So here’s an article that pretty much contradicts my last post – http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/instant_mentor/weir7
In it Rob Weir argues that older students tend to be more successful than younger ones and complete more online courses than his younger students, despite less familiarity with the technology. He claims that younger students love the idea of learning online but often drop out before the end of a course. Older students, in his opinion, are more self-motivated and better organized.
While statistics seem to bear out his conclusion, a closer look is warranted. This seems like a classic example of the principle that “correlation does not imply causation.” Yes, the most successful students in his online courses recently may have been the more mature students. But it is only their maturity that makes it easier for them to pass his class?
In my experience, older students tend to spend more time planning to take courses, online or offline, and do more research about the courses. They are more focused on what they want and tend to take fewer courses than full time students – so they will give more attention to each course they take.
Additionally, a student who has been out of school for a long time isn’t in “school mode” – older students often have to get back into the routine of school. They will easily adapt to the demands of whatever course format they are enrolling in – whether it’s an online course, or offline. Current students, on the other hand may not realize before enrolling in an online course how different it can be from a traditional class and therefore may not be prepared for what is expected of them.
Perhaps a simple orientation outlining the various differences between delivery formats would greatly increase performance in younger students. I do not believe that younger students lack the ability to complete online courses at the same rate as older students. Maturity and focus are certainly important when it comes to success in school at any age, and older students have more of both than younger students. However, it is a matter of expectation, not ability, and it is harder to switch between course format than to adapt to one format and stick with it.
Given the prevalence of “blended” courses on college campuses where even traditional classes are being partially conducted online it is only a matter of time before younger students become much more adept at handling different delivery formats and the balance of younger students to old who are enrolled in online classes will change.
