Strategies to Enhance Engagement of Time-limited Adult Learners at Hendrix State University Whitley S. Denson Logan E. Franklin Joanna C. Hubbard Johna K. Walsh

Overview of the Issue Adult Learners – 38% of all college enrollments (2007) Time-limited adult learners typically – Are established in multiple life roles – Are more experienced, motivated, & task oriented – Desire supportive learning environments Student services are typically designed for traditional students As a result, there is a high attrition rate among adult students

Institutional and Departmental Setting Hendrix State University Public Master’s-level institution located in Collins Collins is the third largest metropolitan city in the large mid-western state of Denial Population of just over 150,000 residents

Institutional and Departmental Setting Enrollment at HSU is about 18,000 students More than 25 percent of HSU students reside in on-campus housing HSU is mostly comprised of undergraduates Approximately 15 percent of the student body consists of graduate degree seeking enrollees 19 percent transfer students

Target Audience 23 percent of adult learners as first time or returning undergraduates Lundberg (2003) defines time-limited adult learners as students with off-campus time commitments that limit their on-campus involvement

Target Audience Learning styles differ from traditional aged students. – The andragogy model of adult learning includes: The need for adults to know why they are learning; That adults learn by doing; Adults are problem solvers; and that adults learn best by utilizing subject matter immediately (McGrath, 2009).

THEORY AND RATIONALE OASS

Chickering The most helpful of Chickering’s theoretical vectors were competence and moving through autonomy toward interdependence. Competence is intellectual development in terms of critical thinking, cultural understanding, physical skills, and interpersonal interactions that include communications skills, leadership ability, and the capacity to cooperate (Evans et al, 2010). For the moving through autonomy toward interdependence vector, we focused on how to engage students to facilitate their movement from independence toward interdependence with others.

Schlossberg Schlossberg’s Transition theory applies to adult students who are transitioning to a new life The transitioning situation includes the trigger & timing of a situation, a person’s control or lack of control The transitioning self is the personal and demographic characteristics affecting how an individual views life. Transitioning support is our best opportunity to engage students through advising and counseling engagements. Transitioning strategies are those personal devices that (1) modify the situation, (2) control the meaning of the problem, (3) manage the stress in the aftermath (Evans et al, 2010).

Astin Astin’s work with students who drop out of college revealed that the lack of involvement or engagement played a significant role in the reasons students dropped out of college. Involvement theory states that academic experience includes participating in the academic environment. Adult students are not considered in the traditional institutional development (Astin, 1977). Based in large part on Astin’s theory, we saw the Office of Adult Student Services as a necessity in meeting the needs of the institution’s adult students.

Intervention Goals To identify how engagement practices for adult time- limited students must differ form those designed for traditional students to be effective. To design an effective student engagement intervention for time-limited adult learners that has the potential to empirically increase outcomes. Increase the engagement of time-limited adult learners, in order to decrease attrition rates among this group

Intervention: Office of Adult Student Services (OASS)

Overview We suggest the addition of an Office of Adult Student Services (OASS) This office will focus on services that address the unique needs of adult learners The office will partner with academic departments and other offices so that they can better reach the time-limited adult students

Lifestyle Resources and Referrals Resources that address issues facing adult learners, including: – Financial planning – Childcare and eldercare – Parenting – Domestic violence – Stress management Based on interest, support groups would be started that deal with target issues

University Resources and Referrals OASS will act as liaison between students who are on campus after hours and the offices that they need to contact Keep list of staff of different offices that are open to appointments outside normal business hours OASS staff will be trained to be able to answer basic questions about subjects such as: financial aid, registration, admissions, and career services

Training for University Faculty and Staff OASS will schedule faculty and staff training workshops We will use the professionals in: – Counseling – Advisement – Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning – Career Center – Other offices whose missions intersect with our students

Advocacy and OASS The OASS would become the hub for adult student engagement, activities, counseling, advising, career planning, and socio-academic interactions. OASS would fill the role as advocate for adult learners at HSU pointing students in the right direction for assistance, and serve as the first line of awareness to alert the appropriate faculty or staff when a student falters. It would become the one-stop-shop for time-limited adult student looking for help or guidance as they pursue their educational goals.

OASS – Academic Support Services Ongoing tutoring resources – Writing & math (walk-in availability) – Other subject areas (by appointment) Tutors will receive special training to make them sensitive to issues of adult learners OASS hours increase accessibility for adult learners

OASS – Academic Advising OASS coordinates with the academic advisement center to assign students to advisor trained in advising this demographic Flexible appointment scheduling available

OASS – Developmental Mentoring OASS developmental mentoring program provides – Personal connection with often impersonal university system – Support for negotiating aspects of balancing higher education with other life issues – Warning system for issues that may affect a student’s educational persistence

OASS – Developmental Mentoring cont. OASS developmental mentors – Personal point of first contact for adult students – OASS staff, student affairs personnel & faculty, willing to serve in this role – Receive training from OASS – Meet with students at least once per semester, and are available to meet more often if requested by students.

OASS Yearly Calendar of Events August:New student orientation September1. Open house to showcase & promote services 2. Informal lunch discussions start (faculty/staff) 3. Monthly support & discussion groups start (students) October1. Informal lunch discussions continue 2. Student support/discussion groups continue 3. Family friendly event NovemberStudent support/discussion groups continue DecemberNo scheduled events

OASS Yearly Calendar of Events cont. January1. Open house to showcase & promote services 2. Monthly support & discussion groups (students) February1. Informal lunch discussions (faculty/staff) 2. Monthly support & discussion groups (students) March1. Faculty training workshop 2. Monthly support & discussion groups (students) AprilMonthly support & discussion groups (students) MayGraduation related event June1. Evaluation & planning 2. Developmental mentoring training JulyEvaluation & planning

Evaluation Plan Short Term – Discussions during the first semester to assess student opinions – Survey at the end of the first year to gauge student opinion about each specific service provided by the OASS Long Term – Analyze university data to see if attrition rates for adult students has gone down since the introduction of the OASS

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