Analyzing the Influence of Technology on Adult Learning Practices

This essay discusses the role of technology in adult learning, highlighting its impact and associated challenges. It begins by defining technology and learning, emphasizing how technology simplifies and enhances the learning experience for adults. The essay explores how technology motivates adult learners by keeping them updated with advancements, revolutionizing learning methods, and increasing enrollment in adult education programs. Despite these benefits, challenges such as varying levels of experience and exposure to technology, as well as fear and literacy issues among adult learners, are addressed. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of technology in the future of adult learning and recommends its continued application, while also acknowledging and addressing the challenges that adult learners may face. Desklib offers a variety of study tools to assist students.

Teaching the adult learning
Teaching the adult learning
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Teaching the adult learning
Introduction
Technology is regarded to as the application of knowledge that is often scientific in
various areas such as production and accomplishments of some other vital objectives (Laurillard,
2013).
Learning of the other hand is the systematic process of acquiring either new or already existing
knowledge, skills or values. Different people have different abilities towards learning.
This write up aims to look at the issue of technology in learning which will include of the effects
of technology in adult learning and some of the technology challenges that adult learners face
will also be looked at.
Adult learning and technology
Learning and technology are two aspects that go hand in hand. Technology which is the
application of knowledge that is often scientific plays a very big role in learning. In simpler
terms technology has been known to make learning much easier and enjoyable. There are various
forms of technology and as far as learning is concerned then various forms of technology can be
applied in regard to the concept of learning which is under consideration (Knowles, Holton III,
Swanson, 2012).
Adult learning can simply be regarded as the practice in which various adults engage themselves
in different kinds of self-educating activities with the aim of gaining new knowledge and skills
(Ruey, 2010). Adult learning unlike any other kind of learning is very dynamic in nature. This is
so because it’s driven by internal motivation and its purpose driven. It results from a conviction
within a person and not because they have been forced to learn.

Teaching the adult learning
Adult learning is greatly affected by technology. Technology keeps of advancing each and every
day with the invention of new ways of doing things. Technology can be used as a tool to
influence adult learning but in doing this it has some really great effects on adult learning itself.
Technology for instance is a tool that motivates adult learning. As mentioned earlier, adult
learning is usually as a result of inner conviction and self desire within an adult to advance
oneself by acquiring new knowledge regarding various areas of interest (Ruey,
2010).Technology is a perfect tool that motivates adult learning. With the continuously changing
and advancing technology, adults feel that they have to keep on learning so that they can be up to
date with the continuously changing technology.
Technology has also revolutionized adult learning. Through technology then adult
learning has been made quite interesting. Statistics have shown that in the last five years there
has been an increase in the number of adults who enroll and seek to advance in further learning.
This has been attributed to the fact that as people grow older it becomes extremely important that
they keep their brains busy and also active and the best way of achieving this is enrolment in
adult education/learning. Technology has brought changes in adult learning. New methods of
learning are being applied that are more efficient and strategic, thanks to technology (Laurillard,
2012).
Despite of all the tremendous effects and changes that technology has had on adult learning,
there are some various challenges that have been common to adult learners as a result of the
continuously changing technology. Some of the common challenges that adult learners face as a
direct consequence of technology are discussed below;

Teaching the adult learning
First and foremost, one of the common challenges that adult learners face as a result of
technology is experience and exposure. Technology that adults have been exposed to varies so
much and can be so diverse (Whitton, 2011).However, we have some adults that have not been
exposed to so much technology as others. In the process of learning, it becomes very difficult to
engage these two adults because one will feel so outshined because of their level of exposure on
technology.
The other common challenge that adults face in learning as a result of technology is fear and
levels of literacy (Jarvis, 2012). There are some adults that are so good as far as technology is
concerned and they can do random activities such as conducting an internet search and so on.
There are some other adults, however, that cannot do a simple internet search. Such adults are
affected by fear and this wills greatly affecting them in the learning process.
Conclusion
Generally, technology has revolutionized adult learning in so many ways. The future of
adult learning is somewhat bright thanks to the constant advancements in technology. There are
some common challenges that adult learners face as a result of technology but these can be dealt
with because adult learning itself depends so much on technology (Jarvis, 2012).
It is recommended that technology be applied in adult learning because the future of adult
learning depends on it.

Teaching the adult learning
References
Jarvis, P. (2012). Adult learning in the social context. Routledge.
Laurillard, D. (2013). Teaching as a design science: Building pedagogical patterns for learning
and technology. Routledge.
Ruey, S. (2010). A case study of constructivist instructional strategies for adult online
learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(5), 706-720. Jarvis
Knowles, M. S., Holton III, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2012). The adult learner. Routledge.
Whitton, N. (2011). Game engagement theory and adult learning. Simulation & Gaming, 42(5),
596-609.