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Adults like to be given opportunity to use their existing foundation of knowledge and experience gained from life experience, and apply it to their new learning experiences.

| As an educator you can : Find out about your student - their interests and past experiences (personal, work and study related) Assist them to draw on those experiences when problem-solving Facilitate reflective learning opportunities.

This is something that I have never really thought of using while teaching. I have used my own experiences and brought up my own past but I have never thought to ask my students about their previous work experiences or life experiences to compare to what I am teaching.

The website below is a site where students or proficient certified employees can go to gain more knowledge about the job as well as get continuing education for the job. The website is free to use and gives you the reasoning behind why, to all of the questions. I believe this relates to our course because it is an online tool that involves others giving up information to help those who may need it.

https://www.pfiedlereducation.com/diweb/catalog?dp=0&c=514&q=IAHCSMM&f1=1

Anthony Knox
CRCST

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Three hundred and eighty persons completed Foreign Language Learning Self-regulation Difficulty Inventory. Significant main effects of gender and educational level were found on difficulty in planning, organizing and implementing learning. Moreover, the main effect of gender proved to be significant on: general Inventory result, difficulty in motivational and emotional control and reflecting and making changes. It was concluded that teachers should foster planning, motivational control and reflection skills, especially in male upper secondary school students.I found this article in Social and Behavioral Sciences volume 29.  Teaching have changed within the years.  It depends on the teacher to interact and develop teaching skills to reach the goal set.  I learned throughout my career that different people learn in so many different ways.  What works for me may not work for others, therefore I have to find ways to influence students with various approach.   Kenya D'Arienzo

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Three hundred and eighty persons completed Foreign Language Learning Self-regulation Difficulty Inventory. Significant main effects of gender and educational level were found on difficulty in planning, organizing and implementing learning. Moreover, the main effect of gender proved to be significant on: general Inventory result, difficulty in motivational and emotional control and reflecting and making changes. It was concluded that teachers should foster planning, motivational control and reflection skills, especially in male upper secondary school students.I found this article in Social and Behavioral Sciences volume 29.  Teaching have changed within the years.  It depends on the teacher to interact and develop teaching skills to reach the goal set.  I learned throughout my career that different people learn in so many different ways.  What works for me may not work for others, therefore I have to find ways to influence students with various approach.   Kenya D'Arienzo

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Graduate Counseling Students of Color Table Talk Events

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Graduate Counseling Students of Color Table Talk Events

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This weekend I participated in mentoring graduate counseling students of color.
The students were seated at tables and each table had a topic to discuss.  A  professional or two were seated at each table to help facilitate the conversation with the students as well as contributing to the discussion.
This is such an important group, as students of color have such little space to meet and discuss the unique challenges they face. To give you an idea of the discussion that took place, here are some of the topics that were discussed: "Changing the Narrative about people of color/talking about the strengths of people of color; How would a black immigrant enter the counseling world after graduation, with all this stigma and fear about immigrants?"
Please check out the page at www.multiculturalcounselors.org to find events for students as well as seeking a multicultural counselor!
Sincerely,
Ruby Hansra, MSW

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Connecting clients with counselors who understand. Search for counselors by ethnicity, religion, and language.

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As I went through this material I reflected back to when I lost my job due to a plant closer and started my journey into Adult Education as a 32 year old who had not been to school since an unsuccessful run in high-school. I went into class the first day wondering how I was going to be able to make it through the hours of boredom to come. I quickly realized that this was going to be very different from my high-school experiences where I sat and tried to absorb information being crammed into one ear that ran out the other as fast as it went in. We were prompted to ask questions, input our opinions, and most of all touch and manipulate the various parts and pieces we were learning about. I found that I had a learning style that was not allowed in my previous k-12 education... I learn by DOING!!! I turned into a leader in my class and thrived on learning everything I could knowing that the better I did in class the more I would be sought out by employers when I finished my program. I hope to use what I learn in these classes to become as good an instructor as the one I replaced who can keep the students interested and invested in the education they came for.

Robert Edwards

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While it has become a controversial subject in recent years, the concept of learning styles-the idea that we learn better when the instruction we receive is tailored to our preferred way of learning-still plays an important role when designing online curriculum.

Understanding how different people learn is important when design and delivering online training. You want your employees to not only retain the information you have prepared in your online course materials, but also be motivated to put the new knowledge and ideas into practice in the workplace.

