Having older students control the class.
One method that I like to use and turns out to be very successful, is that I set the tone the first two days of clas that no student is allowed to interfere or inhibit any other students ability to learn. I also challenge the older or more mature students to take control of thier class and not let the younger students keep them from getting thier moneies worth.
Hi Truitt,
By having clear ground rules you are setting the stage for learning. Good job of using your students as resources by having your older students help the younger ones. Both groups can benefit from working together.
Gary
I have my older students, help the younger ones with class projects and it seems to help the younger students fit in.
It sure seems like the older students help class control and try to help others who struggle.The point made about why they are like that because of their goals were specific made alot of sense.I dream of a whole class that has spcific goals and I will work tward making that happen.
My older students tend to already have considerable knowledge on the subjects being taught.
Hi James,
You are correct about the older students. They generally have specific outcomes in mind when they enroll and are wanting to achieve their career goals as quick as possible. Using their experiences by having them work with younger students in small group activities they can serve as leaders in the groups. In other settings the younger students can show the older students some current uses of technology or note taking techniques.
Gary
Hi Marina,
Yes they do. You can use this knowledge and experience to your advantage by pairing these students up with some of the younger ones to work on projects together. This will help both groups to develop respect for each other.
Gary
Older students tend to bring reality of the workforce to the younger students. Great discussions have been stimulated by the older students.
The older students in my class have been used as a resource for the younger students, yet the younger students help my plder ones with technology projects and using the Internet effectively.
Hello Lynnette
It is a real important to allow older students to encourage, guide and mentour younger students in the classroom. I agree, and you are absolutely right about them bringing reality of the workforce to the class environment and stimulating great discussions, but we gotta remember that as an Instructor we must not loose control and focus of our class. We gotta control our students and not let the other students start depending too much on the older students in the class. This could cause the other students not to trust on the instructor.
This can be very difficult at times owing to the experience level of older students, so in that case I always try and create more project oriented learning and pair older students with more less experienced students, and monitor their progress.
Hi Brian,
This is an excellent way of using your students as resources in the class. Their experiences combined with what they are being taught will help all of the students to learn the content.
Gary
There is always room to have students benefit from peer teaching but I also make it a point of shutting down students who end up taking over the conversations.
First, they must allow everyone to finish their thoughts and if it is just to many instances of them commenting,, I will acknowledge them by saying - good job, you obviously have a good handle on this. Now let's some of those who haven't gotten to where you are get a chance to catch up.
Or something along those lines. It tells one student or group of students that their comments are valued and they are doing well, and another group that I am aware they need more chance to engage so they can do well also. Only in very few instances will a student complain about this method.
Hi Richard,
Good student management skills. You have to maintain control of the situation or the students will dominate the class. Everyone one should have an opportunity to contribute but one or two can't run the class.
Gary
ya this is a good way i will have to try it
One or two students should never be allowed to control or dominate the class, regardless of what their age is.
Hi Gregory,
You are correct about this. If they do you have lost control of the class and things are going to go badly for the rest of the course.
Gary
There are many opportunities in a lab setting to allow students to pair up and complete a task. Students like doing this, (and often do it naturally) but specifying who pairs up according to age or experience is even better.
This is interesting, my younger students are usually the ones that tend to worry that they will not get their money's worth because of the older students who have very little experience with technology. My older students tend to ask more questions and have more trouble following along than my younger students. Maybe this is because the classes are technology based and not general education classes where many older students may have more experience with the subject. Many of my younger students do tend to help out the older ones.
Has anyone else had to deal with older students who have trouble keeping up because of their inexperience with computers, what are some techniques you have used to help them?
