Futuring for Optimum Outcomes in Higher Education: Addressing the Needs of Today’s Adult Learners

Dr. Lisa L. Rollins ()
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Dr. Lisa L. Rollins: College of Liberal Arts at Ashford University, San Diego, California, USA

Journal of Social Sciences (COES&RJ-JSS), 2014, vol. 3, issue 2, 367-380

Abstract: If educational institutions are to be prepared to meet the future's challenges, including the unique needs of adult learners in today’s college classrooms, their leaders must plan today to make needed changes. Per the World Future Society, "Proactive, future-oriented thinking can lead to greater success in both work and private affairs. The future will happen, no matter what we do, but if we want it to be a good future, we need to work at it" (2002, available at http://www.wfs.org). Change is inevitable, yet many organizational leaders fail to effectively map out successful transitions. Strategic quality planning, however, provides those who utilize its tools (e.g., environmental scanning, trend extrapolation, Delphi Technique, scenario planning, etc.) with a systematic framework that can help move an organization move from its present state to where its planners want it to be (Alexander & Serfass, 1999). Through a review of relevant literature, this article will explore some of these futuring tools and their appropriate application, with an emphasis on current trends in higher education, and in particular, as it relates to adult learners.

Keywords: Adult learners; high education; futuring tools; trends in high education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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