Students of "Age"
I have founf that students who are further anlon in life are a little more sensitive to critisizm than most younger students. Sometimes kid gloves are needed for the grown-ups.
Thanks, Lisa, for your observations, I have found too that older students seek immediate relevance as to what they are learning; younger students are more engaged with all of the current technologies and seek immediacy in their learning environments.
Jay Hollowell
Guest Facilitator
ED102
There is a major difference between older and younger students. Older students are more focused and want to learn more to enhance their career. Younger students are still trying to prioritize their career. I've noticed the difference in the attendance and assignments. Younger students are more sensitive to feedback and are prone to drop a course when the feel as if they can't handle the class.
I am not sure if it's an age thing or a personality thing. Personally, I have not noticed that older students are more sensitive than younger ones. I have had plenty of older students with "thick skin" and many traditional-age students that were incredibly sensitive. I wonder if there has been a research study conducted on this topic...
I have found that older students are more serious, because they have life and work experiences, and are usually paying for their own education. It's the younger students who are hard to motivate.
I agree to both ... in many cases they are in need of being handled some what with kid gloves, however they also look for structure in the enviroment of learning because it is what they are accustomed to having over the years, and if that is not there they tend to wander or become curious to the structure of learning. Additionally they tend to relaxe a little and realize they are now in a school enviroment and with a little re-direction can stray off path and in turn expect some one to get them back on path or they can easily walk over the instructor and then because they before felt uncomfortable with the younger students are now back on top and admired by them. So in these cases you have to know when and when not give the kid gloves, be up front with them, place them in a roll of leadership which they are use to being in, and direct them as well as show recognition of thier gains. Do not so much treat them with kid gloves, but do not be over bearing either, just keep them in check is all and they respect and expect that in a school environment.
I agree that sometimes this is the case. However, I have found that many older students have had a longer history of receiving feedback about the quality of their work and have learned that it is not personal, but rather a means to improvement.
