Adult Education Organizations and Programs

Adult Education Organizations and Programs

M. Rose Hobby, David Jones, Jillian Saunders, Linda Simmons, Nic Spangle, and Wayne Tozzi

Ball State University

Group members	Roles	Commented on
Wayne Tozzi	Edit, Set up google doc, comparison and implications	Group 3
M. Rose Hobby	Edit, introduction, comparison, and  reference page	Group 1
David Jones	Research institution 1
Linda Simmons	Research institution 1
Jillian Saunders	Research institution 2
Nic Spangle	Research institution 2	Group 1

Two formal higher education programs known for appealing to adult learners are Western Governors University and the University of Twente. In this paper, each institution is introduced along with information regarding what makes each unique. Finally, the institutions are compared and implications for practice are discussed.

Western Governors University

Founding

Western Governors University (WGU) was an idea discussed in 1995 by 19 U.S. governors. It was founded in 1997 with the vision of changing the format of higher education to bring innovation to this sector by harnessing technology to teach in different ways with focusing on measuring learning vs. time (“About WGU”, 2017). Old fashioned ways were not working. Reviewing the history of formal adult education revealed that enrollment was low until technology was introduced, giving students greater flexibility.

Mission and Goals

The mission of WGU is as follows: to “improve quality and expand access to postsecondary educational opportunities by providing a means for individuals to learn independent of time or place and to earn competency-based degrees and other credentials that are credible to both academic institutions and employers” (“About WGU”, 2017, para 3). Online learning has become a massive staple in higher education and is especially appealing to adult learners. Online learning opportunities attempt to reach more students while providing a quality education to those who are not on-ground learners. Many adult students’ schedules conflict with traditional course schedules or do not allow them physical access to an institution in order to attend in seat courses.  WGU is currently the only university be to formally accredited by four regional accrediting commissions at the same time (“Accreditation and Recognition”, 2017).

Major Programs and Learning Activities at WGU

 WGU has been recognized by former President Obama for its innovation and affordability (Mitchell, 2013). The institution offers more than 50 baccalaureate and graduate degree programs in business, information technology, K-12 teacher education, and health professions, including nursing (“Degrees and Programs”, 2017). WGU students are eligible for federal financial aid, and the university offers several scholarships for qualified students (Mitchell, 2013).   In 2012, the average student was 36 years old; 59% were women and 41% were men. Seventy-five percent of learners were categorized underserved (ethnic minority, low income, rural, first generation) and 79% received financial aid. At that point, the one-year retention rate was 78% (Finney, 2012).

Competency-based Education

Competency-based education (CBE) allows for a transition away from seat time and credit hours in favor of demonstration of mastery in academic content, regardless of place, time, or pace of learning (U.S. Department of Education, n.d). It allows more flexibility in the way of receiving credit which can be earned or awarded (Katz, 2015). This provides students, especially adults reentering higher education, with personalized learning opportunities. Strategies for CBE include: online/blended learning, project-based and community-based learning, and credit recovery, among others.

The Department of Education (n.d.) states this type of learning leads to better student engagement because the content is relevant to each student and tailored to individual unique needs. CBE also leads to better student outcomes because the pace of learning is customized to each student, helping students save time and money. If a student is experienced in a certain subject area, he or she may complete the competency unit and move on, allowing the student to work faster or provide more time to work on content in which the learner is inexperienced. All of this presents an opportunity to achieve greater efficiency and increased productivity.

CBE essentially encourages students to engage in coursework as opposed to traditional courses. In on-ground courses, students can be physically present, but not engaging. In online courses, the learner’s grade is contingent upon participation in course activities such as group work, online discussions, and research; therefore, learners must take an active responsibility in their role as a student.

