Image Attribution: MOOC Word Cloud retrieved from Adobe Stock, File #83707673; and final image created in Canva.
As part of my LRNT517 Directed Studies course, I have chosen to participate in, and critically evaluate a free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), Mastering Modern Day Parenting Techniques. The course is offered on Alison, an e-learning platform founded in Ireland in 2007 that offers free certificate and diploma programs focused on professional development and upskilling. To date, their website boasts that they have empowered over 50 million learners (Alison, n.d).
With a passion for the science behind child development, and more than 15 years supporting families through community programming and my clinical practice, I joined the MALAT program to deepen my understanding of adult learning and explore how educators can leverage technology to support adult learning and behaviour change. With this in mind, I will evaluate my learning experience through the lens of adult learning theory.
In an editorial I recently read, I was reminded of the quote by Kurt Lewin, “There is nothing as practical as good theory” (Kurt Lewin, as cited in Artino & Konopasky, 2018). It provided a simple, yet impactful, reminder of the importance of theory in education. Although theory can at times seem confusing and conflicting, the fact remains that evidence-based practice can provide valuable guidance on the structure and selection of approaches and strategies to help design and facilitate more effective learning experiences for adults (Artino & Konopasky, 2018). Grounding course design in theory can help instructors move beyond routine practice or habit to make intentional choices that align with how adults actually learn and change.
With this in mind, I will evaluate my learning experience through the lens of heutagogy and constructivism. As an extension of andragogy, heutagogy is a learning theory focused on self-directed, autonomous learning (Blaschke, 2012), well aligned with the constructivist notion that adults are meaning-makers who actively construct knowledge through self-directed experience, social interaction, and reflection (Chuang, 2021).
Adult learning in the 21st century is about lifelong learning and ongoing skill and capacity building to keep up with the rapid pace of change. Integral to the learning process and to heutagogy are self-efficacy, motivation, and self-reflection, as they contribute to ongoing capacity building. These are areas that I will keep in mind as I experience and critically evaluate the learning event. I will focus on continued research in these areas to support my emerging understanding of heutagogy and the broader topic of adult learning.
Drawing on my recent learning from LRNT528, I will use the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework to assess the presence of specific strategies that support social, teaching, and cognitive presence within the course and platform design and facilitation. These elements will help me to identify specific strategies that reflect evidence-based best practices for adult learners.
I’m curious to see how adult learning theories are reflected in practice as I experience Mastering Modern Day Parenting Techniques on the Alison platform. Do they have adults in mind as they design and facilitate digital online learning for adults?
Resources:
Blaschke, L. M. (2012). Heutagogy and lifelong learning: A review of heutagogical practice and self-determined learning. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 13(1), 56-71. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v13i1.1076
Chuang, S. (2021). The applications of constructivist learning theory and social learning theory on adult continuous development. Performance Improvement, 60(3), 6-14. https://doi.org/10.1002/pfi.21963
Artino Jr, A. R., & Konopasky, A. (2018). The practical value of educational theory for learning and teaching in graduate medical education. Journal of graduate medical education, 10(6), 609-613. 10.4300/JGME-D-18-00825.1