I think it goes without saying that always learning and being an active learner, especially when it comes to media literacy, is the best bet when educating yourself.

Assumptions about adult learners

Definition of Adult Learner

Example of a government agency provide time, support, and resources to interns, fellows, and apprentices to participate in learning and development activities.

Useful reminder, connected to our goals and roles, as learning pros. Some of us celebrate when people empower themselves through learning. Yet, some people have issues with the fact that there hasn't been an intervention.

My little quip:

People learn despite teachers.

movement means "A group of people with the same beliefs who work together to achieve something."

Immigrant means "Someone who comes to live in a different country."

subsidize means "We have a subsidized restaurant at work."

https://gobookmart.com/what-type-of-learner-are-you/

unsupervised machine learning technique

Given learners' current levels of anxiety, Quebec's Action Plan on Higher Education Mental Health could become quite significant. Wonder who's currently finding solutions to these issues. Workload is controversial enough a topic that a "Design Thinking" #SolutionMode might be even more fitting than assessments of what counts as a heavy burden.

Reminds me of: http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001961.html

Motz, B., Fyfe, E., & Guba, T. P. (2021). Learning to Call Bullsh*t via Induction: Categorization Training Improves Critical Thinking Performance. PsyArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/65qfj

Should we consider (or do we already have) tutorials on basics of online learning (e.g. how to access Canvas)?

During the OTL Advisory Board meeting, I'm hoping to pull out some of the areas/ideas that faculty are seeing challenges in. I'm sure we will hear about proctoring and academic integrity. However, this is a small percentage of our learner population. I'm also curious what areas you are seeing as ITSs, IDs, or multimedia team members.

a metal musical instrument that you play by blowing into it and pressing keys to produce different notes

a small, round mark or spot:

If something long and thin snaps, it breaks making a short, loud sound, and if you snap it, you break it, making a short, loud sound:

a feeling of being certain of your ability to do things well:

to move around and around quickly, or to make something do this:

(Available in text or audio.) This article provides basic principles (agenda, duration) and technologies (gamification, discussion boards) and activities to keep employees engaged in online learning. While this provides strategy, it does not provide implementation guidance within the corporate environment. (2/10)

The target audience is teachers in psychology and similar social sciences. The authors encouraged using the learner-centered model of instruction and conveying this information in the syllabus. The principles discussed in the text may not generalize to the traditional course structure and content found in other disciplines. The author moves from theoretical characteristics of learner-centered education to the applications in conveying this information in course syllabi. Each syllabus was assessed wtih a modified rubric from an established measure. The structure is organized by the three research questions.

The syllabi from Project Syllabi were disproportionally learner-centered. There may be selection bias for the inclusion of teacher-centered syllabi in the Project Syllabus repositiory. The learning objectives have likely changed from 1999 to present. Longer syllabi are associated with learner-centered design, though it may be the tone and discussion of the course content in the syllabus that makes the course appear to be learner-centered.

The theoretical explanation for learner-centered teaching practices should guide the measurement and assessment of these teaching methods; see Habanek (2005), DiClementi and Handelsman (2005), and Saville, Zinn, Brown, and Marchuk (2010).

Chickering and Gamson's seven principles were the foundation for learner-centered education (1987).

1. Encouraging faculty/student contact
2. Developing reciprocity and cooperation among students
3. Using active learning strategies
4. Offering rapid feedback
5. Emphasizing time on task
6. Communicating high expectations
7. Respecting diverse talents and ways of learning

Habanek's (2005) descriptive study of learner-centered syllabus design.

A course syllabus is a mechanism for communication of expectations for tasks and student engagement in the course.

Definition of learner-centered syllabus. e.g., O’Brian, Millis, & Cohen,2008; Richmond, 2016). According to Diamond (1997)

Summary of the literature in the role of the course syllabus in forming students' perceptions of their instructor. A course syllabus is an ambassador for the instructor.

