Supporting the Success of Adult and Online Students

Book excerpt: Supporting the Success of Adult and Online Students, the fifth book in the Proven Practices in Higher Education series by City University of Seattle, presents twenty-seven chapters on supporting and retaining adult students. Each chapter, written by different authors and teams of authors, presents another perspective on how to motivate and encourage adult learners. The first third of the book focuses on how to teach adult students. They include information on the importance of creating a social support network, establishing a solid instructor presence in online classrooms, and matching students with dedicated mentors. Educators will learn how to identify the "dark triad" of disruptive personalities in a classroom setting. The second third of the book includes innovative ways of motivating adult learners. These include using new forms of media to engage students and creating professional learning communities to provide them support. The last third of the book presents strategies for advising students, especially those that may be returning from a long break in their education. Chapters include information about retaining doctoral students and helping returning undergraduates. These strategies and others will be immensely helpful to educators looking for a new angle in reaching and engaging with their students.