Using technology to teach nontraditional students.

• Author: Nellen, Annette

Over the past two decades, there has been a marked increase in the number of nontraditional students. These students are older, more mature and are generally not full-time. While they tend to have high motivation levels, their study skills may have eroded and the amount of time that they can spend on campus is often limited. This column discusses strategies for using technology to make these students more productive in a classroom environment. These strategies include employing technology to efficiently use class time, achieve active learning on homework assignments and allow for electronic office hours.

Characteristics of Nontraditional Students

Nontraditional students might best be described as older students, with a job and family responsibilities, and often entering accounting and tax programs on a part-time basis. These students demand a curriculum relevant to their careers and flexible as to attendance, deadlines and class time. In exchange, nontraditional students generally tend to be more motivated and produce high-quality work.

Nontraditional students also live off campus, commuting to school only for classes. Thus, they have less access to instructors during office hours. In addition, nearly all nontraditional students own or have access to computers and prefer not to come to campus to perform research. They are willing to purchase software normally available in the computer labs, but the cost must be reasonable. They also have more preconceived notions about the importance of using technology to enhance their learning skills.

Efficient Use of Class Time

One of the key ingredients to making nontraditional students successful learners is to make the best use of their time on campus. For the most part, they are motivated (both financially and psychologically) and tend to have a better grasp of real-world business exigencies. Thus, conducting a standard one-way lecture is typically a less fruitful method for delivering a lecture--especially when most of these students have a short attention span at the end of a long workday. Accordingly, posting lectures prior to class on a website can be quite beneficial. Class time is then better used for student motivation, active learning exercises and coordinated group case studies.

Using a website as a substitute for lectures also promotes a more effective learning environment for students, because it allows them to study when it is most convenient for them (e.g., less stressful, with fewer...