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This literature review summarizes current available data on enrollment, persistence, demographics, and related risk factors, and it examines scientific evidence on promising adult learner practices. It also addresses how success is measured and how differences by race, online status, and gender shape institutional assessment.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/adult-learners-a-literature-review/584977/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/adult-learners-a-literature-review/584977.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Sophia Brooks","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-28","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":14},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"Who is considered an adult learner in this report?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"Adult learners are defined as people aged 25 and older, contrasted with traditional-age college students aged 18–24.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"Which two adult learner subpopulations does the report focus on?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"The report focuses on online learners and Black learners, each with distinct challenges and needs.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"What types of sources does the report use?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"It draws on peer-reviewed academic publications as well as “gray literature” such as briefs and memos from nonprofits and think tanks.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},584977,1792252591,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":14,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145,"preview_page_count":4},962084925636,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_994ba38a5ba835b3df7d355c54d3ed8d","February 2025  \nAdult Learners:  \nA Literature Review  \nA summary of data, evidence, and ongoing questions around adult learners in the U.S. postsecondary system  \nAT A GLANCE  \nThis report reviews of adult learners in the context of the U.S. postsecondary system, with a particular interest in online settings and Black learners. The report examines data around enrollment, persistence and demographics, before reviewing scientific evidence regarding adult learner practices.  \nAUTHOR  \nBen Koller, Research Analyst, JFF  \nAcknowledgments  \nLois Joy (Director, JFF) and Andrea Juncos (Senior Director, JFF) contributed subject matter expertise and editorial guidance to this report.  \nAbout Jobs for the Future  \nJobs for the Future (JFF) drives transformation of [the U.S. education](the U.S. education) and workforce systems to achieve equitable economic advancement [for all.](for all. www.jff.org)[ ](for all. www.jff.org)[www.jff.org](for all. www.jff.org)  \nAbout JFF’s Language Choices  \nJFF is committed to using language that promotes equity and human dignity, rooted in the strengths of the people and communities we serve. We develop our content with the awareness that language can perpetuate privilege but also can educate, empower, and drive positive change to create a more equitable society. We routinely reevaluate our efforts as [usage evolves.](usage evolves. info.jff.org/language-matters)[ ](usage evolves. info.jff.org/language-matters)[info.jff.org/language-matters](usage evolves. info.jff.org/language-matters)  \nIntroduction & Methods  \nAdult learners make up a significant portion of college and university students in the United States, but awareness and data around this population and their challenges , particularly for students enrolled in online programs, are lacking. Practitioners and others in the ecosystem also lack research into the experiences of adult students disaggregated by gender, race , and ethnicity. Given the ways in which student challenges and opportunities for postsecondary persistence , engagement, and completion differ for these groups, gaps in understanding limit the ability of postsecondary institutions and policy-makers to better support adult learners on their journeys to post-secondary degrees and credentials that position them for economic success. To address these gaps, JFF investigated the available literature and evidence on adult learners, including their collective characteristics, experiences, and outcomes. This report takes a particular focus on two subpopulations of adult learners: online learners and Black learners, both of which are populations with unique challenges and needs. We focus on several research questions to guide our inquiry and discussion:  \n• What is the current available data on adult learners in the U.S. postsecondary education system? What do we know about their enrollment by race, online status, and other demographic factors?  \n• What are the risk factors and barriers associated with adult postsecondary learners, and how do these differ by demographic characteristics?  \n• Are there particular practices that have been shown to be promising in supporting these learners’ persistence and completion?  \n• What metrics are used to assess success among adult learners? Do the differences and challenges in this population affect how institutions serving these learners are assessed?  \nAs we begin this review, it is helpful to define our terms and our methods.  \n• Age: Our focus is on adult learners, defined as age 25 and older; this is contrasted with“traditional-age college students,” who are 18-24 years old. This definition is consistent with industry standards, and aligns with data reported to, and collected by, the Department of Education and its divisions, such as the National Center for Education Statistics.  \n• Status: This report focuses primarily on undergraduate-level students and learning, as graduate-level students represent a separate demographic in the postsecondary ed","cbCailjDvNLTDgGc","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCailjDvNLTDgGc","pdf",734471,25,"English","# Introduction & Methods\n## Research Questions\n## Definitions and Scope\n### Age\n### Status\n### Sources\n# At a Glance\n# About Jobs for the Future (JFF)\n## About JFF’s Language Choices","[{\"question\":\"Who is considered an adult learner in this report?\",\"answer\":\"Adult learners are defined as people aged 25 and older, contrasted with traditional-age college students aged 18–24.\"},{\"question\":\"Which two adult learner subpopulations does the report focus on?\",\"answer\":\"The report focuses on online learners and Black learners, each with distinct challenges and needs.\"},{\"question\":\"What types of sources does the report use?\",\"answer\":\"It draws on peer-reviewed academic publications as well as “gray literature” such as briefs and memos from nonprofits and think tanks.\"}]","Adult Learners - A Literature Review | PDF",1792053168,63]