ADULT LEARNERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PERCEPTIONS OF BARRIERS IN ONLINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE COURSES

In this study, I examined adult learners’ experiences and perceptions of barriers to interactions and engagement in online community college courses. Adult learners' enrollment in online courses in postsecondary institutions continues to grow due to the flexibility and convenience they offer to learners who often have to juggle multiple responsibilities. However, the increase in enrollment does not translate to course completion. Several studies have explored adult learners’ success in online courses, but most of these studies have focused on adult learners in online courses at 4-year institutions. Therefore, this study focused on adult learners in online community college courses to address this gap in literature. A qualitative study involving interviews with 15 learners who were 24 years of age or older was conducted to determine (a) how adult learners in online community college courses described their interactions with the instructor, their peers, and content, (b) how adult learners in online community college courses described their engagement with the instructor, their peers, and content, and (c) what barriers adult learners in online community college courses perceived as related to their online interactions and engagement. Participants’ responses to the interview questions revealed three central themes related to learners’ experiences and their perceived barriers to interactions and engagement in their online courses: instructor practices, connection to others, and self-regulated behavior. These central themes were used to make recommendations for practice and future studies related to adult learners in online courses.