Lauren Siegfried in ITD
Discovering Adult Learner Preferences
The Online Learning Approaches presentation walks through a research study completed to discover and better understand the preferences of adult learners as they apply to online courses.
Project Objectives
The objective of this research study was to investigate the preferred methods for delivery of online learning as experienced by adult learners. By conducting this research I would be capable of gaining insight into what learning approaches adult learners consider to be enjoyable and beneficial while engaging with online courses.
No two learners are the same, and that applies to adult learners as well. When selecting learning activities and methods to utilize in courses designed for adults it is important to consider how these learners engage with content and what drives them to continuously learn. My goal for researching the preferences of adult learners was to be able to apply this knowledge to future content that I will be designing for adult learners, academically or professionally. Learning methods such as content presentation, activities, and types of assessments were the areas that I directed my focus within this research.
Qualtrics Survey Software was utilized to both design and distribute the survey and collect the data. With a target audience being adult learners currently enrolled in online courses, the use of an online survey sufficiently reached a well-rounded sample for data collection as they all had access to the tools required for completing an online research study. For further details on the design and distribution of the survey please refer to the presentation video which can be accessed through the "Explore More" button.
Once distributed and responses were collected the data analysis phase of research could begin. The Qualtrics program is capable of completing a basic analysis of quantitative data automatically but Excel was used to complete a more sophisticated quantitative analysis of the data and for the creation of graphical displays of the findings. Free response questions were included in the research which were qualitatively analyzed using Taguette, a Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis (CAQDAS) software. Further information on the analysis processes and a full presentation of results can also be accessed through the "Explore More" button.
Project Process
Lessons Learned
Through this research study and data analysis I learned not only the tendencies of what adult learners prefer but also the best methods for designing and conducting a survey distributed online. The results illustrated that many adult learners prefer courses that include presentations or activities that are structured and offer direction like lectures and quizzes as opposed to free range courses where guidance from the professor is minimal. Understanding these preferences can help in the development of future deliverables that will guide students through the content instead of leaving the adult learners to be full self-directed.
As for the delivery of the online survey, there were challenges that arose and significant takeaways drawn from those experiences. The biggest challenge that presented itself was finding both a large and diverse sample group and determining how to most effectively distribute the survey for the best sample. Ultimately, time constraints played a role in the level of distribution that could be completed but this challenge resulted in a better understanding of online survey dispersal. Item design on the survey also had an impact on the results and quality of data received. Many multiple-choice questions allowed participants to "Select all that apply" when sharing their preferences instead of being limited to one selection. This design choice led to results that were not entirely representative of participants' opinions because many chose all of the options rather than one learning method they preferred most. It is a goal to conduct this survey again in the future but on a larger scale by reaching a broader audience of adults from a multitude of educational and professional backgrounds.
