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Transcript of Adult Learners Online-experience
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Australian Journal of Adult Learning
Volume 47, Number 2, July 2007
Adult learners online: students experiences of
learning online
Wendy M. Knightley
Institute o Continuing Education
University o Cambridge, UK
Throughout the world, policy-makers are demonstrating their
commitment to widening participation in education by promoting
alternative pathways to gaining academic qualications. This
paper reports a study which aimed to investigate the potential of
online learning to overcome barriers to participating in education
by socially disadvantaged adults, and to identify the factors thatinuenced such students participation and successful completion
of online learning courses. Seventy-nine adults taking online
learning courses with the Open University in the United Kingdom
participated in a telephone survey and 15 of these students were also
interviewed.
Participants perceived themselves as having more easily accessed
education because of the option of online learning and reportedhaving beneted from the experience. However, online learning per
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Adult learners online: students experiences of learning online 265
se should be offered as only one potential means of attracting and
retaining adult students, and further exploration into its potential
for widening participation is necessary.
Introduction
Anissueforconsiderationbygovernmentsthroughouttheworldis
thepromotion,extensionanddeepeningofeducationalexperiences
forallmembersofsociety.Thisincludesanemphasisonlifewide
aswellaslifelonglearning(Clark2005).Certaincurrentdebates
ineducationcentreonmakingeducationmoreaccessibleand
morerelevantthroughoutlife(DfES2005,Houghton2006,Social
ExclusionUnit2005)andthereisalsoafocusonincludingless
advantaged,orsociallyexcluded,adultsineducation.Inparticular,
governmentsarekeentopointoutthepersonal,individualgains
adultsmayaccruethroughupskilling,retrainingandreturningtoeducationwithbroadereconomicandsocietalbenets(Clayton1999,
McFadden1995).Withthesedualpaybacksinmind,adultsarebeing
encouragedtoreturntoeducationandgainacademicqualications
(Appleby&Bathmaker2006,Brine2006,Thornton2005).Creative
solutionsarebeingsoughtuniversallytoattractandretainadult
students,especiallythosewhohavetraditionallybeenmarginalised
withineducationordisenfranchised(Manheimer2002,Wylie2005).
Itissuggestedmoreequitableeducationalandemploymentoutcomes
forallmaybeachievedthroughtheuseofdigitaltechnologies
(MCEETYA2007a),andthereisdebateregardingtheextentto
whichutilisinginformationandcommunicationstechnology(ICT),
e-learningoronlinelearningisonewayofovercomingbarriersto
participatingineducationbyadults,(DfES2003,Lax2001,Looi
&Lim2006,Martin&Williamson2002,Simpson2005).Sowho
arethesesociallyexcludedadultsthatcoursesdeliveredonlineareintendedtoattract?Whatismeantbyonlinelearning?Andhowdo
thestudentsstandtogain?
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266 Wendy Knightley
Thispaperreportssomepreliminaryresearchontheseissues.It
isnotclaimedthatthendingsfromthissmall-scalestudycanbe
generalisedtoawiderpopulationbuttheydogiveinsightsintothe
experiencesofsomestudentsofstudyingonline.Thepaperconsiders
theissuesofsocialexclusionandonlinelearning.Itchartssome
preliminaryresearchconductedintheUnitedKingdom(UK)intothe
impactonadultswhohavenotrecentlytakenpartineducationof
participatinginonlinelearning,andfocusesonthoseadultstudents
whomaybeconsideredsociallyexcluded.Whatarethemotivations
forsuchadultstotakepartinonlinelearning?Inwhatwaysdotheygainfromlearningonline?Thepaperindicatesparticipantsviews
abouttheappealtothemoflearningonlineagaininthefuture.It
concludesbysuggestingthattheseparticipantsperceivedthemselves
tohavebenetedfromparticipatinginonlinelearning,butthat
onlinelearningper seshouldbeofferedasonlyonepotentialmeans
ofattractingandretainingadultstudents,andfurtherexplorationis
necessary.Firstly,then,whoarethesociallyexcluded?
Background
Social exclusion
Broadlyspeaking,individualsaresaidtobesociallyexcludedifthey
areunabletoparticipateinthebasiceconomicandsocialactivities
ofthesocietyinwhichtheylive(Chakravarty&DAmbrosio2002).
