Supporting Mature-Aged Early Childhood Students’ Online Learning in Australian Higher Education

In early childhood initial teacher education, a growing number of mature-aged students with diploma qualifications and years of professional experience are undertaking their early childhood teacher degrees through online modes. Given the national staff shortage of early childhood teachers and the important role of higher education in professional development, it is crucial to support these students’ success in their online learning. Drawing on the critical reflection theory and the notions of “reflection-in-action” and “reflection-on-action”, this autoethnographic study examines a university lecturer’s perspective on the challenges of teaching mature-aged students in online Bachelor of Early Childhood Education programs. Four themes have been identified from the current study: the need for step-by-step technical support for the online learning system; acknowledgment of students’ practical experience contributes to online tutorial classrooms; the need for guidance for ethical and responsible use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in class discussions; and interactive dialogic guidance to support their assessment preparation. This study also included specific pedagogical adaptations to support these students, including offering technical support to assist mature-aged students in transitioning to university study, drawing on students’ professional knowledge to promote active engagement, providing interactive guidance to support understanding of assignment instructions, integrating open discussions about the use of GenAI in online class activities, and asking follow-up questions to encourage critical thinking. This study deepens our understanding of how university educators support mature-aged ECE students in their online learning through tailored pedagogical adaptations that align with their unique needs.