It should also be noted that adults are life, task or problem-centered in their course to learning. They want to see the applicability of what they are learning to their life, a task they need to perform, or to solving a problem. Technology-based instruction will be more effective if it encompasses real-life examples or circumstances that adult learners may come across in their life or on the job. While adult learners may respond to exterior motivators, internal priorities are more significant. Incentives such as improved job satisfaction, self-esteem and quality of life are vital in giving adults a purpose to learn. If any of these can be related as part of technology-based instruction adults will act in response more positively.
Challenges of technology
Adult learners can have need of specialized support, both on campus and at a distance. In the campus environment, they occasionally lack the technology skills and motivation necessary to perform a task, or lack understanding of computing policies. Naturally, students of any age may need assistance, and adults of all ages can and do learn to use technology effectively. Whereas age is not a factor, confidence, practical experience, and motivation to use technology are. Formal computer training, hands-on experience, and the confidence achieved from far-reaching use over time are vital to effectively performing academic tasks. Many younger students who have grown up digitally have this familiarity while most adult learners do not, and so often are short of the practical knowledge, feelings of competence and desire to use technology younger learners possess. For example, adult students can become frustrated when assignments...
This requires serenity from support staff to give details of the policy, and then try a workaround. On the positive side, IT capability is more a subject of experience than age. Testing adult students for basic computing skills, offering training when needed, and orienting them to learning computing policies, including networked and wireless service, can clarify and ease these types of support issues.
Conclusion
Arguments for the use of technology repeatedly include statements about its flexibility and the ability of the learner to move through lessons any time, anywhere, and at their own pace. These opinions also include rational explanations of how a learner may acclimatize the lessons or material to cover what they need to learn and purge the material that is not appropriate or that they have already learned. To get a feel for to the needs of adult students, these definitions of technology-based learning must be utilized to make its design interactive, learner-centered and to smooth the progress of self-direction in learners. If these guiding principles are followed, the instruction that is developed will be not only technologically workable but also effectual from a learner's perspective.
References
Knowles, M.S. (1980). The Modern Practice of Adult Education; From Andragogy to Pedagogy. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Cambridge Adult Education.
Knowles, M.S. et al., (1998). The Adult Learner. Houston: Gulf Publishing.
Lawler, P.A. (1991). The Keys to Adult Learning: Theory and Practical Strategies. Philadelphia:
Research for Better Schools.