AsimilarbutexpandedconceptionisputforwardbyWarschauer(2003):socialexclusionreferstotheextenttowhichindividuals,
familiesandcommunitiesareabletofullyparticipateinsociety
andcontroltheirowndestinies,takingintoaccountavarietyof
factorsrelatedtoeconomicresources,employment,health,housing,
recreation,culture,andcivicengagement(p.8).Indicatorsof
potentialsocialexclusionmightbenancialdifculties,lackof
basicnecessities(ITskills,employment,autonomyinwork),poor
housingconditions,lackofconsumerdurables,poorhealth,limited
socialcontactorperceiveddissatisfaction(Haisken-DeNew2002).
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Adult learners online: students experiences of learning online 267
Cruciallyforthisdiscussion,otherimportantcontributoryfactorsto
socialexclusionareloweducationalattainmentandnon-participation
ineducation(Alexandiou2002).
E-learning, or online learning
E-learningandonlinelearningaregeneraltermscoveringawide
rangeofapproaches.Theycancombinedifferentelements,such
asinformationandcommunicationtechnology(ICT),interaction,
learningresources,collaborativeandinformallearning,formal
andinformallearning,andsupport(AISR2006,HEFCE2005,Mason1998,Zhang&Perris2004).Althoughtheyareoftenused
interchangeably,e-learningisgenerallyconceivedofaslearning
thatissupportedanddeliveredthroughtheuseofICT,andonline
learningislearningthatisdeliveredandsupportedthroughthe
internet(Clarke2004).
TheadoptionofICTineducationisbeingseenthroughoutthe
worldasameansofeffectivelyeducatingstudents,andorientingandpreparingthemforemployment(Fox2002,MCEETYA2007b,
USDepartmentofEducation2004).ResearchbyMatasandAllan
(2004)hasalsoindicatedthebenetstoadultstudentsofusing
onlinelearningportfoliostodevelopgenericskills,transferabletothe
workplace.Additionally,ICTispurportedtoappealacrossthesocial
spectrumandagerange.Forexample,olderadultsinAustraliaare
increasinglyusingtheinternet,buyingcomputersandengagingin
ICTlessons.AccordingtotheAustralianBureauofStatistics(2006),
in200405,67%ofAustralianhouseholdshadaccesstoacomputer
athomeand56%hadhomeinternetaccess;thiscompareswith54%
ofhouseholdsinBritainhavingacomputerand44%ofhouseholds
havinginternetaccessin2002(latestguresfromNationalStatistics
2006).PromotingICT-basedcoursesmaybeawayofdrawingin
adultswhomissedoutoneducationthersttimeround.Further,ICT
canbeegalitarian,inthatitismoredifculttodetectstatuscuesinelectronicmessages(Sproull&Kiesler,1992)andnetworkedactivity
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268 Wendy Knightley
maydecreasetheperceivedpoweroftheauthoritygure(Blair&
Monsle2003).
Aswellaspurportedlywideningandlevellingaccess,ICTalso
providesamoreexiblemeansofdelivery(Gorardet al. 2003,
MacKeogh2001).Theappealofonlinelearningande-learningfor
institutionsandpolicy-makersisthatitfreeslearnersfromarigid
timetableofattendanceatacollegeorotherlearninginstitution;it
enablesself-pacedlearningandispurportedtobemorecosteffective
(Gatta2003).Fromapedagogicalperspective,knowledgerelatingtolearningtheories,instructionaldesignprinciplesandresearchinto
studentlearninginhighereducationhasbeenappliedtotheuseof
onlinelearningtechnologies(Siragusa&Dixon2005).Theonline
learningenvironmentcreatesanopportunityfortheuseofinteractive
andcollaborativemodelsoflearning(McDonald&Reushle2000,
Segrave2004).Thevariedapproachgivesarich,interactivelearning
environment;studentsareabletoengagemorefullywithcourse
contentusingdifferentmediaandcaninteractwithothersinawaythatmakeslearningmoreeffective.Onamorepersonallevel,
studentsmayndlearningandinteractingonlinelessintimidating
thanmeetingotherstudentsandtutorsface-to-face.Peoplewith
disabilities,especially,maywelcometheanonymityandlackof
prejudiceelectroniccommunicationallows(Debenham2001,Tait
2000).
