Adult learners and academic advising: the experiences at one Massachusetts community college.

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20196741

This research explored the nature of academic advising through the experiences of Mount Wachusett Community College advisors with adult learners. This case study originated as an investigation of advisor perceptions of adult learners and their needs during academic advising interactions, specifically early in their transition to college. However, this analysis of one community college advising model revealed a tension between the counseling and teaching and learning paradigms of academic advising within the institution. This case study investigating academic advisors' perceptions of the needs of their adult students revealed advisors frustrated by the numerous roles they must assume and the necessary skills needed to meet the complex needs of their students within the framework of a progressive, teaching and learning delivery model. Ultimately, this research outlines a model of advising service delivery for adult learners in a community college that blends the counseling and teaching and learning paradigms to meet the complex social/emotional needs of adult learners within the teaching and learning framework supported by the institution.