Teaching to the Ages

 The ambiguity of the title of this post is deliberate and references my long and varied experiences at teaching to all ages of students. Having worked with children, preteens, teens, and college-aged students, I am now spending time with adults in a doctoral program. Children, of course, require hands-on, active learning. As children mature, so does their ability to focus, albeit limited, and learn through other means. Yet, rather than replacing the style of learning, we layer the experiences in a type of iterative approach to pedagogy. Granted, as we grow and mature so does our ability to learn abstractly and begin to process and project time and future goals. 

Admittedly, learning styles are varied and with over 7 billion people on the planet, so too are there multiple learning styles and abilities. With this in mind, there are some general approaches to each age group that will help teachers deal with their students. Focusing at this time on the adult learner, perhaps the biggest change from younger students is the ability to manage time. This ability as well as persistence are motivations to succeed and complete the task. 

Not dissimilar to the variety of learning styles, adults have multiple reasons for why they are in college, seeking knowledge, a credential, and/or a degree. For some, they may have avoided college in the first place for any number of reasons while others may have started, dropped out, and are returning. Many are anxious, allocating personal resources to receive an education, and questioning their own reasons. Additionally, they may experience anxiety over their preparation and ability for college work. Some are overachievers, wanting to excel in all facets of the courseworks. Others, however, are recognize the challenges in taking classes and are willing to accept their own position and reason for attending college. 

Jugggling through family finances, children, home and work responsibilities while attending classes and completing work is extremely difficult for adult learners. The myriad of potential interruptions to classes is palpable and real, often resulting in increased anxiety and priortization of needs. Another challenge not often articulated is the problem of advanced technology. Since many adult learners did not grow up with the kind of technologies currently in use, learning new software and systems is yet another level of difficulty not usually addressed. 

These and more mean that colleges and universities should not expect nor treat adult learners in the same way as traditional college aged students. The ultimate goal is completion for these learners and helping them become contributing citizens through employment opportunities not always available to those without a college degree. To this end, instruction may require specialized training and understanding of adult learners. In some cases, this could mean increased patience, more time for projects, and supplemental material to aid in learning. 

Despite these many challenges, there are great opportunities available for adult learners and for colleges seeking to increase enrollment. But it requires different approaches and systems to ensure these students have a strong chance to succeed. The rewards, however, are high both for society and for institutions. As in all great endeavors, it is our opportunity for a win-win scenario where the community, the students, and the institutions gain.