As well, adult learners have unique needs that should be taken into consideration when developing curriculum. First, let's get started by taking a look at the concept of learning styles.

Get your training online quickly with Udutu's LMS

What Are Learning Styles?

There are various approaches to describing how people learn, and most of the concepts between the approaches overlap in some way. In a nutshell, learning styles are based on the concept that everyone learns differently and that curriculum should be presented in a variety of ways to facilitate individual learning styles.

Some researchers, as a very basic way to explain the concept, use the acronym " VAK ":

Visual: some learners are visual, relying on reading, watching videos or diagrams, etc., to learn

Auditory: some learners are auditory, and must listen to learn

Kinesthetic: some learners "learn by doing", and require movement to be incorporated into their learning

This concept of learning styles echoes Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. While his theories have become controversial over the past twenty years, Howard Gardner, a developmental psychologist, hypothesized that human intelligence is actually a combination of different "modalities" or intelligences:

Visual-Spatial

These learners think in terms of physical space, and are very aware of their environments. They like to draw, do jigsaw puzzles and read maps, and can be taught through drawings, and through verbal and physical imagery. Tools include models, graphics, charts, photographs, drawings, 3-D modeling, video, videoconferencing, television, multimedia, and texts with pictures, charts and graphs.

Bodily-kinesthetic

These learners communicate through body language and can be taught through physical activity, hands-on learning, acting out role playing. Learning and teaching tools include equipment and real objects.

Musical

These learners show sensitivity to rhythm and sound. They love music, but they are also sensitive to sounds in their environments. They may study better with music in the background. Teaching tools include musical instruments, music, radio, stereo, and multimedia.
Interpersonal
These learners thrive by understanding and interacting with others, and learn through interaction. Tools include the telephone, audio conferencing, time and attention from the instructor, video conferencing, writing, computer conferencing and E-mail.

Intrapersonal

These learners understanding their own interests and goals, and tend to shy away from others. They can be taught through independent study and introspection. Teaching tools include books, creative materials, privacy and time alone with the course materials.

Linguistic

These learners thrive by using words effectively. They often think in words and like reading, playing word games, and writing. Tools for teaching this style of learner include computers, games, videos, books, audio materials, and lectures.

Logical-Mathematical

These types of learners value reasoning and analysis, and think conceptually and in the abstract. They can be taught through logic games, investigations, mysteries. According to Gardener, they need to learn and form concepts before they can deal with details.

Caveats About Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles

Gardener stressed that no one learner possesses a single intelligence, like the ones we outlined above. Instead, we all possess all of these multiple intelligences to varying degrees, influencing our own individual learning styles

Still, the concept of learning styles has received a large amount of skepticism in recent years.

"We have not found evidence from a randomized control trial supporting any of these," says Doug Rohrer, psychologist at the University of South Florida, after examining studies of learning styles more closely.

However, research shows how learning is improved for most people by combining different activities - such as drawing alongside more passive study.

In practical terms, using an online learning approach that includes videos, reading, audio, exercises, social forums, and the like is a great way to hit on multiple learning styles. If you create learning for a living as an instructional designer or teacher, then blending your learning approaches is an effective way to make your learning stick.

Adult Learners Have Unique Needs

Above and beyond multiple intelligences and learning styles, it's also important when designing curriculum that adults have unique needs in the classroom.

According to Malcolm Knowles, a pioneer in the field of adult learning, there are 6 main characteristics of adult learners:

Adult learning should be relevant

The motivation for adults to learn increases when the curriculum appears to be relevant to real-life situations is clear.

Adult learning should be goal-oriented

Learning activities should directly contribute to achieving students' personal learning objectives, such as completing a certification that allows them to accomplish a professional goal.

Adult should be practical

Learning is happens when the curriculum makes it clear how theoretical knowledge can be applied to real-life situations to solve a problem.

Adult learning encourages collaboration

Adult learners thrive in collaborative relationships with their instructors. When learners are considered by their instructors as colleagues and peers, they become more productive.

Adult learning is self-directed

Students need to be given the freedom to assume responsibility for their own choices. When it comes to workload, they also need to be proactive in making decisions and in contributing to the process.

Adult learning utilizes knowledge and life experiences

Learners should be encouraged to bring to their current placement past knowledge, opinions, and experiences.

What Does This All Mean For Your Online Curriculum Development?

Do to the sheer combination of different learning styles, intelligences and the needs of adult learners, it may seem like there is an infinite number of factors to consider when designing your online curriculum.

