Leading Online Learning Initiatives in Adult Education (original) (raw)
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Meeting the Needs of Adult Learners in Distance Education
This paper explores seven journal articles that focus on higher educational institutions, their ability to meet the educational needs of adult learners (aged 25 and older), and the obstacles and benefits adult learners face in the twenty-first century. By identifying the needs of adult learners, both colleges and universities face ever-changing challenges of pre-existing demands on this genre of students. Family and employment, coupled with the technological demands of online learning (distance education) is at the forefront of the minds of the learner. Exploring the theories of Paas, Renkl, and Sweller (2003), and the asymmetrical relationship of intrinsic, extraneous, and germane cognitive load to learning patterns help course designers develop online learning programs, which maximize the educational value for adult learners. Review of research findings provides insight and gives guidance to help adult students achieve success in online courses and distance learning environments. Review of the role of higher educational institutions and the educators’ relationship to students in online environments provide the basis to support conclusions in this paper.
Adult Instruction and Online Learning
Distance education and Internet-centered learning have been moving at break neck speed in the past two decades. Yet research specifically geared to offer assistance to practitioners who are involved in the new instructional paradigm has not been forthcoming. It is thus clear that there is need for a discerning and actionable framework that can serve as a guide in Internet-oriented adult instruction. This paper introduces and develops the Internet-centric Adult Instruction (IcAI), framework a theoretically-grounded approach to plan, design, or evaluate adult-oriented online courses and curricula. A focus is placed on learner, facilitator, and system processes in IcAI. The framework allows emphasis to be placed on specific local factors involved in amplifying or impeding learning gains within the particular educational context. Learning events and orientations concerned within and across each leg of the instructional triad of IcAI are also supported by the framework. Results from an expert review and a detailed analysis of IcAI indicate that the framework offers a balanced approach for use in the development of adult-oriented online instruction. In addition, the inferences drawn from the study strengthen the understanding that it is critical to have a systematic analytical approach in the management and evaluation of Internet-based instruction for adult learners. Finally, the insights uncovered via the IcAI study highlight the importance of using theoretically-grounded approaches in the development and roll-out of instruction tailored for any educational context.
Engaging Adult Learners Online Through Technology, Andragogy, and Flexible Course Design
Handbook of Research on Technology-Centric Strategies for Higher Education Administration
Distance educational courses and programs, either fully online or hybrid, have been a major contributing factor in the shift that is felt in the academic landscape which now offers a variety of instructional modes, welcomes adult and non traditional learners, and offers a wider variety of curricular offerings reflecting current market trends. While a high percentage of students take classes online, adult learners particularly benefit from the flexibility and accessibility offered by online education. Yet, adult learners are more likely to be intimidated because of their lack of familiarity with this new learning paradigm. This chapter examines online and adult learners programming as well as strategies to address their needs, and presents the results of an evaluation that examined the effectiveness of an Online Adult Learner-Focused Program. The results of the study found various levels of student satisfaction with online adult learner-focused courses and as it relates to meeting th...
Desire: A Key Factor for Successful Online GED Adult Learners.
ournal of Research and Practice for Adult Literacy, Secondary, and Basic Education, 2015
The purpose of this study was to analyze the experiences of 12 adult online General Educational Development (GED) students to determine the role of program and personal factors that influenced their successful passing of the GED or their dropping-out of the program. Through surveys and interviews, we discovered that desire was the key factor for success. Teacher support also played a very important role. Our findings support the interest in adult online GED programs and provide insight to factors of persistence. Cite: Shaw, D., Tham, Y. S. S., Hogle, J., & Koch, J. (2015). Desire: A key factor for successful online GED adult learners. Journal of Research and Practice for Adult Literacy, Secondary, and Basic Education, 4(1), 21-35.
Adult education theory and practice provide some guiding principles for the organisation, implementation and evaluation of courses addressed to adults. Issues such as active participation, self-direction, barriers to learning, and participatory evaluation are considered as some of the crucial elements of most adult education courses. Moving from traditional forms of adult education to distance learning and specifically to web-based courses, the access of adults in educational activities expands, while at the same time the need of adaptation of the above-mentioned principles to new environments is emerging. This article focuses on the adaptation of adult education participation and evaluation approaches in organizing, implementing and evaluating web-based courses. The way that barriers to learning are dealt with in web-based courses is presented, using as an example the implementation of an existing course. In this example, the CIPP (Context, Input, Process, Product) model was used for evaluation purposes, and the main results are also highlighted.
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Interactive Learning Environments, 2010
received his doctoral education training from the Texas A&M University and has previous graduate training in information systems, human resources development, and instructional technology. Kidd has presented at international conferences on designing technology rich learning environments, technology adoption and diffusion, and issues dealing with faculty and staff development. His research interests include e-learning and ICT innovation and its diffusion within an educational and community context to support teaching, learning, and human capital development. Kidd is an experienced educator, consultant,
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Adult learners are different from younger learners. Many have taken Knowles’ ideas to work with adult learners as if they all are the same. Knowles described adult learners as more self-directed, willing to be responsible for what they do, unwilling to have teachers impose arbitrary information on them, ready to learn, task oriented, and experienced. Prather adds many adults have more immediate goals for their lives and careers. Kenner and Weinerman find adults want more collaborative relationships with professors. Adult students are unique and come to classes from a variety of backgrounds and circumstances, with different needs, wants, and learning preferences. Many students are prepared for college, while others are petrified. In this chapter, the authors argue that instructors should understand their students in order to help them be successful. Students are not alternative students; they are normal, intelligent people who can and will learn. Thus, the goal should be student-cent...
A Conceptual Model for Meeting the Needs of Adult Learners in Distance Education and E-Learning
International Journal of Advanced Corporate Learning (iJAC)
More than 40% of undergraduate students are 24 years of age or older [1], and over half of these students are enrolled in distance education [2]. Yet, adults do not fare as well as traditional-aged college students who are four times as likely to graduate [3]. The workforce is both aging and becoming more age-diverse, re-sulting in the need to provide ongoing training for a range of learners [4]. There is some evidence that training performance declines with age [5]. Understanding the needs of the adult learner in distance education and e-learning is important for improving their experience and outcomes. By combining cognitive, social, and emotional factors, sensitive to the impact of context, we can develop program-ming that meets the needs of the whole learner. Drawing from the science of learning, I will outline the components of my conceptual model for meeting the needs of adult learners in distance education and e-learning. There is a diverse body of evidence-based instructiona...
A Conceptual Model for Meeting the Needs of Adult Learners in Distance Education
Springer International Publishing eBooks, 2022
More than 40% of undergraduate students are 24 years of age or older [1], and over half of these students are enrolled in distance education [2]. Yet, adults do not fare as well as traditional-aged college students who are four times as likely to graduate [3]. Understanding the needs of the adult learner in distance education is important for improving their experience and outcomes. By combining cognitive, social, and emotional factors, sensitive to the impact of context, we can develop programming that meets the needs of the whole learner. Drawing from the science of learning, I will outline the components of my conceptual model for meeting the needs of adult learners in distance education. There is a diverse body of evidencebased instructional practices to support each of the factors in this model, but additional research may show significant interaction effects that may be especially beneficial for adult learners in distance education.