Theresearchreportedinthispaperbuildsonpreviousstudiesinto
socialexclusionandonlinelearning(DfES2004,Gorardet al.2000,
Heemskerket al.2005,Martin&Williamson2002,Richardson
&LeGrand2002).Ithasaparticularfocusonthesubjective
experiencesofstudyingonlineforagroupofadultsdemonstrating
indicatorsassociatedwithsocialexclusion,studyingwiththeOpen
UniversityintheUK.
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Adult learners online: students experiences of learning online 269
The present study
Objectives
Thisstudyaimedtoinvestigatethepotentialofonlinelearning
toovercomebarrierstoparticipatingineducationbypotentially
disadvantagedadults;andtoidentifythefactorsthatinuencedsuch
studentsparticipationandsuccessfulcompletionofonlinelearning
courses.OpenUniversityUKstudentswereafocusofthisresearch
becausethisinstitutionofferssecondchancehighereducation.Its
openentrypolicyattractsadultsfromvarioussocialandeducationalbackgroundswhofrequentlydonothavethequalicationsnecessary
togainaplaceataconventionaluniversity.Inaddition,theOpen
Universityisattheforefrontoftheappropriationofnewtechnologies
foritscoursedelivery.
Sample
Theopportunitysamplewascomprisedof79volunteersfromalarge
populationofstudentswhoseOpenUniversityregistrationformshowedthattheyhadoneormoreoftheindicatorsofpotentialsocial
exclusion.Forthepurposesofthisresearch,thefocuswason:
adultswithlowpreviouseducationalqualications(PEQs,thatis,
fewerthan5GCSEs)
youngerandolderstudents(thoseagedunder25yearsorover45
years)
thosefromethnicminorities disabledadults
adultsonlowincomes.
TablesIandIIprovidedetailsofthesampleusedinthisstudy.
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270 Wendy Knightley
Table I: Participants age and gender
Age Gender
Male Female Total
Under25years 7 13 20
2544years 24 21 45
4560years 12 1 13
Over60years 1 0 1
Total 44 35 79
Table II: Participants previous educational qualications and
ethnicity
Ethnicity Previous educational qualifcations
BelowUpto1
24 5+ 1 2+HNC
orHND
orTotal
GCSE GCSE GCSEs GCSEs Alevel
Alevels
similar similar
Anglo-ethnicBritish
1 4 15 15 4 14 3 6 62
Black/Afro-CaribbeanBritish
0 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 4
Asian 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
Other 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 5
Undisclosed 2 0 2 0 0 1 1 1 7
Total 5 4 18 16 4 18 4 10 79
Notes:GCSE=qualicationtakenatendofYear11Alevel=AdvancedlevelqualicationtakenatendofYear13HNC=HigherNationalCerticatevocational/technicalqualication
takenpostAlevelHNC=HigherNationalDiplomahigherlevelHNC,equivalenttorstyearundergraduatelevel
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Adult learners online: students experiences of learning online 271
TableIshowsthatmorethanhalfofthesamplewasaged
2544years;thesestudentsdemonstratedotherindicatorsassociated
withsocialexclusion(forexample,havinglowPEQ,ethnicminority).
ThedatainTableIIindicatethatthesamplewasoverwhelmingly
whiteBritishbutthatathirdofthesample(n=27)hadlowPEQs.
Thesamplewastakingarangeofundergraduatelevelcoursesat
theOpenUniversity(suchasYou, your computer and the netand
Understanding health and social care)whereallornearlyallthe
resourcesandteachingweredeliveredonline.Studentsgenerallyalreadyhadaccesstoapersonalcomputerathomeorinthe
workplace.Somedisabledstudentshadbeenprovidedwithapersonal
computerorspecialistequipmentfollowingassessmentbytheOpen
University.Themajorityofparticipantshadnotstudiedformallyfora
numberofyears.Thestudentswereinvitedtotakepartinatelephone
surveyandthenafollow-upface-to-faceinterview.
Seventyninestudentsvolunteeredtoparticipateinthetelephonesurvey.Ofthese79,15(twelvemenandthreewomen)tookpartin
theface-to-faceinterviews.Theseintervieweesrangedinagefrom
19yearsto62years.Onlythreeparticipantsinthissubsethada
non-whiteethnicbackground,andvestudentsweredisabled.Seven
studentshaduptoveGCSEsorequivalent(hadbeeneducatedup
toYear11),whiletheremainingtenstudentshadatleastoneAlevel
(attendedschooltoYear13).
