Older students transforming some colleges: "At 55, Crowder is one of the growing ranks of what educators call "nontraditional students": those age 24 or older who did not proceed directly from high school to college or remain there full-time to earn a degree."
Comment: Anyone directly involved in higher education has seen this trend for years. At Red River College, I've found it's not unusual to have a range of learners from 18 years old to 50 plus. It's no longer the exception. It's the rule with virtually every new group of students entered our program. It does present a challenge for educators - i.e. how to engage and meet the needs of two very distinctive cultures/mindsets. I think it's a testament to our need to move from instructor dominated learning. If learners are given greater control in the learning experience, they are able to meet their needs on their own terms (rather than expecting the instructor to meet the needs of very diverse learners - an almost impossible task).