Gray Matter and Gray Hairs: The Experiences of Older Adults Returning to College Concurrent Session

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Gray Matter and Gray Hairs The Experiences of
Older Adults Returning to CollegeConcurrent
Session 186
NACADA 30th National Conference Indianapolis,
Indiana October 20, 2006 Code 311

• Norman Roberts
• Ronald Chapman
• Douglas Bell
• Brigham Young University

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Presentation Outline

• Review of national data
• Challenges for adult learners
• Learning expectations
• Cognition
• Circumstances
• BYU sample and data
• Narrative observations
• Comments

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Fall EnrollmentDegree-Granting
Adult Learners in the United States A National
Profile March 2006
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National Center for Educational Statistics 2004
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Why they enroll?
Percentage of 1995-96 beginning postsecondary
students who start 10 years after graduation from
high school.
Waiting to Attend College Undergraduates who
Delay their Postsecondary Enrollment NCES 2005
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Why They Enroll
Personal Motivation
I also feel a deep sense of personal
accomplishment because I finished the Herculean
task of getting my degree. With each step
toward this goal, I have experienced learning
moments outside as well as inside this academic
discipline that will stay with me the rest of my
life.
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Challenges

• Societal age-related expectations
• College is a place for young people.
• Risk of self worth
• Learning performance memorization
• Competence but higher effort (time)
• Limited time for student-peer relations
• Competing with new high school grads

Kasworm, C. (2003). Adult student identity in an
intergenerational community college classroom.
Adult Education Quarterly, 56(1), 3-20.
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Challenges

• This would be really getting out of my comfort
  zone. I wondered if my brain could handle school
  at my age.

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Assets

• More effort and time
• Higher level of seriousness
• A life choice
• More confident
• Greater life experience
• Positive faculty relationships
• Positive student-peer relationships

Kasworm, C. (2003). Adult student identity in an
intergenerational community college classroom.
Adult Education Quarterly, 56(1), 3-20.
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Institutional DataBYU
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BYU Enrollment Data by Agen29,500
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Older Students
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Institutional Competitiveness

• New freshmen mean HS GPA 3.75
• New freshmen mean ACT 27
• ACT 24-30 83
• Top 10 of HS graduation 49

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Survey Outline

• Winter Semester 2005
• Undergraduates
• 40 years of age or older
• Online Survey
• Academic Challenges
• Learning Experiences
• Comments

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Responses

• Population 293
• Respondents 161 (55)
• Gender 81 Female
• Juniors/Seniors 85
• Started College 60 1970 1979

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Academic Obstacles
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Academic Obstacles
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Academic Obstacles
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Academic Obstacles
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Academic Obstacles
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Academic Obstacles
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Overextended in outside activities
Problem Parenting while Studying
I agonized (and sometimes still do) about the
times I spent on homework instead of on my
familya constant sense of anxiety plagued me. I
often found it hard to relax because I felt like
I should be doing homework instead. I
disciplined myself to get up early in the
morning, stay up late after everyone had gone to
bed, and used my childrens nap times to do my
schoolwork.
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Learning Experience
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Learning Experience
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Learning Experience
Sense of Purpose Love of Learning
The assignments taught me so much that I had my
husband do all of the activities...I have learned
that I love to learn! I found the work
incredibly challenging, and I felt my mind was
alive again for the first time in years. I had
forgotten how good it felt to learn something
new.
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Learning Experience
Sense of Purpose Reflection on Family
Coursesprovided me with the knowledge (however
basic it was), to be able to better understand
those around me, in particular my two beautiful
and pure daughters. It allowed for some
healing from my past experiences as I analyzed
and expressed aspects of my family growing up.
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Learning Experience
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Learning Experience
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Learning Experience
Help From Others
In order to do well in class, I had to really
concentrate and get others help for me to
understand. I also relied on my daughter who
was taking this same class at UVSC.
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Learning Experience
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Learning Experience
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Learning Experience
Math Anxiety
These courses were extremely difficult for me.
It took a lot of concentration, effort and help
from others to learn the formulas and new
concepts and how to apply this knowledge to get
the right answer. College algebra was very
difficultto remember math from twenty years ago.
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Primary Motivation to Returnn160

• Complete Degree Goal 83
• Marketable skills 46
• Change occupations/update skills 24
• Self-improvement 18
• Love learning 17
• Change in marital status 9

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Greatest Challengesn161

• Multiple roles 82
• Time 65
• Balanced life 29
• Work 19
• Scheduling classes 14
• Physical stress 14

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University Changesn134

• Special advisor 30
• Special mentor/tutor 20
• Class availability 19
• Group (club) for adult learners 17
• Orientation 16
• Educate educators 15
• Life experience credit 15

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Case Studies
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A Personal History
Betty West 85 years old Graduated August 2006
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A Personal History
Betty West
After the first class It was great to have
classes after sixty years away from school. It
helped me to know I could still learn. About
Math For me this class was a real struggle but
the teacher was great. I had to learn to think
using quantitative reasoning.
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A Personal History
Betty West
About Poetry I leaned much about poetry,
Parables, proverbs in the Bible. We were asked to
write a parable or a poem About History
Things I learned in this class helped me make a
connection between past and present. I cant be
competent if I dont understand the past.
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A Personal History
Betty West
About Psychology We learned to appreciate
similarities and differences in people and I kept
a journal for the class. About Sociology
People should be willing to serve and give
without reciprocity.
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A Personal History
Betty West
About Exercise Science I learned that each
person must know and nourish his own mind, body
and spirit. About Experiential Learning Each
class member had to have a project. Mine was on
the American Indians of the Grand Canyon at the
present time.
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A Personal History
Betty West
About learning a language Professor Thomas was
concerned about every student and didnt expect
them all to be as fluent in SpanishI enjoyed his
classes very much, even though I am not a fluent
Spanish speaker. (16 Credit Hours of Spanish)
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A Personal History
Betty West
About Employment When asked what I will do
after graduation, I say that I am too old to be
hired, but hopefully I can be a volunteer at
school or somehow help young people in their
reading and learning skills.
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A Personal History
Betty West
About Other Students - One surprising thing to
me while taking coursesis how kind and nice the
young students have been to me. I expected to
mostly be ignored and have been pleasantly
surprised. Many have gone out of their way to be
friendly.
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Betty West A Personal Motto
Through faith, along with study these long years
(2002-2006) They have enforced in my mind the
need for honesty and the spirit of the LordMy
personal motto has been I have to live with
myself and so, I want to be fit for myself to
know.
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Sharon Davis Art Work
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Contact Information Norman.Roberts_at_byu.edu