Sevenstudentswereworkingfull-time;theotherswereeitherretired,
unabletoworkduetodisabilityorwerelookingforajob.Onlyone
studenthadappliedtotheOpenUniversitysFinancialAssistance
Fundtakenasanindicatoroflowincome.
Participatinginthisstudywasauniqueopportunityforadultstogive
theirviewsaboutaparticularlearningexperience.
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272 Wendy Knightley
Methodology
Basedonpreviousresearch(Chisholmet al.2004,DfEE2000),aninterviewschedulewasdevisedtoaddresstheresearchaims.A
pilotstudyinvolving11studentsintelephoneinterviewshadbeen
conducted.Theinterviewitemsrelatedtopreviousexperiencesof
conventionalandonlinelearning,levelofexperienceandcompetence
withcomputers,reasonsforreturningtolearningatthistime,future
hopesandaspirationsregardinglearning,andthelevelofsupport
studentsexpectedtoreceivefortheirstudies(Sargant&Aldridge
2002).Examplesofquestionswere:
Whatmadeyoudecidetoreturntolearningatthistime?
Whatmadeyoudecidetodoanonlinecourseinparticular?
Forhowlongbeforestartingthecoursehadyoubeenusingapersonalcomputer?
Whodoyouexpectwillgiveyouthemostencouragementtocompleteyourcourse?
Linkingthisstudytopreviousinvestigationsofsocialexclusion(for
example,DfES2004,Gorardet al.2000),participantswerealso
askedaboutinvolvementintheirlocalandthewidercommunities.
Forexample:
Doyouhavesomeoneyoucouldcallonforhelpinthehomeif
youwereill?
DidyouvoteintherecentGeneralElection?
Doyoubelongtoasports,socialorotherclubinyourneighbourhood?
Thispilotprocessledtotherenementoftheinitialinterview
scheduleforthemainstudy.Thesurveycomprised48questions
andgeneratedquantitativedata.The79studentsweretelephonedtowardsthebeginningoftheirOpenUniversitycourse(February/
March).Thesepre-testdataprovidebaselinesagainstwhichthe
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Adult learners online: students experiences of learning online 273
post-testdata,gatheredattheendofthestudentsrstyearofstudy
(November),willbecompared.
Theface-to-faceinterviewsbuiltonthetelephoneinterviewbroad
questions,andprobedmoredeeplyintotheexperienceoflearning
online.Asemi-structuredinterviewapproachwasadopted,intending
toallowparticipantstoexpandontheresearchissuesparticularly
salienttothem.Examplesoftheopen-endedquestionswere:
Howareyoundingonlinelearning/usingICTinyour
learning?
Whatdoyouunderstandnowbythetermonlinelearning?
Whatisthebiggestadvantageforyouofonlinelearning?
Havetherebeenanydrawbacksforyouofonlinelearning?
Theintentionwastogivethesestudentsthechancetotalkatgreater
lengthabouttheinitialattractionoflearningonline,aboutrelated
issuesandinwhatwaystheyfelttheyhadgainedfromthismodeof
learning.
Results
Why choose to learn online?
Asmightbeexpected,therewasarangeofmotivationsforthese
studentsreturningtolearning.TableIIIshowsparticipantsreasonsforstudying.
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274 Wendy Knightley
Table III: Participants reason for studying
Reason for studying Number of participants
Percentage
Towardsaspecicdegree 18 22.8
Toincreaseknowledgeinaparticulareld 17 21.5
Careerchange 14 17.7
Improveemploymentprospects 12 15.2
Towardsgettingadegree 7 8.9
Toincreaseknowledgegenerally 6 7.6
Tocompleteadegree 1 1.3
Noneofthese/other 4 5.1
Total 79 100.0
Themostpopularreasongiveninthetelephoneinterview(n=18,
23%)wastogainaspecicdegree,followedbystudentswanting
toincreasetheirknowledgeinaparticulareld(n=17,21%).Other
thanthisdriveforgainingaqualication,studentsweremotivated
toreturntolearningforeconomicreasons.Fourteenstudents(18%)
thoughtstudyingmighthelptowardsacareerchangeandtwelve
students(15%)considereditwouldimprovetheiremployment
prospects.
