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PART-TIME ADULT STUDENT AND THE TRADITIONAL STUDENT IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE: A COMPARISON OF ACADEMIC NEEDS (FLORIDA, STUDENT SERVICES, CURRICULUM NEEDS)

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Date Issued:
1984
Summary:
The purpose of the study was to compare the academic needs of the adult part-time student, 22 years of age and older, with the needs of the traditional full-time student, 21 years of age and younger, in order to identify curricular and student services needs important to the adult student. Data was obtained from a random sample of 500 credit-taking students attending Broward Community College in south Florida. The closed-ended questionnaire was returned by over two-thirds of the students. Statistical tests of significance were chi-square and Kendall's tau. Results indicate the null hypotheses of no significant differences between the adult part-time student's curricular and student services needs and the needs of the traditional full-time student are not supported. The correlation coefficients indicate a weak to moderate association for the significant variables. The null hypotheses of no significant differences between the adult part-time student's curricular and student services needs and the needs of the part-time student, 21 years of age and younger are supported. The correlation coefficients indicate a weak to very weak association for the significant variables. Lambda, performed on the socioeconomic variables, indicate little or no predictive power by the adult (or younger) part-time student and the traditional full-time student. Among the findings are most adult part-time students usually attend night classes, need a greater selection of courses and academic advisors at night, need courses that will transfer to an upper level university, and plan to be on campus only to study and/or attend class. About a fourth expressed a need for daycare. Over half of all student indicated a need for courses to upgrade skills in effective communication, math, reading, and writing. Two-thirds of the students attend part-time. The majority are 22 years of age and older. The traditional full-time student comprise only one-fourth of the total student population. Findings indicate the needs of the adult part-time student (as well as the needs of the younger part-time student) should be strongly considered in decisions pertaining to curricular and student services needs.
Title: THE PART-TIME ADULT STUDENT AND THE TRADITIONAL STUDENT IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE: A COMPARISON OF ACADEMIC NEEDS (FLORIDA, STUDENT SERVICES, CURRICULUM NEEDS).
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Name(s): NICK, ELIZABETH A.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 1984
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 137 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: The purpose of the study was to compare the academic needs of the adult part-time student, 22 years of age and older, with the needs of the traditional full-time student, 21 years of age and younger, in order to identify curricular and student services needs important to the adult student. Data was obtained from a random sample of 500 credit-taking students attending Broward Community College in south Florida. The closed-ended questionnaire was returned by over two-thirds of the students. Statistical tests of significance were chi-square and Kendall's tau. Results indicate the null hypotheses of no significant differences between the adult part-time student's curricular and student services needs and the needs of the traditional full-time student are not supported. The correlation coefficients indicate a weak to moderate association for the significant variables. The null hypotheses of no significant differences between the adult part-time student's curricular and student services needs and the needs of the part-time student, 21 years of age and younger are supported. The correlation coefficients indicate a weak to very weak association for the significant variables. Lambda, performed on the socioeconomic variables, indicate little or no predictive power by the adult (or younger) part-time student and the traditional full-time student. Among the findings are most adult part-time students usually attend night classes, need a greater selection of courses and academic advisors at night, need courses that will transfer to an upper level university, and plan to be on campus only to study and/or attend class. About a fourth expressed a need for daycare. Over half of all student indicated a need for courses to upgrade skills in effective communication, math, reading, and writing. Two-thirds of the students attend part-time. The majority are 22 years of age and older. The traditional full-time student comprise only one-fourth of the total student population. Findings indicate the needs of the adult part-time student (as well as the needs of the younger part-time student) should be strongly considered in decisions pertaining to curricular and student services needs.
Identifier: 11845 (digitool), FADT11845 (IID), fau:8769 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Thesis (Educat.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1984.
College of Education
Subject(s): Part-time students--Florida
College students--Florida
Adult education--Florida
Broward Community College--Students
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11845
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.