Exploring the Dreams and Possibilities of Returning Adult Students in Florida Community Colleges

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 77
  In Roundtable Session: Rethinking Human Capital in Adult Literacy and Adult Education

Abstract

While DE reform in Florida has largely impacted first-time-in-college students, many returning adult students have been part of the unintended consequences. While many may initially lack the academic skills necessary for college-level work, they often overcome this challenge because of a strong motivation to improve the lives of their families and through exhibiting agency by taking ownership of their education. In this qualitative study, we examined agency and motivation to understand how returning adult students’ complex and multiple roles and identities influence their decision-making and subsequent academic success. For many returning adult students, on-campus commitments represent but a fraction of their lives, with factors such as family, work, and personal finances figuring prominently in their educational choices.

Authors

• Tamara Bertrand Jones, Florida State University

• Rebecca Brower, Florida State University

• Shouping Hu, Florida State University

• Toby Park, Florida State University