ParticipantschosetheOpenUniversity,ratherthananother
institution,duetoavarietyofgrounds,asTableIVindicates.
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Adult learners online: students experiences of learning online 275
Table IV: Participants reasons for choosing to study with the Open
University
Reason for choosing the Open University Number ofparticipants
Percentage
Flexible,part-timestudytswithothercommitments
36 45.6
Recommendedbyfriends/relatives 15 19.0
Childcare/domesticresponsibilitiestsin 8 10.1
Financialcouldaffordtopay 5 6.3
Disabled,OUseemedappropriate 1 1.3
Noneedforpreviousqualications 1 1.3
Noneofthese/other 13 16.5
Total 79 100.0
TheOpenUniversitywastheinstitutionofchoicebecauseofthetypeofstudyingpart-time,distancelearningwithhighqualityresources
andsupportitoffered.Thirty-sixstudents(46%)likedtheexible,
part-timemodeofstudyingandthoughtitwouldtinwithother
workanddomesticcommitments.Afurthereightstudents(10%)
particularlymentionedthepotentialtodovetailOpenUniversity
studywithchildcareorothercaringresponsibilities.
Understandings, choices and valuesButwhatoftheespecialtypeofonlinestudying?Whatwerestudents
viewsonthis?Firstofall,studentswereaskedwhattheyunderstood
bythetermonlinelearning.Ithasalreadybeenindicatedthatthis
isaphraseopentointerpretation,andcanencompassabroadrange
ofapproaches.Studentshadavariedbutshallowunderstanding
ofwhatonlinelearningis.Seventeenstudents(21%)didnothave
anunderstandingofwhatonlinelearningis,andthreestudents(4%)thoughtitwasnodifferenttotraditionalformsoflearning.
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276 Wendy Knightley
However,36(46%)thoughtonlinelearningprovidedamore
convenientwayofaccessinginformationandpeople,throughthe
useoftechnology.Computerconferencingwasespeciallymentioned
asausefulmeansofcommunicatingwithothersandexchanging
information.Otherstudents(n=11,14%)thoughtonlinelearning
meantlearning,developingandusingcomputingskills.Studentswere
informedwhatonlinelearninginthiscontextmeant.
Whenaskedwhytheychoseonline learning,participantsagaingavea
varietyofreasons.TheseareshowninTableV.
Table V: Participants reasons for choosing online learning
Reason for choosing online learning Number of participants
Percentage
Notspecicallychosenchosesubjectanditcameasonline
45 57.0
WantedtoincreaseITcompetency 18 22.8
Flexibility 5 6.3
Canstudyathome 4 5.1
Noneofthese/other 7 8.9
Total 79 100.0
Morethanhalfofthe79respondentsinthetelephonesurvey(n=45,
57%)statedthattheyhadnotspecicallychosentostudyonline.Theirinterestwasinstudyingaparticularsubjectortopic.Very
fewhadconsideredthedifferentmediaofdelivery;thecoursefor
theirchosensubjectjusthappenedtobedeliveredonline.Nine
respondentscitedexibilityandcanstudyathomeasattracting
themtoonlinelearning;these,however,arebenetsalsoattributedto
distance learningandnotuniquecharacteristicsoflearningonline.
Nevertheless,giventheoptionofstudyinginthetraditionaldistance-learningway,thatis,usingmainlyprint-basedratherthanelectronic
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Adult learners online: students experiences of learning online 277
materials,42students(53%)wouldchoosetostudyonline.Onlynine
students(11%)statedtheywoulddenitelypreferoff-linelearning,
while28students(35%)wereundecidedwhichtheymightprefer.
Equally,justoverhalfthestudents(n=44,56%)placedvalueon
onlinelearning.Seventeenstudents(22%)thoughtlearningin
thiswaywasveryimportantforachievingtheirgoalsandanother
27students(34%)thoughtitwouldbeanimportantexperience.
Twenty-eightstudents(35%)consideredparticipatinginonline
learningwouldhelpthemalittleinthefuture.
What is doing online learning like?
Studentswereaskedinthetelephoneinterviewswhethertheyhad
previouslytakenpartinanyonlinelearning,andhowtheyhadgoton
withit.Just16students(20%)reportedhavingpreviouslytakenany
onlinelearningcourses.However,allthesestudentshadhadpositive
experiences,withninestudents(11%)reportingtheyhadgotonvery
wellwithit.
