Running head: ENGAGING ADULT STUDENTS IN ONLINE LEARNING

Engaging Adult Students in Online Learning Jennifer Hofmann The George Washington University

ENGAGING ADULT STUDENTS IN ONLINE LEARNING Abstract As a result of the recent economic crisis in the U.S., there has been a shift away from traditional classroom training and learning to online programs for adults. Creation of online programs for adults must be approached by considering concepts central to andragogy, learner motivation, technological competence and consideration for the demands of individuals personal and professional lives on learning. The development of online courses for adult learners is an area of educational technology that will continue to grow over time. Instructional designers must focus on their adult audience and create custom programs and courses that will meet this groups unique learning demands and requirements.

ENGAGING ADULT STUDENTS IN ONLINE LEARNING Engaging Adult Students in Online Learning Over the past several decades, training and education for adult learners has shifted out of the traditional classroom environment. In addition, a growing number of adults pursue higher education for various reasons including personal enrichment, change of career, or a requirement for promotion (Spellman, 2007, p. 63). Due to significant budgetary and time constraints on the part of individuals and organizations, many certificate, degree and training courses for adults are being offered online. As this shift becomes more and more apparent and necessary, it is essential to explore the best approaches for engaging adult students in online learning. Online learning refers to a course of study or training generally delivered via the internet (Newby, Stepich, Lehman, Russell, & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2011, p. 312), as opposed to traditional classroom learning, where students and teachers meet at a designated time and place on an ongoing basis for a designated period of time. The application of adult learning theories is integral to the creation of successful, well-received online adult education courses. Many organizations are beginning to develop and research innovative online education programs for adult learners who need to meet personal or professional goals and standards to perform their jobs successfully. To effectively meet these demands, emerging technologies and various platforms for creating online courses must be explored. The challenge is selecting affordable, employable and manageable technology that is tailored to meet the needs of busy adult learners who often have significant time and budgetary constraints. Investigating the fundamentals of developing successful and engaging adult education programs along with applying central concepts of adult learning in general will help in the development of successful new online programs. Historical Background/Context

ENGAGING ADULT STUDENTS IN ONLINE LEARNING Online training has been gaining popularity and legitimacy over the last twenty years. With the dawn of the internet and an age where communication and learning can happen anytime, anywhere, the transition to online learning was inevitable. Even as an increasing number of colleges, universities and large organizations create or adopt large-scale online training programs, some still doubt the effectiveness of online learning (especially when compared to its face-to-face classroom counterpart). Beginning in the 1990s, dramatic changes in the U.S. economy and technological innovations propelled distance education to the center of attention (Spellman, 2007, p. 73) and as online learning has gained more momentum in the last decade, there has been a growing body of research to explore the effectiveness of online learning compared with traditional classroom learning. For employers, training and education can be a big expense and providing online training and degree or certificate courses has proven to be a viable alternative to costly classroom based university degree or certification programs. Many companies greatly shrank their training budgets as a result of the economic recession over the last several years, and even as the economy has begun to recover, these organizations are unlikely to go back to the more expensive programs when they have seen the significant financial benefits of offering online training and continuing education opportunities to their employees. Significance of Research Issue Research and exploration of successfully engaging adult learners in online training has become increasingly significant with the shift towards online training and learning in the last two decades. It is not enough to simply create online courses based on a set curriculum previously employed in the classroom. Instructional designers must focus on the audience they are trying to reach (specifically adults). Demands of the current job market have spurred many adult

ENGAGING ADULT STUDENTS IN ONLINE LEARNING professionals back to school seeking higher degrees to give them a competitive edge in the job market or to maintain their current position. These individuals often have conflicting work and family roles and taking courses in person at a college or university is not an option for them. As the demand for online adult education continues to increase, professionals in the educational technology field must focus on creating quality online education that accommodates an increasing number of adult students. Key Factors in Developing Online Courses for Adults There are several key concepts to consider and evaluate before instructional designers should begin creating online learning content for adult learners. Some of these concepts are discussed below and include the principle of andragogy, theories of motivation and volition, learners technological competence, and desire to achieve a work/life balance among adult students. Principles of Andragogy in Adult Learning Instructional designers creating programs specifically for adult learners must take into consideration the theories of andragogy introduced by Malcolm Knowles in the late 1960s. Knowles asserts that there are several key factors that distinguish the adult learning population from younger learners and challenged principles of pedagogy and traditional instruction by proposing a learning environment that fostered learner-centered approaches and mutual trust and respect among learners and facilitators (Snyder, 2009, p. 49). Knowles based his theory of andragogy on five important assumptions about adult learners; self-concept, experience, readiness to learn, orientation to learning, and motivation to learn (Smith, 2002). Other key components to Knowless theory are; student-centered learning, focus on cooperative relationships, active involvement, self-directed learning, goal orientation and learning through

