Adult Education in the 21st Century

EDAC631 – Adult Community Education

Maureen Chavez-Reda

Group 2 – Fall, 2019 – Ball State University

Adult Learning in the 21^st Century

Name	Commented On
Maureen Chavez-Reda	Will be added soon

(Adult Education in 21^st Century)

Adult Education in 21^st Century

Dramatic Changes with Technology in the 21^st Century

Maureen Chavez-Reda

Ball State University

EDAC 631 Adult and Community Education

September 14, 2019

Abstract

The 21^st Century has amazing changes and many challenges with all the new technology.   Technology has not always been around while I was growing up, so I have witnessed many advancements and changes.  Education and technology complement each other.  Technology and education go hand in hand in the 21^st century.  Three learning principles pertain to this time: experience, self-confidence and adaptability. Although I believe technology has created a mass amount of opportunities for adult education today.   I am not a digital baby; I remember the first computer they brought into our high school, it was amazing to me back then just as it is today. Not everyone feels or has positive technology experiences.  Many adults feel that today’s technology hinders their education, adapting to the world of technology is not easy for everyone.

Introduction

            I was born well before technology became such an important part of everybody’s everyday life, so I have seen the changes, the demands and the pros and cons of how technology has affected education and the adult community.  Digital babies referred to by (Prensky, 2001) article, “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants”, many digital babies can work and program many of today’s technology devices better than their parents.  Today’s digital babies also have become very dependent on technology such as, work, education, play, and day to day communicating.

Today’s adult education has changed a great deal. Experience, Adaptability and self-confidence are three very important principles to adult education. As you continue to read I will share how each of these principles play a vital roll in today’s world of adult education.

Highlights

            Learning through experience is extremely important with adult learning.  With adult learners having years of real-life experience they are more willing to participate in group discussions, sharing their knowledge, experiences and to ask questions.  Digital babies tend to shy away from face-to-face communication and interacting.

            From my opinion twenty-first century adult learners need to be self-motivated and independent to be a successful learner.  With so many on-line class options, independence and self-motivation is a must. Connectivism is an upcoming theory of adult learning.  Connectivism tries to focus on the development, personal advancements (Downes, 2009), with no formal curriculum. It is about sharing ideas and experiences.  Kop. K, 2011 states, “for people to take an active, participative, and critical role in adult learning, they need to communicate, work together and deliver feedback, the same as classroom-based learning”.

            We learn from all aspects of our life experiences, not just in an education setting formal or non-formal.  As a current teacher I use past experiences every day, helping me listen to others while they speak, assist in collaborating learning and the variety of learning styles and discipline issues that arise unexpectedly.

Influential Factors

            Adult learners are self-directed while looking for opportunities to learn by choice.  Today in the 21^st century technology allows educational opportunities at our fingertips; we can learn everywhere and anywhere.  There are a variety of opportunities such as, a podcast, online course, YouTube, discussion boards which is conducted on-line and some might even consider video games to be educational.  I can complete my master’s degree completely on-line, I am learning from and communicating with other graduate students from across the country, this is amazing to me.  When taking any on-line class, you must be open-minded and understand that this form of adult educations responsibility is strictly placed on you as the student.  We must be willing to adapt to the forever changing and many times challenging world of technology that education is becoming more and more dependent on. 

            Many adults feel that technology has become more of a distraction to the world of education.  Prensky, 2001 feels that digital immigrants (non-21^st century babies) do not appreciate new technology and the advancements it provides to all learners.  They never knew life without some form of technology, technology has become expected to them from personal use, professional use and educational use they do not know life any other way.

Implications

            Self-confidence has a great impact on adult learners when making decision about continuing or returning to school.  It boosted my confidence when I made the choice to return to college to obtain my master’s degree, it feels good to be in control of my adult educational path.  I truly enjoy group discussions reading and hearing about other individuals life experiences that they share.

            I agree and believe that confidence is a huge influence on self-success.  Davidson, C, 2011 referenced this idea in her book, “Now you see it”.  She also shared a study that was completed by Lachman, M The Financial Aid of the National Institute of Aging showing the differences between age and sense of control.  This study stated, those showing greater confidence, regardless of age.  Accepting change is difficult for many, those that can adapt quickly and easier normally have a higher level of self-confidence.

Table 1. Summary of the History of Adult/Community Education in the 21^st Century

Areas                                                                                 Summary

Social background    Digital native, technology advancements, digital immigrants

Highlights                 Adult learning expands, learn from everywhere

Influential               Self-confidence, technology at our fingertips

Implications            Not willing to adapt to technology changes

           

References

Snyder, T (1993).  Center for Education, Statistics 120 Years of American Education:

A Statistical Portrait.   U.S. Department of Education

https://nces.ed.gov/pubs93/93442.pdf

Prensky, M (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants.  On the Horizon

Merriam, S. B., Cafarella, R. S., Baumgartner, L. M., (2007). Learning in adulthood: A comprehensive guide. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Downes, S. (2009). New tools for personal learning. MEFANET 2009 Conference, Brno, Czech Republic, via MVU Videoconference. http://www.downes.ca/presentation/234

Lynch, M (2017) How Adult Learners are not Getting 21^st – Century Skills, THE EDVOCATE