Theface-to-faceinterviewsgavetheopportunityfortheseissuestobe
probedfurther.Studentswereabletoexpandontheirunderstanding
ofonlinelearning,theirreasonsforchoosingtostudyinthiswayand
toreassessthevalueofthisformoflearning.Somecommentsfrom
earlyinterviews(May/June)areincludedhere,butresponsesfrom
all15intervieweesareexploredmorefullyelsewhere.Thefocusofthe
face-to-faceinterviewswasmoreespeciallyonhowtheyfoundonlinelearningwiththeOpenUniversity.
Iampleasedwithmyself.[Iamgettingon]muchbetterthanIthought.
IwasoverwhelmedatrstbutnowImgettingonreallywell.Imaddictedtoitalready!Ilogontotheconferenceeveryevening.
Itsreallymotivatingtodotheactivities[ontheCD-Rom].IcanseewhatIvealreadycovered.Imsurprisedatmyownorganisationalskills!
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278 Wendy Knightley
Itiseasyandabitmorepracticalandmoreexcitingthansat[sic]therejustwriting.
Studentswereabletotalkingeneraltermsabouttheirlevelsof
enjoymentofthecourse.However,theywerelessabletogive
subjectiveaccountsofhowitfelttobeengagedwithICTintheir
learning.Perhapsthiscanbeattributedtoboththestudents
inexperienceofthestyleoflearningandalsothenoveltyofreecting
uponandarticulatingwhatitfeels liketolearninthisway.As
studentsnewtohighereducation,totheOpenUniversityandto
onlinelearning,thetaskofdescribingtheprocessoflearninginthis
wayisperhapsatoughone.
Perceived gains and benefts o learning online
Accessibility, exibility, convenience
Studentswereaskedwhattheadvantagesofstudyingonlinewere.
Studentslikednothavingtoattendcollegebutenjoyedcreatingtheir
ownstudyspaceathome.Inthetelephoneinterviewbeforetheystartedtheircourse,26students(33%)consideredthatthebiggest
advantageofstudyingonlinewouldbetheaccessibilitytoinformation
andcoursematerials.Afurther26studentsthoughtthebestpartof
onlinelearningwasitsexibility.Thiswasborneoutintheearlyface-
to-faceinterviews,afterthestudentshadhadfourmonthsexperience
oflearningonline.
Iliketheexibility,theeaseofaccess.Iliketheautonomy.
Myfriendisdoingacourseatthelocalcollegeandshehastheseenormoustextbookstocartabout.Everythinghereissoeasytogetto.
Studentsappreciatedthefacilitytoaccesscoursematerialsand
information.However,thisaccessibilityisnotsodifferentfromthat
affordedbythetraditionalprint-basedmediumofdistancelearning.
Sowhatisnovelwithregardtoaccessibilityabouttheonlineaspect?
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Adult learners online: students experiences of learning online 279
Themostappreciatedaspectofonlinelearningwasitsperceived
potentialtoovercomebarriersoftimeandspace.UsingICT,students
couldlookatorengagewiththecoursecontentatatimemost
suitableforthem.
IcangotoworkandtodayIcanhavehalfanhourlunchbreakandIllhaveareadatthewebsite,thatsgreat,thatIcanaccessitfromanywherewithouthavingtocarrythebookabout.
Forsomedisabledstudents,forwhomsittingforlengthyperiodsin
frontofthecomputerwasuncomfortableorespeciallytiring,thismeantbeingabletostudyinshortburstsandaccessinformation
perhapsduringthenight.
TheadvantagesarebecauseIamhomewithitbeingonlineitisidealbecauseIhavegotallmystuffaroundmeandwithotherpeopleIhavegotthesupportaswell.[TheCD-Roms]arealleasyandthelinksaresoeasysothereisnoproblematallBecauseofspellsinhospitalImissedachunkoutofthe
coursesoIamabletodoublebackonit.
[Studyingatcollege]wouldhavemeantleavingmyhometogooverthereandIdidntwanttodothatthisway,itallcomestomeandIcangettoiteasilyonmycomputer.
AsidefromusingtheinternetandCD-Roms,auniqueaspectofonline
learningwastheopportunitytotalktoorcommunicateeasilywith
otherstudents.TheOpenUniversity(UK)usesaconferencingsystem
calledFirstClass,andstudentsparticularlyvaluedthisfacility.
