Mixture of young and old and their social interaction
In my program, I have students that range from 18 to 61 in age. It is amazing to watch their social interaction. I pick lab partners for the class. I make sure that everyone gets a chance to have everyone as a partner. This ensures a familarity amongst the students and lively class discussion.
Carrie:
I believe getting students into small groups or choosing partners is very helpful to get the various age groups to interact.
Older students are used to dealing with children or other people in their lives that are the age of my younger students, and vice versa. The challenge is to get them to see each other as peers, rather than interacting like parents and children. This is especially challenging in my current class because one of my students is a fellow instructor who has another of my students in HER class!
Hi Judy,
What are some ways that you have found that help older students see that they have much to contribute to the class by serving as a mentor?
Gary
My students range from 18 to 55. In the august starts we tend to have a large number of high school graduates, 17 and 18. It is always interesting to see the change in the dinamics of a class with such young students. Sometimes the older students resent being grouped with these students. I do enjoy seeing the rare times that the older students take a mentoring role though.
Hi Mark,
Many of us are seeing the challenge you face. How to get these students engaged and invested in the course content. Makes for some interesting instructional planning to ensure that you are reaching them.
Gary
I have a majority of students, which tend to be in their first years out of high school. So much of thier focus seems on just having something to do, and a place to go. College is mainly social; about 20 percent seem unconcerned about the grade. My challenge has been to get them in the mix for 6 weeks; they have to participate with older and various ethnic groups. It is, I emphasize, part of the responsibility for meaningful success.
Mark
I also like many of you teach in a classroom where the age can vary from 18-50. I do enjoy the dynamic that it can bring to the classroom. It is also nice to see some of the younger generation attempting to help the non traditional generation in learning and vice versa.
Hi Rick,
This is a great way to bring the message home to students. Unless they really see the cost of going to school in personal terms they don't realize how expensive it really is. Your estimate of $110 per hour is graphic and should help to send that message home to them.
Gary
The older experienced student brings the life experiences and also the focus and business-like attitude, seems more cost-conscious in terms of what their education is costing. At my computer tech college we once calculated that each hour that went by cost (us) students $110. Knowing this helped us pay attention.
I would agree with this. I have a class of 13, most are 18-22, with the exception of one student who is in her 50's. It is amazing to see the difference in her socialization compared to the younger ones. She is much more focused and intent on the material and does not waste time in class.
Hi Charles,
Choosing a lab partner is as you have commented based upon social factors rather than knowledge. This is a part of learning about how to work in the real world with different people with different abilities.
Gary
The majority of my student are between 19 and 20 years of age.When it comes time to assign lab groups, I tell them that they know one another, Try and choose a lab partner who isn't stupid but can help them learn. They always seem to choose their friends anyway unless I intercede.
I have to agree. Most of my students are in the eighteeen to twenty year age group. It actually benefits the class to have an older student, as they seem to be more focused, and seem to be less intimidated by trying things for the first time. In turn the younger students try to emulate the older students.
Picking Lab Partners for students is also part of my teaching experience. If students know each other from another class, I have found it difficult to get them to separate into two distinct groups so I no longer try to direct them into a group of my choice, I let them self-direct and inform them from the outset of my performance expectations and deadlines.
