ANSWER IN RESPONSE

What does the concept of ‘critical consumers of information’ mean to this doctoral student and research practitioner based on their opinion below.

(ex start: Hi Trina, I think your post….)

As a critical consumer, individuals consider research as a tool to determine many choices. Critical consumers generally plan accordingly, mostly on spending, based on research. There are many factors considered before making decisions, specifically education. Working in the for-profit industry, validity and outcomes should be most important when deciding on selecting educational institutions to attend. Personal experiences in this industry, serving in many capacities, I have seen the advantages and disadvantages of choosing educational institutions without proper research. For example, the adult learner is struggling finding employment opportunities after completing their program of choice. Later finding out that the educational institution is on reporting for not meeting benchmarks. If the adult learner would have researched the important factors of attending a for-profit school, researching variables pertaining to the complete process, the decision to attend may have been different.

Being faced with daily issues of credibility for information consume via the internet and social media, adult learners believes it to be true because it's on the internet (Gamble). As a doctoral student, the concept of critical consumers of information means utilizing the most valid research tools to identify pertinent information pertaining to chosen subject matter. It also means finding an educational institution that represents solid indicators towards my success. The educational institution should focus on research-based principles promoting success and positives outcomes. David Collins, Professor of Business Administration, at Harvard University’s article, “The Student as a Consumer” in the “The Evolllution’s” stated, “as students begin to behave more like consumers, it’s critical for higher education institutions to respond to their demands in order to increase enrollments and retention.”