The Impact of User Experience With Technology on Course Expectations

Technology seems to be here to stay and academics are encouraged to incorporate it into their classrooms. Yet, little has been written about the human side and how the widespread use of technology by students changes the expectations of their effort, the instructor's approach, satisfaction with the learning experience, and the students' ability to apply what they have learned to future coursework or their life. This chapter reports research that informs this topic, synthesizes the current literature as it pertains to technology and pedagogy, and correlates this information with what is known about the development of metacognition during learning in adults. The chapter ends with some helpful approaches.

Online Learning and the Use of Audio Recordings for Career Exploration, Job Search, and Networking

The use of online platforms in higher education as an alternative to traditional residential classrooms has grown dramatically in recent years. The integration of online technology into pedagogy technology is acknowledged as a useful means for addressing the characteristics of Generation Z, an age cohort for which technology is second nature. This chapter examines the efficacy of the use of audio recordings as an additional pedagogical tool for engaging students in both active learning and information dissemination on career opportunities and methods for career advancement. Specifically, the chapter reports on a case study in which active learning was employed in an online course – Retail Management – an undergraduate elective course taught in the marketing major at a large public institution. Audio recordings, labeled “Professionals on Demand (PODcasts)” were used to provide insights into career explorations, job searching, and networking. To conclude, directions for future teaching practice and research are provided.

Transforming Chemistry Curricula and Courses to Support Adult Learners

This chapter presents a compilation of best practices for preparing chemistry curricula and courses that consider the cognitive needs of adult learners. Chemistry instructors at the post-secondary level may receive little guidance on how to meet the needs of adult learners, members of a diverse undergraduate STEM student population. The author illustrates how adult learning theories and chemical education research can be applied to support reentry learners. Some aspects of distance education for adult learners in the sciences are examined, especially the unique challenge of offering laboratory coursework in this setting. The author makes recommendations for supporting faculty who engage in course revision with adult chemistry learners in mind. This chapter is relevant for university-level chemistry faculty, administrators and instructional designers.

The Role of Management in Instructional Design

A great deal of instructional designers' time is spent designing the course content and managing projects. This chapter provides a comprehensive review of literature examining the project management knowledge, skills, and abilities performed by and expected of instructional designers from different sectors. To fully demonstrate the importance of management in the instructional design process, the author examines prior research and highlights the significance of reviewing the competencies and standards developed by professional organizations within the field. This chapter also discusses the importance of management to the instructional design process, how to successfully align and bridge the gap between instructional design models – ADDIE and SAM – and project management, as well as how the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) complements the instructional design process. The author examines project management, cost and budget management, people management, and timelines and deadline management. The author concludes by explaining how the chapter will benefit new instructional designers entering the field while also enhancing current instructional designers' knowledge about management trends and expectations.

A Practitioner Guide on Backward Design Application for Online Aviation Training in Higher Education

The aviation industry experienced a significant growth over the years. Such growth was supported by a highly knowledgeable workforce, which presented various skills, including problem-solving and decision-making. The need for a highly skilled workforce led an aviation-focused university located in southeast USA to provide students with learning opportunities to hone those skills to succeed in the industry. This chapter explains the process through which those learning opportunities are created. It presents a practitioner's guide on how that university is designing online courses for the aviation industry. The entire design and development process and the theories supporting it, such as Backward Design and authentic learning, are thoroughly discussed. The chapter also presents several challenges negatively impacting the successful design of those courses and how those challenges can be mitigated so instructionally-sound online courses are created.

Afrocentric Thought in Adult Education

The failure of the American education system to teach African American students has been well chronicled. This chapter draws attention to the history of Eurocentric pedagogy and its ineffectiveness to educate African American students. The principles of Afrocentricity are presented as a plausible way to counter ineffective, hegemonic, and ethnocentric curriculum planning for all students, with particular emphasis on students of color. Differentiated instruction offers adult educators a way to vary instruction and integrate an Afrocentric paradigm and content into student-centered curricula. This chapter concludes with two Afrocentric application activities.

Issues of Health-Related Physical Fitness of the Adult Learner

This chapter discussed the importance of physical fitness concerning adult learners' readiness to participate meaningfully in academia. Despite the importance of health-related physical fitness, not many adults seem to have given the issue (physical fitness) the needed attention. The chapter focused on the issues associated with a reduced level of physical activity participation, and the changing modes of transportation, and how the issues could interfere with learning if not addressed — suggestions on how to improve physical fitness while learning constitutes parts of the discussion.

Challenges, Issues, and Trends in Adult Education

This chapter explores how adults think, learn, and apply knowledge in their daily lives to effectively design a curriculum, create activities, and integrate valuable technology into the course design. The chapter summarizes adult learning theories, including self-directed, transformative, and experiential learning, as well as the concept of andragogy. Instructors are provided with practical tools and methodologies which will help them to produce effective adult learning experiences.

Simulation in Adult Learning

This chapter discusses the use of simulation in higher education, particularly in the engineering, business, and health care disciplines. The authors have identified three simulation types in terms of learning outcomes: single skill building, role play or skill building in a simple context, and comprehensive scenario-based simulation. The history and the application of simulation to build a single skill, for role play, and for comprehensive skills learning and practice is explored. It is observed that simulation is beneficial to student learning in all disciplines. However, business and health care appear to use simulation more extensively, especially scenario-based. Both business and health care employ simulation for behavioral training. In conclusion, simulation tends to appeal to students of the new generation Z, who value the experience of doing.

Online Strategic Discussion Forum

This chapter explores empirical research about online discussions to identify effective strategies for designing online discussions. A secondary objective is to summarize pertinent models of online discussions to develop an integrated model of online discussions. The integrated model provides instructional designers, faculty developers, and faculty members with a coherent framework for designing, facilitating, and participating in online discussions to meet the needs of adult learners. The review of literature showed that quality design of online discussion stimulates meaningful learning and supports a community of inquiry among learners. Scholars distinguish between two types of online discussions: convention, and strategic discussions. The consensus in the literature is that effective online discussions should be intrinsically motivating, support critical thinking and self-direction, as well as promote the negotiation of meaning and co-construction of knowledge. Lastly, the instructor should play an active role in the discussion forum.