Where Time Goes: The Role of Online Technology During Leisure Time Learning

Introduction

The term of “leisure” is seen by Aristotle, leisure is become a cost of living. Education for leisure in today’s context requires doing things, serving a useful function. Education for leisure is an appropriate tool to draw attention to life outside work for personal and professional developments (Harris, 1966).

Leisure education becomes an important concept of the any education system which has a contemporary education approaches in its core. The growing importance of leisure life and social activities highlights the need to examine leisure education and its approaches (Payne, 1991; Su, 2010). Leisure education is a significant part of informal learning which feeds personal and professional development within a productive manner.

Experiential learning activities, collaborative learning, educational technology that is rooted through constructivism makes the base of leisure education (Conceição & Skibbam, 2008).

The root of learning relies on constructivist learning theory, where collaboration and interaction between peers promote deep learning (Brett & Nagra, 2005). Within computer supported learning environments, the different perspectives and opportunities for negotiation reinforce learning and mediate interactions within groups within a technological environment (Capponi, Nussbaum, Marshall, Ester, & Lagos, 2010). In this respect, learning from life experiences and learning from others through online technology within the social constructivism paradigm, foster the learning and increase the personal and professional growth of the adults exposed to work and education at the same time. In addition, social interaction and technology raise the question of where time goes, managing time in a productive way has vital competence in leisure time learning.

As learning is taken place not only in schools, but also through informally activities, it became increasingly important to manage leisure time. For adult education, leisure is part of a lifelong learning process, it is therefore crucial to manage time between leisure and education commitments (Jones & Symon, 2001). Lifelong learning is a process that provides an insight for the concept of leisure, and having the leisure provides an insight for considering time management in leisure (Thompson, Grant, & Dharmalingam, 2002). In this respect, the role of self-interested actors in the construction of knowledge as lifelong learners plays a great role to manage time and contribute time in an efficient way (Pitchford & Bacon, 2005; Tennant & Yates, 2005).

Within leisure life, self directed learning is enhanced through managing time in a productive way (Roberson, 2005). As self-directed learning refers to leisure time in a reflective and meaningful way, planning the learning activities, managing time encompass learners learning to learn within a self-regulated manner (O'Sullivan, 1997; Li & Stodolska, 2007).

The impact of the information technology and communication foster the lifelong learning process of learners within their leisure time and request the ability of time management to establish social interaction and communication for personal and professional development. In this respect, the use of technology in managing time and using its merits in leisure time becomes important (Green & Adam, 1998).

Learning as a collaborative enterprise in the workplace and in the social life requires the merits of technology. Managing time and using time efficiently for personal development and to enhance professional skills and areas of competence is essential (Tanggaard, 2005).