Addressing & Enhancing Diversity: Age Issues

Barbara B. Shadden

University of Arkansas

Relevance for CSD Programs Growing #’s non-traditional students Ph.D. shortages and need to appeal to mid-

career professionals Au.D. and similar degrees attracting

practitioners beyond entry-level Broader issue of graying of America Distance technology and older learners

Age must be considered in: Recruitment Instructional design Retention Mentoring

Age is also a factor for faculty: Graying of faculty Recruitment of new faculty -- different needs,

philosophies of teaching and learning, institutional demands

Conflicting perceptions of mission, career goals

Dilemmas in covering topic How/when do we decide age is a factor? What part of the lifespan are we considering? How far must we go in accommodating?

Topics for Today Definitions & Demographics Lifespan differences Characteristics of adult learners How do we respond

Definitions

There is the 18-22 y.o. student and then… the older learner the non-traditional student the returning student the re-entry student adult students/learners

At least 2 important distinctions

the older learner (at least 50 years or older)

the non-traditional student (pretty much everything BUT the student who transitions relatively directly from high school to college)

Criteria--examples

CAPCSD -- > 30 years old part-time students over 35 years students married, 25 y.o or older, a parent,

and/or out of school for a few years (KSU) adult returning to school FT or PT while

maintaining responsibilities such as family and employment

25 years (U of A); 24 years (UMM)

Facts and figures--CAPCSD National Survey Mean 12.4% of CSD students >30 years

Figures vary tremendously by Federal Region, from 5.9% in Region III (DE, MD, PA, VA, WV, DC) to 18.9% in Region I (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) and 20% internationally

Why such a range of nontraditional students in CSD? Access to programs? Distance education availability? Models of academic course delivery (e.g.,

night, weekend, summers-only courses)? Availability of part-time programs of study? Other?

Other facts and figures--sample data 29% of students at KSU are nontraditional 24% of students at U of A-Fayetteville campus --

in last 10 years, nontraditional enrollments in CSD masters’s program ranged from 10% to 35%

40% of all enrollments in post-secondary ed (Indiana U, average age 35 years, 80% working at least 20 hours/week, 72% with children)

The Older Learner in general

Aging of society reflected in higher education

Fastest growing age group on American campuses is over 50 years old

Universities being challenged to create better, age-integrated learning

Computers, internet access…not turning out to be problem

1999 AARP study -- 50 years or older preferred learning methods with easy access,

requiring small investments in time and money to start, with immediate learning possible

learn best through direct, hands on experience -- do, study, think about it

interested in learning to keep up to date, for spiritual or personal growth, or simple joy of learning something new

For the truly older learner, have to accommodate true aging changes -- physical and cognitive life stage motivations/goals for learning familiarity/discomfort with classroom

learning environment

SEE HANDOUT

Lifespan Issues for Adult Learners Growth vs. development Accommodations to changing world Stages (Knowles = have to look at life stage

from point of view of: critical periods, focus of commitments, and perceptions of time in life cycle) (Erickson?)

Havighurst--after childhood

18-30: focus on life and concern for self image, less concern for society, education as instrument for advancement

30-40: collecting energies, stability, less introspection and self doubt, focus on job and child-rearing

40-50: self-exertion and assertion -- at one’s peak-- involvement in public and civic activities, decline in education focus, increase in action orientation

Havighurst continued...

50-60: maintenance of position with some role changes, education for expressive purposes, beginning of passivity

60-70: deciding when and how to disengage

70+: disengagement

Smithers

Entry stage -- 18 to 25 -- orientation to future, change is good

Career development -- 20 to 50 -- orientation to present, away from interest in promotion to interest in intrinsic value of work participation, achievement in non-work arenas

Plateau -- 35 to 55 -- time focus from present to sense that running out

Characteristics of Adult Learners-Overview Autonomous and self-directed -- self concept

of responsibility, may conflict with old experiences of formal education

Beginning with a need to know -- including “why” having to learn something

Foundation of life experience Different orientation to learning -- life-

centered (or task/problem centered) Achievement oriented

Overview, continued

Learn best by relating new to previously learned

Relevance is all Practical is focus Need to be shown respect Bring more clearly established values,

beliefs, opinions

Overview, continued

Style and pace of learning may have changed -- or become set• Need variety in techniques• Need multi-modality presentations• Need participatory process

Physical needs may have changed -- frequent breaks, interrupt lectures, interactive and physically moving around

Individual differences accelerate with age

Motivations--why are they there?

