Introduction to Adult Distance Education

Adult Education

Adult learners are active participants in their learning (Legg, Adelman, Mueller & Levitt, 2009).

Andragogy is the term used to refer to the education of adults. Knowles (1980) defined andragogy as the art and the science of facilitating adult learning. He claimed that adults have an existing self-concept, are self directed and have a sense of being responsible for their own life (Cited in Billings & Halstead, 2009, p.207).

Adult learning is greatly affected by the many roles that adult learners play including parent, adult child, family member, partner, worker, friend, and community member as well as their own personal context such as gender, race, social class, disabilities, abilities and cultural background (Caffarella, 2002).

Caffarella (2002) contends that adult learners learn best when:

· Their previous experience is recognized

· New information builds on their past experiences and knowledge

· The learning is meaningful and useful to them

· They are actively involved in their learning experiences

· Their preferences for learning styles are incorporated

Education and change

According to Caffarella (2002) change is an expected outcome of adult education and training programs. Education programs can promote individual, organizational and societal changes (Caffarella, 2002). Individual change is related to acquiring new knowledge, building skills and exploration of personal values and beliefs; organizational change results in new policy, procedures and ways of working; and societal change allow for different segments of society to respond to the world in different ways (Caffarella, 2002).

‘Online education is a field in which change is continuous; therefore both instructors and students must be adaptable, knowledgeable and keep up with the pace of technological advances (Wuensch, Shahnaz, Oznan, Kishore, Tabrizi, 2008, p.523)’.

Socialization

Socialization is the process by which new nurses or students gain the knowledge, skills and values they need for their professional practice (Gaberson & Oermann, 2007). Through the process of socialization, the individual learns the necessary behaviours needed to function in a particular role (Gaberson & Oermann, 2007). Socialization is also required to adapt to other new roles such as becoming an adult student. Learner support is essential to online learning (Legg et al, 2009).

What is distance education?

Distance education is a method of teaching in which teachers and students are separated by physical distance (O’Lawrence, 2006).

Distance education has been available since the 1800’s when the print format was utilized in correspondence courses (Lease & Brown, 2009). As technology developed, other methods of delivery for distance education emerged including radio, telephones, television, video conferencing and computers (Lease & Brown, 2009). Historically distance education was based on teaching materials sent through the mail. With the popularity and efficacy of personal computers, distance education is now often based on e-learning via personal computers (Lewis & Price, 2007). E-learning is learning that can occur anywhere and in any place (Lewis & Price, 2007).

Technologies have evolved, such as the establishment of the internet, which now allow for education to occur outside of the traditional face-to-face class room. (Jun, 2005; Legg, Adelman, Mueller & Levitt, 2009).