The older online student may feel that their abilities are of value in their learning process and they will feel empowered and more willing to be actively responsible in their learning experience.
I think it depends upon the person as I currently teach all ages and some of my older students can work autonomously and yet others need a lot of guidance. The latter students tend to email or call more frequently and they need reassurance that they are doing well. They may find it a bit overwhelming because many of them haven't been in school in a long time and the online environment is even more foreign to them. They often find it difficult to adjust to the difference teaching methods, structure, and expectations of an online environment vs the one they were used to when they were younger.
As an online instructor I find that it depends on the individual. The age doesn't seem to matter as much as the individual's confidence level. True, some older returning students may feel a little intimidated by the shift in focus and emphasis on how learning is accomplished. The change from the instructor being the "sage on the stage" rather than the "guide on the side" seems to be more of an adjustment for the instructor than for the student, in my opinion.
Clear objectives and instructions help the older student to become involved. Many older students are going to school for the first time in twenty years or more so the process can be daunting for some of them. I devote a coule hours a week to answering questions so clarity is maintained.