Instead, to keep things simple, remember that adults tend to value practicality and relevance when learning. It's also important to create different activities and tasks that accommodate different learning styles.

Even if there is some debate about whether or not learning styles actually exist, there is little argument that learners respond the best to variety when learning, as well as relevant coursework activities.

If you're interested in diving deeper into this subject, be sure to read 3 Tips for Engaging Course Design and Evaluating Training and eLearning.

Get your training online quickly with Udutu's LMS

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What Are Adult Learning Styles, and How Does They Affect Elearning?

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While it has become a controversial subject in recent years, the concept of learning styles-the idea that we learn better when the instruction we receive is tailored to our preferred way of learning-still plays an important role when designing online curriculum. Understanding how different people learn is important when design and delivering online training.

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One of the area that I have been working hard as a teacher is to set the right expectation to the students.
Students in my classes are different than last year as I am now in college, but keep thinking about how to set the expectations to best support students will be meaningful for this course as we all new to our positions.

- Kayla Jang

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@teacher2teacher I stopped expecting students to be who I wanted them to be. 
I accept students for who they are and meet them on their level.
We cannot decide who is in our class, but we can make sure to give every student a fair chance.
I practice #patience and #empathy daily.
#TeacherLife

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@teacher2teacher I stopped expecting students to be who I wanted them to be. 
I accept students for who they are and meet them on their level.
We cannot decide who is in our class, but we can make sure to give every student a fair chance.
I practice #patience and #empathy daily.
#TeacherLife https://t.co/79JvfHgpQ6

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What's something you stopped or started doing to shift your #TeacherLife? Shout it out! https://t.co/ltw1ya8cWT

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Something went wrong, but don’t fret — let’s give it another shot.

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I stopped expecting students to be who I wanted them to be.
I accept students for who they are and meet them on their level.
We cannot decide who is in our class, but we can make sure to give every student a fair chance.
I practice #patience and #empathy daily.#TeacherLife pic.twitter.com/79JvfHgpQ6
— Teacher Stenger (@teacherstenger) October 11, 2018

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@teacher2teacher I stopped expecting students to be who I wanted them to be. 
I accept students for who they are and meet them on their level.
We cannot decide who is in our class, but we can make sure to give every student a fair chance.
I practice #patience and #empathy daily.
#TeacherLife https://t.co/79JvfHgpQ6

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What's something you stopped or started doing to shift your #TeacherLife? Shout it out! https://t.co/ltw1ya8cWT

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
@teacher2teacher I stopped expecting students to be who I wanted them to be. 
I accept students for who they are and meet them on their level.
We cannot decide who is in our class, but we can make sure to give every student a fair chance.
I practice #patience and #empathy daily.
#TeacherLife https://t.co/79JvfHgpQ6

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@teacher2teacher I stopped expecting students to be who I wanted them to be. 
I accept students for who they are and meet them on their level.
We cannot decide who is in our class, but we can make sure to give every student a fair chance.
I practice #patience and #empathy daily.
#TeacherLife

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.referenced_tweets[].text
What's something you stopped or started doing to shift your #TeacherLife? Shout it out! https://t.co/ltw1ya8cWT

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“It is, in fact, nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry; for this delicate little plant, aside from stimulation, stands mainly in need of freedom. Without this it goes to wrack and ruin without fail.”

― Albert Einstein

This quote has always been primary inspiration for me. To me, it means that as learners, we do our most creative work when provided a framework and milestones and/or a deadline.  Providing examples is sometimes appropriate, however most often learners merely parrot the example, rather than allowing their own solutions to emerge.

Pierre Boulle in his 1963 Book, "Planet of the Apes" addresses this, however all of the subsequent renditions of his story ignore his views on pedagogy. His thesis is that civilization can persist for millennia by monkey see, monkey do, as is the way most lessons are taught.  "Class watch me and do this."  Only every couple hundred years a Newton, Einstein, DaVinci, Hawking comes along and advances our species to another level.  Then we sit at the status quo until another creative mind that operates beyond the bounds of convention comes along again.

-Phil Duncan

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I recently became an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Out Reach Trainer and in the program that I teach, one of the requirements is to obtain an OSHA 30 Card. I use this site from United States Department of Labor (https://www.osha.gov/video/)  for safety video and PowerPoints to conduct these class. There is a wide range of safety videos that cover almost all occupations.

