Traditional and nontraditional student attitudes toward the mixed age college classroom

As the numbers of nontraditional students on college campuses continue to climb, college educators should become increasingly aware of issues regarding the mixed age college classroom. The research reported in this paper is focused on understanding mixed age classrooms from the student's perspective. Through telephone interviews with over 300 students we explored three major areas: attitudes traditional and nontraditional students hold regarding their mixed age classroom experience; attitudes each group has toward their own age group and the other age group; and perceptions of the differences between older and younger students' relationships with their professors. Data on both younger and older students were collected, analyzed and compared.Jean M. Lynch is an Assistant Professor of Sociology/Anthropology, and Associate Director of the Applied Research Center at Miami University. She received her Masters in Sociology from the University of Rhode Island and her Ph.D. in Sociology from Brown University. Her research interests include the mixed age college classroom and the sociology of law and gender. Cathy Bishop-Clark is an Assistant Professor in the Systems Analysis Department at Miami University. She holds an M.S. in Information Systems, and is currently a doctoral candidate in Educational Foundations at the University of Cincinnati. Her research interests include the mixed age college classroom and cognitive style as relates to computer programming.     

Age Stereotypes of Older Primary Teachers in Taiwan

Elder respect in East Asia has a long history that could be derived from Confucian philosophy. However, with the rapid development of westernization, younger people have gradually depreciated the value of elder respect and seek a reciprocal relationship with the elderly. A literature search revealed that age stereotypes would be both negative and positive. This study employs the qualitative approach, mainly through interviews, to collect college students' attitudes towards older primary teachers. The research findings illustrate three characteristics: (a) the value of elder respect from college students seems to have gradually declined, particularly under the impact of westernization and industrialization, although some students did still believe in elder respect influenced by Confucian philosophy; (b) some students' negative stereotypes of older primary teachers include that older primary teachers are resistant to change, unwilling to accept new ideas, and less motivated to learn; (c) some students' positive stereotypes towards older primary teachers are that they are experienced in teaching and classroom management and role models for younger teachers. This study raises several issues and questions that may contribute to further research. In addition, the study proposes some implications for educational authorities.     

Promoting intergenerational learning in higher education: older adult perspectives on course auditing

ABSTRACT

As the population ages, colleges and universities have opportunities to promote intergenerational learning by inviting lifelong learners to engage with students in the classroom. This article outlines an initiative to enroll older adults as auditors and to describe their experiences. Thirty of 40 older adult auditors completed a hard-copy survey administered in 2017 (75% response rate). Results indicate that auditors were motivated to enroll in a college course due to the self-satisfaction of learning, subject of the course, and time of course offering. Over half described completing course assignments and a majority accessed content on Blackboard at least once per week. Older adults reported engaging with students in and out of the classroom and described the benefits of intergenerational engagement as learning about younger adults’ perspectives and the reciprocity of learning and mutual respect between generations. Suggestions for improvement relate to offering more courses for auditing and greater assistance with course technology. Implications for promoting this type of lifelong learning initiative are discussed.     

Print exposure, reading habits, and reading achievement among deaf and hearing college students

This study explored relations of print exposure, academic achievement, and reading habits among 100 deaf and 100 hearing college students. As in earlier studies, recognition tests for book titles and magazine titles were used as measures of print exposure, college entrance test scores were used as measures of academic achievement, and students provided self-reports of reading habits. Deaf students recognized fewer magazine titles and fewer book titles appropriate for reading levels from kindergarten through Grade 12 while reporting more weekly hours of reading. As in previous studies with hearing college students, the title recognition test proved a better predictor of deaf and hearing students' English achievement than how many hours they reported reading. The finding that the recognition tests were relatively more potent predictors of achievement for deaf students than hearing students may reflect the fact that deaf students often obtain less information through incidental learning and classroom presentations.     

ATTITUDES AND PROBLEMS OF ELDERLY STUDENTS IN THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF GEORGIA

Registrars of the junior and four year colleges and universities of the university system of Georgia were asked to supply the names and addresses of elderly students attending their institutions under a state constitutional amendment that provides for free tuition on a space available basis for residents 62 years of age or older. Names were obtained from six junior colleges, eight senior colleges, and one university. Elderly students were asked to complete a form to determine their problems with and attitudes toward college study; 70 responses were received.

Analysis of the responses indicated that the 70 elderly students were above average in education and that they were vigorous and active. Only a few had encountered difficulty in adjusting to college study. A few had difficulty in hearing classroom discussions. Approximately 90% felt that attending classes was stimulating and would recommend the experience to other elderly adults. As a group they felt accepted by faculty and younger students. In common with other students, some found problems in parking. Generally, however, the study reveals that many senior citizens can be accommodated in the typical college classroom without major curricular and administrative adjustments.     