To view this article, click "Full text." This article first discusses characteristics of adult learners before addressing the ways in which online learning design should be influenced by the adult learning theories of andragogy, self-directed learning, experiential learning, and transformative learning. By comparing the characteristics of adult learners and the ways in which the theories do or do not address those theories, the author suggests ways in which the characteristics of an adult learner should be used to develop a more holistic approach to developing online learning environments. Although the author doesn't include practical application, it is one of the few articles that expresses a need to combine multiple theories into one design approach. Ranking: 6/10

Although only a preview of this textbook is available for free, the amount of historical research included is incredible. The chapters cover a diverse range of topics that are still being discussed today and demonstrate the ideological underpinnings of many modern issues. Published in 2000, the conversation about technology integration in adult learning has moved far beyond the scope of this book, but it could certainly serve as an underpinning of many of the issues that are still being discussed and developed upon today. Ranking: 5/10

To view this article, click "Full text." This article focuses on the author's perspective of the primary concern in technology integration in educational environments - the instructor. The authors discuss the eight barriers that teachers create when trying to integrate technology: fear of change, training, personal use, teaching models, learning theories, educational climate, motivation, and support. Although the advice is practical, it is extremely rudimentary, created eighteen years ago, and does not address the more modern concerns of integration of technology in adult educational environments. Ranking: 3/10

To view this article, click "full text." The article discusses a paradigm shift for educational technology at a time when distance learning first started growing across the United States. Initially, institutions of higher learning were driven by technology integration standard mandates as well as competition from other institutions, but eventually the shift normalized with federal funding. The author discusses barriers to technology adaptation, focused on teacher training, before describing characteristics of the distance learner and distance teacher. Although the article may have been relevant for its time, twenty years later it serves more as a grounding article for when educational technology first began to take rise, the considerations and limitations that were addressed, and the way that technology integration in classrooms has still not realized the potential envisioned by its early adopters. Rating: 4/10

This article seeks to synthesize an undefined number of scholarly articles related to the integration of technology in higher educational settings in order to present gaps that need additional research. The recommendations are for instructors to move beyond a course that focuses on content and to create a balanced approach that also includes consideration of technology and pedagogical theories. Although the article lists an extremely generic opportunity for continued research, it lacks any specific recommendations for what they found lacking in their literature review and does not adequately move the conversation forward. Ranking: 3/10

This article discusses four approaches to integrating technology into adult learning environments, including curriculum, delivery mechanism, instructional complement, and instructional tool. The author briefly describes each approach and lists both the benefits and limitations of those approaches, concluding that using technology as an instructional tool may have the greatest ability to reach the widest audience of adult learners with varying technological skill. Although the end result is tied to a constructivist approach, the author does little to extend the theories discussed into practical application for educators. Ranking: 5/10

This website offers a host of resources for youth and adult educators who are looking for new ways to incorporate technology into their educational environment. The website stores featured projects that support technology integration, resources that educators can use to inform their own practice, and short articles on a variety of topics for youth and adult learners as well as professional development programs. Ranking: 7/10

The Northwest Center of Public Health Practice's toolkit title "Effective Adult Learning: A toolkit for teaching adults," is . a highly comprehensive resource for instructional design for adult learning instructors. Sections include course or training design, objectives of adult learning, various tools to help in the process of course design, and brief overviews of adult learning methods and theory. The embedded section review charts make it easier for quick references. Rating: 10/10

This article by the University of Utah discusses Lindeman's and Knowles's theories on adult learning. Andragogy uses the teacher differently from pedagogy: the teacher in an adult learning environment becomes a facilitator instead of the knower. I think this is an important distinction to make for people who go from teaching children to teaching adults. There are two of these people on my team at work. One taught third grade and one taught sixth grade, and both of them tend to try to put the instructor in the knower's position instead of the facilitator's position. They have to catch themselves often and rework some instruction to be more student-focused instead of content-focused. 8/10

A retired scientific glassblower, after 40 years "in front of the furnace" my job disappeared. Running away to join the circus and spending my golden years making glass unicorns "on the Midway" was one option, Returning to college to "update my skills" was the worst decision of my life. Barely surviving "higher education" as an adult student, I now have two associate's degrees and am the first person in Metropolitan State University's College of Individualized Studies authorized to complete my bachelor's degree by documenting my prior learning on my own domain. I'm not convinced the institution is capable of assessing digital objects for credit, but there will always be a market for glass unicorns.

