Changing Demands

As illustrated throughout this book, demands abound in the digital age and also surround adults constantly. Indeed, this constant need to master new learning is a source of great frustration and limitation for people who do not have adequate skills to do so.

A very simple but universal example involves people who have been downsized from the company and job they had for many years. This situation presents a host of changing demands and potential challenges for technology-based learning. Whether their work has ever or will ever include computer work or not, the following list includes many of the skills newly unemployed adults must master in order to conduct a job search. Although in the past, many less skilled jobs required paper-only employment applications, most of these applications are now online access only. Therefore, adults conducting job searches need to be able to do the following:

• Create and update a digital (computer-based) résumé.
• Create a current cover letter.
• Convert the résumé to multiple formats (e.g., PDF, .docx, RTF, etc.).
• Copy and paste any or all portions of the résumé into online applications.
• Create a job-seeking e-mail account to track submissions and inquiries.
• Master basic e-mail activities, such as identifying and copying e-mail addresses and reading, sending, replying to, forwarding, saving, and printing messages.
• Master advanced e-mail skills, such as attaching documents and reading, downloading, saving, and printing attachments.
• Search for bona fide online job search sites and navigate their different platforms.
• Create an online account user name, password, and complete all required information.
• Identify and use the terms in each online job search system to identify job-related skills and career aspirations.
• Analyze job postings to determine appropriate fit, expectations, position requirements, deadline for application, submission requirements, and so on.
• Track all submissions.
• Respond appropriately to inquiries via e-mail and phone.
• Develop interview skills for different contexts (e.g., e-mail inquiries, phone, VOIP, Skype, or virtual meeting interviews).
• And the list goes on.

Beyond job searching, shopping and entertainment are other frequent daily adult experiences that continue to require more technology skills. These skills span a wide range of technology sophistication. In the digital age, adults need to be comfortable learning new technology from purchasing products online to configuring their new GPS; streaming music to their cell phone; configuring the SMART TV, sound system, cable receiver, and gaming system; and searching online for manuals to fix lawn mowers, dishwashers, and washing machines.

By incorporating effective learning strategies for the digital age in adult learning experiences, focus is not just on the task at hand but also on generalizable skills, perspectives, and problem-solving approaches (Fink, 2014; Jonassen, Howland, Moore, & Marra, 2003; Nosich, 2011; Paul & Elder, 2013). Providing an abundance of facilitated learning opportunities with new technologies guides adults toward greater self-sufficiency and self-directedness in their learning efforts and careers (Miflin, 2004; Selwyn, Gorard, & Furlong, 2006).

Changing Complexities

In addition to the changing types of skills needed, learning complexity continues to increase in the digital age. This book has discussed in-depth the great need for adult learners to master critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaborative teamwork. Although the nature of work in the past may have been less intellectually demanding and complex, these characteristics dominate employees' responsibilities, position descriptions, and organizational expectations.

The result of these two phenomena is two-pronged: (1) In order to effectively be prepared for success in the ever-changing world, adult learners must cultivate the development of these skills. (2) Educators of adults must engage learners in real-life and hands-on experiences to build their capacity and independence progressively.

As Kegan (1994) described, our 21st century is a confusing place with many conflicting demands. As innovation continues to escalate, our thinking and problem-solving strategies need to continue to evolve in order to keep pace. Principles of metacognition, meaning-making, innovation, and problem-solving may be used to develop new ways of learning to address the complexities of our ever-changing world. Adult learners and educators need to keep this open-ended perspective of learning strategies in mind. No longer are we simply passing on prior knowledge and skills. Instead, learners need to discover new knowledge, ways of understanding, and meaning-making in order to be able to generate their own learning strategies now and in the future.

The many strategies in this book have provided recommendations for facilitating the development of these critical abilities and goals. However, the rapid pace of innovation means learners, educators, and researchers must persistently identify and address new, emergent concerns. Several suggestions follow that can assist in planning and preparing all adult learners to be successful in the digital age:

• Explore new opportunities for collaborative learning and work with each innovation.
• Engage in developing learning objectives, goals, and planning discussions.
• Facilitate discussions of technology-related learning experiences one anticipates.
• Discuss effective strategies discovered in the personal, professional, institutional, and organizational spaces.
• Combine multiple advanced learning strategies whenever possible—avoid silos of learning content and techniques!
• Develop real-life and relevant projects that provide authentic learning experiences for stretching into new possibilities.

