How to Teach Adults Technology

Teaching adult students technology hands on is very effective.

Computer technology is everywhere, even in the cash registers at the fast-food restaurant and in modern car light switches. Adults can be intimidated by technology even though it's all around them. But you can create a learning-friendly environment for the older adults to help them get the most out of this modern world.

Things You'll Need

• Syllabus Lesson Plan

Instructions

How to Teach Adults Technology

1. Determine the technological proficiencies of your students. Rewrite your traditional course syllabus to reflect those proficiencies and to provide real-life examples of how the technology being taught will be used so adult students will be encouraged to accept, and learn about, the new technology.

2. Provide hands-on learning with the new technology. You can set up a lab or provide assignments that the adult students can apply to their classroom learning. Encourage their attempts and commend their successes.

3. Set up study work groups for the class. Pair students or divide them into groups. Assign the pairs or groups a technology-based group assignment so the adult students can learn from the experiences of others.

4. Provide outside-the-classroom optional workshops so the students can learn technology at their own pace, practicing the skills they learned in class and in the study work group.

References

• Tips for Teaching Adult Students