Adults and E-learners

If you are a teacher, administrator, or educational professional, the demands of your job are difficult. Students, parents, school districts, and states are all expecting more from you each day. To be an effective educator you must keep your skills and knowledge current, but taking courses or pursuing a degree can be expensive and inconvenient, especially if you do not live near a campus. Finding the time to balance work, family, and professional development is a real challenge. If this is the case, e-learning (or distance learning) may be the optimal solution for you because it allows you to study from home (or work) within a more flexible schedule.

• Search for Courses - Search for electronic courses by course name, term, and dates available.
• Search for Programs - Find the online associate, baccalaureate, doctoral or certification programs that is right for you.

The challenges facing adult learners can be significant. Whether you are a first-time student, are returning to college after a few years (or many years), or need help to prepare for college, we can help. We have assembled tools and tips to assist you in reaching your educational goals. Whatever your situation, we have courses, programs, services and answers to all of your questions. Whether you are looking for a single course, want to begin a degree program, are looking to return to college after being away, or need to complete your GED, the information below will put you on the road to success.

• E-Learning: Increasing Your Learning Options
• Adult and e-learners...you are not alone!
• Is E-learning Right for Everyone?
• Adults and E-learning...some Myths and Realities
• What does an online course look like?
• How do I get started?
• Links to SREB State and Related Resources

E-Learning: Increasing Your Learning Options

For many adults, distance learning, online learning, or as many are now calling it, e-learning, provides opportunities to start or continue your educational pursuits while working, raising a family, or when you do not have immediate access to a campus. E-learning can be undertaken in a variety of forms, but its central feature is that the learning takes place when the instructor and students are not in a traditional "face-to-face" classroom. Traditional interaction, whether between faculty and students or students with their fellow learners, is conducted through some form of technology. That technology, more and more, is the computer and the Internet.

E-learning offers you options not available in on-campus learning situations and provides flexibility and convenience for a growing number of adult learners needing to balance work and family responsibilities. Learn more about e-learning, assess your readiness for it, review tips and tools for success, and search our inventory of courses and programs.

Adult and e-learners…you are not alone!

There has been an explosion of adults returning to college over the past decade, attending as both full-time and part-time students, on campus, off-campus and in growing numbers through distance learning. Indeed more than six million adults attend college in the United States, and the average age of the college student continues to rise. You will not be the only adult in class.

The reasons for this growth are numerous. Changing demands in the workforce; the need to secure new job skills or to update existing ones; employer requirements to secure certification, licensure, or to renew them; a desire to pursue a new career path; or simply a desire to engage in learning all contribute to the growth. One other factor — the changing ways in which higher education is delivered — has opened the door to many new adult learners. E-learning has provided learning opportunities in more convenient ways, allowing those with busy work schedules, family commitments, and other responsibilities and activities the opportunity to learn. No longer is a commute to a campus or off-campus center during rush hour or a long commute over country roads a hindrance. As more and more colleges and universities establish and expand online learning courses, programs, and related services for learners, the traditional barriers of time and location have been reduced dramatically. And with the growth and availability of "high tech" tools and innovative instructional programming that allow faculty to move course content and activities "online," e-learning is getting better and better.

Is E-learning Right for Everyone?

That's an oft-asked question. It is for most individuals, but not necessarily for everyone. (For a personal assessment, visit our assessment tool). Indeed, not only is instruction delivered in new ways but learning is occurring in new ways as well. How you interact with your faculty has changed because of the World Wide Web. But then again how you bank, shop, and complete daily "transactions," once exclusively done in person at the provider's place of business and on their schedule, is now done online on your schedule. Most of these transactions have effectively been moved to an online environment and more and more individuals have become not only comfortable but desirous of transacting business in these new ways. This is happening in higher education. The growing number of e-learners suggests there is greater, albeit different, interaction with their faculty members and fellow students. It's different, but is it as good as "regular" learning? What can you reasonably expect? Are both credits and degrees accepted in a way similar to more traditional on-campus programming? Are there tips on learning?

We attempt to answer these questions for you, and many others, as a way to introduce you to adult and e-learning and the resources and services available to you through the Teacher Center. This is your gateway to services, courses and programs and a variety of online support designed to respond to the needs of most learners. If we have not answered the questions you have, we hope you will drop us an e-mail at electroniccampus@sreb.org with your question. We will do our best to respond quickly with the information you need.

Welcome aboard and good luck in your educational pursuits.

Adults and E-learning... some Myths and Realities

The following questions and answers may be helpful in addressing some of the myths and realities surrounding adults and e-learning and may answer some of the questions you have about the legitimacy and acceptability of e-learning.

1. Can I really take courses or even complete a degree without setting foot on the campus?

   Yes, you can do this and more students are doing so. But other students are combining online courses with traditional "face-to-face" courses in what is called a "blended" learning arrangement. Typically how you attend is dictated by the distance from the campus and your particular desires.

2. Are the credits I earn through e-learning real credits that would be recognized by another college or university if I decided to transfer?