Robert Renfro

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The Clinical Instructor Role in Nursing Education

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The Clinical Instructor Role in Nursing Education

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As a new instructor in a technical program I have been surprised and humbled by the trust students place on me to teach them.  This is their career!  I'm responsible for preparing them well. I found this article from the Journal of Nursing Education applicable to my situation.  The article reviews the many roles of the nursing educator contrasted with the training (or lack of training) they have to fulfill some of these roles. I can identify with the sense of inadequacy that other nursing instructors feel.

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Treating everybody the same is unfair! (Howard Gardner)

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Treating everybody the same is unfair! (Howard Gardner)

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Being a teacher of teachers I am always interested in the different teaching methods. This week I am teaching my students about important figures in Early Childhood Education. And I talked about Howard Gardner and his theory of multiple intelligence. I thought that the following video is a great sharing for all the teachers in this group. Because it talks about the diverse strengths and abilities students may have and their unique way of learning. So, if we accept that all our students are different we would be really unfair to treat them all the same.

Beatrice Favre

Model of multiple intelligence by Howard Gardner

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Howard Gardner on Multiple Intelligences

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Rita Pierson

Although this video is not related to adult education, Rita's words relate to any field in education. Rita was an educator for 40 years. Her work is inspiring and should be read or seen periodically to remind us how important we are in the lives of our students.
Raquel Potee

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Every kid needs a champion | Rita Pierson | TED

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I am and have been a member of the American Welding society for the past 7 years -https://www.aws.org/-
as a student I was skeptical of the power of what this organization was capable of providing. However, as I have grown through the years in my craft, I am inclined to state that I am enthralled by the vast amount of knowledge that is truly out there. It is so seductive to me to learn something new about the welding field, and how far we have come over the centuries to perfect welding craft today.

So many people forget the starts and origins of Welding, and because of the AWS I took it to heart to see where it began. We take for granted the teaching and education that was laid before us and that it sprouted from something. Simple ideas have changed the world, and it was simple ideas that made welding education paramount.

Over the years I became an accomplished welder, But I lacked the purity of it. I lacked the foundations of what truly makes welding what it was, and is to this day. I needed to fill this gap and wanted to become humble with my craft once more. I found the embrace and eons old education of blacksmithing capable of shedding light on my needs.

Since this was illuminated to me, I have endeavored to learn the ancient craft of blacksmithing and bladesmithing to pay omage to founders and discoverors of mondern day welding.

I dont have a fovorite quote to put in here so I made my own..

"When passion is inside a person, it ignites a fire that allows us to forge the very dreams we stand upon."

Michael Stokes

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Open Textbook Library and Open Educational Resources

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Open Textbook Library and Open Educational Resources

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At the library, we frequently work to provide students access to resources for free. We know that the high costs of textbooks and other supplies can create significant financial and academic barriers (and anxiety!) for students.

The Open Textbook Library provides one of the many ways for faculty to eliminate the barrier of expensive textbooks. The textbooks featured on this site are free and openly-licensed, which means that they can be used and adapted to fit your course's needs. Students would only need an internet connection to download these materials.

When you have a chance, Google "Open Educational Resources" and check out the wealth of free textbooks, activities, lesson plans that you can find for your class. Your students will thank you. :)

-Jessica Koshi-Lum

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Open Textbook Library - Open Textbook Library

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Open textbooks are licensed by authors and publishers to be freely used and adapted. Download, edit and distribute them at no cost.

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John Dewey stated, "Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself".

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John Dewey stated, "Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself".

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Teaching adult learners will require faculty members to engage the adult learner. The adult learners have several types of learning styles that will require the faculty members to alter their teaching style to engage the adult learner, which will promote an optimal learning experience. Incorporating innovative teaching strategies will actively involve the adult student in the learning environment, which will produce optimal outcomes.
http://www.algonquincollege.com/profres/creating-learning-materials-2/teaching-adult-learners/

Kristi Green

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As I read through this brief history and outline of adult education and particularly the contrast of the adult student’s approach and motivation vs. our experience and need as children/young learners,  I was considering the notion of how we, as a nation, have, from our founding, placed great importance on and promoted the concept of free, compulsory, public education (though recognizing, and in no way minimizing, the glaring historical and continuing racial, economic and class inequities in its delivery). In these often demoralizing political times, it’s encouraging to me that, especially since the end of World War II and the resultant explosion of the middle class and exponentially expanding economy, that we as a society have continued to value, expand, and to a large extent democratize our commitment to providing access to quality public education to the adult-learner population, especially through the widespread development and funding of the community and technical college systems.

