Adult Learning Technologies

Throughout this course, a new perspective has provided us with the opportunity to take a look at many of the different ways in which the digital world has become one of the most dominant viewpoints of today’s generation, and how technology has taken over and welcomed itself into many aspects of our lives. This course paper will take a look at one topic of interest in particular, which in hopes will shed some light on a heavily discussed topic in the education world: does technology help or hinder the student. This paper will look to prove the point and discover more about the way in which technology has been incorporated into the classroom, both in an elementary context as well as a post-secondary context, and the effects that it has had on the student, the teacher, and the overall academic development that accompanies it.

In a review of the literature, recurrent ideas appeared in the research articles reviewed. These ideas include technology as part of education has a conclusive and encouraging impact on students, students demonstrated a greater level of learning and expanded productivity with the use of technology. Both educationalists and students felt technology added significance to their learning experiences. The addition of online education was cost effective as well as advantageous to the learning process. Technology caused teachers to be better teachers. Because of the wealth of information previously only available to students at a prestigious university, teachers are required to keep their assignments relative and backed by this knowledge. Students can out research the teacher on many occasions and

Chapter 13 of “They Say/I Say” addresses different points of views on how technology affects how people learn in society. The author gives us arguments and counterarguments that allow us to determine how technology affects our own thought processes.

In Lavin, Korte, Davies). The result of the study further pushes the notion of how important it is for school staff to understand the given technology so they can distribute the information effectively to their students. All the technology in the world will be ineffective if the teachers themselves are not passionate of their work. “Technology has the potential to transform the learning environment from passive to active and more subject to the control of the learner.” (qtd. In Lavin, Korte, Davies).

Most people know the feeling getting in their comfy clothes and sitting down to watch a new episode of their favorite tv show on the laptop. The popcorn laying by ones’s side. Their butter fingers across the keys, while each image is illuminating your face. Their phone is buzzing from the Snapchats. In this generation, people cling to some type of electronic device. “According to the US Department of Education and studies by the National Training and Simulation Association Technology-based instruction can reduce the time students take to reach a learning objective by 30-80%”(ProCon.org). In a classroom, teachers are able to take their class around the world electronically to look at the development of civilizations in Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Latin America. Also, students are able to take virtual trips and collaborate with other students around the world and research in the best libraries

Technology and learning are becoming more and more hand in hand as technology gets improved and learning styles are figured out about students. There are a couple of learning theories that teachers need to know to provide students with the best learning situations to make sure that students are learning everything that they need, so they can be ready and successful today and are able to go into the workforce and be a benefit to future employers. This paper we are going to discuss how technology is going to help these student with technology.

Computer-based instruction, or CBI, is widely used to deliver content to learners of all ages. Although this form of instructional delivery has become nearly ubiquitous, levels of effectiveness of CBI vary, particularly when considering computer-based instruction for adults. In 2005, researchers Janis Lowe and Elwood Holton, III developed a theory regarding the elements necessary for an effective CBI experience with adult learners and then drew five conclusions based on their investigation. Lowe and Holton (2005) acknowledged a need for both external support and instructional support if an adult learner’s CBI experience will be deemed positive. Of their five conclusions, this one was of particular interest to me based on the different computer-based instruction experiences I have had.

With all of the new technology and services being implemented, it may seem that they will be replacing the traditional methods of education. However, this is not the case, both Hallett and Ringenberg agree that a combination of traditional methods and the new ones, are necessary to create an optimal learning environment.“The terminology is blended learning”, says Ringenberg, “what we’re trying to teach teachers to do, is to incorporate different ways of improving the learning process using LMS, so it's not simply to replace pen and paper, but to be able to do more with technology than we could do

Computer based learning, as it stands, has plenty of disadvantages, but many in business and educational arenas remain optimistic about its future. There are two indisputable truths about computer-based learning, or e-learning. First, it will revolutionize education and second, such a future is just around the block. Educational experts agree that most types of study are not yet effective when delivered purely online, mainly because of bandwidth limitations, expensive set-up costs, continued resistance to the medium and a shortage of quality course content.

It is crucial that students are not just being educated in only one way. Each child is different; as a result, learning styles should be versatile and open to new strategies. By learning to use technology correctly, teachers are preparing themselves, and the students for the future by developing certain skills that will be essential in the 21st century. Besides developing the students’ technology skills, students will

Technology can help students in all areas of study. Students need to be able to use this technology since, “Currently and in the near future, it is understood that students need to acquire more autonomous skills of ‘information gathering, analysis, and display’” (Todnem, 2004, p. 1). Furthermore, the use of technology, mainly the internet, provides for variation since “Students find themselves bored and burnt-out of the lecture format to classes, so changing the curriculum and instruction to include things like online assignments and educational videogames can be one clear remedy” (Todnem, 2004, p. 1). Teachers who have implemented technology into their classrooms have noticed changes in their students. The most common of these effects being an increase in motivation. In “Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students” another positive effect is given “technology effect stressed by many teachers was enhancement of student self esteem” (“Effects,” 2004, p. 2).

Currently, there is a colossal debate regarding the use of technology in education. Some argue that using technology has a multitude of benefits, while others argue that technology use generates drawbacks or problems. I have read “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” by Marc Prensky, “The Learning Potential Of E-Books” written by Lotta Larson, and “Students’ perceptions of the usefulness of an E-book with annotative and sharing capabilities as a tool for learning: a case study” by Ee-Lon Lim and Khe Foon Hew, and I support the argument in which technology should be implemented into education because of its numerous benefits. The way that the education system is currently structured should change in order to allow technology to assist the teaching and learning process of today’s students.

Across the U.S., technology used in education has been increasing exponentially. Every learning institution ranging from elementary school to college have incorporated technology into their teachings. Online textbooks, quizzes, notes, and classes are all examples of how education has been utilizing technology. While technology has a place in education, not everything in education needs to involve technology.

The technology used throughout the world today has drastically changed from when technology was first invented. With the increased growth of technology, the need for this technology in the learning field has expanded as well. The use of technology in education has provided students and teachers with almost an unlimited number of options for learning in and out of the classroom. The advancement of technology in recent years has enhanced teacher’s ability to be innovative in their instructional methods, by allowing students and teachers to utilize new interactive games and apps, using the internet as a teaching tool, and by creating new ways to learn.

As university professors are being presented with new types of students, there is a call to integrate advanced technology into their course design, and ultimately, educators must lead the way and use the technology in a fashion that positively aids their students: “technology should be used with the needs of the learners in mind and with the goal of improving student learning as the focus” (Russo et al. 2014). If this idea is implemented and acknowledged correctly, then many advantages can arise that enhance student learning in university classrooms. The first benefit of instructors introducing advanced technology into their teaching is that technology connects with students, which ultimately arouses their interest because technology as a whole is a relevant and important part of student’s lives. When students are interested and engaged in the class material they become motivated to pay attention and focus on what they are being taught, which leads to an improved retention rate of information. This relates to the DVD that West, Pudsey and Dunk-West created for teacher to give to their students to work within their learning, and they found that it “easily assimilates into their everyday life world” (2010). Another advantage is that the use of technology supports collaboration skills within students. Erin Murphy (2010) conducted an experiment centering around educators use of Audience Response Systems, commonly