Ms. Massicot assigned this novella in her English class my junior year in high school. Fifty years later, Bartleby still informs my decision making everyday. Especially when responding to academics and educational institutions.

stages of personalized learning: infographic This is here because it shows the progression of personalized learning from teacher centered to learner center to learner driven. It has other links to learn more about personalized learning. Usability for the article is adequate but less than ideal for the infographic (which nonetheless has useful information).

The pdf provides information from The Twin Cities Campus Library with instruction incorporating technology into teaching adult students.

It includes a review of instructional technology, assessment for learning, framework for teaching adult learners and a workshop. This 14 page pdf provides the essentials necessary in understanding basic learning needs of adult learners.

RATING: 3/5 (rating based upon a score system 1 to 5, 1= lowest 5=highest in terms of content, veracity, easiness of use etc.)

This article focuses on creating online tutorials for adult learners. Andragogy theory is used to build online programs for adult learners that are learner centered and engaging.

8/10

Therein lies the rub. Mandated systems are a radically different thing from “systems which are available for use”. This quote from the aforelinked IHE piece is quite telling:

“I want somebody to fight!” Crouch said. “These things are not cheap -- 300 grand or something like that? ... I want people to want it! When you’re trying to buy something, you want them to work at it!”

In the end, it’s about “procurement”, which is quite different from “adoption” which is itself quite different from “appropriation”.

Reminds me of @KevinCarey1 describe the original university of Bologna, in his End of College. Don’t have the quote handy (one of many cases where #OpenAccess would allow for more thoughtful discussion), but the gist of that paragraph sounds similar to what @Downes is describing here

Wow. Not that we need such an extreme case to shed light on the perverse incentives at stake in Learning Analytics, but this surely made readers react. On the other hand, there’s a lot more to be said about retention policies. People often act as though they were essential to learning. Retention is important to the institution but are we treating drop-outs as escapees? One learner in my class (whose major is criminology) was describing the similarities between schools and prisons. It can be hard to dissipate this notion when leaving an institution is perceived as a big failure of that institution. (Plus, Learning Analytics can really feel like the Panopticon.) Some comments about drop-outs make it sound like they got no learning done. Meanwhile, some entrepreneurs are encouraging students to leave institutions or to not enroll in the first place. Going back to that important question by @sarahfr: why do people go to university?

The “at the very least” part makes it sound as though this were the easy part.

To many a student, the notion that somebody else could profit from their “free labour” is particularly offputting. Including (or especially) those who prepare to become the heads of commercial entities.

Have yet to notice much discussion of the relationships between SIS (Student Information Systems), CRM (Customer Relationship Management), ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), and LMS (Learning Management Systems).

In other words, Google does use everyone’s information (Data as New Oil) and can use such things to target ads in Higher Education.

Perhaps even more than other sections, this one recalls the trope:

The difference probably comes from the impact of (institutional) “application”.

Very important to keep in mind. Not only do we realise that re-identification is a risk, but this risk is exacerbated by the increase in “triangulation”. Hence some discussions about Differential Privacy.

Again, this is probably a more felicitous wording than “privacy protection”. Sure, it takes as a given that some use of data is desirable. And the preceding section makes it sound like Learning Analytics advocates mostly need ammun… arguments to push their agenda. Still, the notion that we want to advocate for responsible use is more likely to find common ground than this notion that there’s a “data faucet” that should be switched on or off depending on certain stakeholders’ needs. After all, there exists a set of data use practices which are either uncontroversial or, at least, accepted as “par for the course” (no pun intended). For instance, we probably all assume that a registrar should receive the grade data needed to grant degrees and we understand that such data would come from other sources (say, a learning management system or a student information system).