I found this interesting outline from an organization - https://www.clasp.org/  (dedicated to studying and righting some of the inequities noted above) -  of some of the Federal government’s efforts and commitment in this regard over the last 30-40+ years:

https://www.clasp.org/blog/adult-education-evolving-through-theory-legislation-and-innovative-practice

Jeff Williams

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Working with Industry to Close the Skills Gap

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Working with Industry to Close the Skills Gap

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I love listening to NPR on my long commutes to and from campus. I've really enjoyed their recent focus on adult and higher education. Even though this article is a few months old, I think it raises a difficult conundrum for community & technical college educators and administrators: Employers are looking for skilled workers, especially in technology fields. However, technology is outpacing how quickly educational programs can be put in place. I understand that there has to be a reasoned process for curriculum revisions, but it seems like there are some fields where educational programs may always be 2-steps behind what industry is looking for! I'm hoping this course will give us some tips about how to constantly evolve our curriculum to meet industry trends. With all of our responsibilities in the classroom and on campus, how do we make sure we are teaching students the most up-to-date skills they need in the workforce?
- Lizzy Jennings

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More than 2 out of 3 college students today are not coming straight out of high school. Half are financially independent from their parents, and 1 in 4 are parents themselves.

David Scobey says that, as an American studies and history professor at the University of Michigan for decades, he was "clueless" about the needs of these adult students.

But then, in 2010, he became a dean at The New School, a private college in New York City, heading a division that included a bachelor's degree program designed specifically for adults and transfer students.

"Those students schooled me about their needs and how poorly they were supported by higher ed," he says. "I was inspired by their resilience."

You'll hear a reasonable amount of discussion about "new traditional" students today. But the common assumption - in Washington at least - seems to be that they require more vocational education to fill a "skills gap," particularly in STEM or technical fields. Or that they need quicker, cheaper paths to a degree.

Scobey's prescription is different. Since 2014, when he left The New School, he has been listening to adult learners to find out their aspirations. And what they've told him is that they tend to thrive on the same kinds of high-quality learning opportunities that all college students do: small seminars, capstone projects, internships, a broad liberal arts curriculum.

He argues that teaching adults this way might be the most practical approach, and that they are actually less expensive to serve than traditional students.

Now Scobey is helping to convene a national network of innovative colleges, both new and old, that serve adult learners with much success: He calls it the Great Colleges for the New Majority.

He spoke via email to NPR about where adult learners fit into "the democratic mission of higher education," and he included quotes from his ongoing interviews with some of these learners themselves. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
President Trump doesn't talk much about higher education, but when he does he endorses What's wrong with this thinking in your mind? What's missing? vocational education. In the words of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, the field needs to evolve toward "industry-recognized certificates, two-year degrees, stackable credits, credentials and licensures, badges, micro-degrees, apprenticeships."
You've asked a complicated question here. Let me break it down into a couple of answers.

The first thing wrong with this thinking is that it prioritizes the (immediate, changing) needs of the labor market over the needs and aspirations of adult students themselves. But if you ask incoming adult community college students about their educational aspirations, more than 70 percent want to get a bachelor's or beyond.

But even setting aside the question of students' aspirations, something else is wrong with the "skills gap" model of workforce training.

The problem finding good hires is actually a jumble of different realities. In some sectors (for instance, advanced, digitally driven manufacturing), innovation has outpaced training, and there is truly a shortage of technically skilled workers. Higher ed needs to work with employers and government in these targeted sectors to fill a real "skills gap."
You talk about a "narrative of personal transformation" that's important to these students. Why?
In other sectors, employers complain they can't find workers with communications, problem-solving and other soft skills. The solution to that is more liberal learning, not more technical workforce training.

In still other sectors, employers can't meet their needs because of wage stagnation, part-timing, abusive scheduling and other workplace problems. Their "skills" gap is actually a "wage and workplace gap."

And lurking over all of this is the ongoing juggernaut of automation. Many of the jobs for which workplace training programs prepare adults will disappear in the next five to 10 years. Employers will replace them as soon as it makes financial sense.

Often workers and adult learners understand this perfectly. One UAW veteran told me - after attaining his bachelor's - that most of the retraining programs were a scam: "They train union members for fewer and fewer jobs. A couple years later, it's the same thing all over again."

