Imperative Instructional Designs When Teaching Nontraditional Students by Kris https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium 63% of all students in higher ed are adult learners. Do you know how to effectively help them succeed in your classroom and school? By Kris MacDonald, Doctoral Candidate at Drexel University en-us 2017-03-15 21:11:50 UTC 2023-02-17 11:40:45 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Manbag.png km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160383084 2017-03-15 21:28:41 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160383084 Who Are Nontraditional Students? km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160383142 Students who meet at least 1 of 7 criteria (Ross-Gordon, 2011):

  1. Female
  2. Parent
  3. Single-parent
  4. More than a year since they have been in high school
  5. More GEDs than diplomas
  6. Work full time
  7. Over 24 years old

Comprise 63% of all students in higher education (Bell, 2012)

AKA: Adult learners (Morey, 2004)
]]> 2017-03-15 21:29:13 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160383142 Nontraditional Student Needs km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160383470
  • Far different from their traditional counterparts 
  • 63% of nontraditionals drop out of school (Deming, Goldin, & Katz, 2013) 
  • 43% graduate, but program completion takes FAR longer than expected (Deming, Goldin, & Katz, 2013) 
  • Self-esteem (Barton, & Donahue, 2010) 
  • Transitional problems (Barton, & Donahue, 2010) 
  • Technology (Barton, & Donahue, 2010) 
  • Time management (Barton, & Donahue, 2010)
    • ]]>     2017-03-15 21:30:47 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160383470     km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160384094 2017-03-15 21:36:04 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160384094 What They Deserve km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160384307 In order for these students to succeed and have the same opportunity for success as any traditional college student, or student equity, schools and teachers MUST know how to meet these students' needs]]> 2017-03-15 21:37:58 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160384307 What Do Leaders Do? km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160384657 Below are techniques for classroom and school leaders to understand and support their nontraditional students, but it is essential that leaders be open to suggestions, learning themselves and possibly changing their habits]]> 2017-03-15 21:39:30 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160384657 km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160385250 2017-03-15 21:45:02 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160385250 km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160385360 2017-03-15 21:46:02 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160385360 Needs Continued km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160385434
  • Family/work/school balance (Barton, & Donahue, 2010) 
  • Hands-on learning, skill-based curriculum (“Proprietary,” 2004)
  • Shorter programs get students in workforce faster (“Proprietary,” 2004)
  • Smaller class sizes (“Proprietary,” 2004)
  • Flexible schedules (“Proprietary,” 2004)
  • This attracts many adult students to for-profit colleges (“Proprietary,” 2004)
  • 73%, or 1.3 million, students at for-profits are nontraditional (Ross-Gordon, 2011) 
  • Projected to be 86% by 2019 (Bell, 2012)
    • ]]>     2017-03-15 21:46:46 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160385434     Early Intervention km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160385938
  • Must occur from the moment of enrollment
  • 50% of students need transitional support because they haven't been in a classroom in so long
  • First-year seminar (FYS) classes are offered in some but not nearly enough schools
  • Remedial action prior to classes starting in technology, reading, writing
    • (Lawrence, 2000; Barton & Donahue, 2010; Higgins, 2010)
    ]]>     2017-03-15 21:50:48 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160385938     Continued Support from the School km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160385947
  • Faculty and peer mentoring
  • Open faculty office hours
  • Accessible faculty willing to stay late or accommodate the student's schedule for tutoring
  • Offer tutoring opportunities
  • Significant extrinsic support
  • Constructive criticism
  • Getting to know students and what their specific struggles are to better target help
  • Create supporting systems for First-Generation Students (FGS) who are the first in their family to attend school
  • Create support systems for English Language learners (ELs)
  • Invite EL and FGS parents/families to the school to show them what their children are going through, make them a part of the learning experience, teach them how to help their children at home
    • (Lawrence, 2000; Barton & Donahue, 2010; Higgins, 2010)
    ]]>     2017-03-15 21:50:52 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160385947     Technology km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160385974
  • Incorporate it slowly into classes because nontraditionals are intimidated by technology
  • Teach each small piece first - never assume
  • Teach/demonstrate all of the technology you expect them to use for each assignment in pieces before the students start the assignment
  • This includes Microsoft Word, using web browsers, using a flash drive, file sharing, cloud systems, keyboard shortcuts, using a touchpad, 
  • Integrate MOOCs, class websites, instructor access programs like Remind, grading programs, blog/discussion forum software, or file sharing
    • (Lawrence, 2000; Barton & Donahue, 2010; Higgins, 2010)
    ]]>     2017-03-15 21:51:01 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160385974     Differentiated Instruction km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160386017
  • Teach learners what types of learners they are
  • Show them techniques that help them learn best based on learning style
  • Target all learning styles
  • Predominantly kinesthetic and global learners
  • Incorporate student values into the lesson
  • About practicality, not theory for nontraditionals
  • "How does this relate to my life and my future job?"
    • (Lawrence, 2000; Barton & Donahue, 2010; Higgins, 2010)
    ]]>     2017-03-15 21:51:22 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160386017     Support Systems km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160386040
  • Need to teach students how to create their own support systems
  • Especially females who are used to handling everything
  • Teach them how to delegate home responsibilities
  • Stress that school is temporary and those who love them will understand that and be willing to help pitch in more
  • These students need help in learning how to ask for help, that it doesn't make them look bad and knowing when to begin asking for help
    • (Lawrence, 2000; Barton & Donahue, 2010; Higgins, 2010)

