Adults do it.
Adults are always needing to keep up with the new stuff coming out.
Absolutely. I find the younger students even sometimes gravitate towards the older students for guidance, almost like a parental figure. Older students are a definate asset to the classroom and have the capabilty of doing some teaching of their own!
I think adult learners can be a great addition to a class. Since they are more motivated and of an older age, they will help the class dynamic and keep the younger student much more concentrated as they become the class leader.
This is what I am seeing occur in my classes
Hi Kimberly,
This is such an important point to remember. Thank you for bringing it up in this discussion. We need to have different ways available to our students to learn about and use technology as they progress through the course. If we let the technology issue defeat our students then content will be of no value to them.
Gary
I've found that sometimes instructors or institutions are unrealistic about the level of comfort adult learners have with technology as well as their access. We cannot assume that adult students are comfortable with email, BlackBoard, or even word processing. Making clear that, as an instructor, we understand that knowledge or access gap, is a great way to show students you care, and thus improve retention.
I agree that preparation for adult learners requires various learning styles through technology and supplemental training for instructors
I can see the positive aspects of the "click" university, but what we must realize is what this change in technology is doing to our communication process.
Adults are constantly having to face and accept change. I would like to focus specifically on the adult learner for a moment. It is so obvious that over the past few years there has been a huge increase in the "click" educational institutions, or online/distance learning. Prior to the internet being available, students went to college through the traditional "brick university".Now we see not only these two models, but now a third type of education that can be called the "brick and click" option, where the student attends traditionally at an educational institution, but they also have distance learning classes as well. As technology advances we must continue to be ready for change to occur.
Bonnie
