Finding out what the student needs are and what recourses you have to offer is one of the key parts to helping a student be successful.
Adult students often balance heavy life demands, and each brings a personal history that shapes how they learn. Establishing trust early gives them the confidence to speak up when challenges arise, helping them stay committed and involved.
Increasing student retention, especially for adult learners, requires an understanding of the characteristics and needs of individual students.
Finding resources and assisting with student's needs may facilitate trust and growth.
Adult students tend to want less mandatory study and more practical application than young students
We want to have successful students by not holding onto them but helping them to grduate
Nurses know how to advocate for patients, we have to learn what advocating for students looks like.
Adult learners have multiple stressors in their life and bring an unique learning experience. Developing a relationship early on can help to enable that student to bring issues to the forefront to help keep them engaged.
there are many complex factors that come into place such as home life and school life we can only control what goes on here all we can incorporate time for listening to their situation the best tool in the tool kit is understanding and empathy.
There can be many factors hindering progress. A good teacher listens and observes well.
Comment on Jose Rivera's post: I agree, sometimes for the beginning lectures I show students how to use their e-book. Features like highlighting or dictating in their Word docs notes can be confusing for young and adult learners. Regardless, we treat each student equally.
There are plenty of external challenges that affect student retention for every type of student and once they are in class there mind will go back to the pressing issues outside of the classroom.
We all learn differently, and we all face unique challenges and factors. Everyone has their reasons for continuing their education path. Adults have different factors that affect their learning compared to high school students. Each person has their commitments, primarily financial, that interfere with their learning.
I've learned that for adult learners you as an instructor must consider other factors that affect them that may not necessarily affect a younger student coming out of high school, especially when it comes to retention.
Many different things can affect a student both situational and environmental
Personal Factors like attitudes, and problem solving skills are more easy to change.
This term what I've learned regarding my Students; outside factors take the driver seat when they're facing personal challenges. Students' anxiety, depression and lack of motivation increases when they have outer world issue to manage.
Students have their own individual reasons for continuing their education. Each student has different challenges that they face. Focusing on the challenges that can be changed or eliminated can improve retention while showing empathy towards the challenges that cannot be mitigated.
There are ways for us to help with some student factors causing distress and desire to withdraw. For example, providing disability, ESL, or financial assistance.
Students are our customers. They are paying to be provided with adequate education and we should do everything in our power to provide it. Adults have different learning styles and we need to cater to them!
