As the adult learner is evolving so are the innovations in technology. The traditional classroom approach is being supplemented in today's adult learning environment with adjunctive technology to enhance the learning process and provide a voice for the learner (King & Cox, 2011). Whether learning is occurring face-to-face or online, blogging is being introduced and implemented as a popular digital medium among adult educators and their learners.
As an adult learner navigating through the graduate education process the importance of experiential and reflective practice is essential and ongoing. The ability to reflect on learning experiences allows for growth and development of critical thinking skills (King & Cox, 2011). A more traditional approach to reflective practice of journal writing has been replaced with an innovative digital medium called blogging which can create a more collaborative approach for both faculty and colleagues (King & Cox). According to Knowles (1970, 1980) adults are motivated when they are engaged in self-directed learning especially when learning involves real-life experiences, problems, and/or situations. Kearsley and Shneidernam (Santos, 2011) advocate the Engagement theory model for technology-based teaching and learning. The learning outcomes of blogging resonate with this theory based on the three concepts of relating, creating, and donating during the blogging experience (Santos, 2011).
When learning about a new concept or how to use a specific technology the process can be a frustrating and lengthy process, therefore, this is where the educator must try to make the transition in the classroom as easy as possible (King & Cox, 2011) by preparing and planning appropriately. There will be acceptance as well as resistance along the way for faculty and students. Learning a new language will be necessary along with learning how to create and navigate the technology.
I would like to discuss some of the similarities and differences between blogging and discussion board forums. Both support the sharing of thoughts, ideas, and experiences. The ability to make connections to content and application to other areas of discipline. The two support the ability to link information to additional resources just in different manners. I believe the thought of sharing with a public audience through blogging can be intimidating as the environment is less controlled and the comments could be unrelated to the purpose and intent of the post.
References
King, K. & Cox, T. (2011). The professor’s guide to taming technology. Charlotte, NC: Chpt. 6, pages 89-104.
Santos, A.. (2011). Blogs As A Learning Space: Creating Text Of Talks. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 4(6), 15-19.
Hello Christa,
ReplyDeleteI found two great points that you mentioned in your post. The first point was that the users experience with new technology and the process that make users frustrating. I agree that instructors can play an important role to make the learning experience easier and enjoyable for learners by providing them with appropriate recourses. Another great idea was that some faculty and students might resistant to new technology. Resistance to change is one of the old problems that faced new innovations. A great way to understand the issues of adapting with technology is reading about the Diffusion of Innovations theory by Rogers. According to Rogers (2003) “the role of change agents is mainly to provide technical assistance to the client as he or she begins to use the innovation” (p. 179). In addition, Users are not on the same level of technology skills. For this reason, technical support is critical to making better user experiences.
Best,
Tariq Alshalan
Rogers, E.M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York, NY: Free Press.
Hi Christa,
ReplyDeleteThe start of your blog spurned a thought regarding the learner having a voice. The technology integration is here to stay. I believe a course in adult education could be benign versus a political science course based on current topics. Allowing the voice to be heard is an important aspect of learning but the professor needs to understand the possible volatility of his/her course. King and Cox, page 25, discuss “the importance of setting expectations which include protecting the safety of students as they dialogue together.” To ensure learning is objective, students have a responsibility to respect other’s ideas and thoughts.
Nice concise blog!
Kevin
King, K. and Cox, T. (2011). The Professor’s Guide to Taming Technology. Charlotte, NC:Information Age Publishing, Inc.
I echo your post in the points shared in the post. I am still struggling with the differences between blogging and discussion thread from the learners perspective. I understand that there are privacy issues and less instructor control. However, if blogging is designed for reflective learning, then the blog post should be a reflection of one's thoughts. I understand the academic standards in place for learning, but that is not the way I would write in a diary. King and Cox (2011) highlight the freedom of expression and giving voice to an individual. I believe the learner's ervoice would be more vocal if this platform supplemented the discussion post. Albeit more work for the student and the instructor, but the formal response would be in a thread, and the learner's reflections would be for this format.
ReplyDeleteChrista,
ReplyDeleteThere are two things that really stood out to me in your post. First, the comparison between blogging and journal writing. I know that it might seem like it is common sense to see the similarities between the two, but I never really put the two together. I have to say that I was (and kind of still) was averse to having to create and manage a blog. I looked at it as something completely different. I guess, somehow looking at it as keeping a journal makes it a little more bearable.
Second, is the "diving in with both feet" mentality that your mention with technology. It can be a frustrating process using technology in the classroom. The sooner the educator gets used to the fact that it is not going anywhere, the easier the transition to using it will be.
Christa,
ReplyDeleteYou hit the nail on the head when you said, "when learning about a new concept or how to use a specific technology the process can be a frustrating and lengthy process."
Although blogging is a relatively simple concept, it proves to be quite complicated for many even when using a blog only for personal reasons. Just search youtube for blogging, and you will find tutorial after tutorial explaining how to start a personal blog and even a multitude of tutorials for specifically incorporating blogging in the classroom.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=blogging