Adult learning provides a vibrant platform for equipping people for success in the digital age. There are abundant opportunities to branch out in new directions and continue to explore new frontiers of facilitating complex learning.

Flexible

Learning in the everyday contexts of the digital age needs to include flexibility to adapt to changing conditions, requirements, resources, and so on. Because our world is constantly changing in so many ways, the conditions in which we use our learning shifts continually. This dynamic environment necessitates the development of perspectives and practices that are able to adapt. Embracing multiple solutions and looking beyond the basic requirements are characteristics of learning flexibility.

Independent, Yet Collaborative

Different from learning in which most adults engaged in during their P–12 years, learning now needs to be a vital blend of independent and collaborative learning. Although adults need to be self-directed and able to plan, implement, and assess their own learning, they also need to know when collaboration is a valuable complement to those processes (Palloff & Pratt, 2010; Topping, 2005).

In other contexts, many adults are assigned to groups in order to accomplish learning tasks. For example, organizations frequently establish task forces to investigate an issue and provide a report to the middle-level or senior leadership.

For collaboration, it is important to realize that some of the characteristics that make people successful independent learners need to be moderated, even transformed. For instance, selecting learning objectives, goals, methods, data sources, resources, and so on become shared decisions in groups. And if collaboration is to be successful, its members must be able and willing to negotiate understanding, recognize collective needs and benefits, and fill the roles needed (Topping, 2005). Even the most independent learners can be valuable group members, if they learn those principles.

More ways of thinking and learning also may be developed from collaborations. When learners collaborate with others who are from different cultures, ethnicities, gender, age, abilities, ideologies, and so on they also discover different ways of knowing, and making sense of the knowledge (Palloff & Pratt, 2010; Topping, 2005). Collaborations provide opportunities for sharing metacognitive insights and therefore participants can learn new approaches from other people.

Interdisciplinary

The artificial boundaries between disciplines and fields have been tumbling to the ground since the new millennium. Instead, interdisciplinary learning and research have become essential approaches to solve the complex concerns and problems of the digital age (National Research Council [US], 2005). Exploring the names of several new fields reveals the significant adoption of interdisciplinary perspectives: biotechnology, bioinformatics, ecological economics, exo-meterology, nutritional genomics, organic electronics, and cognitive finance (Dvorsky, 2013). The fundamental benefit of such fields is that the experts in them have strong backgrounds in one or more disciplines to provide breadth of knowledge and perspective. This more advanced, focused knowledge enables researchers and practitioners to integrate and construct new understandings, developments, and discoveries.

Although many of the examples of formal interdisciplinary titles are from the sciences, the approach is nearly universally used across fields as they form interdisciplinary teams. Instead of the diverse fields of knowledge residing in one person, in the team approach, multiple participants provide different expertises. Much like cross-pollination among flowers in the natural world, these strategies represent cross-pollination of knowledge, learning approaches, and worldviews in the realm of knowledge building, problem-solving, and learning strategies. Interdisciplinary learning is a powerful approach for addressing the complex issues of the digital age.

Creative

And finally, as in the example of Nancie in the chapter-opening scenario, adult learners need to use creative learning methods and strategies. Constant innovation means people in the digital age must be imaginative in the ways they approach learning and develop solutions. “Thinking outside of the box” is the norm in the age of innovation. Learners who are creative in their learning approaches will have a repertoire of strategies to access as needed, plus the metacognitive perspective to evaluate each situation and develop different approaches to fit the unique situation.

Many of these characteristics are incorporated in creative learning approaches:

• Flexible: Openness to other vantage points and possibilities, not being rigid in choice of approaches
• Independent, yet collaborative: Recognizing when consultation or collaboration will expedite learning or provide new strategies
• Interdisciplinary: Reaching beyond the confines of a single school of thought and including the knowledge and ways of knowing incumbent with other fields

Cross-cultural collaborations provide access to new worldviews for making sense of situations that potentially reveal new pathways for solutions. Graphic organizers, computer-aided design (CAD), data displays, animation, graphic design, and three-dimensional (3D) modeling software are all powerful technology tools to stimulate and support creativity. Using authentic projects as assignments and incorporating challenging open-ended projects are effective modes for promoting creativity compared to more passive ones. In such contexts, students explore their understanding and reach forward to new conceptions with solutions for design, development, and community issues. These learning experiences can open new possibilities for learning strategies, career interests, and collaborations as well.