Does it pay to be one of the oldest in class? Relative age effects on academic self-concept,peer relations,and teacher judgments in German primary schools

Several studies have revealed that older students in a year group reach higher achievement scores than younger students in that group. But less is known about how students' relative age in class relates to their self-perception of academic achievement, their social acceptance in class and to how teachers judge their abilities. Therefore, we examined relative age effects within class on students' academic self-concept, peer relations, grades, and teachers’ secondary school recommendation. Analyses were based on a sample of N = 18,956 German fourth graders, who had never been retained or accelerated. We applied multilevel regression to control for covariates at the individual and classroom level. There were no substantial relative age effects within class across any of the outcomes, except for a small advantage for the youngest in their reading self-concept. Our findings therefore contradict the common assumption that younger students in class are disadvantaged compared to their older classmates.     

The Confluence of Race,Gender, and Class Among Community College Students: Assessing Attitudes Toward Affirmative Action in College Admissions

This article examines the attitudes of baccalaureate aspiring community college students with regard to affirmative action in college admissions. Using data from UCLA's Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) Annual Freshman Year Survey, the study assessed determinants of approval or disapproval of affirmative action for 20,339 community college students. Because students in traditionally disadvantaged groups (e.g., first-generation, racial/ethnic minorities, female, and low-income) are overrepresented at the community college, critical theoretical perspectives concerning social mobility and self-interest were utilized to guide the study. The findings indicate that race/ethnicity and political views were significant predictors of affirmative action attitudes for males and females. The impact of family income and transfer intent significantly contributed to male support for abolishing affirmative action. Age yielded a significant association for support of affirmative action as reported by older African American and white students.     

Students' Perceptions of and Satisfaction with Group Grades and the Group Experience in the College Classroom

The group approach to learning is widely accepted by higher education researchers as an effective teaching and learning tool. While there are numerous instructional, learning and social communication advantages for both students and teachers using group projects in the college classroom, a need exists for a better understanding of group projects from the student's perspective. The purpose of this investigation was to measure students' perceptions of group grades and group satisfaction on group projects in the college classroom. A cohort of 230 students from a large southern metropolitan university enrolled in sections of Group Interaction and Decision Making and Conflict Management classes participated in this study. The major findings of this study revealed that: (i) the less group grade experience that a student has, the more likely they are to agree that everyone in the group deserves the same group grade; (ii) students who work part-time are more likely to think that a group grade is a fair assessment of their contributions than students who work full-time; (iii) older students are more likely to be dissatisfied with a group grade experience than middle and younger age students. It is recommended that this study be extended to include comparison groups, graduate students and other disciplines.     

BYOD支持下的高校课堂交互研究

针对高校传统课堂师生互动不足、学生参与度低等问题,提出利用BYOD支持高校课堂教学。在概述BYOD、课堂交互概念的基础上,分析BYOD支持下课堂交互优势,通过具体案例应用解析如何运用BYOD支持课堂交互。教学实践证明,BYOD教学可以增加师生互动、提高学生课堂参与度和学习效果。最后,提出转变教学观念、重视教学设计、增强学校网络建设等策略,为一线教师开展课堂活动提供参考。     

Effect of U-Pace Instruction on Academic Success,Learning, and Perceptions in Younger and Older Undergraduates

A randomized controlled trial was conducted to determine the efficacy of U-Pace instruction for older undergraduates, ages 25 and older, and younger undergraduates, ages 18 to 24. Additionally, change in learner perceptions across the semester, an outcome not reported in the literature on U-Pace instruction, was investigated. In both younger and older undergraduates U-Pace instruction produced greater learning, greater academic success, and sustained or improved students’ perceptions of themselves as learners compared with Face-to-Face instruction. The findings provide strong support for the efficacy of U-Pace instruction in younger and older students and highlight a possible mechanism underlying U-Pace instruction’s effects on learning and academic success.     

FACULTY ATTITUDES TOWARD THE MIXED‐AGE COLLEGE CLASSROOM

With the number of nontraditional students on college campuses continuing to increase, college educators need to become aware of issues regarding the mixed‐age classroom. Part of this awareness should be an understanding of how faculty perceive different‐aged students and their mixed‐age classroom experiences. Through telephone interviews with approximately 100 faculty, we investigate attitudes about the professor‐student relationship, views toward teaching in a mixed‐age classroom, and beliefs about both older and younger students.     

OPINIONS OF COLLEGE STUDENTS AND INDEPENDENT-LIVING ADULTS REGARDING SUCCESSFUL AGING

This study compared opinions of successful aging among college students and older independent-living adults. Participants were 226 undergraduate students, 44 graduate students, and 59 independent-living older adults subjects. The participants were asked to rate the level of importance of 29 items in relation to their contribution to successful aging. The 29 items were divided into seven categories. Social and familial relationships, intrinsic values, financial concerns, accomplishments, and cognitive functioning were viewed as contributing the most to successful aging. Independence was reported to be somewhat important, while physical appearance was reported as being least important. There were few differences between how young and old viewed successful aging. Only the categories of financial concerns and physical appearance showed age-related differences, with older adults attributing a higher level of importance to financial concerns and physical appearance than did the younger participants.     

