SELF-DIRECTED LEARNER

Designing Effective Adult Learning Experiences I learned about andragogy, a set of assumptions about how adults learn. The five assumptions underlying andragogy describe the adult learner as someone who (1) has an independent self-concept and who can direct his or her own learning, (2) has accumulated a reservoir of life experiences that is a rich resource for learning, (3) has learning needs closely related to changing social roles, (4) is problem-centered and interested in immediate application of knowledge, and (5) is motivated to learn by internal rather than external factors (Knowles, 1998). This week exposes me we with connectivism: "A learning theory for the digital age, has been developed by George Siemens and Stephen Downes based on their analysis of the limitations of behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism to explain the effect technology has had on how we live, how we communicate, and how we learn” (Wikipedia, 2010), that emphases on the social dimensions in the eyes of Bruner, Bandura, and Seely Brown, who emphasize social principles of learning. While Vygotsky emphasize the cultural and the social dimensions of learning, Lave and Wenger suggest the situated nature of learning or communities of practice as an example (Siemens, 2010). It would be far fetched for me to say that the self-directed nature of adult learners is well-suited to one particular type of learning environment, reflecting on the characteristics of adult learners as presented this week, and my inability to use some software in this course; and I do not think that learning environments present a single pedagogical model suitable for the individuals, that is why the online learning integrates the use of internet in its content. Though connectivism is complex in nature, it is suitable for learning in 21st century and beyond. Many adults, today, come to appreciate the online educational environment, based on their lifestyle and learning preferences. The online learning environment should be designed based on the needs and the challenges of the adult learner such as juggling career, family, and other personal responsibilities. The design of the online learning should be CD- roms, web-based learning knowledge, with focus on structured tasks couple with tutorial sessions, so students like me experiencing software challenges could follow step-by-step instruction to alleviate their problems and be successful. The Internet and Blogs would facilitate the distribution of learning. With the computer mediated learning, the multimedia design has to take into consideration the characteristics of the adult learner: Kinesthetic, visual, social, and auditory. Like other mature adult learners who seem to prefer self-directed instruction, I benefit from my experience, as a Mathematics teacher, that constitutes a rich resource for learning for me; so I learn effectively through experiential techniques such as practical problem-solving techniques I developed in high school and continue to build on; I am accustom to specific learning needs generated by real-life events such as their jobs, marriage. I am a competency-based learner, so I need a skill or acquire knowledge that I can apply pragmatically to my immediate situation: the use of computers and software; that is why I am reading MS-IDT-Online Learning for expertise. As a self-directed learner, I enjoy my intrinsic motivation and my free time to do my studies, unlike the traditional learning environment. Thus in designing effective adult learning experiences, I will seek to stimulate learning and to infuse content with lifetime skills of metacognition and critical thinking. To show what they've learned, my students should show some sort of conceptual understanding of the material. Students should be able to apply any or all of these activities: formulate, answer, summarize, draw, dramatize, or to express the materials in some new way, beneficial to them and to the society.