As more and more adults who work
full time are returning to the classroom to further their education, it is becoming even more important that
schools have the right instructors in place
to help them take that next step.
“The advent of the baby boomers is driving adult learning today,” says Dr. Stephen
McClellan, professor of health care administration at Mount Vernon Nazarene
University, which has campuses in
Cincinnati and Mount Vernon. “People are
living longer, they are healthier, and they
have more money to spend.”
Smart Business asked McClellan about
the number of adults going back to school
and the type of people who do it.
What unique ideas can instructors in the
Master of Business program bring to the
table?
The senior faculty at our school of business brings a unique set of skills and competencies to the classroom. This includes a
great deal of real world experience, as well
as teaching competence.
Real world experiences are important
because practical examples enhance learning. This is especially important to adult
students in MBA and MSM programs
because they are literally coming from the
work world right to our classroom. What
they are seeking is a practical application
of the principles that they learn about in
class. Principles are just intellectual exercises; they’re important, but giving the
adult students something they can apply at
work the next day is critical.
In addition, it’s important for the faculty
brings wisdom and passion for what they
teach the adult learner. Wisdom comes
from their experiences in the world of
work, and professors need to be willing to
share both successes and failures.
Passion drives our commitment to
encourage our students to strive for higher
levels of learning. In some ways, it’s like
being a life coach because our commitment to the adult learner is not classroom-bound. We take the entire life experiences
of the students into account and provide
what they need for professional success.
Maybe it’s a promotion or an opportunity
to move to a better-paying job. Talking with
an MBA faculty member who’s been there
and done that is invaluable to the adult
learner.
How much of a difference is there between
teaching adult students and traditional students?
The two are very different. For example,
adult learners are self-reliant and learn at
their own pace. They learn best what they
perceive to be most relevant. They are
more realistic and less tolerant of non-meaningful learning. They work hard during the day and sacrifice to come to class at
night. They have lots of other obligations and their time is very valuable.
The biggest difference is the real life
experience that adult learners bring to the
classroom. They want to communicate
those experiences to others and their perception coming into the class is that it
should be more of a dialogue and less of a
monologue. Essentially, the teaching
method used with undergraduates is that
the teacher lectures to the class.
Adult learners want to hear about the
professor’s experiences, and they want to
be pulled into a conversation so they can
share their own experiences. They want to
test their own ideas, while looking for that
new piece of knowledge or insight that
they can use the next day.
Are adult learners more driven?
In general, I would describe adult learners as internally motivated; the motivation
to be in class every day comes from within.
They’re looking for a promotion in their
chosen field or a new and better way to
perform on the job. They want to be in the
classroom, and that’s why they’re intolerant of situations where their time isn’t
being well-used or if what’s being taught
isn’t applicable to their particular interests.
And they will let you know, in a polite way,
of course, that they prefer to be more
involved.
DR. STEPHEN MCCLELLAN is professor of health care administration at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. Reach him at
(740) 392-6868 ext. 4753 or [email protected].
