Nontraditional adult learners have various motivations for pursuing higher education such as career advancement, financial security, and personal goals. Their needs include programs with flexibility, online accessibility, and support from faculty and tutoring. Developing programs that meet the motivations and needs of adult learners is important for their success in completing degree programs. Such programs allow completion of online degrees and provide online access to libraries, tutoring, and faculty support seven days a week. Understanding adult learners' motivations and catering programs to their needs helps them attain college degrees.

1. NONTRADITIONAL
ADULT LEARNERS
MOTIVATIONS AND NEEDS

2. NONTRADITIONAL ADULT LEARNERS
• Motivations
• Adult learners have a variety of motivations when attending a college that aid in their success in
learning because they have freedom in choosing higher education goals (Neagu, 2016).
• Security such as money, balance, and house are the most common motivations for women while career
and social status are the most common motivations for men (Neagu, 2016).
• Needs
• A college that can develop programs to meet the needs of nontraditional adult learners is a major
factor in ensuring that these students are successful in completing their programs of study (Stevens,
2014).
• Programs

3. MOTIVATIONS AND NEEDS - 2
MOTIVATIONS
• Personal Goals
• Career
• Family
• Love of learning
NEEDS
• Online degree programs
• Full library access
• Faculty support
• Tutoring programs
• Less time constraints

4. WHO ARE NONTRADITIONAL ADULT LEARNERS?
Adult learners
 Full time students with full time jobs
 Homemakers
 Stay at home parents
 Caregivers of adult parents
 Students older than 24

5. WHO ARE NONTRADITIONAL ADULT LEARNERS?- 3
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC
BY

6. PROGRAMS - 4
• Online degree programs
• Online library and tutoring
• Support from faculty
• Flexibility in completing assignments
In order to meet the needs of
adult learners, programs must be
created and implemented with
online accessibility seven days a
week and twenty-four hours a day
to coursework, library, tutoring,
and faculty. Degree programs
must be able to be completed
online.

7. COLLEGE PROGRAMS HELPS
STUDENTS
By understanding the motivations and needs of
adult learners, programs can be implemented by
colleges. These programs can help adult learners be
successful in attaining their college degrees.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

8. REFERENCES
• Neagu, S. N. (2016). A NEW VISION OF ADULT
LEARNING. CHECKLIST - MOTIVATIONAL
FACTORS INVOLVED IN ADULT LEARNING. Paper
presented at the, 2 150-153.
http://dx.doi.org/10.12753/2066-026X-16-106
Retrieved from
https://search.proquest.com/docview/179256484
5?accountid=54847
• Stevens, J. (2014). Perceptions, attitudes, and
preferences in adult learners in higher education:
A national survey. Journal of Learning in Higher
Education, Volume 10 Issue 2. Retrieved from
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1143318.pdf
Photos obtained from Creative
Commons. Retrieved from
https://creativecommons.org