Editor’s note: This article is part of Teaching the Adult Learner: Practical Strategies for Higher Ed Success, a six-part series exploring how colleges can better support nontraditional students. Drawing on classroom-tested practices with adult learners in Human Services programs, the series offers faculty and administrators concrete strategies to build confidence, foster engagement, and connect coursework to real-world impact. The series publishes weekly on Mondays.
Colleges often talk about retention rates, but for adult learners, persistence is deeply personal. Every week, my students face the question: Do I have the energy, time, and confidence to keep going?
The answer depends not just on their circumstances but on the design of their courses. Pedagogy, not just policy, plays a decisive role in whether adult learners stay engaged.
What engagement looks like
Engagement for adult learners isn’t flashy. It’s not gamification or constant discussion boards. Instead, it’s:
- Assignments that connect to real-world needs.
- Classes that respect limited time and competing responsibilities.
- Faculty who communicate clearly, support consistently, and affirm student strengths.
Strategies for persistence
Over time, several approaches have proven most effective in my classrooms:
1. Relevant, applied work
Students stick with courses when they see direct connections to their jobs, families, and communities.
2. Flexibility within structure
Clear deadlines matter, but so does grace. Allowing late submissions with a plan, or offering alternative formats, recognizes the realities of adult life.
3. Community in the classroom
Small groups, peer review, and shared projects create belonging. Persistence grows when students know they’re not alone.
4. Affirmation of strengths
Adult learners often underestimate themselves. Frequent, specific feedback builds the resilience to keep going.
Why pedagogy matters
Persistence is not only about financial aid or advising structures–it’s about what happens in the classroom. A well-designed course can be the difference between a student dropping out or moving forward.
Takeaways for faculty and administrators
- Make engagement practical. Tie coursework to real-life impact.
- Balance structure and flexibility. Support accountability while honoring adult realities.
- Foster community. Belonging drives persistence.
- Affirm strengths. Confidence sustains effort.
Closing reflection
When adult learners persist, they change more than their own lives. They become role models for their families, leaders in their workplaces, and advocates in their communities.
Pedagogy that prioritizes persistence is not just good teaching–it’s a commitment to equity, access, and the transformative power of education.
This concludes the six-part series, Teaching the Adult Learner: Practical Strategies for Higher Ed Success. Thank you for joining me on this exploration of how higher education can meet adult learners where they are and help them succeed.
Find Part 1 here.
Find Part 2 here.
Find Part 3 here.
Find Part 4 here.
Find Part 5 here.
Timothy Montalvo is a middle school educator and leader passionate about leveraging technology to enhance student learning. He serves as Assistant Principal at Fox Lane Middle School in Westchester, NY, and teaches education courses as an adjunct professor at Iona University and the College of Westchester. Montalvo focuses on preparing students to be informed, active citizens in a digital world and shares insights on Twitter/X @MrMontalvoEDU or on BlueSky @montalvoedu.bsky.social.
- Student-centered campus design begins in the spaces between - January 23, 2026
- Reimagining teacher preparation to include student mental health supports - January 21, 2026
- Why data-driven planning matters for higher ed’s future - January 19, 2026