Information Age Technology: Implications for Adult Educators Thanks to colleague, John Fleischman, Director of Instruct. Tech. & Learning Resources, The

Information Age Technology:Implications for Adult Educators

Thanks to colleague, John Fleischman, Director of Instruct. Tech. & Learning Resources, The Sacramento County (CA) Office of Educ., for some of the material used in several slides.


Thanks to colleague, John Fleischman, Director of Instruct. Tech. & Learning Resources, The Sacramento County (CA) Office of Educ., for some of the material used in several slides.

for

PAACE 2002 CONFERENCE: BRIDGING THE GAP

Hershey, PA, 2002



by

Roger Hiemstra, Professor and Chair

Adult Education

Elmira College, Elmira, NY

www-distance.syr.edu; [email protected]

Top 10 signs that you’re on information overloadTop 10 signs that you’re on information overload

•Your reason for not staying in touch with a family member is that they don’t have an email address.

•Every commercial you see on television has a Web site address at the bottom of the screen.

•You chat several times a day with a stranger from California, but you haven’t spoken to your neighbor in a year.


•You haven’t played solitaire with a real deck of cards in years.

•You email your son in his room to tell him that dinner is ready, and he emails you back with “What’s for dinner?”

•You didn’t give your valentine a card today, but you posted one for your email buddies from bluemountain.com yesterday.


•You hear most of your jokes via email instead of in person.

•You buy a computer and a week later it’s out of date and now sells for half the price you paid.

•Your daughter sells Girl Scout cookies via her Web site.

AND NUMBER ONE ………..

The top sign that you’re on The top sign that you’re on information overloadinformation overload

•You try to enter your password on the microwave.

Rapid Technological ChangeRapid Technological Change

But new and ever-changing technologies can really challenge our mindsets and often will push us out of our comfort zones!!!

Growth in Computer UsageGrowth in Computer Usage

Expansion of Internet Hosts

Host = A node (computer, server, or gateway) that people use to access or connect to the Internet

1960s Went from 0 to 4

1970s Went from 5 to 188

1980s Went from 189 to 250,000

1990s Went up to 60 million

Aug., 2001 estimated at 130 million

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The Internet The Internet

Over 60 % of U.S. households have Internet Over 60 % of U.S. households have Internet accessaccessOver 70% of U.S. population have been on-line Over 70% of U.S. population have been on-line at least once in previous 30 daysat least once in previous 30 days89 million people (at home or work) used the 89 million people (at home or work) used the Internet in April, 2001 (up 19% in a year)Internet in April, 2001 (up 19% in a year)The rate of high speed Internet access has nearly The rate of high speed Internet access has nearly tripled in the past two yearstripled in the past two years

Over 60 % of U.S. households have Internet Over 60 % of U.S. households have Internet accessaccessOver 70% of U.S. population have been on-line Over 70% of U.S. population have been on-line at least once in previous 30 daysat least once in previous 30 days89 million people (at home or work) used the 89 million people (at home or work) used the Internet in April, 2001 (up 19% in a year)Internet in April, 2001 (up 19% in a year)The rate of high speed Internet access has nearly The rate of high speed Internet access has nearly tripled in the past two yearstripled in the past two years

Where do we stand today?Where do we stand today?Where do we stand today?Where do we stand today?

The Internet WorldwideThe Internet Worldwide

Estimates range from 134 Estimates range from 134 million people to as high as million people to as high as half a billion users half a billion users worldwide over the next worldwide over the next few years!few years!

The Real Revolution:The World Wide Web (WWW)

The Real Revolution:The World Wide Web (WWW)

Grown from 130 sites in 1993 to over 35 million by the Grown from 130 sites in 1993 to over 35 million by the end of 2001end of 2001

The Impact on Learning -The Impact on Learning -On-line/Virtual EducationOn-line/Virtual Education

• 40 states have adopted virtual 40 states have adopted virtual university strategiesuniversity strategies

•Universities throughout the world are Universities throughout the world are carving out virtual markets via the carving out virtual markets via the WWWWWW

•There are more than 30,000 courses There are more than 30,000 courses and 4,000 programs on-line as of 9/1/02and 4,000 programs on-line as of 9/1/02--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emerging StrategiesEmerging Strategies

Dolence says, “The 21st Century is not a century of either online or classroom learning, but both. It is a century of vastly expanded choices. For learners this means any time, any pace, any path, any place. For educators it means transformation!”

