Adult Learning & Web/ Computer Based Training E-Learning Tools - Essay Example

Running Head: ADULT LEARNING & W/CBT Adult Learning & Web/ Computer Based Training E-Learning Tools This paper tackles three aspects. First, it references some adult learning concepts developed and espoused by Malcolm Knowles, considered to be the central figure in US adult education in the second half of the twentieth century. Particularly, it focuses on the five assumptions or characteristics of adult learners as defined by Knowles and goes on to validate this assumptions against the author's personal adult learning experience after high school. Next, it briefly discusses learning content management systems, considered to be the newest form of application software for e-learning. It works with the earlier e-learning delivery platforms and compliments learning management systems. Seven sample LCMS providers are presented along with software functionalities. Finally, the e-learning environment is discussed as aligned with the instructional problem of teaching English as a second language, addressing issues regarding operating system, browser, plug-ins, bandwidth and firewalls. Adult Learning Experience According to Smith (2002), Malcolm Knowles is known for his work on developing a distinctive conceptual basis for adult education and learning through andragogy rather than pedagogy. The term andragogy came from Greek words meaning "man-leading", while pedagogy means "child-leading" (Andragogy, 2008). Knowles studied self-direction and group work and his works helped reorient adult educators from educating people to helping them learn (Smith, 2002). Knowles identified five crucial assumptions or characteristics of adult learners on which he believed effective andragogy was premised on. This section attempts to validate these assumptions as applied to a personal learning experience that the author participated in after high school. This particular experience was about learning to become a computer programmer in preparation for getting a hired as one according to the requirements of the hiring company. First is self-concept. As an adult wanting to learn computer programming, I agree with this characteristic. The reason for wanting to learn came from my own self-direction. Although my parents welcomed the idea, I was not forced into taking computer courses. I wanted to be a programmer, and to do it I needed to undergo training. Second is experience. My choice to undergo the particular training was based on my own assessment that since I was quite comfortable with logic-based topics and enjoyed the programming activities in high school, computer programming was a good choice. I also felt that computer skills were very marketable. In this limited sense, I agree with Knowles' "experience" characteristic for adult learners but in its broad sense, I agree that experience is a learning resource. Since the computer training I took was for business applications, I realize now that if I had more understanding about business concepts and processes then, I would have learned the related topics easier. Third is readiness to learn. This characteristic definitely matched my own readiness to learn when I went through the training. I can recall that there were times when this characteristic was not present in me for some of the high school subjects I had to go through, like chemistry and history. Fourth is orientation to learning. I agree with this characteristic, which I take as related to the first characteristic of self-concept. The problem I wanted to solve or the goal I wanted to achieve with the computer training was to effectively learn computer programming so that I could get a programming job. I did not undergo the training merely because I wanted to know about programming. And fifth is motivation to learn. I also agree with this characteristic. My motivation to learn what I did came from inside me. Nobody forced me. And the reason I completed the training was because I wanted to, not because somebody else would be glad I did or upset if I did not. LCMS According to Driscoll (2002), there are three categories of e-learning products - e-learning delivery platforms, LMSs, and LCMSs. LCMSs or Learning Content Management Systems are the newest form of application software for e-learning. LCMSs allow training organizations to author, label, track and manage learning objects such as presentation slides, quizzes, video clips, illustrations and course modules. An LCMS works with an e-learning delivery platform and complements an LMS or learning management system. It allows reuse of content and customization of look and feel with ease, which makes it beneficial for organizations which create and deliver e-learning content by the hundreds of hours. However, due to its relatively high cost, an organization intending to acquire an LCMS should be developing large quantities of learning materials intended for reuse. The organization should also have learning content development standards in place and the chosen LCMS should be easily usable by developers for building a rich content library. Some examples of LCMS software providers are: 1. Eedo ForceTenTM (http://eedo.com/products/forceten.html) - functionalities include intuitive authoring, collaborative team-based authoring and workflow management, assessment and survey capabilities, content management, ingestion and conversion of legacy content, dynamic delivery and multiple delivery formats, customizable knowledge portal, digital portfolio of learner's knowledge, learning management. 2. eLeaPTM LMS/LCMS (http://www.eleapsoftware.com/features.html) - functionalities include customizable learning and training portal, content creation and management, assessment authoring, content delivery and user tracking, user management and administration. 3. eTraincentre LCMS Sitebuilder (http://www.etraincenter.com/content-management-lcms.aspx) - functionalities include authoring tools, editing e-learning content, online content delivery, content authoring, dynamic delivery interface, learner administrator tools, knowledge management, content management for the learner. 