It’s possible that in the last few months we’ve been teaching differently. We’ve been online long enough to know now that sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn’t. And it can be frustrating for both the instructor and the learner! Maybe revisiting how adults learn would be helpful.
Account for and adapt to learning preferences
Our adult learners come to the virtual classroom with diverse experiences and draw from their past learning opportunities in anticipation of the new content. Often they are self-motivated and ready to take control over their learning. Concepts of themselves as learners are fairly rigid and become the foundation as they orient to the new course, and possibly the newness of online learning and instruction.
Why then do some struggle more than others? One way to check your online course is to make sure that it is well-designed so that your students can pursue the path that reflects their need to learn. Another way to support your learner’s experiences in the online environment is to assume the role of a facilitator more than an expert in the subject matter. By offering your learners differentiated opportunities such as case studies, reflective activities, and group projects, you are leveraging their knowledge and experiences and in essence creating an environment to freely express their opinions and share ideas.
Connect the curriculum to the “real world”
Have you given your adults enough contexts so that they recognize the necessity of learning what you are offering? They will be more eager to learn what they need to know and apply it in order to cope effectively with their real-life situations. There are opportune times when you can solicit their feedback about the relevancy of the course by asking:
- What do you expect to learn?
- How might you use this in the future?
- How will this course help you meet your goals?
By creating mechanisms that encourage continuous reflection, you are respecting their varied backgrounds and range of needs, which then enables you to offer individualized support to help them meet their individual educational goals. In this environment, your learners will be appreciated, respected, and valued.
It’s a learning environment that is a win-win for everyone!