Some older students start a career to keep from being empty nesters.
I do see students who return from the military and unfortunately cannot find jobs so they seek training.
Great post, Gayle. This is a really good summary of how we need to look at our students. Thanks for sharing this.
Jeffrey Schillinger
The biggest challenge these students seem to face is time management.They are struggling to raise a family , hold down a job, and come to school four days a week. When I try first to figure out what type of learner they are, this cuts down on a lot of fustration with them trying to fit a one size fits all "mold" of learning. And if I can tailor the lessons this way, it cuts down on the amount of off campus studying they have to do. I also give them "life tips" on how to balance personal and school life. Some students have to be taught how to study effectively, they have been out of the classroom setting for so long, they spin their wheels trying to study everything at once. They have to taught how to pick out the important information and not focus all their energy on trival things.
Thanks for sharing this, Gayle. What are some specific challenges this type of student presents for a career college teacher? How do you address these challenges?
Jeffrey Schillinger
In my classroom, the vast majority of students are coming to learn a second career. They have been laid off of long time jobs or going through divorce after being a "stay home mom" for years. They seldom have any working knowledge of the career they have chosen, they come because they have always wanted to be in a career helping people and feel that- because of the turn of events in their lives,- this is their chance. They also are very savvy, they have researched the job market and pay scale in the area. My students are here to get the skills to be able to work.
Daniela,
Nice post. Thank you for sharing. In what subject area(s) are your graduate degrees granted?
Jeffrey Schillinger
One of our graduate programs is specifically designed for adult learners that are career changers. We begin that discussion early, during the interview process, which is a requirement for entry into the program. Graduate students that are changing careers are extremely diligent about doing research and assessing their own passions prior to applying for the program. However, sometimes perception of a field is somewhat more limited than the much richer and more varied set of opportunities in professional practice, and it is our job as faculty to broaden and deepen an understanding of the various roles in the profession. Students are guided and instructed in a highly participatory environment that stresses research, collaboration and innovative systems thinking, including frequent class and public presentations of their work, which helps adult learners to define their own interests within the profession, as well as (eventually) the primary areas of their thesis research. All that said, it is evident that a "passion" evolves and blooms over a long period of time in the course of study, as students become more engaged in defining their specific path in the profession.
Daniela,
Nice post, thank you. How do you help these students to confirm their passion once they are in your program?
Jeffrey Schillinger
Adults that return after a successful career in their profession often say that their first college degree was obtained at a young age, before they formed a professional identity or came to realize their true talents, professional preferences, natural team roles and strengths. Frequently they cite having been influenced by adults (usually parents) to make a certain career choice that did not turn out to be their “true passionâ€, or an area of study that interested them less in professional practice than it originally did in an academic setting. Good points have already been raised in this discussion, many of which I have heard directly from returning adult students.
James,
Thanks for this post. It is pretty cool to have parents in school.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Sydney,
Thank you for this post. What types of challenges to do students who are there "for the sake of learning" pose as their goals are different than those of most other students?
Jeffrey Schillinger
I am finding that there are a number of reasons that adults have returned to school at the institution that I teach at. I just met a student that I learned, much to my surprise, was actually the mother of another student of mine at the school. The mother actually returned to school on a dare in order to motivate her daughter; I thought that was a really awesome reason to return to school. I also have a few adult students that just simply want the formal educational credential after having worked for many years without that validation.
Some motivating factor for an adult to return to school would be to advance in their career, to gain a sense of fulfillment in life, to learn for the sake of learning, or to change jobs.
Kaitlin,
I read an interesting staistic a few years ago. Approximately 70 percent of college students at a typical university are children of at least one parent that has a college degree. The number is closer to 30 percent for career colleges. Statistically, the odds of our students' children getting a degree more than double if our students complete.
Jeffrey Schillinger
There are many factors for adults to return to school for. A factor I hear often is that they are doing it for their children. A lot of adults want to set a good example for their children. If the adult had not completed a higher education than the child may think they do not have to do better than that. If the adult has a good education, this can give the child motivation to get a better education. This makes sense in writing but I wonder how much of an impact it actually makes on the child when deciding how far they want to go in their education.
Bob,
Thanks. How do you leverage these reasons to provide a motivating learning environment?
Jeffrey Schillinger
Our adult learners return to school for a variety of reasons. The most common that I've come across are they want to start a new career or they want to improve their financial status. Another big factor is family. A lot of students want to show their young children they can be successful with a little hard work and determination.
There are several motivators for adults to return to school. A large motivator is the desire to earn more money, or prestige in their field. Another reason is to gain knowledge for the sake of learning a new skill. Lastly, adults return to school looking for a change in their lifestyle or career that they may have become bored with.
Li,
Thank you for this post. How do you leverage this in your classroom?
Jeffrey Schillinger