ENGAGING ADULT STUDENTS IN ONLINE LEARNING hands-on problem solving. Central to this theory is the idea that for online learning to be effective, professors must shift from a teacher-centered to a student-centered learning environment (Spellman, 2007, p. 73). Beyond these factors driving adult learning is the desire for immediate application of learning concepts to their jobs or lives and the appreciation for bringing their life and work experience into the educational process. Another main component of andragogy is adults need to find relevance and meaning in what they are learning with the help of their peers. As a result, the online classroom depends on student interaction and dialogue (Spellman, 2007, p. 73). Adults often want to see the direct benefits of what they learn or they find little value in learning it. One of the main distinctions between pedagogy and andragogy is the role of the teacher. In andragogy the teacher serves more as the facilitator of information and knowledge, not as the distributor (as is often the case in early education). Motivation and Volition Theories of motivation and volition are particularly important in creating online courses to engage adult learners. This is truer for adults than children and young adults because continuing adult education is often a choice rather than a legal requirement as it is for minors. Even when training and study is required by an adults employer, motivation and volition play a key role in learner involvement and success in a program or course. Keller and Deimann (2012) assert that there are three critical levels of motivation; first is motivation to learn, second is motivation to work, and third is volition, or self motivation and self-regulation (as cited in Reiser & Dempsey, p. 85). Motivation to learn refers to an individuals desire to achieve specific goals in conjunction with environmental and other driving forces influencing them. Motivation to work refers to the relevancy of learning to professional settings or professional goals. Lastly, volition refers to personal strategies used to help individuals meet educational

ENGAGING ADULT STUDENTS IN ONLINE LEARNING goals. In Kyong-Jees 2009 study of adult learner motivation in online courses, subjects reported higher degrees of interest and motivation when courses provided more interaction and made connections to relevant real-world situations. The same study established that online courses with low interactivity paired with a lack of connection in content to the learners lives and experiences led to decreased motivation and low degree of interest in the course overall (KyongJee, 2009). Technological Competence Varying degrees of technological competence should be evaluated in the audience analysis done by instructional designers when seeking to create online courses for adults. For some, online learning opportunities have helped learners connect their daily use of technology to meaningful educational opportunities. (Olesen-Tracey, 2010, p. 37). However, there are many other adults who may shy away from enrolling in online courses because they lack the ability to use the internet effectively (e.g. in using particular tools, locating information, and so on) or they may have low confidence and self-esteem as learners (Enyon & Helsper, 2010, p. 535). In Rakaps 2010 study of forty-six adult learners in an online special education course, results showed that there was a positive correlation between students computer skills and success in the class and students with more advanced computer skills score higher on the quizzes than students with less advanced computer skills (Rakap, 2010, p. 113). The results of the same study led the researcher to suggest that for students with low computer skills, a tutorial or a user manual explaining how to use various functions of the course website might be placed in the main page and the instructor may also provide information about how to get technological help when needed (Rakap, 2010, p. 114). Course developers cannot assume that computer literacy is present when adults enroll in online courses and that they have the support necessary

ENGAGING ADULT STUDENTS IN ONLINE LEARNING to combat this deficiency. Some of the adult learning population may expect (and possibly require) introductory training and detailed information pertaining to newly introduced technology. Work/Life Balance The varying roles of adult learners should be considered when creating online courses for this group. Course requirements that might be realistic for younger learners may not be well received by adult learners as they often confront a variety of barriers such as lack of academic preparation, lack of finances, social issues, cultural issues, and overwhelming family responsibilities (Spellman, 2007, p. 63). Instructional designers and course instructors must incorporate flexibility into their curriculum to account for the challenges related to a work/life balance that face adult learners. Related to Malcolm Knowles previously mentioned theories of andragogy, (w)ithout knowing why they need to learn something, adults will struggle to find value in the process that is taking them away from their other responsibilities and therefore (i)nstructors need to be very clear about the need that is being met by the learning (Fabel, 2010). As the industry moves towards more adult-driven courses and topics, more research is required to understand the complex interplay between individual characteristics and decision making and the home, work and social contexts within which they operate (Enyon & Helsper, 2010, p. 547). With more research on the impacts that personal, family and work demands have on the adult learners experience in online courses, program developers and instructors can continue to improve upon existing courses as well as create new courses that will include components and scaffolds that help overcome these likely barriers to successful enrollment, retention and completion in online programs and courses.

