions of adult students who attend a community college that has ongoing student success initiatives. The research question addresses how adult learners uniquely perceive their student experiences at a community college immersed in a…

Steps taken to address racial inequality in the private sector and higher education are not always altruistic. This brief examines the economic impact of having a representative workforce, focusing on the state of North Carolina (NC). It discusses the importance of successful education programming designed to address issues related to Black,…

The 47th annual conference of the Adult and Higher Education Alliance (AHEA) was held online and in person in March 2023. This year's conference theme is "Workforce Development: Micro-Credentials, Badges, and CEUs." The proceedings are comprised of the following papers: (1) Investing in Adult Learners and Creating Learning Environments…

This qualitative study of 43 adult learners in an urban community college critically examines the theory of andragogy's relevance in today's "New Economy." Findings encompass: (1) an individual dimension detailing adult learners' complex motivations for higher education; (2) an instructional dimension concerning the importance of…