My Strategy to propose to advance andragogical concepts using internet for adults learners

Hi, I would like to share with you my propose and resume of Chapter 11 in the book "The Adult Learner"
I am Spanish Teacher Certify by the State of Texas, and I am working in my Master in Education with Specialization in Training and Development at Texas A&M University.

By: Rochelle Miller, MBA
TAMU - Online Class Class Theories of Adult Learning
Book: The Adult Learner
Author: Malcolm S. Knowles, Elwood F. Holton III, and Richard A. Swanson

Unit 12 Discussion
Discuss a specific strategy you would propose to advance andragogical concepts in the context of adults using the Internet for learning purposes:

Using the internet for learning purpose is a real challenge in the context of adult learning. Because, the self discipline; however, the internet make easily and friendly the self-directed learning environment with proper instructions.
Creating and strategy to propose advance andragogical concepts in the context of adults using the internet is depending on the adult that select this method of learning.
My strategy will be:
1. Continuing using current online environment.
2. Continuing using tools for research we have in place.
3. Analyzed if the adult is capable and have the skills to internet learning environment and recommend that person to get training and create a particular/personal agenda where will be setting up daily responsibilities to study as self-independent person and connect with others class mates through the web site.
4. Add an application where students can be more visible and interacting in a daily way. Like Facebook as social media, I will suggest the University to create something like Facebook for educational purpose. And the interaction will be only for those students register in this particular class. An example should be: “Theories of Adult Learning Facebook” where only the students in this class will interact with the professor or moderator. This way will be security where no one other than these class attending this course can do post in the wall or see this class post at all. The idea is to force the adult to interact in a daily fashion posting their ideas, even though we have this in our discussion link/section, I think will be more attractive to the learner to facilitate the internet environment from social to educational. Also, we always have to post links, and in this way we can have access to post the link directly in a post for links, pictures and more. The idea with this is to prepare the adult learning environment with real life and with what we have outside in the cyber space. The Discussion session we currently have is only expression in worlds, but we need to integrate the fact that some learners need visuals, as well as audio, and worlds. Using the Bloom’s Taxonomy.

I believe the current technology is facilitating correctly the adult perception of self-learners. But, as I suggested in my point 4, we need to bring more visuals interactions to reach those students that learn visually. Using a Facebook style of interaction in the Discussion panel can cover this section according by Bloom’s Taxonomy.

By Rochelle Miller, MBA
Master in Education with Specialization in Training and Development Student
Texas A&M University

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I also would like to share my resume of Ch 11 from this Book cite above. This way should be easily for the lectures to understand where I came from.

Ch 11 – The Future of Andragogy
Resume

We understand that Andragogy have been in study long ago; however, the opportunities for research and practice is a bigger field. The concept and philosophy of Andragogy have different connotations depending of the country. We observed that in United States, Andragogy is link to Malcolm Knowles research, instead in other countries in Europe is linked with other authors in example Reischmann. In United States, Andragogy mean adult learning or adult education, where in Europe is not related with an specific concept, however in Europe in 1970 was connected the word Andragogy with academic and professional institutions.

Some countries have been created institutions like in Yugoslavia; “Yugoslavian Society of Andragogy”. In Slovenian, “Andragogy Center Republike Slovenije”; as many other universities, no matter if is a capitalistic or communistic country, still everybody is trying to related all types of theories for reflexion, analysis, training, as well as human resources programs interests. In Korea, exist the Adult and Continuing Education documents as well as in Venezuela was created the Institute International de Andragogia. The roll of all these institutions, universities and organizations are the same, try to reunite adult professionals interesting in the development of training for adults learned.

The research of Andragogy, bring opportunities for those professionals and institutions interested in this subject. In 2002 Rachal, say about the “Empirical examinations of andragogy” tended to be inconclusive; perhaps he is calling for more research. The direction of andragogy could be clear to enhance the science of andragogy as: establish a more clears theoretical definition, develop a psychometrically sound measurement tool, and conduct criterion measurement studies.

In order to hit the right application of andragogy in the life of adults learning possible linked with two keys to practice, and these are: adapting andragogy to the varying conditions encountered in practice, and optimizing the application of andragogy in technology-mediated learning.

Adapting andragogy to different context, as per Malcolm stay would be rarely be applied in pure form, perhaps, the group of learners will require to make adjustments during the process to apply it in different ways. Andragogy and technology-mediated learning, is a great opportunity to develop adult learning. As Knowles said in 1989, technology is one of the major forces shaping adult learning in the twenty –first century.

The reason is the technology is presenting a vast field and opportunities to reach adults and providing adult with rich learning experiences in the andragogical tradition. An example of this situation is if an adult desire to be self-directed in their learning environment, using technology is the principal resource to do so. With computer, soft wares, and internet the adult environment could be in any place desired. The technology is an inherently media that enables adults to access the learning subject at any time, providing the adult with the full self-directed learning experience.

In the other hand, the technology brings well-developed computer-based instructions, which enables adults to tailor the learning experience to fit their prior experiences. And in a third example if the technology is properly designed the technology will be easy to help the learners tailoring their real world-problems using their natural work or life setting.

The challenge and opportunity to research is that in class rooms the facilitator can adapt the learning environment and techniques to the adult in training. But and adult in training as self-directed learning using internet per instance, will need to face the challenge of metacognitive skills, motivation, or confidence to engage in the required level of self-directed learning, as well as develop discipline to constantly schedule time for that particular training.

In conclusion, using information technology allow for andragogy adult learners the opportunity to set up the learning environment in their on time, setting up and controlling what they are learning as different of pedagogy where the learners follow an framework curriculum. In this instance, the adult learners must be prepared to learn as individual independent person. Malcolm Knowles suggest, a first step program planning model where the learners have to set up his/her own “Preparing the learners” environment to make sure the learner will be ready to capitalize using the technology opportunities and his/her skills in how to used to learn.