The Non-Traditional Student Blog (BA)

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Hello, fellow Nontrads!

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Betsyanne

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Defining ourselves as Nontraditional Students

Defining the Nontraditional Student (...what others may think, what I think, and what you think...)

This group could be Nontrads! Photo by Ed Schipul, Brian Potter and Sarah Worthy.

OK - we know that nontraditional students are usually older, some have families, and many go part-time, online, or take a combination of all of these back-to-school classes.

Wikipedia defines a nontraditional students using the National Center for Education Statistics' definition.

They have seven separate characteristics of the nontraditional student:

"1. Delays enrollment (does not enter postsecondary education in the same calendar year that he or she finished high school)

2. Attends part time for at least part of the academic year

3, Works full time (35 hours or more per week) while enrolled

4. Is considered financially independent for purposes of determining eligibility for financial aid

5. Has dependents other than a spouse (usually children, but sometimes others)

6. Is a single parent (either not married or married but separated and has dependents)

7. Does not have a high school diploma (completed high school with a GED or other high school completion certificate or did not finish high school)"

Some schools define a nontraditional student as being over 24. But I think a nontraditional student COULD be younger.

More of what I think:

The nontraditional students I have met DO have a high school diploma, but I actually did not ask some of them about having a GED. I think a GED is just as valid as a "regular" diploma.

I also noticed that some of the nontraditional students I knew worked part-time or did not work also (referencing #3 above).

I also met people who were going to school full-time, which takes out #3.

My personal definition is "A person going back to school after a break." This gets to include GED students and students taking other higher education classes. It's not JUST about college.

What do you think?

Leave a comment and start a conversation. See you next posting, and thanks for stopping by!

Betsyanne
Current and Former Nontraditional Student
Former: Education!
Current: Art from self-study, and finishing my books. (HOW could I forget that last time?)

Some Nontrad links: The Nontrad site and blog Join Nontrads on Facebook Nontrads on Yahoo Nontrads on Twitter

Article links: The National Center for Education Statistics
Non-Traditional Students - on Wikipedia

Articles and Blog Entries for Nontraditional Students.

Here is More Good Reading Material for Nontraditional Students.
I went to some great nontraditional student blogs and articles and looked around today, as I do from time to time, especially when looking for blog material.


An altered board book by TheWeatherPixie at the moon, stars, and paper blog.

Here are some postings and stories you may like. They are perfect for the nontraditional student. Let me know which one you like best by leaving a comment. Thanks!

From Nontraditional Students by Linda S. Pogue:
Three Reasons the College Catalog is Your Friend
From the BestCollegesOnline site:
50 Unique Colleges Every Non-Traditional Student Should Consider

From Front Range Community College in Colorado:
Student Profile: Non-Traditional Student Returns to College for Love of Animals

From SUNY Portland Physical Education:
Non-Traditional Students Inducted into Honor Society
(This article has links to Blogs and ePortfolios too.)

From the Chegg Blog site:
A younger student learns from nontraditional students in his classes:
Learning from the Non-Traditional Student

Betsyanne

Current and Former Nontraditional Student
Former: Education!
Current: Art from self-study!

PS: I am so happy you came by this blog today. You can find more help and support at these other links:

The Nontrad site and blog

Join Nontrads on Facebook

Nontrads on Yahoo and

Nontrads on Twitter.

Some Nontrad links:
The Nontrad site and blog
Join Nontrads on Facebook
Nontrads on Yahoo
Nontrads on Twitter

Learning styles, two tests, and finding out about your learning style.

What kind of learner are you?

Learning groups... different kinds of teaching for different learning styles... these were a couple of things I learned about in Teacher Education.

Learning just how students learn has long been something for teachers to know about. Now, with Learning Styles, teachers can offer instruction meant to appeal to many different students, all who learn differently.

So how do YOU learn? Are you a visual learner, an auditory learner, or perhaps you learn best by actually doing something? That could point to being a kinesthetic learner.

Of course, people seldom learn in just one way. You probably are a combination of learning styles, with one or two main styles that help you learn fastest.

Here are a couple of tests to help you find out what kind of learner you are:

#1. LDPride's Learning Styles Test, and

#2. The Catherine Jester Learning Styles Test

Knowing how you best learn can help you get better grades.

If you took this test for the first time, were you surprised at the results?

Leave your comment below. Thanks!

Betsyanne
Former and Current Nontraditional Student
Former: Teacher Education
Current: Ceramics, blogging, and web design

Some Nontrad links: The Nontrad site and blog
Join Nontrads on Facebook
Nontrads on Yahoo and
Nontrads on Twitter