ENGAGING ADULT STUDENTS IN ONLINE LEARNING Implications Based on current research in the field, (t)he World Wide Web continues to be a practical medium for delivering trainings, in-service education programs and undergraduate and graduate level courses, and learning (Rakap, 2010, p. 114) and it appears that the online learning industry for adult learners will continue to grow in the coming years. As adults become more and more comfortable with this type of training and education, they will continue to demand new and interesting online programs. For the field of instructional design, the implications of the increased numbers of adult learners partaking in online programs are plentiful. It will become increasingly important to identify the learning audience for courses and programs in order to sculpt the course to best meet the demands of learners. Taking into account theories of adult learning (andragogy) will become essential in the development of training programs and degree programs aimed towards these individuals. There is not a one-size fits all approach to the creation of online courses and it is clear that different groups are likely to need different kinds and levels of support if they wish to use the internet for learning (Enyon & Helsper, 2010, p. 548). Additional technology skills training may be needed for adult learners and should be incorporated into introductory courses for this student group. While greater numbers of colleges and universities struggle to get their online learning programs off the ground, important differences in learning styles among adults and other learning populations must be examined and through insightful and forward-thinking initiatives, adult education program administrators can bring online learning opportunities to the adult learners doorsteps (Olesen-Tracey, 2010, p. 38). Instructional designers and instructors working to develop adult-geared courses and programmers must focus not only on delivering

ENGAGING ADULT STUDENTS IN ONLINE LEARNING courses covering sought after and current content, but also on adapting to the unique needs of the adult students who they are building their programs for. Conclusion Adult focused online education will be a powerful force in the field of educational technology for the foreseeable future and as community colleges and universities expand their online learning opportunities, it is critical for local adult education program administrators to evaluate their ideas of the traditional teaching and learning experience to include online learning (Olesen-Tracey, 2010, p. 37). As the job market continues to be more competitive and lifelong learning becomes a requirement in many fields, the need for online-based learning will continue to grow. Whether for employer sanctioned training or for personal choice, a growing number of adults will continue to choose online programs to meet their continuing education requirements as a result of their flexibility, affordability and availability. Rapidly churning out low quality programs and courses in an online platform would be a huge mistake for any school or professional organization that desires to become a major player in the future of online education. In order to be successful, instructional designers charged with the development of online programming for adults must evaluate their audiences needs, preferences and learning requirements.

10

ENGAGING ADULT STUDENTS IN ONLINE LEARNING References Enyon, R. & Helsper, E. (2010). Adults learning online: Digital choice and/or digital exclusion? New Media & Society, 13(4), 534-551. Fabel, S. (2010, April 3). Corporate Training Programs - Andragogy Assumptions. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.corporate-training-programs.com/corporate-trainingprograms/corporate-training-programs-andragogy-assumptions/ Kyong-Jee, K. (2009). Motivational challenges of adult learners in self-directed e-learning. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 20(3), 317-335. Newby, T.J., Stepich, D.A., Lehman, J. D., Russell, J. D., & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A. (2011). Educational technology for teaching and learning (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Olesen-Tracey, K. (2010). Leading online learning initiatives in adult education. Journal of Adult Education, 39(2), 36-39. Rakap, S. (2010). Impacts of learning styles and computer skills on adult students' learning online. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology - TOJET, 9(2), 108-115. Reiser, R.A., & Dempsey, J. V. (2012). Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Smith, M. K. (2002). Malcolm Knowles, informal adult education, self-direction and Andragogy. The Encyclopedia of Informal Education. Retrieved April 19, 2013, from http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-knowl.htm Snyder, M.M. (2009). Instructional-design theory to guide the creation of online learning

11

ENGAGING ADULT STUDENTS IN ONLINE LEARNING communities for adults. Techtrends, 53(1), 45-57. Spellman, N. 2007. Enrollment and retention barriers adult students encounter. The Community College Enterprise, 13(1), 63-79.

12