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Who Are Our Students Knowing who our students are will help us establish a rapport with them, motivate them, and support them given the kinds of stressors they are likely to encounter. Find out more about our changing student population: Wayne Lewrey's Student Profile Survey Wayne Lewrey's Student Profile Surveys Wayne Lewrey's latest survey (Powerpoint file) would be a good place to begin. His latest survey from 2005 compares entry-level full-time students from 2005 with those from 2003, 2001, 1999, 1997, and 1995. We do know from Wayne's survey that we are receiving many younger students at Algonquin now. For an excellent introduction to understanding the younger learner, open Understanding the Younger Learner from the Focus on Learning program, with thanks to Doug Smith from Loyalist College. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Over 45% of our learners are still aged 20 to 34, in addition to a small percentage beyond that age (Wayne's survey). They are more likely to fit the profile for adult learners. We know a great deal about these adult learners. Here are a few key resources on adult learning that you may wish to consult. From LTS, a chart that identifies key characteristics of adult learners and the ways to address their needs in our learning environments. From Stephen Lieb, a good summary of the principles of adult learning that come from Malcolm Knowles' work, as well as tips for motivating the adult learner, and instructional tips for teaching the adult learner. http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/adults-2.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Many of our classrooms are rich in multicultural diversity. Such diversity can also be a challenge when it comes to welcoming our learners, engaging in conversation with them, accommodating different ways of learning, and different expectations about the learning process. The International Buddy Network at Algonquin One resource for your international students is the Buddy Network at Algonquin. If you notice that an international student in your class seems isolated, be sure to advise him or her of the Buddy Program at Algonquin. Other Resources The Centre for Teaching at the University of Iowa has an interesting page called "Understanding International Students" which summarizes the educational systems in different countries including Japan, The Peoples' Republic of China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Viet Nam, Egypt, Mexico, Colombia, Poland, Korea, and Brazil. Well worth a look to understand the educational system that your international students are coming from. http://www.cshe.unimelb.edu.au/pdfs/international.pdf A good set of tips from Harvard for college professors teaching in racially diverse classrooms . http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/html/icb.topic58474/TFTrace.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------- All experienced professors at Algonquin College have welcomed special needs students into their classrooms. To broaden your knowledge about our special needs learners, you may want to look at these resources. Kinds of Disabilities For an overview of the kinds of disabilities that we find in our student population, take a look at the page in the CSD site that describes each of these disabilities. Faculty Resources When is the last time you've been to the Faculty Information page of the CSD (Centre for Students with Disabilities) site at Algonquin College? There is a lot of excellent information there including the following:
Want More Information? CSD personnel usually give workshops for faculty each year offering tips for accommodating students with disabilities in the classroom. Check the Professional Development schedule on the home page of this site to see if one is offered now. In addition, you can book an appointment with CSD counsellors any time to discuss particular cases.
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