DOCUMENT RESUME ED 354 384 CE 063 120 AUTHOR Kerka, Sandra TITLE Minority Participation in Continuing Education. Trends and Issues Alerts. INSTITUTION ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education, Columbus, Ohio. SPONS AGENCY Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. PUB DATE 93 CONTRACT RI88062005 NOTE 4p. PUB TYPE Information Analyses ERIC Clearinghouse Products Reference Materials (071) Bibliographies (131) ) EDRS PRICE MFO1 /PCO1 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Access to Education; *Continuing Education; Cultural Differences; *Educational Environment; Educational Improvement; *Enrollment Influences; Enrollment Rate; Enrollment Trends; Higher Education; Labor Force Development; Lifelong Learning; *Minority Groups; Participation; Part Time Students; *School Holding Power; Social Change; *Student Financial Aid ABSTRACT The convergence of three trends makes service to minority students an imperative for continuing education: (1) increasing proportions of diverse group- in the U.S. population and work force; (2) continuing education and retraining as keys to survival in a workplace of chang; and (3) declining college enrollments of liverse populations and increasing income disparities related to level of educational attainment. Issues involved in participation and retention of minorities begin with campus climate. Ways to improve campus climate include: genuine pluralism that recognizes diversity of perceptions and values; increasing numbers of minority faculty and adult students who can serve as mentors and role models; and strong, visible actions in hiring practices, reward systems, and policy implementation. Financial aid is another key concern. Low-income groups appear to have less access to financial aid, and little is available for part-time study, despite high numbers of minority part-time students. Finally, adult and continuing education's role as a force for social change requires a reconceptualizing of lifelong learning. Instead of the existing hierarchy, a more equitable system would be a continuous configuration of educational offerings in which success at one level would mean direct access to the next. (Annotations of 18 print resources are provided; 3 resource organizations are listed.) (YLB) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** Minority Participation in Continuing Education Trends and Issues Alerts Sandra Kerka U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERICI u9/ This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating .1 O Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points of view or opinions staled in Ibis dOCu. merit do nol necessarily represent official OE RI position or policy ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education Center on Education and Training for Employment 1900 Kenny Road Columbus, OH 43210-1090 " 7 71 0 7,,,;; -a p ill, ;0; E. (1 v:4,4 'S ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education ALERTS TRENDS AND ISSUES MINORITY PARTICIPATION IN CONTINUING EDUCATION Census data document the increasing proportions of diverse ings in which success at one level would mean direct access groups in the U.S. population and consequently the work to the next" (ibid., p. 58). Thus, diverse students, who may (Commission on Minority force Participation have faced psychological and cultural barriers in previous 1988). Employment projections highlight continuing education and schooling, could take advantage of the educational oppor- retraining as keys to survival in a workplace of change. At tunities for lifelong learning and employment preparation the same time, college enrollment of diverse populations that would enable their full participation in the changing appears to be declining, and income disparities related to work force and society. level of educational attainment are increasing (Moe 1990; Ross-Gordon 1990). The convergence of these three trends makes service to minority students an imperative for continuing education. Print Resources By 1988, one-third of the U.S. .population was African, Brown, S. V., and Clewell, B. C. Building the Nation's Work Hispanic, Asian, or Native American (Commission 1988). Force from the Inside Out: Educating Minorities for the However, participation rates of these groups in higher Norman: Center for Research on Twenty-First Century. education have declined in the last decade (Ross-Gordon Multiethnic Education, University of Oklahoma, 1991. 