Conferencing
Studentsreportedinthetelephoneinterviewsthatbeingableto
interactwithothersviatheInternetwasanotheradvantageofonline
learning.Studentswelcomedtheopportunitiesforinteractiveand
collaborativelearningwiththeirpeers.
Itsnicetogetonlineandchattosomeoneaboutthesamework.
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280 Wendy Knightley
IvepostedontheconferencealreadyandImpleasedwiththeresponsesfromtheotherstudents.
Somestudentsintheconferencesarealreadytalkingabout[therstassignment].Ivenotyetstartedsothatsabitofaworrybutalsoanincentivetogetgoing.
Forsomedisabledparticipants,thefacelessnessoranonymity
offeredbytheonlineconferencesanddiscussionswaswelcomed.
Asthestudentwasunseen,therewasafeelingofbeingacceptedby
othersonthebasisoftheircontributions,ratherthanbeingjudgedbytheirdisability.
Itseasiertoaskthings,asyourenotface-to-face,thepersonalcomputerisashield.
Thedevelopmentofandparticipationinonlinelearningcommunities
enabledthecreationofastudentidentity.Thisencouragedasense
ofbelongingandloyaltythathelpedstudentstoseetheircourses
throughtocompletion.
Onlineconferencingmakesyoufeelclosertotheotherstudents.IfeelIambondingwiththeotherstudentsalready.
Students,then,felttheygainedthroughtheparticulartypesof
accessibility,exibilityandconvenienceofferedbylearningonline.
Thefacilitytoparticipateinonlineconferencesanddiscussions
enabledstudentstofeellessisolatedandmorepartofthelearning
community.Throughonlinecollaborationandinteractiontheywere
abletodevelopasenseofidentityasalearner,andtoparticipatein
andreceivesupportfromtheirpeersandtutor.Thisabilitytointeract
withothersinonlinelearningisafundamentalelementpromoting
successfulstudy,whichisoftenmissingfrommoretraditionalforms
ofdistancelearning.
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Adult learners online: students experiences of learning online 281
Discussion
Itshouldbeborneinmindthatsocialclassandraceareimportantvariablesaffectingparticipationineducation;itisnotmerelyaccess
totechnologythathasanimpact.Despitetherespondentsinthis
studybeingaself-selected,opportunitysamplewhohadalready
overcomethehurdlesinordertoreturntoeducation,thecomments
andfeedbackprovidesomeinsightsintothepotentialofonline
learningtoextendlearningacrossthesocialspectrum.
Althoughparticipantsprimaryreasonsforchoosingtheircoursehadnotbeentheonlinemodeofdeliveryper se,allacknowledged
boththeimportanceofdevelopingandusingICTskillsandthe
advantagesoflearningintherich,multi-mediaenvironmentprovided
byonlinelearning(Penget al.2006).Learningonlinetranscended
geographical,physical,visualandtemporalbarrierstoaccessing
education,andreducedsocio-physicaldiscrimination(Debenham
2001).Thestudentsinthisresearchrecognisedthattheonline
deliveryofcourseshadenabledthemtoaccesseducationmore
easilyandexiblythantraditional,print-based,distancelearning
courses.Thissupportsthelong-identiedbenetofthemulti-media
approachwithinonlinelearning(Palmer1995).Participantsreports
ofinvolvementintheonlineconferencesanddiscussionssubstantiate
McDonaldandReushles(2000)viewregardingtheinteractiveand
collaborativelearningopportunitiesaffordedbyonlinelearning.
Indicationswerethattakingpartinonlinelearninghadenhancedparticipantsacademicperformance,identityasalearnerandpossibly
theireconomicpotential.
Eventhelimitedexperienceofonlinelearningobservedinthis
preliminaryinvestigationappearstohaveempoweredthese
participantsinsomeway.Inmanycases,embarkingononline
learningseemstohavereducedstudentssenseofisolation,partly
throughtheirparticipationinonlineconferencesbutalsothrougha
feelingofinclusionandinvolvementwiththewiderOpenUniversity
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282 Wendy Knightley
undergraduatecommunity.Increasedgeneralself-assurance
engenderedbytheirachievementswithinanICT-richmilieuappears
tobeenablingstudentstoplayagreaterpartintheirlearning
communities,andthismayleadtogreatercondencetoparticipate
inwidercommunities.Thismighthaveaknock-oneffect,helpingto
diminishsocialexclusion.However,thedifcultyinteasingoutthe
potentialofonlinelearningfromthatoflearningingeneralneeds
tobeacknowledged,anditmaybethatitwasfromthelatterthat
participantsderivedbenet.
