New Teaching Methods for Nontraditional Students

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Missing Figures

New Teaching Methods for an Untraditional Audience

It is becoming more and more common to see older students, or nontraditional students (ages 24 and above), entering college campuses. "Nontraditional" students now make up 36% of the college population (Justice and Dornan, 1). Although some question older students ability to perform in a college setting, research has proven that nontraditional students actually perform better than the traditional students (18-22 year olds).

The significant differences between the traditional and nontraditional student has prompted the question whether institutions need to alter their teaching methods to fit the needs of the nontraditional student. As the population of 23+ years old continues to grow in colleges and universities, many feel that the current methods are not intellectually challenging enough for these older students. Much of the data collected in research concludes that the institutions must respond to these differences in motivation and learning. Which means the faculty might soon be challenged to develop more comprehension-based approaches, which will use strategies to explain and apply the course material (Justice and Dornan, 7).

This paper will review the unique characteristics nontraditional students possess, compared with traditional students. By pointing out factors such as motivation, coping skills, and learning styles, this paper will illustrate the differences nontraditional students possess for achieving their college education, and why it is important for higher education to alter current teaching methods. These characteristics will illustrate why it is important for universities to change current teaching methods to create an adequate learning ...

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Morris, Emily A., Peggy R. Brooks, and James L. May. “The Relationship Between Achievement Goal Orientation and Coping Style: Traditional vs. Nontraditional College Students.” Mar. 2003. LookSmart’s FindArticles. 23 Mar. 2004. .

Munday, Leo A. “College Access for Nontraditional Students.” The Journal of Higher Education. Nov.-Dec. 1976, vol. 47. JSTOR. 23 Mar. 2004. .

Richardson, John T. E., and Estelle King. “Adult Students in Higher Education: Burden or Boom?” The Journal of Higher Education. Jan.-Feb. 1998, vol. 69. JSTOR. 23 Mar. 2004.

Wolfgang, Mary E., and William D. Dowling. “Differences in Motivation of Adult and Younger Undergraduates.” The Journal of higher Education. Nov.-Dec. 1981, vol. 52. JSTOR. 23 Mar. 2004. .

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