The Pros and Cons of Digital Learning for Adults

Blogging and writing to a discussion board are very similar forms of digital communication which can be utilized by adult learners. They both require learners to research and learn material, and then post their thoughts electronically. Peers can review and comment on the thoughts openly and even form a back and forth discussion about the topic. Greg Kearsley, a professor familiar with the use of technology in the classroom, notes how “The obvious benefit of online education is lot it allows both teacher and students a lot of flexibility in terms of schedule and location” (Kearsley, 1997, p.1).

Below is a Venn diagram depicting the pros and cons of the use of technology in the adult class room, specifically blogging. Adults learn all through their lives, so it is important to note that these features are valid for a secondary school education as well as a professional education.

First, the positive side of blogging mainly stems from the features technology has over the standard classroom. There is the ability to cover more material than a normal class would cover due to the fact that students work at their own pace and the times they feel comfortable working. Santos (2011) writes that “Blogs offer an innovative way for students to engage in reflective writing on classroom topics in a familiar medium” (p.18). Since blogs “allows developers to work either alone or in teams,” a wide range of personal expression and interaction takes place (Oravec, 2002, p.617). By working at their own pace, most likely in a comfortable setting, learners avoid common class room distractions. Lastly, blogs provide easy access to various forms of communication including text, pictures, audio, and video. The ability to embed items in a blog or link items to the World Wide Web, pushes students to go out of their comfort zone with ease in search of knowledge.

Of course, there are negative sides to working with blogs in education. Most of these items stem from the use of advanced technology needed for publishing on the world wide web. For one, the use of the internet by US households is at 71.7% (File, 2013, p.1) and globally at 34.3% (Internet World, 2013) which shows that there are still a lot of places that do not have basic access to electronic communication. Another downside to digital learning is the inability to work with specialized tools that may be required for understanding the material. These tools can range from powerful machinery to chemicals that are just not available over the internet  or outside of a controlled classroom.

There are a few mixed points to discuss as well. Lack of personal interaction can be good or bad, depending on the personality type of the student. One student may love human interaction and therefore be more prone to face to face instruction, while another may prefer the vial or anonymity of a computer. Coursework done electronically drastically saves the environment due to decreased use of paper and other wasted materials. Yet, in some cases, use of these materials is necessary to keep the integrity of the assignment.

As Kearsley (1997) points out, “one of the benefits of being a virtual professor is that you are sheltered to some degree from the political and organizational turmoil of educational institutions” (p.1). While politics can take away from a perfect education, their absence can also lead to a biased education based solely on a teacher’s perception.

Lastly, peer commenting and review is based heavily on the knowledge the peers use and how informed on the subject they are. While some groups work hard to correct each other’s mistakes, a group trying to be too nice or follow “netiquette” rules to the T may find themselves allowing for a second-class blog posting, promoting what Andrew Keen calls “amateur journalists,” who “are forming aggregated communities of like-minded amateur journalists” working through blogs (Keen, 2007, p.55). Yet, peer review can also allow for freedom. On sites like Coursera.org, free classes of more than 40,000 students use peer reviews of electronic communications to learn from each other and promote their education.

References:

File, T., (2013). Computer and Internet Use in the United States [pdf]. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p20-569.pdf

Internet World Stats: Usage and Population Statistics (2013). Miniwatts Marketing Group. Retrieved from http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm

Kearsley, G., (1997). The Virtual Professor: A Personal Case Study. Retrieved from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/virtual.htm

Keen, A., (2007). The Cult of the Amateur. New York: DoubleDay.

Oravec, J.A., (2002). Bookmarking the world: Weblog applications in education. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy; Apr 2002; 45, 7.

Santos, A.N.E., (2011). Blogs as a Learning Space: Creating Text of Talks. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 2011, 4, 6, 15-19.