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Strengths and benefits of learning styles
Essay on learning styles and its advantages
FACTORS AFFECTING LEARNING STYLES
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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. .
After a few weeks, I received a response from UTC stating that I was accepted and could start fall semester. I was so excited about finishing my education. My major was Healthcare Administration. Older women -- those in their mid-20s and older -- returning to college make up better than half of the evening enrollments in area colleges. Nontraditional students are usually in their mid-20s to mid-40s, enrolling part time vs. full time. They generally attend evening classes and have jobs and family obligations to balance with their studies (Richards, 1999).
Although community colleges struggle with low retention and transfer rates, Everett (2015) mentioned that community colleges created opportunities for first-generation students through five divisions of admission (p. 52). The intention of this article was to address the five divisions of access provided by community colleges for first-generation college students which include: financial accessibility, geographic accessibility, programmatic accessibility, academic accessibility, cultural/social/physical accessibility and also the problems faced by these students after admission.
Adult students' participation and persistence in educational activities ranging from adult literacy to doctoral programs is a complex phenomenon involving an array of factors. Adults are often affected by situational factors beyond their control—job, health problems, financial problems, legal problems, personal or family problems (Belzer 1998). Likewise, dispositional factors such as expectations, self-esteem, level of family support, and past educational experience, can be barriers to participation (Hubble 2000). Institutional factors such as red tape, program fees, scheduling, and procedures can either help or hinder participation (Quigley 1998). In fact, adult students who drop out are often actually "stopping out"—that is, interrupting their studies but planning to return (Frank and Gaye 1997)—or attending other institutions (Hoffman and Elias 1999).
Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (2005). How college affects students: Volume 2, a third
U.S. Department of Education. (2010). Profile of undergraduate Students 2007-2008. National Center for Education Statistics [NCES]. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010205.pdf
Critics contend that the influx of nontraditionals into the college student market has accelerated a trend toward the “massification” of collegiate education – that is, that it has led to a watered down pedagogy that is far below the goals and expectation of the elite colleges. Nonetheless, the improvements in education oriented toward accommodation of the nontraditional student have had the practical effect of making college more affordable and accessible to all classes of people.
Muller, Gilbert H., ed. The McGraw-Hill Reader: Issues Across the Disciplines. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2008. Print.
These challenges for older students who are used to being the decision makers, rising children, have succeeded at their jobs confronting these changes can cause great stress. Confronting challenges is much different when someone else in in control. The reward in the end is to reach your goals, and make your dreams come true, whether you are looking to advance your career, make a career move to a new adventure, further your knowledge, or simply to stay young at heart. Returning to college as an older student is challenging.
Many students struggle with college for various reasons, whether it is financial, academics, or personal. We may not fully understand why college students struggle the way they do; however, it does not mean help is unavailable. “Clearly, many of the benefits that accrue from a college education are explained by the knowledge, skills, and contacts that students gain from their time on campus and in the classroom (Brock 2)”. A certain degree of success in life can be related to the amount and quality of education which can also relate to income.
The term non-traditional student has been redefined as the baby boomers flood colleges across the nation. “The very phrase lifelong learning speaks volumes about the integration of education across the life course. A variety of lifelong learning opportunities have emerged over the last two decades,” (Morgan, Kunkel, & Morgan, 2011, p. 289). Cincinnati State offers adult learner...
As a byproduct of the change in college culture, it will create a “friendlier” environment for first generation. Students need to feel safe rather than out of place. Additionally, prestigious institutions need to take initiative to create new programs that will make college a painless transition for first generation students by implementing new policies such as mentors or clubs. As many colleges and universities have not taken the initiative to help first-generation students, North Carolina State University is one of the few exceptions. As a fellow first generation college student at North Carolina State University, I have reaped many benefits from the different organizations they have around campus. In the Poole College of Management, I was assigned a professional mentor in my future line of work that made the transition into college a better experience for me. After listening to his forums, I was able to use the skills I had learnt from my parents and apply it to college and my study habits benefiting me in countless possibilities. Additionally, the sociology department at North Carolina State University has created a program that guides first-generations students throughout all four years of college making the transition as
When entering college freshman students face difficulties by not knowing how to adjust to the new expectations college brings. A freshman student tends to approach college with the same mentality used throughout their high school years. But as the first semester start, they encounter a variety of challenges, including having to change their study habits and knowing how to wisely manage their time. The book “The Elements of Learning” by B. Banner, Jr., and C. Cannon, introduces the elements a student must possess in order be successful in college. The research made by my team, “Collin’s Angels”, will determine important factors for freshman success, and the changes that a student makes in order to succeed through the first year of college.
It seems as though the majority of college students these days aren’t looking to further their education because it’s what they really want, they do it to please their parents, to be accepted by society, or because there’s nothing else for them to do (Bird, 372). These expectations have led to students being unhappy and stressed, and have pushed them into a school or a job that they don’t particularly care for.
College for an incoming freshman is exciting, however, it is often focused on the social aspect such as the connections that can be attained through Greek life, parties and independence. Due to the social interactions, freshmen tend to drop out of college after their first year. Focusing on what college is meant for can prevent these situations. The pressures of college such as impressing parents, and maintain a high standard GPA-wise can lead to stress and freeze a student from achieving the proper academic performance. During the mid 1900s, college was considered more of a luxury than anything; people would attend college exclusively to acquire knowledge in hopes of obtaining a career after graduation. People in the twenty-first century, however, attend college to get away from home and enjoy freedom at parties. Education is taken lightly, and those who feel that education isn’t the main focus of college should not apply for sakes of the greater good.
Regarding some components of motivation, as an adolescent, I was highly motivated by power, prestige, and praise in the classroom. I strived for high grades all of the time and to be acknowledged by my teachers. I liked to be that student in class who was viewed apart from the other students for my exceptional work