| مستخلص: |
A study surveyed 132 adult students at a small, rural community college who had dropped out of school. The purpose of the study was to assess the reasons leading to their withdrawal from school so the data collected could be used to design dropout prevention programs for adult students. Data were gathered through a 21-item questionnaire. The study found that adults faced a series of barriers consisting of lack of funds, lack of time, family commitments, change in career goals, health problems, lowered motivation, lack of consistent transportation, job conflicts, and problems associated with completing graduation requirements or enrolling in a four-year institution. Incentives that were found to enhance adults' chances of continuing their education were the desire for a degree, the desire for job advancement, seeking skills for a new career, and pursuing personal interests. The quality of advisory services given by college advisors also played a role in adult student retention. Recommendations were made to: (1) develop a follow-up procedure to track students who do not pre-enroll for a following semester; (2) provide services such as counseling sessions, peer groups, and referral systems; (3) strengthen the advisory system; (4) help teachers strengthen their motivational skills; (5) develop an assistance system to help adults resolve personal problems; and (6) continue to provide extended learning opportunities. (Contains 13 tables and 8 references.) (KC) |
