The distressed state of the economy over the past several years has wreaked havoc on many sectors of society, including higher education. While the demand for classes in public colleges and universities is very high, budget cutbacks have decreased the number of classes available, thus making it much more difficult for students to complete their degrees. In frustration, an increasing number of students are turning to for-profit colleges that promise to get them through their degrees quickly -- but at a very high price that is often not just monetary. This excellent Huffington Post article provides substantial food for thought.
Community College Budget Cuts Drive Students To For-Profit Schools
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 30, 2011
Effective Study Groups
Have you ever joined a study group for a class only to have it turn in to a waste of time? Here are some tips to make a study group more effective than the social hour, people stop showing up, so-and-so doesn't follow through free-for-all that so many unsuccessful study groups melt down into.
Have a regular time to meet and a usual length of time to meet. This will give the study group meetings a more formal feel and make it easier for everyone to fit it into their schedules. Limiting the length of time may also assist with keeping things on track during the meeting.
Meet in a library or other quiet setting. Libraries will often have meeting rooms that can be reserved for group work. If you cannot obtain one, find a remote area of the library where the group's discussions are unlikely to disturb anyone. Having a study group at someone's home or at a coffee shop or restaurant will give too much of an informal feel and might lead to a loss of focus.
Keep it small (no more than 6 members). The larger a study group is, the more likely it is to break down due to no shows, social distractions, or members not doing their part. Smaller groups are more likely to feel responsible to one other and self-regulate their behavior.
Limit distractions. Start with checking that everyone's cell phone is off. Computers should be off as well, with the possible exception of one member whose job is to look up answers to disputed questions online if they can't be found otherwise.
Conduct it like a meeting. This may sound rigid, but study groups are organized in order to accomplish work. Having a structure where people take turns in raising questions or presenting material will smooth the process. Have an agenda or goal for each meeting and be sure to agree upon a new agenda at the end of each meeting.
Bring questions to be answered to each meeting. Each member should review all of the materials to be covered at the next meeting and bring specific questions to be answered. Whether they are questions over material the individual found difficult to understand or questions the individual thinks the instructor might ask on the next test, they can be good focus points to keep the group on task.
Share responsibility for material. If your group has four members and there are four chapters on an upcoming test, it might be beneficial to assign primary responsibility for presenting each chapter to each group member. Teaching information to others is a great way to solidify what you've learning.
Have a timer to limit off-topic discussion to 30 seconds. Someone should be responsible for timing and stopping off-topic discussions to help keep the group focused. It might be a good idea for the job of timer to rotate among group members. There also should be an agreed-upon limit of how many off-topic discussions can take place within a meeting period.
Eliminate dead-weight members promptly. We have all been in group work situations where one or more people slack off while the others work frantically to fill the gaps. Don't let this happen in your study group. Those who do not show up or fail to contribute their share to the group should be asked to leave the group as soon as possible. It might be desirable to discuss at the first group meeting what the criteria will be for asking a member to leave.
Have a regular time to meet and a usual length of time to meet. This will give the study group meetings a more formal feel and make it easier for everyone to fit it into their schedules. Limiting the length of time may also assist with keeping things on track during the meeting.
Meet in a library or other quiet setting. Libraries will often have meeting rooms that can be reserved for group work. If you cannot obtain one, find a remote area of the library where the group's discussions are unlikely to disturb anyone. Having a study group at someone's home or at a coffee shop or restaurant will give too much of an informal feel and might lead to a loss of focus.
Keep it small (no more than 6 members). The larger a study group is, the more likely it is to break down due to no shows, social distractions, or members not doing their part. Smaller groups are more likely to feel responsible to one other and self-regulate their behavior.
Limit distractions. Start with checking that everyone's cell phone is off. Computers should be off as well, with the possible exception of one member whose job is to look up answers to disputed questions online if they can't be found otherwise.
Conduct it like a meeting. This may sound rigid, but study groups are organized in order to accomplish work. Having a structure where people take turns in raising questions or presenting material will smooth the process. Have an agenda or goal for each meeting and be sure to agree upon a new agenda at the end of each meeting.
Bring questions to be answered to each meeting. Each member should review all of the materials to be covered at the next meeting and bring specific questions to be answered. Whether they are questions over material the individual found difficult to understand or questions the individual thinks the instructor might ask on the next test, they can be good focus points to keep the group on task.
Share responsibility for material. If your group has four members and there are four chapters on an upcoming test, it might be beneficial to assign primary responsibility for presenting each chapter to each group member. Teaching information to others is a great way to solidify what you've learning.
