Working Adult E-learner Problems

Table Of Content

Chapter I

Introduction

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Chapter II

Working Adult E-learners Problems

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1. Computer-phobia

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2. Problems with technology

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3. Handling with their stress

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Conclusion

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Chapter III

References

10

Appendix

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Chapter 1 Introduction

E-learning is a new space of learning. The advent of the Internet as a means of delivering and facilitating learning is blurring the line between traditional academic education, held away from the job and focused more on ideas than on the application of ideas, and traditional job training, held at work and focused more on applied skills than on the mastery of a body of knowledge. This change in the very definition of education is reflected in current terminology. According to Burnside 2001, the term "learning" has come to mean improving one's skills through training as well as deepening one's understanding in a particular field of knowledge, an evolution of phraseology. Similarly, the term "learners" has begun to replace "students" and "trainees" now encompasses the meanings of both the latter terms.1

Many adult these days are taking back the education because of the working’s requirement and employment recommendation. Working adults no longer have a psychological contract of fixed employment with one company, they are increasingly aware of their responsibility for their own careers. This causes a deep need among workers to ensure that they have the means for a successful career path. To attain this, they first need skills that bring success in their current jobs, portable to their next jobs and increase their market value. Second, they need membership in professional networks that keep them up- to-date in their professions and provide contacts for job searching. Third, they need the skills to use the new technologies like computers, hardware, 1

Providing Learning For Working Adults. New Strait Times: 08-13-2001.

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software, Internet, Webcasts, chatrooms and more and to the extent that these affect their current work practice. Fourth, they need the legitimation which degrees such as an MBA can bring, but delivered in a way that fits into their daily lives.

But by stepping to the life of student again, they have to beat huge odds towards their success. Adult learners are facing so many problems on taking back education as they have been putting away their student’s life a long time ago. When they want to get back in track as a student again, many things have changed. Especially the way of teaching, learning and adapting the role itself. Working adult e-learners are facing a lot of problems such as problems with computer literacy, unfamiliar with the technology usage, problems with adapting new methods of learning, facing with computer-phobias, having difficulties in adapting the role of student, problems of handling their stress and more.

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Chapter II Working Adults E-learners Problems In this chapter, we will discuss three problems that faced by working adult learners. The problems that we will discuss were about computer-phobia, problem with technologies and problem with the methods of learning.

1. Computer-phobia

According to Kneller (1986), the “Computer-phobia” among adult learners is analogous to communication apprehension among adult speakers; consequently, techniques used by teachers of public speaking to ease stage fright can be adapted to the problem of overcoming fear of computers in novice adult learners. Virginia Inman’s article (1983) in the Wall Street Journal is fiercely serious when it states that people unfamiliar with computers are afraid “if they touch the wrong button, they will blow up Pittsburg.” More realistically, many people in computer classes fear that if they accidentally touch a wrong button they will eliminate someone else’s program.

Moreover, the adults, especially those over thirty tend to be reticent about speaking up in class. Frankly, they are afraid of appearing stupid. This is especially true with middle management types who are used to giving orders, making decisions, and, in general, not being’ in a position where their errors are highly visible (Kneller, 1986). In addition to fear, many adults consider the computers to be “rude”, “Fatal error”, or “run aborted” are messages unnecessarily abrupt or ill mannered. Symptoms Of computerphobia, according to Timothy Jay (1981:1, include : 1) A fear of physically touching a computer, 2) A feeling that a novice might damage the machine or somehow ruin its

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insides, 3) A failure to read and study, thereby psychologically denying that the computer exists, 4) A readiness to express negative attitudes and overt aggression toward computers, , and 5) A feeling of role reversal, i.e. that the man is the slave, the computer is the master2. This problem is serious enough to have generated some empirical research. Jeffrey Hoffman and Keith Waters (1982) gave MBTI assessments to 155 students at the Naval Technical Center at Pensacola, Florida. The Myers- Briggs Type Indicator yields four dichotomous indices: E-I, Extraversion-Introversion, S-N, SensingIntuition, T-F, Thinking-Feeling, and J-P, Judging-Perceptive.

The purpose of this study was to see if significant relationships existed among personality types and student performance in a self-paced computer-assisted instructional program. The results, in brief, indicated that those scoring high in “sensing” completed the program sooner than the intuitive types and a higher than expected attrition rate was found among those described as ENP’s. The EP’s (ExtravertedPerceptive) types “overwhelmingly tended to drop out of the CA1 program.” The explanation: JP’s like variety and action; they prefer theory to application. They tend to pay attention to the broad picture and not to the details. Furthermore, “a person having the more flexible, open-minded perceiving type of personality preference cannot be expected to efficiently account for his time, plan ahead, or always follow through on tasks”.

