Older Adults in Community Colleges: Choices, Attitudes, and Goals

Abstract

Older adults comprise a growing population in America's community colleges. Today, approximately 15% of adults 40 years or older are enrolled in community colleges. Reasons for choosing the community college are as varied as the students themselves. Arguably, older adults are choosing the community college for reasons that include low tuition, convenient location, comprehensive course offerings, and flexible schedules. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine a cohort of older adults age 55 or older who were enrolled in public two-year colleges in 1996 and 1997. Specifically, the choices, attitudes, and goals of older adults were examined. The descriptive findings provide administrators, faculty, student affairs professionals, and researchers with information about a population seldom examined.

Motivations for older adults’ participation in distance education: A study at the National Open University of Taiwan

“…Results from these studies (Adair and Mowesian 1993, Little 1995, Laanan 2003, Martin 2003, Lamb and Brady 2005 generally do not contradict the quantitative studies cited, but rather expand and elaborate upon them. The recurring themes of intellectual stimulation, socialization, and self-esteem were the strongest motivations for older adults when searching for learning opportunities.…”

“…Although what motivates older adults to participate in learning activities has gained much attention in the field of adult education in recent years, most of the scholarly interest has focused learning in residential settings such as Elderhostel programs (O'Connell 1990), learning in retirement institutes (Bynum and Seaman 1993, Martin 2003, Kim and Merriam 2004, Lamb and Brady 2005, University of the Third Age (Gaskell 1999, Williamson 2000, Yenerall 2003, formal higher education institutes (Furst and Steele 1986, Little 1995, Scala 1996, Laanan 2003, and senior centers. The most frequently used model to study the structural foundations of participation motivation in general is the Education Participation Scale (EPS) (Boshier 1971, 1991, Boshier and Collins 1983.…”

Characteristics of an Effective Community College Web Site

“…While the authors found that parents tend to be more academically connected with their children during the application process than after enrollment, they did not discuss the role of the Web in the college choice process. Also avoiding the impact of the Web in the study of prospective community college students was a study by Laanan (2003). This author focused specifically on older community college students and listed five research questions, one of which addressed why students chose to attend a community college.…”

Learning from degree-seeking older adult students in a university library

“…Although their enrollment figures in university and college credit courses remains modest, some researchers suggest that this age cohort of students will seek more degree-credit courses (Thompson and Foth, 2013;Short, 2004;Schaefer, 2010;Sheard, 2009;Wardley et al, 2013;Cruce and Hillman, 2012;Kressley and Huebschmann, 2002;Isopahkala-Bouret, 2013). To date, the vast majority of older adults are enrolled in community colleges (American Association of Community Colleges, 2013;Laanan, 2003;Kim et al, 2010), are mostly baby boomers, female (Taniguchi and Kaufman, 2007;Hughes-Tutas, 2009;Freedman, 2007;Kennedy et al, 2004), and prefer taking classes on campus (Lakin, Mullane, and Robinson, 2008;Eduventures, Inc., 2008).…”