Adult Learners in Higher Education: Barriers to Success and Strategies to Improve Results. Employment and Training Administration. Occasional Paper 2007-03

This reports synthesizes the research literature on the challenges facing adult learners in higher education today and emerging strategies for increasing the number of adults over 24 who earn college credentials and degrees. This synthesis is meant to provide perspectives on key issues facing adults as more and more of them see the need for higher education credentials, not just for short-term training. The project has two phases: first, this document, which is a broad, synthetic overview of the issues; and second, a more in-depth exploration of particular high-value topics that will be agreed upon by the partners and department personnel. The paper looks at: (1) the nature of the obstacles that adult learners face in trying to earn credentials with labor market value; (2) the promise of innovative practices that target adult learners; and (3) changes in institutional and governmental policies that might help more adults earn higher education credentials. The paper is divided into five sections that explore: (1) Supply and demand dynamics; (2) Accessibility; (3) Affordability; (4) Accountability; and (5) Recommendations. Each section begins with a set of talking points summarizing main findings and implications. Research and policy literature is reviewed. Promising innovations are mapped and their implications for improving college access and success for adult learners are highlighted. (Contains 24 endnotes, 9 figures, and 7 tables.) [This report was prepared for the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Policy Development and Research by Jobs for the Future in partnership with Eduventures and FutureWorks.]