As I noted above, job security and economic success are key goals of college for nearly all students, young and old. But students also see college as a journey of personal growth, a way of laying claim to their lives.
What reasons do people give for returning to college or beginning as an adult?
For most nontraditional students, this dimension of "self-authoring" (in the words of psychologist Marcia Baxter Magolda) is not less crucial, but even more. They often feel that they have failed in some way the customary narrative of high-school-to-college that defines successful adulthood.

"I always felt less-than," I was told by Wendy, a returning student in Washington State and a staffer at a wildlife center. "I feel like an impostor. Coming here has helped me find my voice. It helps me move through the world."

Melissa, a graduate of an adult bachelor's program in Rhode Island, also stresses the journey of personal transformation: "As a kid, no one ever even mentioned college in my world," she told me in an interview.

"... now I had my bachelor's degree, and it was like, 'Wow. Wait a minute. I have arrived.' But then I thought like, 'What did I arrive to?' This has been a lifelong journey for me. It was, like, to meet a long-term goal, that had never happened to me before."

Many of these narratives also have a redemptive arc. Talk about what some of the students you've spoken with have told you about the obstacles they have overcome to give college another try.
Adult learners are incredibly diverse: the Iraq War veteran, the office worker breaking through a glass ceiling, the 20-something barista or construction worker who wasn't ready for college the first time. The reasons they give are often a complicated mix.

Dorian, another Washington State adult student, told me:

"I came back to college because I felt like an angry underling. I had a good job, but I didn't get respect at work. I felt slapped, like I didn't amount to anything without that piece of paper. So I returned to school because of career goals. But my parents are gone, and I also came back for them."

What are "Great Colleges for the New Majority"? What do they have in common?
Policy-makers often try to separate out these motivations and prioritize the economic ones: "So I returned to school because of career goals." But what matters is precisely the jumbled, human mixture of motives.
Why is that horizontal support so important?
Let me briefly describe some of The New School students who cured me of my cluelessness about the nontraditional majority. There was Mui Ying, a 30-something from a Chinese immigrant family: She paid the rent as a technician for a pharmaceutical lab, but she had started a swimwear design business on the side, selling out of her car trunk while she finished school.
What about the argument that colleges can't afford to invest this much in adult learners?
There was Dave, an African-American veteran who got a business degree in community college but was committed to getting a liberal-arts BA. Jamara was a mom, a server at a restaurant and an aspiring spoken-word poet.

The obstacles they face are as diverse as their lives. But here's one key way of understanding what they share: Adult, nontraditional students have to fit their studies into complex lives with multiple roles and stressors, rather than being able to organize their work and social life around a central role as a college student.

The Great Colleges For the New Majority is a self-selected network of adult-serving bachelor's programs. They often have graduation rates of 80 percent or more. Their curricula have a wide range of structures, but all of them offer an education that is transformative, that enables students to lay claim to their own lives and define their own journey. All of them are characterized by cultures of strong support - both the "vertical support" of mentors, advisers and teachers, and the "horizontal support" of strong peer community.

As I have learned in my research and teaching, peer support turns out to be part of the secret sauce for adult success. The programs in the Great Colleges Network tend to nurture cultures of sustained peer-to-peer help; students simply won't let each other fail. This is a component of adult college-going that mass online completion colleges have trouble replicating. It's one reason for their lower rates of completion.

Short answer No. 1: Adult learners are actually less expensive to educate, because they don't need many of the resources that late-adolescent, residential students require. Adults don't need more resources; they need colleges and universities to redesign their resources in ways that meet adult students in their lives - for instance, by offering more flexible academic calendars.

Short answer No. 2: Colleges understand that they cannot afford not to invest in adult learners. Neither higher ed, nor the job market, nor our democracy can succeed if we don't do a better job of offering great, transformative opportunities to the millions of adults in college and the millions who seek to return to college.

Short answer No. 3: Let's not lowball the investment in adult students with cheap-and-dirty workforce training. Adult learners shouldn't be pushed to attain a credential simply to fulfill short-term labor market gaps or to boost policy-makers' completion goals. They should be educated because they deserve a great education.

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What Adult Learners Really Need (Hint: It's Not Just Job Skills)

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More than 2 out of 3 college students today are not coming straight out of high school. Half are financially independent from their parents, and 1 in 4 are parents themselves. David Scobey says that, as an American studies and history professor at the University of Michigan for decades, he was "clueless" about the needs of these adult students.