Have a timer to limit off-topic discussion to 30 seconds. Someone should be responsible for timing and stopping off-topic discussions to help keep the group focused. It might be a good idea for the job of timer to rotate among group members. There also should be an agreed-upon limit of how many off-topic discussions can take place within a meeting period.
Eliminate dead-weight members promptly. We have all been in group work situations where one or more people slack off while the others work frantically to fill the gaps. Don't let this happen in your study group. Those who do not show up or fail to contribute their share to the group should be asked to leave the group as soon as possible. It might be desirable to discuss at the first group meeting what the criteria will be for asking a member to leave.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
College Revisited: Coming Back to School
Perhaps the largest growing segment of students in colleges and universities throughout the United States are those who are over the age of 25 (sometimes referred to as non-traditional students). Some of them have no prior college experience. Others tried college after high school and found it was not right for them at the time. Many started college but dropped out when life -- work, family, or other issues -- got in the way. The good news is that it's never too late to start or continue a college education. I had a student a few years ago that was brand new to college at the age of 68!
It's not unusual for students over the age of 25 to be concerned about how they will cope with their studies and the college environment. The most common issues are worrying about fitting in, dealing with rusty study and classroom skills, and balancing school with work and family.
Fitting in. The average age of students at colleges and universities in the United States has been steadily rising for the past two decades or so. According to a 2008 report from the U.S. Census Bureau, 12.3% full time and 20.5% part time of two-year college students were over age 25, as were 32% of full time and 35.2% of part time students at four year institutions.
Classroom and study skills. With the rise in the non-traditional student population, colleges and universities have stepped up their services to address older students' specific needs, both in and out of the classroom. Peer support groups for adult re-entry students, programs to assist displaced workers, services for students with disabilities and veterans, support for single parents, and on-campus child care centers all can assist the returning student in reaching his or her educational goals. Financial aid, grants, and scholarships are available for the returning student population. For the returning student who feels unsure of his or her technological skills, workshops in how to use the internet, software programs, and library resources are frequently held.
Balancing school with work and family. Classes are now offered in a wide variety of options: face-to-face, hybrid (part face-to-face, part online), fully online, weekends, and evenings. Colleges and universities have accepted that students of all ages are often dealing with multiple obligations that can be challenging to fit into a hectic schedule. By creating class offerings that are presented through different means, higher education is more available to a wider segment of potential students. Granted, if one is working full time, it may not be possible (or advisable) to carry a full time class load, but some progress can be steadily made.
Over the time I have been teaching, I can't help but notice some of the amazing strengths that older students bring to the college classroom. Having more practical life experience under their belts tends to make them better at multitasking, more willing to ask for help, more realistic about the time it will take to accomplish a task, and better contributors to classroom discussions. On top of that, they are great examples to younger students, and I've seen some really wonderful intergenerational friendships develop among classmates as a result.
All great journeys start with a single step. Why not take that step now?
It's not unusual for students over the age of 25 to be concerned about how they will cope with their studies and the college environment. The most common issues are worrying about fitting in, dealing with rusty study and classroom skills, and balancing school with work and family.
Fitting in. The average age of students at colleges and universities in the United States has been steadily rising for the past two decades or so. According to a 2008 report from the U.S. Census Bureau, 12.3% full time and 20.5% part time of two-year college students were over age 25, as were 32% of full time and 35.2% of part time students at four year institutions.
Classroom and study skills. With the rise in the non-traditional student population, colleges and universities have stepped up their services to address older students' specific needs, both in and out of the classroom. Peer support groups for adult re-entry students, programs to assist displaced workers, services for students with disabilities and veterans, support for single parents, and on-campus child care centers all can assist the returning student in reaching his or her educational goals. Financial aid, grants, and scholarships are available for the returning student population. For the returning student who feels unsure of his or her technological skills, workshops in how to use the internet, software programs, and library resources are frequently held.
Balancing school with work and family. Classes are now offered in a wide variety of options: face-to-face, hybrid (part face-to-face, part online), fully online, weekends, and evenings. Colleges and universities have accepted that students of all ages are often dealing with multiple obligations that can be challenging to fit into a hectic schedule. By creating class offerings that are presented through different means, higher education is more available to a wider segment of potential students. Granted, if one is working full time, it may not be possible (or advisable) to carry a full time class load, but some progress can be steadily made.
Over the time I have been teaching, I can't help but notice some of the amazing strengths that older students bring to the college classroom. Having more practical life experience under their belts tends to make them better at multitasking, more willing to ask for help, more realistic about the time it will take to accomplish a task, and better contributors to classroom discussions. On top of that, they are great examples to younger students, and I've seen some really wonderful intergenerational friendships develop among classmates as a result.
All great journeys start with a single step. Why not take that step now?
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