Specific changes resulting from the above findings have included use of minilectures for clarification, planning additional verbal interaction among students, having two or three students working at one terminal at a time, promoting competition among

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facto: addition to the “fear another element might well be labeled the “distaste factor” - or “I don’t Like to work any kind of Logical machine.”

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students, encouraging better management of time and organizational habits, and even incorporating relaxation and quiet times. According to the authors, all of the above “have been pilot tested and appear to be successful”.

Unfortunately, the solutions to the problems of computer-phobia are frequently too general, sometimes even irrelevant to the basic cause of fear: personal anxiety. Thomas Jay (1982) was correct when he stated that “The cure for computer-phobia must come from sources within the phobic.

2. Problem with technologies With the new adult learning revolution, there are no longer any barriers. You just have to “click, click and click” anywhere and anytime to get all the information right in your hand. All you have to do is open the computer and used the internet. The internet is all that you need. It’s allowing students to receive a quality education from their home computers. While distance learning via audio and video tapes has long been a part of many universities, new online education is picking up steam. That very thought frightens many traditionalists. After all, when we picture college or university, we certainly don't think of any of the scenarios listed above. Yet, whether or not traditionalists change, the trend will continue. Some traditionalist thinker may have some problems facing the new era of education. Adults were not like youngsters nowadays who are eager to learn technologies and can easily adapt new way of learning. This is because they were used with the traditional education methods and they were so selfish to ask for help. So when talking about e-learning, some adults may have problems adapting the new learning methods. Students that are having problems with the usage of technologies are affecting

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his studies. E-learning is based on the usage of the internet technologies. They use the internet to connect through their campus centre, searching for information for their assignment and used the Learning Management Systems (LMS) as their socialization medium with their friends and educators. In e-learning education, technologies are very important medium to every aspect of the learning. As facing this problem, there some suggestion that might help them cope with it. Firstly, one should have their own computer at home so that they have the time to practice more with the use of internet and other application that specified in their learning materials. Secondly, read more books on how to use the computers application and the internet. As you read more, you will learn to navigate the internet more easily. Thirdly, educator should always encourage their learner to ask for help.

3. Handling With Their Stress.

Work-stress is the common illnesses of psychological among adults. Work-stress happened generally to the ‘workaholic’ and causes by many factor. It happens by the unbalance psychological need around their workplace and too much motivation to achieve success. Working hard for a week without having a relaxing surround will promote stress. When coming to the dateline people were just have to rush, mind on the work all the time, no time to take a nap and eat. Sometimes it happens because of the competing in the job they aim to be promoted. Not only that but work-stress also can be happen at home. They tend to take their work to their house and cause many bad situations including the loss of family touch at home because they have no time for their family and themselves.

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Work-stress causes headache, unable to concentrate, emotional disorder and depression. This will result the loss of concentration towards their studies. It appear that they will somehow construct the defense mechanism3. They will reconstruct their reaction towards certain things that makes them stress such as work and studies. They will tend to react with adverse way towards it. When their emotional status is imbalance, they tend to escape the situation. This will cause student to pulling away from doing their homework or study. They will have problems on completing their job at work and giving time to complete their studies because they are unwilling to concentrate. At this point, the longer it takes to realized it, the worse it might get through your achievement.

There are some ways to help cope with the problem. One should always give self a time to rest for a while before beginning a new task. In the weekend, go for a walk in the park or any places that can give you relaxation. A spa can also give you the relaxation you need. If you didn’t have time to do an outdoor activity, you can always do relaxation with your favorite indoor activities such as sewing, cooking, housekeeping, singing karaoke, playing guitar, playing playstation games and much more. All you have to do is find things that you like to do.

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Refer to the react of protecting self from depression.

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Chapter III Conclusion

The bigger the responsibility the greater the challenges could be. Unlike children and teenagers, adults have many responsibilities that they must balance against the demands of learning. Because of these responsibilities, adults have barriers against participating in learning. Some of these barriers include lack of time, money, confidence, or interest, lack of information about opportunities to learn, scheduling problems, "red tape," and problems with child care and transportation.

Although E-learning is relatively new as field of study, it is just as substantial as traditional education and carries and potential for greater success. Of course, the heightened success requires a greater responsibility on the part of the teacher. Additionally, the learners come to the course with precisely defined expectations. Unfortunately, there are barriers to their learning. The best motivators for adult learners are interest and selfish benefit. If they can be shown that the course benefits them pragmatically, they will perform better, and the benefits will be longer lasting.

(1’906 words)

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