Dolence, M. G. (2001). Dolence, M. G. (2001). Emerging strategies for 21st Century learning systemsEmerging strategies for 21st Century learning systems . [On-line]. . [On-line]. http://www.mgdolence.com/http://www.mgdolence.com/

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• New ways for delivering courses and New ways for delivering courses and supplementary learning materials (Web supplementary learning materials (Web pages/WebBoard/Blackboard, etc.)pages/WebBoard/Blackboard, etc.)

• Wireless connections to the WWWWireless connections to the WWW

• Increasing bandwidth/speedIncreasing bandwidth/speed

• New ways for delivering courses and New ways for delivering courses and supplementary learning materials (Web supplementary learning materials (Web pages/WebBoard/Blackboard, etc.)pages/WebBoard/Blackboard, etc.)

• Wireless connections to the WWWWireless connections to the WWW

• Increasing bandwidth/speedIncreasing bandwidth/speed

Digitization TrendsDigitization TrendsDigitization TrendsDigitization Trends

Emerging Trends That Will Emerging Trends That Will Impact our Work with LearnersImpact our Work with Learners

•Learner Centered EnvironmentsLearner Centered Environments

•Virtual Learning EnvironmentsVirtual Learning Environments

•Internet2Internet2

•““Oxygen” ProjectOxygen” Project

Learner Centered Learner Centered EnvironmentsEnvironments

•Accommodates learners’ constraintsAccommodates learners’ constraints

•Accommodates individual learning Accommodates individual learning stylesstyles

•Self-paced, self-directed, and self-Self-paced, self-directed, and self-motivatedmotivated

Virtual Learning EnvironmentsVirtual Learning Environments

•Access to a networked system of Access to a networked system of learning resourceslearning resources

•Learning content, access, communities Learning content, access, communities available electronically 24 by 7available electronically 24 by 7

•Computer mediated interactive dialogue Computer mediated interactive dialogue (synchronous or asynchronous)(synchronous or asynchronous)

Internet2Internet2

•200 universities in partnership with industry and 200 universities in partnership with industry and government to develop advanced network government to develop advanced network applications and technologiesapplications and technologies

•Information collaboration and access in new Information collaboration and access in new ways not yet possible (voice, video, etc.)ways not yet possible (voice, video, etc.)

•Multicasting common at high speedsMulticasting common at high speeds

•Partnering means research/knowledge sharing Partnering means research/knowledge sharing worldwideworldwide

M.I.T.’s Oxygen Project - The Future M.I.T.’s Oxygen Project - The Future of Information Age Technologyof Information Age Technology

•Computation freely available everywhere like Computation freely available everywhere like the oxygen we breathethe oxygen we breathe

•The system will not require typing, clicking, or The system will not require typing, clicking, or pointing, but will be based on speech, vision, and pointing, but will be based on speech, vision, and recognizable phrasesrecognizable phrases

•The system will be pervasive, embedded, The system will be pervasive, embedded, nomadic, and eternalnomadic, and eternal

The Oxygen Project - How it The Oxygen Project - How it Will WorkWill Work

•Handy 21 (H21s), handheld devices with visual display, camera, infrared detectors, and a computer to accept speech & visual input

•Enviro 21 (E21s), stationary devices embedded into offices, buildings, homes, and vehicles to create intelligent spaces and interfaces with H21s

•Users will be able to access their own and other knowledge bases as needed/on demand

Why Use Technology as Adult Why Use Technology as Adult Educators?Educators?Why Use Technology as Adult Why Use Technology as Adult Educators?Educators?

