Online education is growing. In fact, a study done by Allen, Seaman, Poulin, and Straut (2016) found that as of 2014, 2.8 million people are taking only online education courses. This total is continuing to trend upward as well. As technology advances, high speed internet becomes more available to more places, and educational programs continue to improve, there is a definite chance that online education will grow even more over this new decade.
What is online education?
It is difficult to pinpoint a definition of online education because of its growth. It is also dynamic and ever-changing as technology improves. There are also different major factors that create different types of online education. Some schools offer distance education, which is solely online. Others will offer distance as well as blended, or hybrid, courses in which students still meet in a face-to-face environment but some materials, assignments, and discussions take place online. Other factors determining the online education include whether the course is synchronous or asynchronous, self-paced or directed by an instructor. Regardless of type or style, online education is marked by, as Ko and Rossen (2017) put it, collaboration, discussion, and usage of online resources. Another major factor in online education is the changing role of the instructor. The instructor is no longer seen as the driving force that delivers content but is instead seen as a facilitator and guide (Ko and Rossen, 2017).
How does this apply to adult learners?
Malcolm Knowles famously discussed six assumptions about adult learners for the purpose of helping instructors and administrators create effective and authentic content and instruction:
- Self-concept – the adult learner, as they mature, becomes more self-directed and less dependent upon others. In fact, they prefer working independently.
- Experience – adult education should be formulated in a way that the adult learner’s accumulated experience has a major role in instruction, assignments, and discussion.
- Readiness to learn– the adult learner’s willingness to engage the content is connected to their own social role and how they value the subject matter.
- Orientation to learn – in order for the adult learner to connect fully to the content of the course, they must see the relevance of the content to their daily lives. They need to see that they can use the received knowledge to solve an immediate problem that they may face.
- Motivation to learn– the adult learner is already internally motivated to achieve success in education. They are goal driven.
- The need to know – Much like assumption 4, adult learners need to see the relevancy of the material and its value. Once they see its value, they will fully buy in.
When Knowles first discussed these assumptions, online education wasn’t a consideration. However, when the factors that make up online education are brought in alignment with Knowles’ assumptions, they blend well. Adult learners are self-driven, and ready to learn, so the self-directed nature of online education fits well. Collaboration and discussion are already crucial factors of online education. Giving adult learners the opportunity to discuss their experiences and to collaborate with others makes it relevant and timely for them. The most crucial factor that does not seem a given as others is the relevancy of the content. Instructors, designers, and administrators of online courses must make sure the content in adult online courses is relevant for their students. But for the majority of Knowles’ assumptions, online education is a great fit for adult learners.
References
Online Report Card: Tracking Online Education in the United States
Ko, Susan, and Steve Rossen. Teaching Online: a Practical Guide. Taylor & Francis Group, 2017.
Jared Pyles 