"Hitting the Mark" Two Tips for Successfully Integrating Technologies for the Adult Learner
How many new apps have you put on our phone this year? How many technologies have you used today that you didn't even know existed a year ago? Many technologies that were considered the most popular among people few years back might be facing extinction or actually extinct today. Blockbuster video is a cool t-shirt with youth today yet most have never rented a VHS tape. This technological evolution does not happen due to natural or human influenced disasters but rather because of the advancements and innovations of the cutting-edge parallel and alternative technologies (Pathan, 2018). The same evolution of technologies exists within education for the adult learner.
Technologies used to support learning also have a lifecycle and are continuously being challenged and replaced by new technologies. D2L, Angel, Turning Point and other educational software platforms have come and gone. This rapid evolution of learning technologies makes the selection and implementation within courses that much more challenging. When considering a "best practice" in selecting and integrating technology that adult learner will accept, it is helpful to consider the Transitional Distance theory.
Transactional distance is the gap of understanding and communication between the teachers and learners caused by geographic distance that must be bridged through distinctive procedures in instructional design and the facilitation of interaction (Moore & Kearsley, 2005, p. 223). The Transactional Distance theory will be considered relative to what may assist a teacher to ensure an "acceptance" of learning technologies by self-directed learners.
The first consideration for implementing a technology in a course is understanding the needs and wants of the students. In my experience, conducting pre-course surveys to develop a baseline of technological fluency and the overall attitude towards a technology helps shape the course. If the survey reveals a general acceptance of certain technologies, I spend less time on the tutorial and the confidence building portion of the use of that technology. Additional support is provided but not mandatory based on learner response.
Tip 1# Meet the learners where they are- this may change course to course so be flexible in your approach. Let them shape how much technology we use and how quickly we use it.
A second consideration related to the implementation of the technology is if it is mandatory that the learner use this exact platform? The beauty part of technology integration lies in the fact that technology allows us to build flexibility into the course so much so that the structure, dialog, transactional distance, and learner autonomy attributes of a course (Moore, 2018) are not fixed quantities. Is there an opportunity for the learner to select an alternative technology with which they are more comfortable? Can they use Google Docs versus Microsoft Word for example? Providing learner autonomy and the permission to use a technology with which they are more familiar can increase acceptance so long as the same learning outcomes can be met.
Tip #2 Don't force what you think is best on the learner- If possible give your learner a chance to utilize technologies they prefer so long as the end goals of the learning exercise can be met.
Flexibility matters when considering the implementation of technology in our courses and whether it enhances or distracts for our SDL's experience. Imagine if Blockbuster has been more flexible in it's approach to their business model. Maybe they wouldn't be just a hipster t-shirt fad today.
Sources:
(2018) Technological advancements and innovations are often detrimental for concerned technology companies, International Journal of Computers and Applications, 40:4, 189-191, DOI: 10.1080/1206212X.2018.1515412
Moore, M.G., & Kearsley, G. (2005) Distance education: A systems view (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
Moore, G. M. (2018). The theory of transactional distance. In M. Moore & W. Diehl (Eds.), Handbook of distance education (4th ed., pp. 32-46). New York, NY: Routledge. https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315296135-4
I think tip #2 is really great... in theory. As someone who can typically jump from one tech to another without too much fuss, I am happy to accommodate where others are most comfortable. This is true as a student and as an instructor. However, I am thinking about an instance such as our group projects. We have flexibility to approach it however we want, and our instructor has not mandated how we organized our pre-work. What if,though, you had two group members that had different preferences? One is most comfortable in GSuite and the other Microsoft. Without the instructor providing some structure there, will the group be immobilized? How does the instructor help the group resolve where their comforts lie?
ReplyDeleteGreat example and thank you for sharing your thoughts. I think that is the beauty of adult learning. Like life, we can't always get what we want (Rolling Stones I think...) but we need to assess, consider and ultimately compromise. Unlike a pedagogical model, adult learners with control to decide and consider outcomes are more likely to come to agreement versus simply shutting down. When given directives, you really only have 2 choices- do or don't do what's asked and in that prescribed method. As you describe in group work, we get the chance to debate, share skills, and ultimately find paths that help us all through each of our own skills and contributions. Maybe the path is different but maybe the outcome is superior? Thanks for the comment.
DeleteAaron - I think you hit the nail on the head with this sentence...
ReplyDelete"The beauty part of technology integration lies in the fact that technology allows us to build flexibility into the course so much so that the structure, dialog, transactional distance, and learner autonomy attributes of a course (Moore, 2018) are not fixed quantities."
So why does it seem to matter so much about the platform? I think giving the learner the autonomy to choose how they display their learning is powerful and it helps with their engagement and buy-in to the work. If the end result is a strong demonstration of new authentic knowledge, do we care how they got there? As a high school math teacher, I would always encourage my students to show their work - not because I was questioning their ability to solve the problem - but because if they got the problem incorrect, by looking at their work I would be able to help them figure out at what step they took a wrong turn.
It's all about voice and choice to me...
kiera
Aaron,
ReplyDeleteI also spoke about understanding the wants and needs of each of your students. I think in online learning this is one of the most important things to remember. In each online program you typically are working with students who are fresh out of their undergrad, students like myself who took a few years off before pursuing their M.S., or students who have been out of high school for 30+ years! As long as we remember we all bring different skills to the table, and plan accordingly, we can have great courses. Thanks again for sharing!