Management and Operation of Programs

The student and their assigned mentor choose the learning resources the student needs. Resources may include an online study group, an online learning community, textbooks, or other resources (“Using Learning Resources”, 2017). Allowing the student to choose desired learning resources places the student in control of their educational experience.  Student control drives student success. Students know better than anyone else what they need to excel in achieving educational goals. Another advantage to WGU’s learning resources is the resources are available anytime and are reusable. Since students complete CBEs at different paces, learners need access to materials at the time they are needed to advance through the courses.

Learning resources are made available from a small set of third-party providers who develop WGU specific course materials that align with the competencies (“Using Learning Resources”, 2017). Assessments are designed by subject experts and customized internally. Assessments are delivered via secure internet-based protocols. This allows for the learning resources to be aligned with competencies and assessments to be aligned with the learning resources. Assessments take different forms: demonstrations, research papers, machine-scored objective tests, etc.

Initially, WGU deviated from the traditional faculty model. Instead, programs and curricula were guided by program and assessment councils of academic and industry expertise (“About WGU Faculty”, 2017). Full-time staff would advise students on academic requirements, and overall planning would be done by academic officers with terminal degrees in relevant disciplines. There are separate graders for assessments, and additional assistance is available by WGU tutors. This approach may not be for everyone as some people thrive on having things explained to them and some students may not be prepared for self-directed learning (Lorenzo, 2007). There is one class taught by faculty, a required course to orient new students to WGU’s innovative model and how it works (“About WGU Faculty”, 2017).

WGU is specifically unique because of its exclusive offering of CBE distance education programs. Another aspect setting WGU apart from traditional institutions is how students are billed for courses. Rather than paying by the credit hour, students are charged a flat fee per semester. Undergraduate students are given the goal of completing 12 competency units per semester; however, students may achieve more or fewer competencies. The allowance of completing greater than 12 competency units over a semester increases affordability for students motivated to continue courses at a faster pace (“How We’re Different”, 2017). Overall, CBE makes accountability a main responsibility for success. Each person is accountable for their role in the adult education system.

Success of WGU

University Research and Review has named WGU a “Best Value School” for several years (“Best Value School Awards”, 2017). Additionally, scholarships offered by WGU are slightly above the national average of what the standard university offers to students (Michigan Student Financial Aid Association, 2016). Finally, according to the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) administered in 2014, students ranked WGU higher than the national average in several categories, including: quality of interactions with faculty, quality of academic support, and overall rating of the entire educational experience (Mitchell, 2015). The value, flexibility, and uniqueness of WGU programs all contribute to this college being considered a top formal education program catering to working adults.

The University of Twente

Founding

Founded in 1961, the University of Twente (UoT) is located in Enschede, the Netherlands. This university, world-renowned for its innovation and entrepreneurial approach to education, has sought to revolutionize curriculum development and change the way that higher education operates. Most known for its development of the Twente Education Model, or TOM, UoT is continually pushing barriers in the pursuit of further refining the interdisciplinary education approach that has come out of the TOM model.

Mission and Goals

The vision of UoT is to, “produce outstanding graduates who excel by combining expertise from a range of fields as they design solutions that meet the demands of the future, in the Netherlands and throughout the world” (“Our Vision 2020”, 2016, para 1). Each division of UoT offers an individual mission statement and the institution’s motto is “High Tech, Human Touch” (“Our Approach- High Tech:-Human Touch”, 2016, para 1). This is meant to express how technology is seen as an inherent part of modern society, and how human aspects are seen as an integral part to any engineering challenge. One of the main goals of UoT is to create programs and curriculum that are responsive to the needs of society and at the same time develop a broad knowledge potential. The curriculum of UoT is designed to create self-responsive and active learners, facilitate authentic learning experiences amongst its courses, offer a variety of learning methods, and ultimately produce graduates that can be classified as “T-shaped professionals” who possess both a depth and breadth of knowledge (“Why TOM”, 2016).

