Abstract

This qualitative, narrative inquiry investigated the lived experiences of adult learners as transfer students. Participants in this study matriculated from community colleges to universities within the State of Florida. The study consisted of 10 participants aged 29 – 59. This research examined adult learners who have transferred and transitioned from community college to make meaning of their individual experiences as transfer students. The research questions that guided this study are: (1) What are the experiences of adult learners who have transferred and transitioned from a community/state college to a four-year university? (2) How do adult learners describe the experiences that motivated their academic persistence? Participants were interviewed in a virtual setting. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a narrative analysis method. Each narration was re-storied and structured by story code to include: an abstract, orientation, climax, resolution, evaluation, and narrative summary. Three core narratives were co-constructed from the data analysis: (1) Learning Curves; (2) Demotivating Experiences; (3) Influential Factors. Higher education is an ever-changing environment that continues to expand in its adult learning student populations. This study benefits the practitioners and policymakers of higher education seeking to understand and improve policies for retention efforts of adult learners and transfer student populations.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2023

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Bartee, RoSusan

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

College

College of Community Innovation and Education

Department

Educational Leadership and Higher Education

Degree Program

Educational Leadership; Higher Education Track

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0009592; DP0027613

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0027613

Language

English

Release Date

May 2026

Length of Campus-only Access

3 years

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Campus-only Access)

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