TY - JOUR
T1 - Redefining nontraditional students
T2 - Exploring the self-perceptions of community college students
AU - Kim, Karen A.
AU - Sax, Linda J.
AU - Lee, Jenny J.
AU - Hagedorn, Linda Serra
PY - 2010/5
Y1 - 2010/5
N2 - Recognition of the nontraditional student in higher education is valuable because it promotes an awareness of issues particularly relevant to the community college student population. While research that categorizes students by age is a practical way to study a unique population within community colleges, this approach may not be the most preferred way to examine the complexities of community college students. This study focused on community college students' self-perceptions of their primary roles as students, employees, and parents, thereby offering an alternative to utilizing predefined categories in order to distinguish between groups (e.g., based on age). The findings also shed light on unique characteristics that differentiate among students who identify their roles primarily as students, employees, or parents. In fact, this study shows that even students often considered "traditional" may have qualities that are typically considered nontraditional.
AB - Recognition of the nontraditional student in higher education is valuable because it promotes an awareness of issues particularly relevant to the community college student population. While research that categorizes students by age is a practical way to study a unique population within community colleges, this approach may not be the most preferred way to examine the complexities of community college students. This study focused on community college students' self-perceptions of their primary roles as students, employees, and parents, thereby offering an alternative to utilizing predefined categories in order to distinguish between groups (e.g., based on age). The findings also shed light on unique characteristics that differentiate among students who identify their roles primarily as students, employees, or parents. In fact, this study shows that even students often considered "traditional" may have qualities that are typically considered nontraditional.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79960103377&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79960103377&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10668920701382633
DO - 10.1080/10668920701382633
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79960103377
SN - 1066-8926
VL - 34
SP - 402
EP - 422
JO - Community College Journal of Research and Practice
JF - Community College Journal of Research and Practice
IS - 5
ER -