Reaffirming its commitment to adults returning to college, Winona State University has joined the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning’s (CAEL) Adult Learner 360 Coalition. Comprised of colleges and universities that have demonstrated a focus on supporting the growing population of adult students, Coalition members have leveraged Adult Learner 360, a survey assessment tool by CAEL, to gain essential insight into how to effectively serve the unique needs of these students.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly 40 percent of enrolled students are 25 years old or older.
“In the past ten years, the number of adult learners on college campuses (physically or online) has increased dramatically. Being a part of the Adult Learner 360 Coalition helps identify how Winona State University can best help our adult students be successful. The Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) department strives to be adult friendly. We utilize the data to help design a better student experience for all of our adult learners.” said Linda Kingston, Assistant Vice President for Distance Learning and Summer Session.
More than 80 institutions and systems are members of the Adult Learner 360 Coalition. Each institution strives to:
- Work with adult students to help them overcome barriers to education, including inconvenient course scheduling and formats, the unavailability of student support services and the lack of adult-focused advisors.
- Offer life and career planning services as part of the enrollment process to help adults link their education goals to meaningful work and careers.
- Ensure that all adult students have clear plan of study that aligns their career and education goals, accommodates their individual life and work commitments and outlines the milestones necessary to achieve their goals.
- Assess adult students’ knowledge, skills, and competencies—from the curriculum and from life and work experience—for college level credit, to save time and money while ensuring that they receive high-value degrees that meet current and future job market needs.
For a complete list of Adult Learner 360 Coalition member institutions, visit http://www.cael.org/higher-education/adult-learner-360-coalition. To learn more about Adult Learner 360, visit http://www.cael.org/higher-education/adult-learner-360.
Winona State is committed to being an inclusive and welcoming community, and will endeavor to serve all students.
About the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL)
The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in Chicago that assists adults with their educational endeavors, finding practical ways to help them earn college credit for learning acquired through life and work experiences toward the completion of a postsecondary degree. CAEL works with the public sector, private sector industries and higher education institutions to ensure that adult students receive the most efficient training and education to occupy a meaningful professional place in a 21st century economy. For more information, visit www.cael.org.