Nonetheless,manystudentsreportedthattheirpositiveexperiences
oflearninghadundonepreviousnegativeexperiencesofeducation.
However,studentswerepragmaticandstrategicintheirchoices,
prioritisingthecontentorsubjectoftheirnextcourseoverthe
mediumofdelivery.Acoursewaschosenbecauseitofferedthe
mostdirectroutetoachievingtheirgoal,notbecauseitinvolved
onlinelearningperse.Increasingly,however,potentialstudentsare
notgivenachoiceregardingthemediumofcoursedelivery.Asthemarket-driveneducationalcontextintensies,usingtechnologyin
learningisnotanoption.Indeed,itisnowaspecicationofallOpen
Universitycoursesthatstudentshaveaccesstocomputingfacilities.
StudentscometotheOpenUniversityandtoonlinelearningwith
avarietyofexperiences,expertiseandexpectations,bothofhigher
educationandofICT.Clearly,thesefactorsimpactontheirapproach,
enjoymentandachievementsinanovellearningenvironment.Online
learningispromotedasbeingatthecuttingedgeofeducation,and
thedevelopmentanduseofICTskillsareheldupascrucialfor
economicandemploymentadvancement.Despitethisemphasis
onICT,studentsremaindriventoreturntolearningbyathirst
forknowledgeonaparticulartopic,ratherthanbyacuriosityto
experienceadifferentwayoflearning.Theappealofonlinelearning
fortheseparticipantsremainedmoretheacquisitionofknowledgethanthedevelopmentofICTskills.Generally,theseparticipants
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Adult learners online: students experiences of learning online 283
couldseebenetfromtakingtheircourse,andlearningonline,in
termsofbothpersonalandacademicgain.Studentsappreciatedthe
exibilityandconvenienceofbeingabletoaccesscoursecontent
usingavarietyofmedia,attimesthatsuitedthemindividually,and
thecontactwithotherstudentsthattheInternetgavethem.
Conclusion
Studentsdisplayingoneormoreofthevariablesthatareassociated
withsocialexclusionwereaskedinatelephonesurveyandinface-to-faceinterviewsabouttheirexperienceswithandthebenetsofonline
learningwiththeOpenUniversity(UK).Thispaperhasreported
responsestothetelephonesurveyandincludedcommentsfromthe
earlierface-to-faceinterviews.Therespondentsprovidedasnapshot
ofhowonlinelearningmayhelpovercomesomebarrierstoaccessing
education.Thesestudentsreportedgainsintermsofbothpersonal
andacademicachievementandsatisfactionthroughengagingwith
learningusingICT.However,institutionsneedtorememberwhoitistheyareprovidingcoursesforandwhatitisthatmotivatesadultsto
returntoeducation.Onlinelearningissignpostedasonewaytowards
achievingpersonal,academicoreconomicgoals,butitmustbeborne
inmindthatalargepercentageofhouseholdsinAustralia44%
(ABS2006)andinBritain56%(NationalStatistics2006)donot
haveinternetaccessandonlinecoursesmaybepresentingabarrierof
adifferentkindtowould-belearners(Gorard&Selywn2003,Selwyn2003,Warschauer2003).Furtherexplorationisneededofstudents
motivations,aspirationsandexperiencesinrelationtoonline
learning,sothatprovisionandsupportcanbemoreappropriately
tailoredtotheirneeds,andthepotentialofthismeansofcourse
deliverycanbefurtherexploitedforallconcerned.
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About the author
Dr Wendy Knightley is Research Ofcer at the Institute ofContinuing Education at the University of Cambridge, United
Kingdom. Her research interests include adults subjective
interpretations of their experiences of learning; the impact of
learning on adults self-concept; online learning; and the wider
benets of learning. She is also an Associate Lecturer (psychology)
for the Open University.
Correspondence address
University of Cambridge, Institute of Continuing Education,
Madingley Hall, Madingley, Cambridge CB23 8AQ, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1954 280274 Fax: +44(0)1954 280200
Email: [email protected]