Adult Learning Principles as the Foundation for Innovative Technology Applications in Business and Higher Education Venues

As Web 2.0 surfaces as the latest trendy phrase in education and technology discussions, it is imperative that instructors not get caught up in the glamour of the latest technology and loose sight of the required andragogical underpinnings necessary for effective and efficient teaching and learning. This chapter will begin by exploring the major theories and theorists in the field of adult education and the meshing of these theories with technology applications in higher education and global business venues. While Malcolm Knowles is credited with popularizing adult learning theory in the 1970’s, Stephen Brookfield, Jack Mezirow, Maxine Greene and Knud Illeris are among those who have moved the field forward over the past decades. Along with this progression in theory, the use of technology has escalated in popularity creating a need to frame its application in the foundational principles of adult education; an “Andragogy 2.0” focus is required. This chapter will expand on this theoretical base by offering short case studies that are linked to the theories as examples of innovative strategic approaches in the use of technology in adult teaching and learning.

Comparing the Principles of Adult Learning with Traditional Pedagogical Teaching in Relation to the Use of Technology

The traditional principles of adult learning are being subject to critical reconsideration from new adult teaching approaches and a growing use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). ICTs in adult learning have an ambivalent effect. On the one hand, they offer potential improvement in online communicative activities and the transmission of codified or explicit knowledge. On the other hand, they can reduce socially and interactive-mediated tacit teaching and learning. Thus, the crucial criterion for effective and complementary use of ICTs in adult andragogy is whether they enable time and social space for the tacit dimension of teaching and learning. This article analyzes these issues by comparing how two young universities in Spain have dealt with these effects of ICTs in relation to the tacit dimension of learning and teaching.

The Role of Learning Styles and Technology

Learning style research has informed effective classroom teaching strategies for decades. Technology has allowed faculty and students to move the learning environment from the four-walled classroom to a fluid global virtual space. Knowledge gained through the application of learning style research to the online instruction has enhanced practice; however, research demonstrating the alignment of learning styles with current technological resources has been limited. Learning styles and their interrelationship with technology and adult learners is as important today as initial learning style research was in the six decades after its beginnings in the 1940s. Education today must meet the needs of students who are more comfortable in electronic environments as well as those who need the four-walled classroom. The ability to use learning style research to accomplish both will lead to enhanced student learning and a more productive experience.

Adult Learners and Their Development in the Information Society

In a digital world where the amount of information doubles every two years, adults need to evaluate resources carefully and determine how to use relevant information to solve problems and make wise decisions. This changing informational environment affects adult education, and also emphasizes the need for lifelong education and learning organizations, and the intersection of technology and globalization has led to more intense and pluralistic interactions across societies. Because information’s meaning and impact are contextualized, shared knowledge and understanding can be harder to achieve. Therefore, information literacy and knowledge management are needed in order to fully realize one’s self-potential and an organization’s vision. Emerging trends that impact adult learning are discussed: equity, culturally-sensitive information, and information cross-fertilization. A model of adult learning and information interaction is provided.

From Pedagogy to Andragogy

It is generally accepted that there are differences in the way children and adults learn. Pedagogical philosophies and practices about classroom instruction, activities, and the roles of both the educator and learner are typically associated with primary and secondary education. The concept of andragogy, however, deals with the art and science of the adult learner. The andragogical classroom looks quite different than the pedagogical, and features more student-centered instruction, self-directed learning, and emphasis on the needs of the individual learner. Many adult learners are familiar with the pedagogical approaches used in primary and secondary education. Those learners may find principles of pedagogy employed in higher education as well, which may not be effective. Is a pedagogical approach appropriate in higher education? What role does content play in pedagogical versus andragogical decisions? Most importantly, what approach results in student learning? Using the information technology classroom as an example, pedagogical and andragogical approaches to instruction are compared, and strategies for transitioning from pedagogical to andragogical approaches are illustrated. An empirical research study on preferred ways of learning is also included in this chapter. While the examples discussed in this chapter relate to the information technology classroom, the material presented is applicable in a variety of learning situations.

Learner-Centered Teaching and the Use of Technology

This article explores the use of various learning technologies as tools for facilitating learner-centered teaching. The article offers another perspective on the scholarship of teaching with technology—through discussion of various theoretical models of learner-centered teaching, the role of technology on the student/instructor relationships, the impact on technology in different educational settings and contexts, and learners’ cultural differences. The article concludes with a brief discussion of future trends, cautions, and speculations related to technology use in learner-centered teaching.

Teaching Adult Learners in Online Career and Technical Education

Online education is becoming an important component ofcareer and technical education (CTE) in teacher preparationand at the graduate level. In the midst of such growth, andin response to questions about quality compared with traditional learning, there is a consensus that onlinecourses and programs should be designed based on the needs of adult learners. However, much of the literature inonline CTE lacks implicit connections to emerging notions ofadult development and learning. This article provides an overview of the status of online education in CTE at the postsecondary level, discusses related issues and current research focus, and highlights adult learning developmentsand the implications for curriculum design, instruction, anduse of technology. The article concludes with an outline of emerging trends bridging adult learning and onlineeducation relevant to career and technical education.

Technological Trends in Adult Education

The purpose of this article is to provide a critical review ofthe past two decades of technology use in adult education.The article begins with a brief summary of technologicaltrends, such as the introduction of the Internet and theWorld Wide Web, that have influenced adult education overthe past two decades. Political, economic, social, andpedagogical issues that have influenced the use of technology in adult education are also discussed andpossible solutions to these issues are outlined. The article concludes with an attempt to extrapolate futuretechnological trends that could influence the direction ofadult education in the decade to come.

Ultraversity-Integrating Technology in Adult Education

The influence of technology in our daily live grows unabated and exponentially; some see it as a culture in itself. It has been hailed variously as a universal panacea for enabling lifelong learning; a means of opening the doors to knowledge barred by the education gatekeepers. Recent research has revealed that the metaphoric barriers put in place to obstruct the use of the innovative technology tools for the purposes of engaging in lifelong learning, particularly with reference to adult education may not be due to the often perceived intransigence of adult educators, but to potential learners themselves. Recent research into adult uses of technology draw out interesting results, but do not take into account, nor acknowledge recent and successful wholly online undergraduate degree courses, based upon adult experiential learning in the work place. This chapter outlines one such degree course in the United Kingdom, Ultraversity.

Prevalent Andragogical Instructional Preferences and Technologies

As developed countries face skilled worker shortages and their workforce becomes more diverse, education and training of adults has taken center stage. Changing workforce demographics, global economies, and advances in technology commonly influence what, when, and how to teach adults. This chapter provides an overview of contemporary andragogical instructional techniques and seeks to describe examples of their application through electronic delivery. Due to the emerging body of literature on some adult instructional techniques, efforts will be made to discriminate between techniques solidly grounded in theory, and those which show promise.