1990), and nearly half of all minority college students are (ED 346 169) part time. In addition, diverse groups are underrepresented in the growing area of employer-sponsored training. For Studies the impact of new immigration law on minority example, African Americans, 9.5 percent of the work force work force participation and examines how a focus on in 1987, received 5.1 percent of formal training; comparable immigration ignores educational reforms crucial to the numbers for Hispanic Americans were 5.5 percent and 2.7 access and training of minorities. percent (Martin 1993). Minority participation in continuing especially continuing professional education, education, Commission on Minority Participation in Education and remains minimal (Moe 1989; Taylor 1990). At the same American Life. One Third of a Nation. Washington, DC: time, access to continuing education is narrowing as financial American Council on Education; Denver, CO: Education crises cause an increasing focus on market-driven, income- Commission of the States, 1988. (ED 297 057) generating programming (Martin 1993). The United States is moving backwards in efforts to Issues involved in participation and retention of minorities achieve full participation of minority citizens. A national begin with campus climate. Minority students, faculty, staff, commitment to enabling minorities to achieve equal qual- and administrators who feel unwelcome or alienated in the ity of life is essential. campus environment are severely challenged to stay and to Moe (1989) cites a survey showing that large succeed. Frey, F. "A Legacy of Cultural, Social, and Linguistic J. numbers of minority students feel their values are not Hegemony in Education? PAACE Journal of Lifelong reflected in the university culture. Because climate is central 2 (1993): 33-42. Learning to all other efforts to improve minority participation, it is "both the point of departure and the culmination of all other Students from minority groups are least successful in pub- efforts" (Green 1989, p. 113). Ways to improve campus lic schools, due to silent discrimination in the form of climate include genuine pluralism that recognizes the cultural, linguistic, and social stereotyping. Adult educa- diversity of perceptions and values (Taylor 1990); increasing tors of minority students must deal with the legacy of stu- the numbers of minority faculty and adult students, who can dents' educational background. serve as mentors and role models (Kramer 1989; McCormick 1991); and strong, visible actions m hiring practices, reward Gillett-Karam, R. "Confronting Diversity in the Community systems, and policy implementation (Green 1989). College Classroom." New Directions for Community Col- no. 79 (Fall 1992): 83-94. leges Financial aid is a key concern. Some suggest that access may be more a class than a race issue (National University Through encouraging teaching excellence and enabling Continuing Education Association '089; Taylor 1990). Low teachers to be leaders in the classroom, colleges can income groups appear to have less access to financial aid educate students while addressing diversity. Six critical (Orfie ld 1992), and little is available for part-time study, teaching practices focus attention on the needs of women despite the high numbers of minority part-time students. and racial/ethnic minorities. Zwerling (1986) asserts that, in continuing education, finan- cial aid is often based on achievement: the ability to hold a Green, M. F., ed. Minorities on Campus: A Handbook for job and qualify for tuition reimbursement or pay one's own Enhancing Diversity. Washington, DC: American Council fees. Thus, those with higher educational and employment on Education, 1989. attainment consolidate their positions and widen the eco- nomic gap. Focuses on leadership, an integrated approach, and in- stitutional changes for developing a pluralistic campus Finally, adult and continuing education's role as a force for climate. social change requires a reconceptuali7ing of lifelong learning. Rather than the existing hierarchy, a more equi- table system would be a continuous "configuration of offer- National University Continuing Education Association. Jackson, J., ed. Education for a Multicultural Society: A New Agenda for Continuing Higher Education. Association for Challenges for Continuing Higher Education Leadership: Continuing Higher Education, 1990. (ED 322 384) Global Washington, DC: NUCEA, 1989. (ED 339 813) Includes "Continuing Education and the Search for and "Creating Equity" a Multicultural School Includes "On Teaehing Language and Culture in America," Environment." "Immigration and Hispanic Educational Opportunities: Challenges for the 1990s," and "Strategies for Continuing "Johns Hopkins Institutes a Unique Program for Minorities Higher Education: Improving Educational Opportunities in Business." NUCEA News 7, no. 7 (July-August 1991): for Minorities." 