Are Older Students Better at Learning Online?
Posted by admin on September 8th, 2009
Younger students tend to be more familiar with the technology used in online instruction, but that doesn’t mean they’re more successful in virtual courses.
In a recent Inside Higher Ed article , online teacher Rob Weir argues that older students make better online learners:
“Younger students love the idea of online courses, but they are often the worst students - despite their greater facility with technology. Yahoo! runs ads for ‘Why online college is rocking,’ and that’s part of the problem. Online education is being sold as if it’s for everyone, when those finding real success are those who are self-motivated, highly organized, and in possession of well-developed study habits? Younger students approach online classes as if they’re just another ‘cool’ thing to do on the Web. Be prepared to badger them if you want them to get through your course.” Students with experience meeting deadlines are certainly at an advantage. But, I’d argue that most young students are beyond enrolling in a program because they think its ‘cool.’
Do you think age is a determinant in online learning success? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
To view Jamie’s article on About.com - click here
Tags: online classes, penn foster
This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 8th, 2009 at 12:49 pm and is filed under Online Education. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