   There are really two questions here. The first is an unequivocal yes — the courses you enroll in through the Teacher Center are real courses offering real credits from fully accredited colleges and universities. As to whether these real credits will transfer depends on several factors, including the college or university you are attempting to transfer the credits to (they ultimately decide on whether credits will transfer). Often it depends on whether the course you have taken is one needed at the other institution, etc. For more information, visit the Transfer Academic Credit Module and the U.S.Department of Education website.

3. I've been told by some friends who have taken e-learning courses that they are tough and quite rigorous. Is that true?

   Yes, it is — you are taking real courses from regular faculty members and the rigor (requirements, grading, and work) will be similar to on-campus courses. Some students make the incorrect assumption that e-learning courses are easy, don't require much work, and you don't have to plan or organize very much. If you approach the courses in that way, you will find them quite tough.

4. I don't have great computing skills, my old pc is slow, and my dial-up modem is 28.8 or something like that. Are these real problems?

   They may be, in particular your equipment configuration. For most courses you will not need to have excellent computing skills as long as you are not a "techno-phobe" who doesn't like to use a computer. Since much of your input will be by keyboard (for online courses) some keyboarding skills are helpful. But typically you will not have to be an expert in software packages to participate and to be effective. For some courses, your computer and modem won't be a problem, although it will be a bit slow. In other courses, speed counts and a higher speed modem and faster processor in your computer will save you lots of time. You should check with your college or university about the program or course requirements to learn what the "tech specs" are for you.

5. What kinds of interaction can I expect from my instructor and my fellow students?

   Are you concerned about missing out on the "give and take" in a classroom setting? A good question without a single answer. First, many e-learners indicate that they have more interaction in online courses than they have previously had in traditional courses. They indicate that faculty actually respond to their questions and they have constant dialogue with the faculty and other students in the course. Your faculty member, or course, has lots to do with the interaction. If he/she engages, encourages, or even demands your input, there will be lots of interaction. If he/she does not, you can sit in the "back" of the classroom just like many other students have in large lecture halls and take notes. But you should expect to have lots of interaction in your online course.

6. Are student services that typically are available to students on-campus available for e-learners?

   And more importantly, are the services provided to me as an e-learner any good? Student services have become a major focus of most colleges and universities offering e-learning. That has happened because many institutions attempted to provide services to e-learners in the same fashion as they did for on-campus students. That doesn't work well. New strategies and structures are in place for providing the necessary services for e-learners, from online libraries to textbook services, to special arrangements for exams. For example, all students can now register and pay bills online, services that had to be developed for e-learners. Interestingly, these same services are now demanded by on-campus students. Like you, they like the ability to pay a bill online at 2:00 in the morning, to drop/add a course online or to search an online library collection to complete a paper (which they submit to their faculty member online).

7. I am an older adult. Can I keep up with the kids in the course, most of whom have grown up with a computer and are savvy with this e-learning?

   Indeed, you can and will probably show those youngsters the way to learn. Once you get over the fear of engaging in learning with the "kids" you will be just fine. You bring experiences to the classroom, in this case a virtual classroom, just like you do in a traditional classroom, experiences that will benefit all of the learners in the course.

8. Are there some tricks to learning in an e-learning environment? Any insights on how to make this an enjoyable activity?

   If by tricks, you mean strategies for learning, there are some, and many are discussed at the Teacher Center site. If you mean shortcuts, that's a different story. (We don't have any of those, and wouldn't tell you if we did!) Seriously, you need to develop a strong plan for learning, develop a comfortable regimen for when you will get online, when you will read, etc. and be committed to that plan. Engage your instructor and fellow students — don't be shy or passive. Indeed many e-learners have suggested they feel emboldened in e-learning courses because they have no fear of asking a silly question or offering a poor response.

9. Will I use textbooks or will I have to read off a computer screen all the time?

   You will probably do a bit of both, i.e., you will have some textbooks and traditional materials in hard copy and also have information and assignments available to you via the Web. One option is to print text on the screen to your printer. The texts and tools you will use in an e-learning course are essentially the same as a regular course only the delivery method is different.

10. What does an online course look like?

    Walk through an online course demo from one of the following institutions:
    Dallas Baptist University, Middle Tennesse State University, or West Virginia University. 

11. I've got other questions but those are enough for now. I'm ready to get started. Where do I find courses, look at institutions, compare delivery systems, etc.?

You are right where you need to be. Simply click on the link above to search for e-learning courses and programs. Set up your search parameters (level of course, discipline, states/colleges and universities), hit the search button, and away you go. Good Luck.

If you have other questions, e-mail us at electroniccampus@sreb.org.

How do I get started?

If you are not ready to begin a course or program search, visit any one of the modules we have designed to address the concerns of an adult/e-learner. If you are planning to take your first college course, visit the Teacher Center. If you are not sure about what discipline you might want to study or are considering returning to make a mid-career change, visit our career module. There are tools to help you plan the best approach to meeting your goals, find the colleges and universities with programs designed for you, and other helpful information.

Links to SREB State and Related Resources