Scott MarcucioEDU 643

Post University

Adult development can be described as a “systematic change within an individual or a group of individuals that results from a dynamic interaction of heredity and environmental influence” (Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2007, p. 298).

There has been a great influx in adult learning, and as a result what was once the “norm” of adult learning is no longer. The demographics of the adult learner have changed dramatically in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. 

No longer is there a traditional college student that is fresh out of high school.  College students now come from various socioeconomic, ethnic, race, gender, and age groups.

This has led to various misconceptions about adult learning.

The image of the adult learner student has changed over time. 

- In 1962, an adult was considered to be someone over the age of 21, and either married or the head of a household (Merriam, Cafarella, & Baumgartner, 2007).  

There is no longer a “typical” adult learner. 

Many colleges/universities have students that span many different cultures and are beginning to celebrate the diversity of the student body that you can see on many college campuses. 

Therefore, there is no longer a gender barrier to higher education. 

An adult learner is just as easily a woman as a man, and the age is typically under forty, has at least completed high school, and most likely has a white collar profession (Merriam, Cafarella, & Baumgartner, 2007). 

Some people who are not sure if social media can be useful for adult learners. 

Due to the increasing use of the Internet, knowledge is now everywhere and technology will be moving forward.

If used properly, the social media can be a great way to encourage collaboration and is a great way for teachers, students, and parents to communicate. 

Blogs, Facebook, Glogster, and Twitter are great ways for students to display understanding of content, as well as a way to encourage collaboration, not only amongst students, but with the public as well. 

94% of adults are actively engaged in some type of informal learning, and that upwards of 78% of those who participated in the survey spend at least 8½  per week learning through technology (Lee & Ang, 2013). 

Self-directed learning has been described as “process of learning in which people take the primary initiative for planning, carrying out, and evaluating their own learning experiences” (Merriam, Baumgartner, and Caffarella, 2007, p 110).

Formal education lends to a traditional style of learning where students learn from a structured standard curriculum. 

Informal learning can happen anytime, anywhere. 

- It is a concept that is not exactly new to the world of education, but has recently begun to be recognized as a legitimate style of learning.

According to Richard Bonk (2009) the new learning culture “is one of participation and personalization” (p. 327).  

Bonk, C. (2009). The World is Open: How Web Technology isRevolutionizing Education. San Francisco, CA. Jossey-Bass.

Lee, B. & Ang, S.S. (2013). Social media as an informal learning platform: Case study on adult learning at sim university, singapore. ScienceDirect. p1158-1161. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?

vid=6&sid=138120f0-

Merriam, S. B., Baumgartner, L., & Caffarella, R. S. (2007). Learning in adulthood: A omprehensive guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Schwier, R. (2010). Focusing on Technology Research on Informal Learning Environments. Contemporary Educational Technology, 1(1), 90-91.

University of New Haven. (2015). Division of student affairs. Retrieved from http://www.newhaven.edu/student-life/CampusLife_StudentAffairs/.

Yale University. (2015). Yale student life. Retrieved from http://studentlife.yale.edu/.