Sample Essay On Digital Tools To Increase Academic Success For The Adult Learner

An adult learner is an individual aged 18 years and above who belongs to a diverse group possessing a wide variety of capabilities, cultural and educational backgrounds and responsibilities. Adult learners do not follow the conventional education pattern of enrolling in postsecondary education immediately after leaving the high school. They pursue education on a part-time basis, by enrolling in one or two courses, while simultaneously maintaining both professional as well as personal responsibilities . Most of the adult learners undertake online learning, which allows them to cope up with the challenges of time as well as location-based classrooms. With the advances in technology, various digital tools available in the market enable the adult learners to undergo an effective, responsive and efficient learning experience. Adult learners require enhanced class options and financial aid packages that allow them to pursue distance learning. In order to improve employability and increase the earning potential, adult learners need to be comfortable with computers for both work and personal enrichment. A few examples of digital tools that aid in the success of online learners are digital audio and video files, video conferences, literacy software, language software and many others .
Before going back to school, adult learners should decide the course that interests them the most and plan for a career change. They should believe that learning is not only important but also relevant to their career. Adult learners should be responsible for their performance and consider digital learning as an appealing tool for disseminating knowledge. They should base the life experiences as the foundation of the learning environment. Adult learners should clearly define their goals and work towards achieving the goals as it leads to motivation of successfully completing the course . Adult learners should be ready to face the barriers of life, such as family, career and financial responsibilities. They should offer a commitment towards managing limited time and rigid schedules of digital learning. Adult learners should gain self-confidence and ensure that they work hard in the days to come for achieving success in their learning. They should maintain a positive attitude towards learning and put in their maximum efforts in the course.
An adult learner should consider the financial aid packages that provide the required budget necessary to complete the course. Checking with the employer for the possibility of fee reimbursement is also essential. It is important to consider transport options in addition to academic services. In order to prove the field of expertise, adult learners should not hesitate to take the enrollment, which helps to decide the capabilities of the learners in terms of reading and writing skills as well as mathematics . Reviewing the previous test materials helps to gain a clear idea about the type of questions asked in the enrollment test. After a successful test score, adult learners should meet their academic advisor and register for the classes. If an individual is not clear about which course to enroll in, a career counselor is the best point of contact that provides assistance in choosing the appropriate career path. It is necessary that the learners register for classes either online or physically before the deadline expires by paying the tuition fee.
Digital literacy plays an important role in adult learning. The quality of learning between conventional courses and online courses is same provided the learner is well aware of the technology. Though age is not a factor, interest factor does matter. Adults who are not ready for digital learning should undertake basic computer courses to overcome the barriers of technology. Adult learners should make the best use of the internet and acquire technical skills that enable them to succeed in formal training . Digital literacy offers support and provides a positive environment for learning and gathering information. It motivates the learners and helps them to absorb the course content. Digitally literate adults are more likely to exhibit positive attitudes towards using technology as well as distance learning. Adult learners should be the active consumers of the information available on the internet. Digital literacy offers self-improvement and allows the learners to stay competitive in their profession . Since learning is important and central to the lives of the adult learners, digital literacy promotes higher thoughts and skills.
There are various organizations that design different types of digital tools capable of enhancing adult learning. Examples of such organizations are MIT Media Lab, Digital Promise and Ed Surge. These organizations facilitate the use of various types of multimedia, such as audio clips, video clips, stimulations and many others in a learner-centered approach. The digital tools cater adults with distinct learning preferences. They not only provide timely feedback, but also the required responses that are essential to improve the efficiency of learning. The digital tools offered by the organizations provide qualitative and quantitative feedback for all modules and courses enrolled by the learners . They reflect traditional classrooms by enabling face-to-face interaction between the learner and the instructor. Digital tools offer a wide variety of functionality, which enhances the confidence of the adult learners by showcasing a reason for learning. They include a collaborative learning environment that facilitates higher-order cognitive thought process.
MIT Media Lab, one of the popular organizations, which creates digital tools promotes a unique culture that goes beyond boundaries to encourage the creation of disruptive technologies, such as tangible interfaces and wearable computing. The tools offered by the lab improve the way of learning and offer opportunities for individuals to create a better future. MIT Media Lab emphasizes on human adaptability in order to enhance innovative research. It spurs developments in a wide array of disciplines, which include human-machine interfaces that are essential for adult learning . The digital technologies offered by the lab enhance the ways in which people think and communicate their thoughts. The lab offers courses to graduate and undergraduate students to invent a bright future through creative technology. It also creates digital tools that explore the mathematical skills of individuals, in addition to mathematical skills and arts.
Another organization Digital Promise offers various communities that hold classes for adult learners in the English language. It provides educational services to adults who are not well aware of the necessary skills in digital learning. Digital Promise offers programs that enhance the awareness of digital literacy through partnership programs with famous universities. It helps the adult learners with anything from searching a job to applying online for a public assistance. The organization addresses the different learning levels of individuals from using a basic computer application to accessing complex web pages. It is a platform for adult learners, which enhances their digital literacy skills. The best part of Digital Promise is that it serves thousands of adult learners who have not even completed their high school . The next important organization, Ed Surge offers various digital tools, such as interactive whiteboards, recording apps, feedback systems, digital curriculum and activities that promote the learning experience of adult learners .

References

About The Lab. (n.d.). Retrieved 03 22, 2015, from MIT Media LAb: http://media.mit.edu/about/about-the-lab
Kidd, T. T. (2009). Adult Learning in the Digital Age: Perspectives on Online Technologies and Outcomes: Perspectives on Online Technologies and Outcomes. Hershey: IGI Global.
Product Insights Reports. (n.d.). Retrieved 03 22, 2015, from Ed Surge: https://www.edsurge.com/
Webb, S. (2014, 10 09). Leading and Learning for a Successful Digital Transformation. Retrieved 03 22, 2015, from Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/leading-learning-successful-digital-transformation-steve-webb