The T-shaped Professional

TOM incorporates educational content of multiple disciplines, marrying technology and social science. This creates what is dubbed as the “T-shaped professional.” This concept introduces curricular design and andragogy that integrates boundary crossing competencies which are applied in an interdisciplinary fashion to all students in all programs. The intention of this element is to expose students to many differing disciplines and systems. This component forms the bar of the “T,” and indicates that a graduate can think laterally and apply the knowledge and expertise gained during their studies to any situation. The post of the “T” demands that each student be deeply versed in at least one specific area of knowledge and one system (Hickman, 2014). This approach is designed in such a way as to avoid creating a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none. Students can also apply knowledge and skills gained elsewhere, while attaining a higher academic level (“Twente Educational Model”, 2016).

Major Programs and Learning Activities at UoT

UoT employs this TOM model in its major programs: Behavior Management and Social Sciences; Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science; Science and Technology; Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation; and Engineering Technology (“Faculties”, 2016).  Each of these programs allows students to specialize in at least three unique majors. The TOM model also allows for students to design a minor based upon specific interests within a specialized field. The sequence through which each student navigates through these programs is determined by the student’s individual learning goals; a custom-fit program tract is achieved through this design.

Elements of these programs include a steady workload, frequent feedback, a variety of activities, a sense of community, and high, yet realistic goals. This structure fosters flexibility, problem solving, organization and communication skills, breadth resting on depth, ability to abstract, transfer of knowledge and skills from one situation to another, and application.

Thematic Learning Modules

Thematic Learning Modules are a cornerstone of the TOM process. In this approach, students take courses of like subject matter in sequence. This process is thought to allow students to focus more intently on the learning at hand, and allows a deeper understanding of the subject matter (“FAQ TOM”, 2016). A typical layout of the thematic modules will have students engaged in a core focus area, such as communication, for a period of a few terms. Then, depending on the student’s learning path, a project-based course will be taken to break up the repetition of content.  

According to the TOM FAQ (2016) webpage, each program is broken up into twelve 10-week modules:

·         

• Modules 1-2: First semester; 20 hours/week faculty-guided activities; basic math, research, disciplinary and interdisciplinary skills, a vision and ethics within their field
• Modules 3-6: Core; builds on modules 1-2
• Modules 7-8 Specialization; electives
• Modules 9-10 Minor; projects across disciplines, university abroad, or portfolio
• Modules 11-12 Graduation semester; major project(s), capstone

Each module is a coherent unit of study which focuses on a clearly defined theme or subject. Modules incorporate a wide variety of activities to promote engagement of the various learning styles. These activities include projects, lectures, skills training, labs, tutor-led sessions, discussions, research, personal study, tests, and papers (“TOM FAQ”, 2016). Students must enroll full time, focusing on one module at a time, and must meet all the learning goals for the module.

The University of Twente notes several benefits of TOM implementation, including: collaborative learning in changing environments, discovery of the student’s role within a team, challenging curriculum, development of self-reliance, and how to become a lifelong learner (“TOM Benefits”, 2016).

Management and Operation of Programs

Teams of faculty design the modules with minimal regulations, and sometimes with the input of the students (“What is TOM, 2017). Faculty model the process of relaxed and open interdisciplinary communication and collaboration. In this approach to education, the faculty merely serve as facilitators in the student’s learning process. There is a great deal of emphasis placed upon self-guided learning, a concept which we are familiar with under the guise of the flipped classroom model. This approach forces students to critically interact with peers in an effort to solve the problems that they are facing. Additionally, some models are student-driven, allowing learners to take control of their own learning (“What is TOM”, 2017).

Learning takes places in many open and creative environments; one will not find any traditional classrooms in the UoT TOM programs. In many labs, the walls are moveable, students can interact with the learning content through various smartboards, interactive displays, and a variety of free-form storyboard surfaces that are designed to allow students to write on the walls and interact with each other on a dynamic level.

