Should nomadic learners be integrated with the traditional learner?
I believe so. This process of learner will not only enhance their horizon in learning but also integrate the concerns one instructor may face with the nomadic learner.
Faith ,
Good points! Research supports the concept of including all levels and implementing constructive methods that are flexible to meet all needs .
Dr. Ruth Reynard
The style and level of instruction/learning in the classroom is complex - strategies must be diverse and encompass many aspects to really provide a learning environment. The faculty need to continually improve to meet these standards.
Marcia,
Yes, I believe your adult learning approach is suitable for all college students.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Marcia,
Good point...I do think, however, that most students are more nomadic than students say 10 years ago. They may not all be as nomadic as each other which means the instructor needs to be as flexibile as possible.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
I think that it is possible that the traditional learner might also be intimidated by the more nomadic learner. I would hope that in classes, they could learn from each others' approaches. It is also possible that some students may work from both camps in different situations.
Although this concept has not been around as long as "pedagogy," I have focused more on androgogy in a number of classes that I have taken myself, and I see added benefits from this approach.
My college students, even if they have recently graduated from high school, have often held jobs or had family or community duties, so unless I feel that I cannot successfully employ this approach, I do my best to treat students as adults whenever possible. This allows me to ask about students' own experiences in learning as well as in processes and subject matter to see how their own experience may enhance their learning.
Although there is still physiological brain development in the late teens and early twenties for many people, I find that students often like to see themselves treated as an involved as adults.
I think that it is possible that the traditional learner might also be intimidated by the more nomadic learner. I would hope that in classes, they could learn from each others' approaches. It is also possible that some students may work from both camps in different situations.
Absolutely!
It would be very beneficial to integrate all types of learners as there is a multitude of wealth in sharing experiences, styles and knowledge, however that sharing takes place. New methods and syles can be adopted and all can benefit from a mixed styles forum. In fact, instructors can benefit and learn how to address preferences and needs.
Suzanne
yes, students have to learn with people who work differently than they do. They may have a boss that has expectations that they produce in a different.
I'm just wondering how we could separate them at this point? I do know that people my age (50s) *can* be less nomadic, but as I tell my students when they tell me old people don't "get" computers, who do you think invented this stuff? Bill Gates is older than me!
Even my 50 and 60-somethings are on Facebook, use social media and are attached to their smart phones.
I get internally frustrated at my students balking at using technology as I know things aren't going "back". But when everyone is working together, as others have mentioned, there's such great peer tutoring going on, and then everyone benefits.
I think that when students discuss with one another HOW they access information and study they start to see different perspectives. They can learn about technology and study skills as well as the subject matter of the course.
Manol,
Interestingly...some students always intimidate others and we, as teachers, must constantly look for ways to bring students together in collaboration and cooperation in order to enrich their learning experience.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
To some degree the nomadic learner is intimidated by the traditional learner. What are the ways to establish communication between the two? I find group projects and research assignments the best way to break the ice.
Robert,
Interesting how dependant the traditional student was on you and the other students were able to work on their own - self-directed learning is a wonderful characteristic of blended and online learning. So, not just the technology, but the instructional design encourages this kind of learner autonomy to develop.
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Or vice versa- I recently had a very traditional learner that was a very diligent reader of our text book and wanted all my slides to print out and take notes on and I actually found myself feeling this was too traditional. Many of the other students who were more nomadic knew they could find the information somewhere if they needed to and were much more tech savvy.
April ,
Yes, a learning community is best when everyone contributes and works together to achieve the outcome...
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Each learner be it traditional or nomadic can learn from one another and truly transform into a better student.
Rebecca,
Yes, each environment has it's own strengths and should be used accordingly ...
Dr. Ruth Reynard
Diversity also adds to the challenge for faculty in choosing the various padagogies to meet the learners' needs in a blended setting. I believe that we do not take advantage of all of the strategies that we have to offer when trying to plan a class with outside activities. For example, if we put together the outline for the classs and then choose some of the on-line activities to meet a part of the objectives and use classroom time to reinforce and focus on the more difficult objectives, we may be able to move students futhre along on their individual learning continuum.