Self-improvement--internal/external Self-actualization Vocational-advancement Role change Family issues Social interests-relationships Humanitarian drive Knowledge-cognitive interest

Some say motivation related to life stage seek out learning to cope with life-changing

events--the more life changes, the more learning is desired

will engage in learning that promotes transitions

usually driven by perceived need for skill/knowledge

self-esteem may play strong role

Why return?

Earlier dropout for financial reasons, competing responsibilities, lack of focus or motivation or maturity

Changing job requirements or career changes Increased premium placed on education for

certain jobs Changes in leisure patterns Self-fulfillment

Categories of Motivation -- Houle

Goal oriented -- specific, external objective Activity oriented -- like learning process,

like group environment, want to stay engaged

Learning oriented -- knowledge for itself

Learning Styles

want opportunity for self-direction want to participate in goal-setting need opportunities for leadership want to relate to what already know, and

want to bring that experience into classroom

may want/need more time

Learning styles continued

need goals and procedures clearly laid out self-esteem may be more at stake than for younger

learner do best with a learning episode that is:

• episodic, not continuous• problem-centered, not curriculum-oriented• immediate, concrete, short term• more driven by analogic thinking, trial and error, less

memorization• moves from concrete to abstract

Issues, Barriers, Challenges

Guilt over responsibilities to others (family) Child care Justifying compromises between career and

family Guilt over time or simply... Lack of time Insufficient support from family Finances

Issues continued

Geographical access Lack of age cohort Limited acceptance for student status--in

institution, program, family, social milieu Burden of multiple responsibilities Red tape Wrong motivation

Common Fears and Concerns

haven’t studied in years -- out of practice not sure have skills always nervous about tests past school experience not always positive computers/internet won’t fit in -- will be outsider faculty won’t want older student it will take too long

Bottom Line

At different life span points in development, we have different focus, goals, needs, self-perceptions, and points of crisis.

For our non-traditional students, we must expect and plan effectively for these differences if we expect to see age-diverse classrooms.

Challenges for CSD Programs -- Institutional Child care Finance Special registration, advising, orientation Greater availability & access to parking Special assistance with housing Networking opportunities

Programmatic Challenges

Distance education Scheduling-- evening, weekend, alternative

course times Part-time?

Classroom/Learning Challenges

Must constantly integrate new with known Must recognize that info conflicting with

previous “truths” is integrated more slowly Must recognize that information with little

conceptual overlap is acquired more slowly Fast, complex, unusual learning tasks may be

problematic Relevance is the name of the game

Classroom challenges continued

Active learning is essential Need to plan for belief and value system change if

needed Must provide more changes for self-direction, self-

defined learning tasks Must provide an environment that supports views,

minimizes fears -- self-esteem issues Need to identify specific learning style of

individual student

Classroom challenges continued

Need to provide detailed feedback Need to learn more to facilitate than to

control Need to find ways of integrating and

exploiting life experience of student Need to ensure an environment that is

physically supportive of learner with vision, hearing, physical challenges

Are We in Trouble? Probably less in this area of diversity than others...

New ASHA standards are moving the learning experience in the directions suggested by our knowledge of adult learner needs and expectations

Issues of geographical access, independent study, etc. are already being grappled with by graduate programs, particularly clinical doctoral programs

Where Do We Need to Grow and Change? Recruitment efforts Making the institution more accessible and

adult-learner friendly Ensuring our faculty are aware of:

• learning style differences• motivation differences--why there?• life crisis differences-critical periods• learning to use experience