Success of UoT

        The University of Twente has received international press in several ranking surveys. QS Top Universities ranks UoT as 177 of 916 universities compared in the world (“QS World University Rankings”, n.d.). UoT also received distinction in being labeled a QS five-star school. The Times Higher Education Rankings (THE) ranked UoT at 153 of 981 institutions in 2016 based on “teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and international outlook” (“World University Rankings 2016-2017”, n.d., para 1). Finally, over 70% of UoT undergraduate students obtain their degree within four years (“Why TOM”, 2016). This is an amazing achievement considering there seems to be a trend in which students do not earn a degree in a traditional timeframe.

Comparison

There are many similarities and differences between WGU and UoT. First, WGU utilizes CBE while UoT utilizes TOM module-based learning. Both approaches seem to provide an education that is effective, relevant, and meets the needs of learners and employers. Both institutions require students to take one module or competency unit at a time. WGU offers greater flexibility in the way of receiving credit as students pay one flat fee per semester rather than by credit hour. UoT offers major program areas that consist of 12 modules. This structure is more rigid than WGU, and seems to provide more in-depth learning.

        Both institutions note personalized learning experiences to be a priority. Additionally, both reference the need for students to be self-directed in their acquisition of knowledge.  UoT prides itself in being responsive to the needs of society and at the same time develop a broad knowledge potential. WGU publicizes its appeal to the adult demographic and the affordability of the university.

Implications

Competency based education is a new, innovative, and vital tool for adult learners returning to a formal education environment. It allows flexibility and breaks away from the rigidity of the traditional formal higher education model. Adult learners may come to the educational table with diverse and deep experiences in certain subjects, allowing individuals to move through degree programs at a faster rate and earn competency units based on their personal background. This not only allows for a person to move through their degree program with ease, but it also makes the program more affordable for the students. CBE students may be at a more competitive advantage than other students moving through the classic formal higher educational model.

Reflecting upon personal experiences helps the student become more engaged and also helps them relate to the material. Reflective and experiential learning are both effective practices for adult learners (Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2007). Additionally, achievement of competency is a popular work-based tool; therefore, incorporation of competency requirements in an educational program may prepare learners for expectations in the workforce. On the other hand, learners with workforce knowledge who are acclimated to a competency-based environment may experience less frustrations than other who are unfamiliar with the field.

Interdisciplinary education is utilized to facilitate skills which cross the boundaries between disciplines.  It is integrative and creates a connection among multiple disciplines which leads to the development of problem-solving skills that go beyond what could be achieved within each separate discipline. This allows the student to gain knowledge in a core curriculum while learning about a related branch to that curriculum, taking a narrow focus and expanding it to a broader concept.

With elements such as high realistic goals, a strong workload and a variety of projects and activities, this educational model promotes problem solving skills, communication skills, and flexibility.  These transferable skills are critical for adult learners in the workplace.

Table 1. Summary of Adult Education Organizations and Programs

	University of Twente	Western Governors University
Location	Enschede, the Netherlands	Salt Lake City, Utah (headquarters)
Year it was founded	1961	1995
Mission and goals	To create programs and curriculum that are responsive to the needs of society and at the same time develop a broad knowledge potential.	To improve quality and expand access to postsecondary educational opportunities by providing a means for individuals to learn independent of time or place and to earn competency-based degrees and other credentials that are credible to both academic institutions and employers. Online.
Main programs	UoT employs the TEM model into four major programs and utilizes thematic learning modules to present content in methods that are cohesive and build upon progressive relation of content.	Competency-based education (CBE) allows for a transition away from seat time and credit hours in favor of demonstration of mastery in academic content, regardless of place, time, or pace of learning.
Similarities	Curriculum that is based on the needs of students and workplace. Students complete one module or competency unit at a time. Students are offered personalized learning experiences. Learner’s ability to self-direct is integral to success.
Differences	More structured in the program requirements. Module-based. Main goal appears to be responsive to the needs of the society.	Flexibility within degree plan. Competency-based. Main goal appears to be providing adult learners with affordable and flexible distance learning opportunities.
Implications	Geared to specializing in one discipline, but includes broad integration across disciplines.	Geared to adult learners, letting them guide their own learning.

References

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