(Martin’s Question – Version II)
How can we overcome the barriers
that impact the effective use of on-line tools in adult learning?
Surmounting
the barriers that impact on the effective use of on-line tools in adult
learning is an ongoing issue with digital learning. These barriers will naturally vary from situation to
situation and individual to individual. But for a tutor working in, say, a low
socio-economic, widespread relatively isolated and rural district, with limited
communication networks and electronic hardware infrastructure, then most
of the main initial barriers simply revolve around lack of access to the
digital wherewithal. Many households – even if they are able to afford and
maintain the hardware, may simply not be within the broadband and cell phone
broadcast and reception areas. Additionally, many students seeking literacy/numeracy assistance may often be
seeking that assistance because of poor school experiences, often precipitated
by the underlying economic and social issues listed above. For many learners in
this category, school will have been one of the few places where some degree of interaction with the online
media was possible, so low attendance rates and limited in-class engagement
will have stymied opportunities to build expertise and confidence in these
areas.
Overcoming these considerable
barriers, therefore, is a matter of the educators doing what they can, when and
where they can, and hoping incremental gains will somehow accumulate. For instance, for quite a few students in
this type of situation, gaining a learner’s driving licence will be considered
a major achievement. Learning goals will therefore focus on improving those
literacy/numeracy elements necessary to help achieve that goal, and this may
include basic IT up-skilling in order for the student to engage with the online
Road Code practice test.
As indicated, all manner of
infrastructure and socio-economic issues may affect the student’s capacity to access computer time –
particularly if additional literacy issues have to be addressed as well.
However, where these types of mainly infrastructure related issues are not
pressing, then a range of strategies can be adopted to address barriers
specific to digital learning (as opposed to learning barriers common to
learning in general):
- Attempt to incorporate digital
learning structures in the initial design stages of any programme, as opposed
to ‘bolting’ them on to existing programmes (Jenkins, in Martin & Madigan,
2006, p. 170).
- Attempt to create as much as
possible a ‘community of learners’, where students feel sufficiently engaged
and valued that there is a correspondingly high motivation to interact with and
support fellow students, as well as promoting positive tutor/students
relations. (Grandzol & Grandzol, as
cited in
Brinthaupt, T., et al, 2011, p. 7.).
- Minimise learning anxiety by
ensuring programming and formatting is suited to the computer literacy level of
the learners concerned. (Chen & Bryer, 2002.)
- Relate the appropriateness and effectiveness
of the intended format to the learning needs of the individual concerned. (Kanuka, 2008, p.2).
- Ensure that students have very
open lines of communication to the tutor/s through provision of direct
personalised email addresses (or free-call phone numbers) in order that
students are able to contact the tutor/s on a one-to-one basis, should
they prefer, regarding enquiries or concerns. Having to do so only through the
course online links may be inhibiting for the student for fear of perhaps being
seen to be a bit of a ‘goof’ by other students.
- Where appropriate, without
divulging the initial source, respond to those individual student concerns with
feedback to the whole group. Chances are, if one student has those concerns and
anxieties, others do too.
- Where possible and appropriate,
tutors should attempt to integrate face-to-face tuition sessions with the
distance online learning components. Often, a few minutes ‘live’ demonstration,
exampling or individual student support may cut through anxieties and technical
shortcomings that have been unnecessarily inhibiting the student’s progress.
- For the tutor to provide
consistent and regular feedback, together with ongoing formative assessment of
how the students are generally progressing. Distance learning has many
potential advantages, but, as the term suggests, for the student, ‘distance’
learning can leave the student feeling just that – ‘distant’ - and somewhat
isolated or removed.. Whatever means that can alleviate that perception are
therefore to be pursued where and when possible.
Jenkins, (Martin & Madigan, 2006, p. 170),
though, stresses the importance of tackling e-learning programmes at the
initial point of programme design.
References:
Brinthaupt, T., Fisher, L.,
Gardner, J., Raffo, D., & Woodard, J. (2011). What the best online teachers
should do. Journal of Online Learning and
Teaching. Middle Tennessee State
University, Murfreesboro,
TN 37132 USA. Retrieved March 31, 2014, from:
Chen, B and Bryer, T. (2002) Investigating
Instructional Strategies for Using Social Media in Formal and Informal
learning. The International review of
research in Open and Distance learning.
Retrieved April 18, 2014, from:
Jenkins, M. (2006).
Supporting students in e-learning, in Martin, A., & Madigan, D.
(Eds.). Digital Literacies for Learning.
London: Facet Publishing.
Kanuka, H. (2008).
Understanding e-learning technologies-in-practice through
philosophies-in-practice. The theory and practice of online learning,
pp. 91–118. Edmonton, Canada: AU Press, Athabasca University.
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