Lecturers' perceptions of mature students in Institutes of Technology

While lecturers in Institutes of Technology have traditionally designed courses, and; employed teaching approaches and strategies and methods of assessment forstudents; who are 18 years of age and have just completed the Leaving Certificate, they are now; having to cater for increasing numbers of mature students whose approaches to; learning and pedagogical needs are quite distinct from the mainstream student. A; study in Institutes of Technology, using semi-structured interviews,as undertaken; to ascertain the level of understanding and insight lecturers have of mature students; and how their pedagogical approach may have been extended to include them in the; learning environment. While respondents revealed a high level of awareness of the; needs of mature students, reflecting many of the theories and approaches expounded; by educational theorists, the growing number of such students in mainstream classes; was found to have presented many unprecedented challenges for which little or no; provision had been made in terms of staff developm