12. Orfield; G. "Money, Equity, and College Access." Harvard The Leadership Development Program offers seminars Educational Review 62, no. 3 (Fall 1992): 337-372. taught primanly by minority business professionals. Minority attendees qualify for admission to the MBA Demonstrates the substantial link between financial assis- program and have an opportunity for networking and tance and college attendance and reasons for the declining career counseling with ethnic role models. access of minority and low income groups to college finan- cial aid. Kramer, J. L. "Continuing Education in a Multicultural Society." Journal of Continuing Higher Education 37, no. Ross-Gordon, J. M. "Serving Culturally Diverse Popula- 1 (Winter 1989): 2-4. (EJ 381 501) tions." New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education no. 48 (Winter 1990): 5-15. (EJ 419 559) Traces the erosion of gains made in minority partici- pation in the 1960s and 1970s. Describes the Minority Demographic trends and data on minority participation Continuing Education Opportunity Program at the Ohio suggest inequities in access. Theoretical explanations State University. should attend to sociocultural forces affecting motivation. Models of practice must be based on understanding of the Martin, L. G. "Cultural Diversity: Fracture Lines in Adult sociocultural context. Education Practice." PAACE Journal of LifelongLeaming 2 (1993): 21-26. Taylor, R. "Racism, Ethnicity and University Adult Educa- tion." Studies in the Education of Adults 22, no. 2 (Octo- Six factors may account for lack of minority participation: ber 1990): 211-220. (El 416 037) unequal access to training in the workplace, stigma trans- ference, ethnic typecasting, cultural assimilation, hopeless A British survey found little improvement in provision for attitudes toward 'inner-city problems, and negative effects minority students, little evidence of clear policy guidelines, of instrumental individualism. few minority staff members, and low levels of minority in- volvement in continuing professional education. McCormick, T. "An Analysis of Some Pitfalls of Traditional Mentoring for Minorities and Women in Higher Educa- Zwerling, L. S. "Lifelong Learning: A New Form of Track- tion." 1991. (ED 334 905) ing." New Directions for Community Colleges no. 54 (June 1986): 53-60. (ED 271 169) Identifies some problems in traditional mentoring: pro- motion of competition and elitism, scarcity of appropi iate Continuing education is potentially the most unequal form mentors for women and minorities, and extension of de- of higher education. Its contribution to social change pendence and subordination. depends upon new app., oaches to defining lifelong learn- ing, a more equitable delivery system, and changes in Moe, J. F. "The Dream Deferred: Minority Adult Participa- affordability. tion in Higher Education in the United States." Continu- ing Higher Education Review 53, no. 1 (Winter 1989): 35- 49. (EJ 384 946) Resource Organizations Cites demographic data on minority adult educational at- American Council on Education, Minorities in Higher Edu- tainment and addresses program factors to facilitate pai- cation Division, One Dupont Circle, NIA Washington, DC ticipation in continuing higher education. 20036 (202/939-9300). Moe, J. F. "Education, Democracy, and Cultural Pluralism." Association for Continuing Higher Education, c/o Scott New Directions forAfhdt and Continuing Education no. 48 Evenbeck, Executive Vice President, Indiana University- (Winter 1990): 31-44. (EJ 419 561) Purdue/University of Indianapolis, 620 Union Drive, Room 143, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5171 (317/274-2637). Points out commonalities between late 19th- and late 20th-century diversity in U.S. society. States that National University Continuing Education Association, One programs to encourage minority adult participation must Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 615, Washington, DC 20036- address the serious barriers facing of immigrants and 1168 (202/659-3130). minorities while addressing cultural diversity. This Trends and Issues Akrt was developed in 1993 by Sandra Kerka with National University Continuing Education Association. funding from the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, under Contract No. RI88062005. Opinions Challenges for Continuing Higher Education Leadership: ex- pressed do not necessarily reflect the position or policies of OERI or the Economic Development in a Multicultural Society. Wash- Department. Aliens may be freely reproduced. ington, DC: NUCEA, 1988. (ED 311 744) CENTER ON EDUCATION Includes the following articles: "Minority Issues: Central AND TRAINING FOR EMPLOYMENT Theme or Footnote," "Minorities and One College's Ex- THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY perience," and "Discrimination and Competitive Success." 1100 lame ROAD COLLMIUS OHIO 43210