Week 1: Overview

Online learning provides challenges and opportunities for diverse adult learners. How can facilitators respond to support learners in new learning environments? How can facilitators be sensitive to the diversity of participants in online classes when diversity may range from learners new to post-secondary education, to online technologies, and who come from diverse cultural, social, economic backgrounds.

On approach is to provide a framework to structure the analysis and discussion of diversity: perhaps through a social, intellectual and management of the online learning environment framework?  Participants can explore essential questions:

• What supports do diverse adults need in online learning environments?
• What opportunities exist online that can be used to make learning more effective or interesting for adults online?
• How might you adapt your teaching practice to provide supports, or to take advantage of some of the opportunities, for diverse learners

However, other perspectives on diversity could be explored.

Resources (FLO):

• Jacobsen, M. (Fall, 2014) Teaching in a Participatory Digital World, Education Canada. Vol.54, Issue 4
• Bates, T. (Aug 22, 2014) Key characteristics of learners in a digital age and their influence on the design of teaching and learning (blog post), Retrieved from http://www.tonybates.ca/2014/08/22/key-characteristics-of-learners-in-a-digital-age-and-their-influence-on-the-design-of-teaching-and-learning/
  
  • Note the paragraphs discussing increasing diversity and age of students.
    
    

• Carleton University Media Server (2014) Educational Development Centre, Benefits and Challenges of Online Education, retrieved from https://mediaspace.carleton.ca/media/0_oej4e6hk
  Video - watch up to 6:10 of 7:26  Benefits and Challenges of Online Learning