4. Saba Learning Suite (http://www.saba.com/products/learning/) - functionalities include learning management, certification management, learning commerce, content management, content authoring and publishing, collaborative authoring, career and competency management. 5. SumTotal Talent Development Suite (http://www.sumtotalsystems.com/learning/apps/Talent-Development-Suite-learning.html) - functionalities include learning management, dynaminc learning delivery, learner communication and collaboration, content authoring. 6. Plateau TeamContent (http://www.plateau.com/prod/lcms.htm) - functionalities include intuitive web-based authoring, digital repository of reusable learning, collaborative authoring and reviewing, multiple learning formats and language management, PowerPoint to Flash conversion,. 7. EZLCMS (http://www.ezlcms.com/) - functionalities include legacy training content conversion, content authoring from storyboarding to publishing, media content creation, online delivery, learner management. E-Learning Tools and Environment This section examines the e-learning environment with the instructional problem of learning English as a second language. The course uses the participants' previous education and language knowledge of English and introduces them to basic literacy skills, helps them to adjust to a new cultural environment by developing their ability to use oral and written English for daily needs, develop basic conversation skills and vocabulary, and use simple sentence patterns. A web/ computer-based e-learning delivery platform is a starting point solution for the above instructional problem because it allows for individual learning that features drill and practice, simulations, reading, questioning and answering. Since the course uses the participant's previous education and knowledge which may not be uniform across all takers of the course, individualized learning is ideal. Moreover, competency achievement may occur at different periods of time which supports individualized learning. For web-based training, the choice of operating system and browser for the e-learning delivery platform must be that which is most widely used so as not to inconvenience the participant with system requirements that may not be easily available. A Windows operating system or an open source operating system would be the recommended options. Explorer and Netscape would be recommended for browsers or a freely downloadable one. For computer-based training where participants need not have their own personal computers, the choice of operating system and browser will not be as critical because the training provider will take care of these requirements and merely allow learners to use the provider's equipment. However, on the side of content authors, widely used operating systems and browsers would also be a better option especially if content authoring were outsourced. A plug-in is a computer program that interacts with a host application to provide a specific function on demand. Graphics software use them to support file formats and process images, media players need them for file formats and filters, browsers for playing video and presentation formats (Plug-in, 2008). If the above objects are present in the e-learning content, then freely available plug-ins should be those chosen or should be built into the objects of learning content. Web-based training also specifies requirements for bandwidth, especially if the learning content includes big file formats for static and moving images. Computer configuration specifications must be defined according to e-learning system requirements. Compression tools should be used to minimize file sizes so as to enable effective e-learning delivery using even low-end computer configurations or low bandwidths. A firewall is a computer program or device that filters information coming through the internet to help prevent unscrupulous entities to destroy or steal data in a computer. An e-learning system host computer would need such a firewall in order to protect its library of content as well as the entire e-learning system. E-learners on the other hand may have firewalls installed on their computers which can prevent delivery of e-learning from the host. Appropriate instructions for allowing blocked content to be accessed should be provided by the e-learning provider. The instructional problem described above would ideally be designed with rich and engaging content that will include illustrative static visuals for better understanding of concepts, audio examples for teaching pronunciation and intonation and ideally, video role plays that will depict situation where appropriate language topics are used. All these can be developed using the multimedia tools available to e-learning authors but care in selecting software options should be exercised in order to produce content that can be readily accessed or used by learners. Reference List (7 sources) Andragogy. (August 6, 2008). Retrieved August 11, 2008 from the Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andragogy Driscoll, M. (2002). Web-based training: designing e-learning experiences (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey Bass/Pfeiffer. Eedo ForceTen. (2008). Retrieved August 11, 2008 from http://eedo.com/products/forceten.html eLeaP LMS/LCMS (2008). Retrieved August 11, 2008 from http://www.eleapsoftware.com/features.html eTraincentre LCMS Sitebuilder. (2008) Retrieved August 11, 2008 from http://www.etraincenter.com/content-management-lcms.aspx EZLCMS. (2008). Retrieved August 11, 2008 from http://www.ezlcms.com/ Knowles, M. S. et al (1984) Andragogy in action. Applying modern principles of adult education. San Francisco: Jossey Bass. Plateau TeamContent. (2008). Retrieved August 11, 2008 from http://www.plateau.com/prod/lcms.htm Plug-in. (July 30, 2008). Retrieved August 11, 2008 from the Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plugin Saba Learning Suite. (2008). Retrieved August 11, 2008 from http://www.saba.com/products/learning/ Smith, M. K. (2002) Malcolm Knowles, Informal Adult Education, Self-direction and Anadragogy. The Encyclopedia of Informal Education. Retrieved August 11, 2008, from http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-knowl.htm SumTotal Talent Development Suite. (2008). 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