| dc.description.abstract | The purpose:
The purpose of this study was to provide a descriptive analysis of the educational
experiences of adults in community college vocational technical programs (AVTs)
according to their levels of student involvement, assessment of progress toward
goals, and level of satisfaction with the college environment.
Procedures:
The overall educational experiences of AVTs were compared to other community
college student sub-populations. The Community College Student Experiences
Questionnaire (CCSEQ) was used as the instrument to collect data. A total of
361 students completed the CCSEQ and constituted the comparison student
groups: adult learners (ALs), and traditional age learners (TLs); and within those
groups: adults in vocational technical programs (AVTs), traditional age students
in vocational technical programs (TVTs), and adults in college transfer programs
(ACTS).
Findinqs:
1) AVT student
activities. AVTs
involvement consists of energy invested in course and writing
do not invest much energy on interaction with other students or
faculty. AVTs do not invest as much energy in vocational skills as younger
vocational technical students.
2) AVT involvement follows what Astin (1984) describes as a continuum of
different levels of involvement in different types of activities.
3) AVT involvement is both quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative
involvement was identified by AVTs' reports of gains. AVT satisfaction reflects
the qualitative aspect of involvement (Astin, 1984).
4) AVTs are more marginal, less involved students than other adult learners or
traditional age learners. College personnel can address these areas of
differences and produce services and policies that can lead to AVT increases in
involvement, gains, and satisfaction.
Conclusions:
@ AVTs' educational involvement largely centers on course and writing activities.
@ AVTs experience moderate gains while in college.
@ AVTs are only moderately satisfied with their college environment.
@ AVTs differ somewhat from other adult learners in community colleges.
@ AVTs differ substantially from traditional age learners in community college
vocational technical programs.
Recommendations:
1) Seek methods to increase AVT levels of involvement with faculty members
and student acquaintances.
2) To increase gain, tie AVT out of class learning opportunities to course
completion.
3) To increase involvement, gain, and, satisfaction, design policies that offer
credit for on-the-job internships and life experiences and recognition for academic
achievement for part-time students.
4) To increase satisfaction, balance the desire to provide services with a respect
to not intrude on the AVTs' complex lives and pragmatic natures. | en |