    ]]>     2017-03-15 21:51:36 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160386040     Time Management km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160386051
  • How to create time for school
  • Alternatives for busy lives
  • How to balance home, work and school
  • Learning about 20-minute study intervals because of adult attention spans
  • Creating study/homework schedule for structure
  • These students CRAVE structure
    • (Lawrence, 2000; Barton & Donahue, 2010; Higgins, 2010)
    ]]>     2017-03-15 21:51:40 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160386051     Transitional Skills km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160386093
  • FYS courses very helpful
  • Learn studying skills, reading textbooks, note taking, test taking
  • Dealing with various classroom anxieties
  • How to behave in a classroom
  • Learning what a syllabus is and how to use it
  • Understanding how a college classroom operates
  • Mutual expectations
  • Accountability
    • (Lawrence, 2000; Barton & Donahue, 2010; Higgins, 2010)
    ]]>     2017-03-15 21:52:03 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160386093     Solutions km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160386381 School administrators are responsible for helping these at-risk students transition into postsecondary education and into the workforce through planning, curriculum, instructional design,  training and formal course/curriculum reviews.  This ensures all students, whether adult learners, minorities, FGS students, immigrants, ELs or anyone can succeed.]]> 2017-03-15 21:54:22 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160386381 References km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160393650 Barton, A., & Donahue, C. (2010). Multiple assessments of a first-year seminar pilot. The Journal of General Education, 58(4), 259-278. . Retrieved from http://www.ebscohost.com/ 

    Bell, S. (2012, March 8). Nontraditional students are the new majority: From the bell tower. Library Journal. Retrieved from http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/03/opinion/nontraditional-students-are-the-new-majority-from-the-bell- tower/#_

    Deming, D., Goldin, C., & Katz, L. (2013). For-Profit colleges. The Future of Children, 23(1), 137-163. Retrieved from http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/ddeming/files/deming_foc_final.pdf

    Higgins, M. (2010). The first year experience. (Master’s thesis). Retrieved from http://www.k-state.edu/first/MargaretHiggins2010.pdf

    Lawrence, D. (2000, March). Assessing progress and maintaining motivation. In Building self-esteem with adult learners (34-40). Retrieved from www.proquest.com

    Morey, A. I. (2004). Globalization and the emergence of for-profit higher education. Higher Education, 48, 131-150. Retrieved from http://www.ebscohost.com

    Proprietary education: Threat or not? (2004, September). NEA Higher Education Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/HE/vol10no4.pdf

    Ross-Gordon, J. M. (2011). Research on adult learners: Supporting the needs of a student population that is no longer traditional. Peer Review, 13(1), 26-29. Retrieved from go.galegroup.com]]>     2017-03-15 23:08:23 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160393650     About Me km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160394387 Kristine (Kris) MacDonald, a native of Scranton, PA, earned her Masters of Science in Secondary Education from the University of Scranton and her Pennsylvania Teaching Certification in English for grades 7-12 in 2011; and received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications/Journalism specializing in print media from Shippensburg University in 2005.  She has worked in secondary and higher education since 2011 with a variety of learners and school sectors including Valley View High School in Archbald, PA; the University of Scranton in Scranton, PA; tutored composition for Chegg.com and Tutor.com; and worked as a general education instructor at Fortis Institute in Scranton, PA since 2011.  While pursuing her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Management in Higher Education at Drexel University, she has had the opportunity to work with the Philadelphia Educational Research Consortium creating curriculum and assessments to better calibrate pedagogy and methodology for the EL students in all of the district’s charter school.  She is also an intern for the College of Education working to create an open-access online course on Scholarly Writing and APA Style.  She has also accepted opportunities to present her research through the PASA Inaugural Education Research Symposium, Drexel University Doctoral Colloquium, at the CARE Conference in Las Vegas, NV, and the INTED 2017 Conference in Spain.  She has also edited a published, fictional novel written by a fellow classmate.  She has successfully defended her doctoral proposal, has received IRB approval and is in the midst of data collection for her mixed-methods study focusing on the needs of nontraditional learners.  After graduating, she hopes to work in curriculum and instructional design in higher education.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her German Shepherd.]]> 2017-03-15 23:16:38 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160394387 Contact Me km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160394704 Email:  km3282@glink.drexel.edu
    Phone: 570-878-5327
    LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kristine-macdonald-6326ba11b
    E-Portfolio:  www.portfoliogen.com/krismacdonald
    My CV: See Attached]]>     2017-03-15 23:20:12 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160394704     km3282 https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160395499 2017-03-15 23:27:11 UTC https://padlet.com/km3282/2017padletsymposium/wish/160395499