You Can’t
Push a Chain:
Dos and Don’ts
for Successful Postsecondary
Program GED Completer Transition
by David Joost
Community colleges in Texas are engaged in a number of initiatives that
center on increasing the number and percentage of adult education learners
who transition into training beyond completion of the GED. These initiatives
include “Closing the Gaps,” “Achieving the Dream” and
the “Breaking Through” initiatives.
The “Closing the Gaps” initiative is a strategy by the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board. The purpose of this initiative is
to close the gaps that exist between Texas and its primary competitor
states like California in the areas of college attendance rates, graduation
rates and research output. To meet its goals for enrollment increases,
an additional 500,000 Texas students will have to enter college between
the years of 2003 and 2015.
“Achieving the Dream” is an initiative sponsored by the
Lumina Foundation, whose intent is to increase college success for disadvantaged
students, especially students of color. The Lumina Foundation provides
financial resources and professional expertise to assist selected community
colleges to institutionalize retention strategies based on data-driven
decision making.
The “Breaking Through Initiative” is funded by the Charles
Stewart Mott Foundation. Its purpose is to help community colleges to
make it easier for low-skilled, low-literate adults to get into the college
and then to successfully complete a certificate or degree program. Adult
education students are considered high priority clients, and much of
the Initiative focuses on what it takes to make them successful in a
college environment.
Community colleges clearly are seen as the primary avenue for disadvantaged
adult learners to enter postsecondary training. Texas is fortunate that
nearly half of the adult education programs have community colleges as
fiscal agents. In addition, many of the state’s other providers
have strong community college partners or affiliations. However, placing
the responsibility for the transfer of adult learners to college on the
shoulders of the adult education provider alone is a practice that should
be discouraged. Providers can bring adult learners up to the threshold
of college entry but it is the “regular college staff” that
must actively engage the adult learners and help them to cross the threshold
into the college experience.
Adult education providers can be instrumental in educating the “regular
college” regarding the characteristics of adult learners and how
to more effectively facilitate their entry into college. What follows
is a professional wisdom–based description of various adult learner
characteristics of which college staff should be cognizant when dealing
with adult learners.
Adult Learner Characteristics
Scared to Death. Adult education students often are not likely to be
from a college-going culture and as a result, are experiencing a high
level of anxiety as they navigate the unfamiliar waters of college
entry.
Looking for a Reason to Fail and Someone to Blame
for It. Adult education
students often have had poor experiences with educational institutions.
They may cite reasons like, “No one would help me.” or “They
just didn’t want me.”
Variously Competent. Adult education students often have a lot of life
coping skills and “street smarts.” They are expert real world
survivalists but not in academic settings.
Responsive to Spontaneous Acts of Acceptance. It is surprising how sincere
expression of confidence in their capabilities can have a much more meaningful
impact than a series of lessons on an institution’s availability
of support services.
Not Stupid. Adult education students know a lot, but not very much about
the quadratic equation or noun/verb agreement. They learn quickly when
the information is meaningful to them and presented in an interesting
way that they can comprehend.
Persistent with Encouragement. Adult education students need to know
they are valued, but beyond that, they need to know it’s not all
about them. While their success is important to their children, families,
and themselves, a stronger awareness about their larger role in society
as voters, citizens, and taxpayers raises their own expectations for
success.
Determination not Unlimited. Adult education students clearly are limited
in their time, energy and resources. In spite of the best efforts of
even the best teachers, real life circumstances may conspire and force
them to leave and return many times before completing their educational
goals. Persistence may be in spurts, rather than continuous.
Colleges and postsecondary training schools that successfully attract
and retain adult education students recognize these characteristics and
implement practices that counter weaknesses and build on strengths. Institutions
that expect adult education students to navigate the labyrinth of academia
on their own likely do not value them as customers, and accordingly experience
meager enrollments by adult education students. The suggestions enumerated
here are simple and inexpensive. However, they do require a change in
mind set and attitude by the faculty, staff and administration of some “open
door” institutions. Too many doors at these institutions are closed
to adult education students. Faced with a closed door, the typical adult
education student does not knock for entry, but turns away and leaves.
About the Author
David Joost is the Director of Corporate Training and Adult Education
at Houston Community College, the largest provider of adult education
in the State of
Texas. He has been active in Adult Education for more than fifteen years
and has been involved in several Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board and Texas Education Agency initiatives to increase enrollment of
adult education students in college. A power point presentation relative
to this article is available by sending a request to david.joost@hccs.edu.
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