Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

1984

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Abstract

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.

Extent

137 p.

Comments

Thesis (Educat.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1984.|College of Education|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Thesis (Educat.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1984.

Identifier

FADT11845

Format

pdf

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