January 15, 2009

Tutor Tip: Anxieties of Adult Learners

Adult learners arrive to class with a wealth of positive experience which can be harnessed to generate interesting and dynamic debate. However, tutors need to be aware that adults can also arrive with anxieties which, if not managed correctly, can impair the learning process. These anxieties may be the legacy of their prior experience of education or of an extended absence from an educational environment. Examples of anxieties that might arise include:

  • Fear of failure
  • Concern about being the oldest member of the group
  • Fear of being made look foolish 
  • Fear of the new technological environment and the implications this has for their study, i.e., producing assignments, accessing the library, etc.,   
  • Concern about their ability to contribute and make intelligent/worthwhile inputs in classroom discussion 
  • Consideration about physical impairments e.g., fading eyesight, hearing, etc., which impacts on their participation in class 
  • Doubts about coping strategies – juggling family, career and social commitments with demands of studying 
  • Distrust about their own abilities and about how valid or worthwhile their experience is in relation to the topic at hand 
  • Questions about their study skills, i.e., note taking, reading – when to stop as they become more immersed in a subject 
  • Fear of assessment and confusion about what is expected, particularly exams  
  • Worry about the distinctions between academic writing and informal writing, referencing, quoting, etc., 
  • Concerns about external influences, e.g., a need to require a skill for employment purposes

Reprinted with Permission.   UCD Adult Education Centre in Ireland advocates for the adult learner and promotes a student centered approach to learning. Integral to their process is a large team of dedicated and committed tutors.

Filed under: Academic Learning Centers,College,Tutoring Practices

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