Defining Best Practice in the Administration of an Adult Learning Institution.

In the past, post-secondary institutions have been geared toward providing for the educational needs of young adults or post-adolescents somewhere between the ages of 18 and 22, often dubbed the "traditional" college-aged student. Many of us who currently hold roles of administrators in institutions of higher education share much in common with the "traditional" college-aged student, having secured our initial educational credential at approximately the same age and under similar circumstances as they are. a closer look, however, at trends in higher education or even at the rosters of many college-level classes will reveal that the "traditional" college-aged student is no longer the exclusive seat holder in American higher educational institutions. In the last decade, a significant number of adult learners has populated the classrooms of higher educational institutions. It is estimated that up to 20% of the adult population in the United States is currently involved in some facet of adult learning (Voorhees & Lingenfelter, 2003). Given the status of adults who need to be in the system and who will be accessing the system to meet the demands of the changing workforce in this country within the next decade, growth will be exponential for higher educational institutions willing to serve the needs of adult learners (Voorhees & Lingenfelter, 2003). The appearance of the adult learner in the milieu of higher education on such an unprecedented scale necessitates that educational administrators develop strategies that enhance the success of these students (Miglietti & Strange, 1998). In more than a few instances, this will entail a shifting of accepted paradigms and assumptions when it comes to the administration and management of the adult educational institution. This article briefly seeks to outline beginning strategies that administrators who lead adult higher educational institutions might utilize as they consider issues relevant to the management of an operation geared toward the education of the adult learner. The fact that there is a need to engage in such discussion has been well stated by many. Thoms, in her monograph titled, They're Not Just Big Kids: Motivating Adult Learners, aptly states the problem when she points out that, "With today's changing student population to include nontraditional, adult learners in nearly every higher education institution and program, it is necessary for faculty as well as administrators to recognize the learning and learning strategies which are appropriate for adult learners" (Thorns, 2001, p. 1). Understanding and Appreciating the Distinctness of the Adult Learner The adult learning administrator must out of necessity understand the nature and make up of the students who depend on the institution for education and training. Malcolm Knowles (1984), while studied, interpreted, and reinterpreted, still sets the standard for providing the definitive identification of the adult learner by setting forth the basic premise that educating the adult is fundamentally different from educating children and adolescents. This fundamental principle of distinctness must be clearly grasped by the adult education administrator and should frame a rubric by which to evaluate decisions that are pertinent to the educational function of the institution. For instance, in the contemplation of program and curriculum development, having an understanding that adult learners are more inclined to have specific educational goals when entering an educational institution (Bowden & Merritt, 1995), compared to their traditional counterparts, might encourage the development of programs that are geared toward specific job and workplace outcomes as opposed to those based solely upon an abstract theoretical framework. The administrator leading an adult educational institution today is faced with the challenge of gearing program and curriculum development to the specific needs of the adult learner in preparation for what will be useful in the workplace. …