Self‐Concepts,Self‐Esteem,and Academic Achievement of Minority and Majority North American Elementary School Children

Minority and majority elementary school students from a Native American reservation (N = 188; K–fifth grade; 5‐ to 10‐year‐olds) completed tests of academic self‐concepts and self‐esteem. School grades, attendance, and classroom behavior were collected. Both minority and majority students exhibited positive self‐esteem. Minority students demonstrated lower academic self‐concepts and lower achievement than majority students. Two age‐related patterns emerged. First, minority students had lower academic achievement than majority students, and this effect was stronger in older (Grades 3–5) than in younger (Grades K–2) students. Second, children's actual achievement was related to their academic self‐concepts for older students but more strongly linked to self‐esteem in younger students. The authors offer a developmental account connecting students’ developing self‐representations to their school achievement.     

Evaluation of the physical classroom by students and professors: a lens model approach

A method for linking classroom evaluations to specific physical properties and for comparing the evaluations of different groups is described and illustrated. Thirty-five college classrooms were photographed and shown to 20 professors and 51 undergraduate students, each of whom evaluated the friendliness of and their overall preference for all the classrooms. Seven physical properties of the classrooms were reliably assessed by independent observers. Using a modified Brunswik lens model, the relations between the physical properties and the evaluations by the two groups were established and compared. Between 40 and 57 per cent of the variance in the evaluations could be explained from only three classroom properties: view to outdoors, seating comfort and seating arrangement. Evaluations by the students and professors were surprisingly similar, an encouraging sign for classroom designers.     

Influencing Student Attitudes Toward Older Adults: Results of a Service-Learning Collaboration

This article describes a service-learning collaboration between a research center at a graduate school of social work and a community college. While the goal of the collaboration was to conduct a community needs assessment of the older population of Bermuda, the project offered a unique opportunity to connect community service, teaching, and research. Students' classroom experience prepared them to play a critical role as interviewers of older adults. Participation in this project enabled students to contribute to a vital step in the process of community change. Students reported more positive attitudes toward older adults and greater interest in working with older adults as a result of this experience. Service-learning can be an effective means of teaching students about aging.     

Recording Student Perceptions of Teacher Behavior by Means of a Student Response Monitor

Abstract

Some Intellectual characteristics, academic problems and study habits of mature college undergraduate women were Investigated, Forty young (median age = 20) and 40 older (median age = 35) coeds matched on grade-point average were administered four WAIS subtests and a questionnaire. Older women were Inferior to younger women on WAIS performance subtests. Mature women reported more problems In concentrating, reading rapidly, and taking class notes while younger coeds reported more difficulty in remembering academic material. Older students reported better study habits. The results suggest that mature women can adjust successfully to the demands of the undergraduate academic situation.     

New challenges to Korean universities: increase of older students

This article explores the implications of the recent increase in older students at Korean universities dominated by younger students. A case study design is used to gain an in-depth understanding of experiences of older students in a Korean university. Semi-structured interviews of twelve older students, three professors, two administrators, and four younger students at the university were conducted for the date collection. The results suggest that the experiences of Korean older students differed from those of counterparts in western countries since academic and extracurricular services of Korean universities were geared towards younger students and thus were unhelpful for older students with multiple responsibilities at work and home. Also, the results show that traditional hierarchical relationships between younger and older students created strains for older students who had to rely heavily on younger counterparts. This study's findings highlight the crucial roles of higher education systems and culture in the experiences of older Asian students.     

Perceived autonomy support,intrinsic motivation,and student ratings of instruction

Motivation theory suggests that autonomy supportiveness in instruction often leads to many positive outcomes in the classroom, such as higher levels of intrinsic motivation and engagement. The purpose of this study was to determine whether perceived autonomy support and course-related intrinsic motivation in college classrooms positively predict student ratings of instruction. Data were collected from 47 undergraduate education courses and 914 students. Consistent with expectations, the results indicated that both intrinsic motivation and autonomy support were positively associated with multiple dimensions of student ratings of instruction. Results also showed that intrinsic motivation moderated the association between autonomy support and instructional ratings—the higher intrinsic motivation, the less predictive autonomy support, and the lower intrinsic motivation, the more predictive autonomy support. These results suggest that incorporating classroom activities that engender autonomy support may lead to improved student perceptions of classroom instruction and may also enhance both student motivation and learning.     

Role of teacher characteristics and school resources in early mathematics learning

The authors investigated the degree to which school-level teacher characteristics and resources are related to the mathematics learning of kindergarten children using a sample drawn from a large US database. Kindergarten-level teacher characteristics were operationalised as collective teacher efficacy, teacher experience and teacher preparation; kindergarten resources were operationalised as efforts that schools make to reach out to parents, classrooms with mathematics manipulatives, and classroom technology. Kindergarten students learned more in mathematics over a year in schools where teachers’ collective efficacy was high. School resources yielded a range of significant yet mixed results in young children’s mathematics achievement. Notably, younger students and students entering kindergarten with lower levels of mathematical skills benefited greatly from classroom resources. Overall, the presence of classroom technology as a school-level resource was positively related with older kindergarten students’ learning. Based upon the findings, organisational and policy implications are discussed.