Access to almost limitless informationAccess to almost limitless information

Facilitates and extends learning Facilitates and extends learning opportunities and resourcesopportunities and resources

24 by 7 classroom possibilities24 by 7 classroom possibilities

Increases motivation for some learnersIncreases motivation for some learners

Enhances access to learning resourcesEnhances access to learning resources

Access to almost limitless informationAccess to almost limitless information

Facilitates and extends learning Facilitates and extends learning opportunities and resourcesopportunities and resources

24 by 7 classroom possibilities24 by 7 classroom possibilities

Increases motivation for some learnersIncreases motivation for some learners

Enhances access to learning resourcesEnhances access to learning resources

Why Use Technology as Adult Why Use Technology as Adult Educators?Educators?(cont.)(cont.)

Addresses some of the limitations of our Addresses some of the limitations of our increasingly mobile, busy, and stressed increasingly mobile, busy, and stressed societysociety

Can improve cost effectiveness with Can improve cost effectiveness with skillful planning and managementskillful planning and management

May reach new audiences (disabled, May reach new audiences (disabled, isolated, from great distances, etc.)isolated, from great distances, etc.)

Today’s adult educators must prepare Today’s adult educators must prepare learners for a different worldlearners for a different worldToday’s adult educators must prepare Today’s adult educators must prepare learners for a different worldlearners for a different world

It really is up to us and I believe we are up to the task. I hope you will embrace technology as one of the ways of bridging the many gaps we face as professionals.

Ten Top "P's" for Being an Excellent Ten Top "P's" for Being an Excellent Adult Educator in PennsylvaniaAdult Educator in Pennsylvania

• Perseverance - staying with the process of being a better Perseverance - staying with the process of being a better professional; learning to do better as you grow and professional; learning to do better as you grow and develop as an experienced educator of adults develop as an experienced educator of adults

• Pride - pride in yourself, pride in your profession; this Pride - pride in yourself, pride in your profession; this includes learning to love yourself and recognize the includes learning to love yourself and recognize the personal attributes you have; it also may need to include personal attributes you have; it also may need to include reading personal development books reading personal development books

• Patience - with yourself, with learners; remember that Patience - with yourself, with learners; remember that becoming a highly proficient and skilled adult learner becoming a highly proficient and skilled adult learner takes time takes time

Let me end with these charges to you:Let me end with these charges to you:

Ten Top "P's" for Being an Excellent Ten Top "P's" for Being an Excellent Adult Educator in Pennsylvania (cont.)Adult Educator in Pennsylvania (cont.)

• Patterns for success - there are existing models for Patterns for success - there are existing models for teaching or training adults that work; find mentors teaching or training adults that work; find mentors that understand these various patterns or models and that understand these various patterns or models and seek guidance from themseek guidance from them

• Persnickety - become more organized and disciplined Persnickety - become more organized and disciplined in what you do; depending on your personality style, in what you do; depending on your personality style, this may take lots of effort, but it is worth it this may take lots of effort, but it is worth it

• Preparation/preparedness - do your homework, Preparation/preparedness - do your homework, practice everything before you do it, refuse to "wing" practice everything before you do it, refuse to "wing" it when you are working with adult learners it when you are working with adult learners


• Personal philosophy - develop a personal Personal philosophy - develop a personal philosophy statement, statement of personal ethics, philosophy statement, statement of personal ethics, and/or a personal statement of professional and/or a personal statement of professional commitment that will serve as the foundation for commitment that will serve as the foundation for what you do in the futurewhat you do in the future

• Presentation skill development - continuously work Presentation skill development - continuously work on developing your platform presentation skills; on developing your platform presentation skills; seek feedback, obtain evaluations, video tape seek feedback, obtain evaluations, video tape yourself, etc.yourself, etc.


•Professionalism - develop your professional writing Professionalism - develop your professional writing skills, participate in the leadership of PAACE and/or skills, participate in the leadership of PAACE and/or other professional groups, and understand and live by other professional groups, and understand and live by those professional standards that apply to you those professional standards that apply to you

•Potentiality - strive to live up to the potential that is Potentiality - strive to live up to the potential that is within you; I truly believe there is a greatness in each of within you; I truly believe there is a greatness in each of us that only remains to be unlocked, to be developed; us that only remains to be unlocked, to be developed; you can do it!!! you can do it!!!

Documents

Information Age Technology: Implications for Adult Educators Thanks to colleague, John Fleischman, Director of Instruct. Tech. & Learning Resources, The