Research on various facets of adult learners' experiences in postsecondary education has established the following facts: (1) instructors who help adult learners connect their real-world experiences and what they already know to what they are learning in the classroom are perceived as most helpful and motivating; (2) adult undergraduates generally view learning as a process of active engagement in constructing meaning from classroom material rather than passive reception of knowledge; (3) many adult undergraduates define success not just in terms of academic success and meeting the expectations of others but also in terms of what is important in their lives; and (4) factors related to race, class, and gender are important in shaping the academic experiences of African-American adults and women in postsecondary education. The following recommendations for practice have been offered: (1) involve adult learners in sharing and critiquing their life experiences in the classroom; (2) be sensitive to individual differences; (3) adopt curriculum that is inclusive and culturally relevant; and (4) use instructional strategies that enable adults to form relationships. Adult students have special concerns that should be addressed in the postsecondary classroom. It is important that these special concerns be addressed in light of each adult student's individual needs. (Contains 11 references.) (MN)