Jul 6th 09 Posted by Brenda Harms in Adult Students, Featured Articles

Adult Student Best Practices – Leading the Way for 2020

A very interesting document came across my e-mail this week, one which I freely admit I haven’t gotten completely through at this point but am anxious to finish.  It appears that the Chronicle Research Services three-part series has started off with a wonderful report about the changes in college students by 2020.  What has intrigued me about the document thus far is that it highlights the issues that those of us in the adult student community have been talking about for years, as being the “new future” for traditional age students.

For example, hybrid class schedules, night and weekend offerings, and online classes are being promoted as the “convenience factor” that will serve as a main issue for students of the future.  Other things I have drawn from my quick glance over the first half of this report are the innovative ideas of accelerated degree programs, flexibility, and innovation.  It sounds to me like the rest of the world may be catching on to what the adult student community has known for decades.  Perhaps our mantra of doing what is good for adults also means doing what is good for traditional students is finally catching on!  Stay tuned, I plan to discuss this more as I complete the article.

For those of you who are anxious for your own copy, it is called “The College of 2020.”

Photo by Katie Kirk