Reaching adult learners through the entry point framework and problem-based learning in a Croquet-based virtual environment

Adult learners with varying needs, backgrounds, skills, experiences, and ways of learning place increasing demands on higher education to provide learning experiences that are accessible, applicable, and relevant to their own individual needs. At the same time, demands of the workplace require the development of competencies and the ability to not only understand but also to communicate, apply, and act on newly acquired knowledge, often through cooperative team work. Though adult learners may approach higher education with apprehension, they are increasingly comfortable with technology. In this paper, we discuss how the entry point framework and problem-based learning can be implemented in a Croquet-based virtual environment to support adult learners with varying profiles of intellectual strengths.