Abstract
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a vision of future information and communication technology based methods of adult education informed by recent pedagogical and technological developments. Macro trends that may influence the future of adult education methods are examined, followed by detailed scrutiny of particular methods that are likely to be utilised in the near future. The chapter concludes with a review of the more distant future and suggestions to adult educators.
TopBackground
An encyclopaedia of information and communication technology (ICT) integration into adult education can encompass a superabundance of research in many areas, so definition of the disciplinary areas discussed in this chapter is necessary. For the purposes of this essay, adult education includes both formal adult education within the higher education sector that often leads to award of a qualification and, informal education, such as community education, that is less likely to lead to a formal qualification. Future methods using ICT includes non-computer technologies, such as telephones and television, as well as the more familiar computer-based technologies. Electronic delivery of adult education, termed e-learning, has a joint focus on traditional, face to face methods that incorporate ICT but, more pervasively, distance education technology, both synchronous and asynchronous.
Key Terms in this Chapter
ICT: Information and communication technology.
Socio-Constructivist learning: Learning constructed by the learner in a social context.
Podcast: Publically available multimedia broadcasts of collations of information.
Asynchronous: Electronic communication that does not require those participating to be on-line at the same time.
Wikis: On-line documents jointly compiled by groups such as Wikipedia.
Blogs: A personal diary or journal written in reverse chronological order and available to the public on a website.
Virtual Reality: A computer driven system, often including special glasses or headgear, that gives the impression that the user is in another world.
e-Portfolio: An electronic compilation of evidence to show knowledge of a subject.
Synchronous: Electronic communication that is instant so requires the participants to be connected electronically at the same time.
E-Learning: Learning that includes the use of ICT.