The challenge for many adult students is the balance of work-family-school issues. With the current economic climate, I see an increased frequency of time management concerns as students are asked to work overtime and be more flexible in work schedules, take on care of older ailing parents, coordinate cost-efficient child care arrangements, provide temporary housing or other financial assistance for young-adult children, and often face developing financial problems from layoffs or terminations. Sometimes these situations in combination create overloads that hamper the student's educational goals and vision. While students continue to realize that with a college degree they can advance and improve their career opportunities (whether it is their first degree, or a second, etc.) they sometimes can lose sight of their education/career goals – resulting in a temporary change of the self-efficacy. Some seem to shift from internal locus of control, to external locus of control as they feel overwhelmed trying to manage the unforeseen mounting responsibilities outside of school. Faculty and staff can help create an environment for the rebuilding of self-efficacy and education goals thru providing ongoing mentoring, modeling and monitoring. By continuing to develop a learning environment for the student that can be a positive experience, the college can become a place where despite work-family-school balance issues, the learning experience is rewarding, uplifting, invigorating, and encouraging…a source of renewal and hope in troubled times.
