This primary goal of this study was to compare the levels of importance, satisfaction, and perceived engagement between adult learners and Tennessee Reconnect adult learners at two Tennessee community colleges. A two-group comparison research design using existing data from two survey instruments was used for this study. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics based on the scales and subscales of the two surveys: Adult Learner Inventory (ALI) and Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE). Because Tennessee Reconnect is a new program, very little literature has been conducted targeting this specific population. Therefore, this study attempted to add to this body of literature and fill the gap in literature in regard to the Tennessee Reconnect population. Sixteen statistically significant differences in importance and six statistically significant differences in satisfaction were found between adult learners and Tennessee Reconnect adult learners. These were found over all subscales, except learning process. In all these differences Tennessee Reconnect adult learners had higher mean importance and satisfaction levels. These findings show changes that have been implemented since Tennessee Reconnect (i.e., professional advisors, career counselors, extended hours of operation for student services, etc.) have led to an increase in the mean satisfaction rate among Tennessee Reconnect adult learners. Statistically significant differences were also found between adult learners and traditional college students in the areas of perceived engagement with student services and faculty. Adult learners showed higher mean scores for engagement with faculty inside the classroom and with student services such as tutoring and skills labs. However, adult learners also showed the lowest mean satisfaction scores with these same student services. These findings show there are areas that need improvement to better serve the Tennessee Reconnect population, including changes to tutoring services and skills labs. This study provides support for literature findings that adult learners are a different population of students with different needs and requiring different or modified accommodations for success.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T15:32:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissert Marilia.pdf: 4042217 bytes, checksum: 2e0512b34b689d9cd50c53563e469af0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-09-04 / The Federal Constitution, which is the guideline of the largest Brazilian environmental legislation is governed by nine basic principles that are the principle of equitable access to environmental resources, user-pays principle, polluter pays principle, precautionary principle, prevention principle, Principle of repair, Principle of information, participation and Principle of Principle of the right to a healthy quality of life. Besides the Constitution, Law No. 9638 of 1981, the National Policy on Environment, aims at the preservation, improvement and restoration of environmental quality, socio-economic development, protecting the dignity of human life and the interests of national security. It is noteworthy that Article 225 of the Brazilian Constitution of 1988 establishes the duties of the Government to ensure the effectiveness of this right, which stands Environmental Education in § 1, Section VI and the Law 9795 of 1999, which provides for Environmental Education and establishing the National Environmental Education. In Brazil, an instrument that enables the paradigm shift in society's actions is the National Environmental Education, established by Law No. 9795 of 1999. It sets out what is the Environmental Education and determines that it is present in national education, as Article 1 and 2. Thus, this research aimed to study the overall social and environmental relationships of the residents and / or employees of the Trough Creek basin in Uberlândia - MG, in order to pursue the development of Plan of non-formal environmental education. To achieve the objective of this study sought to identify the main environmental aspects that permeate the daily activities of residents and / or farm workers in Trough Creek basin, to analyze whether there is an awareness by the farmers in the basin of the Trough Creek in relation to Local social and environmental interaction; show how farmers perceive and understand the local socio-environmental changes occurring in the basin of Trough Creek, and organizing audiovisual material from the local knowledge, which can be used as a tool to assist in their daily activities, aimed at preserving and / or environmental conservation. / A Constituição Federal, que é a diretriz maior da legislação ambiental brasileira, é regida por nove princípios básicos, quais sejam: o Princípio do acesso equitativo aos recursos ambientais; Princípio usuário-pagador; Princípio poluidor-pagador; Princípio da precaução; Princípio da prevenção; Princípio da reparação; Princípio da informação; Princípio da participação e Princípio do direito à sadia qualidade de vida. Além da Constituição Federal, a Lei nº 9.638 de 1981, da Política Nacional de Meio Ambiente, tem por objetivo a preservação, melhoria e recuperação da qualidade ambiental, o desenvolvimento socioeconômico, a proteção à dignidade da vida humana e os interesses da segurança nacional. Vale ressaltar que o artigo 225 da Constituição Brasileira de 1988 estabelece as incumbências do Poder Público para garantir a efetividade desse direito, das quais se destaca a Educação Ambiental no § 1º, Inciso VI; e a Lei 9.795 de 1999, que dispõe sobre a Educação Ambiental e institui a Política Nacional de Educação Ambiental. No Brasil, um dos instrumentos que possibilita a mudança de paradigma nas ações da sociedade é exatamente a Política Nacional de Educação Ambiental, instituída pela Lei nº 9795 de 1999. Ela estabelece o que é a Educação Ambiental e determina que a mesma esteja presente na educação nacional, conforme os artigos 1º e 2º. Assim, a presente pesquisa teve por objetivo geral estudar as relações socioambientais dos moradores e/ou trabalhadores da bacia hidrográfica do Córrego Bebedouro no município de Uberlândia MG, visando ao desenvolvimento do Plano de Educação Ambiental não formal. Para consecução do objetivo do trabalho buscou-se identificar os principais aspectos socioambientais que permeiam as atividades cotidianas dos moradores e/ou trabalhadores rurais da bacia do Córrego Bebedouro; analisar se existe uma sensibilização por parte dos produtores rurais da bacia do Córrego Bebedouro em relação à interação socioambiental local; mostrar como os produtores rurais locais percebem e compreendem as alterações socioambientais ocorridas na bacia do Córrego Bebedouro; organizar material audiovisual a partir dos saberes locais, que poderá ser utilizado como ferramenta que auxilie em suas atividades cotidianas, visando à preservação e/ou conservação ambiental.