Surprising mention of “open-source platforms”, here. Doesn’t sound like these issues are absent from proprietary platforms. Maybe they mean non-institutional platforms (say, social media), where these issues are really pressing. But the wording is quite strange if that is the case.

Indeed. “Privacy” makes it sound like a single factor, hiding the complexity of the matter and the importance of learners’ agency.

Really? These aren’t uncontroversial, to say the least. For instance, discussion board interactions often call for careful, mixed-method work with an eye to preventing instructor effect and confirmation bias. “Time on task” is almost a codeword for distinctions between models of learning. Research in cognitive science gives very nuanced value to “time spent on task” while the Malcolm Gladwells of the world usurp some research results. A major insight behind Competency-Based Education is that it can allow for some variance in terms of “time on task”. So it’s kind of surprising that this summary puts those two things to the fore.

Ha! The Chronicle’s summary framed these categories somewhat differently. Interesting. To me, the “application” part is really about student retention. But maybe that’s a bit of a cynical reading, based on an over-emphasis in the Learning Analytics sphere towards teleological, linear, and insular models of learning. Then, the “representation” part sounds closer to UDL than to learner-driven microcredentials. Both approaches are really interesting and chances are that the report brings them together. Finally, the Chronicle made it sound as though the research implied here were less directed. The mention that it has “the potential to influence institutional practices and interventions” may be strategic, as applied research meant to influence “decision-makers” is more likely to sway them than the type of exploratory research we so badly need.

Agreed that it’s productive. But isn’t it also about framing (formal/institutional) education in purely economic terms? Useful to think about goods and services which have exchange value. May be a bit too easy to slip into the implicit idea that a learner is among the system’s key products.

Sign of the times? One part is about economics as the discipline of decision-making. Economists often claim that their work is about any risk/benefit analysis and isn’t purely about money. But the whole thing is still about “resources” or “exchange value”, in one way or another. So, it could be undue influence from this way of thinking. A second part is that, as this piece made clear at the onset, “education is big business”. In some ways, “education” is mostly a term for a sector or market. Schooling, Higher Education, Teaching, and Learning are all related. Corporate training may not belong to the same sector even though many of the aforementioned EdTech players bet big on this. So there’s a logic to focus on the money involved in “education”. Has little to do with learning experiences, but it’s an entrenched system.

Finally, there’s something about efficiency, regardless of effectiveness. It’s somewhat related to economics, but it’s often at a much shallower level. The kind of “your tax dollars at work” thinking which is so common in the United States. “It’s the economy, silly!”

Useful breakdown. Research, predictive models, and recognition are quite distinct from one another and the approaches to data that they imply are quite different. In a way, the “personalized learning” model at the core of the second topic is close to the Big Data attitude (collect all the things and sense will come through eventually) with corresponding ethical problems. Through projects vary greatly, research has a much more solid base in both ethics and epistemology than the kind of Big Data approach used by technocentric outlets. The part about recognition, though, opens the most interesting door. Microcredentials and badges are a part of a broader picture. The data shared in those cases need not be so comprehensive and learners have a lot of agency in the matter. In fact, when then-Ashoka Charles Tsai interviewed Mozilla executive director Mark Surman about badges, the message was quite clear: badges are a way to rethink education as a learner-driven “create your own path” adventure. The contrast between the three models reveals a lot. From the abstract world of research, to the top-down models of Minority Report-style predictive educating, all the way to a form of heutagogy. Lots to chew on.

Interestingly enough, a lot of teachers either don’t know that such data might be available or perceive very little value in monitoring learners in such a way. But a lot of this can be negotiated with learners themselves.

Data=New Oil

Nice pun, giving another connotation to the term “learner”.

Not totally on board with this. Perhaps if "learner" role can be filled with student or instructor.

What makes this so unavoidable? And why do these teams need to be so structured?

Now think of it with a learner in mind.

Meet the modern learner

But we do want to leave it behind--the words we use--"school system" tell us exactly what is at the center--schools. What we learn are learn systems where learning is at the center which implies tacit-wise that the learner is at the center.

(http://gph.is/1e82Pef)

learner centric