the adult learner
I think young students don't focus at school like adults. Young students don't take school seriously.
Maria,
This is why we need to develop some additional strategies we can use to get younger students invested in what we are teaching and help them to see the value of the content being shared.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have seen some of this in my classes as well. It seems that younger students, fresh out of high school, tend to treat their college experience the same as their high school experience. What I think helps is to have some of the older students share from their life experiences to help demonstrate the relevance of what the class is learning. I think this can help younger students see that there really is application in the subject matter, and that it's not just learning material for the sake of passing the course.
For most adult learners the biggest fear is the fear of failing because they have been away from acadamia for so long that they feeel old and incapable of learning. Not true , most actually do better because for adult learners its about survival by learning a new trade.
John,
This has been my experience as well and this is why I really enjoy having my adults in class. They help to bring balance to the class while my younger students bring in their desire to be successful they sometimes need to see the value of what is being taught. The adult students help them see the relevancy of the content and how applications can be made.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I find some truth in that statement. I do not think that you out of high school learners have the same investment in their education as adults.
Aimee,
This has been my experience as well. I create work groups where the two generations work together on case studies so they each can learn how the other operates and earn each other's respect for the contributions that are made.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
