Another factor in relating to mature students is the students' own fear and anxiety, particularly for first-year returning students. All incoming students have some level of anxiety, particularly about their academic skills, but this is exacerbated for older learners by the myths and realities of aging. Older students may also fear that instructors will not take them seriously, which will cause anxiety and strain student-instructor relations. Another way to address this issue is to recognize that, as John Cavanaugh noted, mature students are generally more open to ambiguity than younger, less intellectually developed students are. Older learners can be encouraged to examine the breadth of their experience to find variables and contingencies.
Mature learners can be an amazingly valuable asset in the classroom.
They bring a wealth of experience, a lifetime of interpersonal skills, strong intellectual patterns, and a genuine commitment to learning. As long as instructors are willing to work to make the classroom a welcoming and productive place for all students, older students can be welcomed as another facet of University diversity.