Sarah,
Great that they come out of their shell for you with only a little bit of encouragement! I sometimes have more difficulty than that, so I am jealous!! :)
Renee Shaffer
Vivian ,
Quite the variety of students. That would be my experience also with students who just want to do the very least possible in order to "complete" the course.
Renee Shaffer
LaShanta ,
So many students have been brought you however to just sit there and "absorb" information. so, we have to initiate them into a new way of learning.
Renee Shaffer
I find that older students have much to contribute in my classes, so active learning works well for them. At first they may hesitate to take the lead because they have been out of school for a while, but a little encouragement brings them right out of their shells.
Klaus
Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just by sitting in class
listening to teachers, memorizing pre-packaged assignments, and spitting out
answers.
Students must talk about what they are learning, write about it, relate it to past
experiences, apply it to their daily lives. I believe more seasoned students, will do this and be very disciplined unless there already established life gets in the way.
Thank You
LaShanta Singleton
In my experience dealing with the older online student, they either like the active learning techniques or they find it less enjoyable. Those who enjoy the techniques usually have work experience where they were in some sort of leadership role. During online discussions,the older learner tend to go above and beyond participation. For example, instead of replying to two posted discussions, they will reply to every posted discussion.:) Those who find active learning techniques less enjoyable tend to be less engaging. They only do what is minimally required and are somewhat technically challenged.
Yvette,
Yes, the older learner (including myself) often times needs more direction in order to insure that things go correctly!
Renee Shaffer
The definition of "older students" covers quite a range. A career oriented student in his/her 30's or 40's may have great computer skills, but be judgmental of "younger students" who lack the motivation to become fully involved.
Hello:
I feel that an older online student may need some additional assistance with getting use to the technologies that are used in an online environment. For instance, it is important to understand that the older online student may have some issues with navigating in an online environment to locate information in the courseroom.
Klaus,
Yes, the helpful hand from the instructor can really help all students at some point in the process.
Renee Shaffer
I think that some older students may be unfamilier with the process and also may be slower on the computer so they probebly need more time. I agree with victoria about a steadyng hand from the Instructor to help them.
Victoria,
So true. Many students will need us to be there for them. Keep up the good work.
Renee Shaffer
I feel that while some advanced in age students may be excited at the process, others may need a steadying hand to assist in the venture across the online river. We as educators need to be sure to be there to assist in that
Hello:
An older student might feel intimidated by the active learning techniques. In traditional classroom settings instructors often use lectures as a mean for teaching concepts. However, the benefits to older students would be for them to be able to share their knowledge with the class. It could enhance the learning experience for everyone.
Dr. Christi Monk, DM
Mamie,
Very good points. I especially think that active learning is useful in the traditional class settings. Students get so fidgety and have such short attention spans nowadays.
Renee Shaffer
Active learning allows the student to actually participate in the learning process, rather than sitting and simply listening to a lecture and taking notes. An older online student may enjoy active learning because they are more involved in the class dynamic. With older students, sometimes they feel as if they may not grasp the material, so a hands on approach may be more beneficial. It also provides the student with an opportunity to be actively involved in the learning process. Active learning is not only beneficial in an online setting, but also works for traditional class settings also.
M. Allen
Erina ,
It is great to hear that your mixture of students works so well together!
Renee Shaffer
From my experience, older online students have a wealth of experiences to draw upon and they have traditionally used this to their advantage. For example, I teach accounting courses, and the responses I get from older online students in discussion forums typically draw upon their knowledge in the medical office. Many of they "younger" students in class typically look up to older online students which creates an overall positive effect. Older online students also have more clearer goals for their education and have traditionally done better academically, from the courses I taught. It's great to have a mix of students in class which provides further diversity and being able to learn from one another.
Cyndy,
I am so happy to hear this from you! I keep getting feedback from instructors whose returning students are not having any problems and understand, use all of the technological advances. This is NOT my experience. I love your ideas. Having the children and grandchildren help out also provides bonding opportunities and a life long love of learning for all.
Renee Shaffer
Dr. Shaffer,
I have been fortunate to have many returning students to the online class room, they are so challenged by just using a computer, not to mention the Skype and other techniques which enhance the online environment. I do encourage them to get their grand-kids to help them if there are any around, or borrow someone's kids, Children are natural to the want to help in the technology mode. This allows the senior citizen, to learn, and to allow interpersonal relations to grow as well. The student's are intimidated by this sometimes, I enjoy logging on and walking them through it. First so that they know that it is okay to stumble, and often times we are laughing our way through the changes for them. Thanks for letting me share my thoughts,
