Staying the Course: Proven Strategies to Boost Adult Learner Persistence

About This Session

Description

Adult education programs face a persistent challenge—keeping students engaged and motivated to complete their educational journey. Despite their strong desire to learn, adult students often struggle with competing priorities, including work, family responsibilities, and financial constraints. This session will explore the latest research on adult learner persistence, uncovering key factors that influence retention and completion rates.

What we'll cover:

Participants will gain insights into effective, research-based strategies that foster persistence, including relationship-building techniques, goal-setting frameworks, and contextualized instruction. The session will also examine the role of technology, student support services, and workforce alignment in improving long-term engagement. By integrating these strategies, educators can create more inclusive and supportive learning environments that address barriers and empower adult learners to stay the course.

Through interactive discussions and practical examples, participants will leave with actionable tools to enhance their programs. Whether you’re an instructor, administrator, or support staff member, this session will equip you with the knowledge and strategies needed to improve student retention and success in adult education.

After this session, you will be able to:

Identify key barriers to adult learner persistence and the latest research on retention strategies.
Explore evidence-based instructional and programmatic approaches to support student engagement and completion.
Develop an action plan to implement practical persistence strategies within adult education programs.