Informal Learning

With technology and change infiltrating our homes, work, and leisure time, it is understood that innovation, related procedures, and also device and software updates are integral parts of informal learning. As stated, some adult learning is related to tangible objects or processes in our environments. However, other learning is free form and occurs with little context. All of these examples might fall into informal learning and be unnoticed by people who are unaware of the concept or term. The following examples provide illustrations:

• Sam bought a new electric razor and needed to use it Monday morning to dress for work. While getting ready, he pulled out the two pages of instructions that came with it to make sure he would be able to use it correctly that morning.
• Maribel's first tracker mower arrived for her 2-acre farm. The delivery workers provided some introduction to the mower, but the terminology was all new to her. She had the three-volume manual, but with all those language translations included, it was too overwhelming to comprehend. On her smartphone, Maribel searched YouTube for a video tutorial on starting and using the mower. Six minutes later, she compared the parts she had learned about with the diagram in the manual. At 8 minutes, she was on the mower and in action!

No formal teacher, no course registration or fees, just start learning, anytime, anyplace—that is informal learning. As Tough (2002) indicated, he could calculate only the tip of the iceberg of adults participating in informal learning because the power and frequency in which people engage in it and the enormous amount of information readily available. Informal learning is woven into the fabric of life in the digital age more than ever before.

Formal Learning

At the same time, data demonstrate that although the rate of US higher education enrollments is falling overall, there are increases in the area of nontraditional students. (Nontraditional students can be defined based on many different characteristics, but a common definition, which can be used with national data sources, is that they are over the age of 24.) Based on existing trends and data, in 2014, the NCES reported undergraduate projections for 2011 to the year 2022. This forecast indicated the following increases: traditional-aged enrollments (18–24 years old) at 9%, 25–34 years old at 20%, and 35 and older growth at 23%.

Formal education includes educational opportunities designed and structured by others (Fink, 2013). In the same vein, formal learning frequently includes enrollment in classes, workshops, or training and is accompanied by a syllabus or agenda and schedule of planned learning activities. As demonstrated in Figure 14.1, beyond those criteria, all of the other variations discussed in this section might be included in formal learning, which is virtual, contextualized, on-site, and so on.

Given the abundance of informal resources for learning, among adult learners the motivation to pursue formal postsecondary education is primarily to earn a degree or other credential (e.g., certificates, license, etc.) (Fink, 2013). At the same time, data from 2011–2012 reveal that a higher percentage of nontraditional students (over the age of 24) enrolled in certificates, associate degrees, or individual courses compared to those enrolled in bachelor's degrees (NCES, 2013) (see Figure 14.2). Therefore, at that point in time, adult learners did not have plans for sustained formal education that were as long-range as nontraditional students.

Virtual Learning

As illustrated in many examples throughout this book, in the digital age virtual learning is a favored, convenient venue for informal and formal learning. Online and virtual technologies greatly increase access to resources, information, and experts far beyond what could have been imagined previously. A few examples span disparate dimensions of virtual learning:

• Product manufacturers understand the vast capability and adoption of virtual learning. Therefore, manufacturers and other sources provide online, on-demand access to many forms of user support materials, including choices among and beyond the following: traditional text-based manuals, image-dominated instructions, video tutorials, troubleshooting guides, frequently asked questions (FAQs) compilations, e-mail, live text, VOIP chat, and so on.
• For almost any repair, design, or construction project, users can find step-by-step instructions to engage in independent virtual learning. These sites use many of the same formats listed in the previous example.
• Using individual and dedicated sites, adults desiring to travel internationally can learn about other countries, cultures, customs, language, travel requirements, limitations, as well as the discount sources for lodging and travel. Individual country and city websites are examples of collected travel resources but travel sites such as Expedia, Travelocity, and Booking.com also provide a wealth of information for learning about and choosing one's destination.
• Learning how to care for your pet, plants, vehicle, or home all can be accomplished in the virtual space.

As Clark (1997, 2004) has said in his discussions of the technology, brain, and embodiment of cognitive functions, technology will become so embedded in our lives, 21st-century adults will not be able to differentiate our lives from technology. Technology use will become increasingly transparent. We are in the midst of this transition and need to continue to maximize our learning skills.

Cross-Cultural Learning

As described in many places in this book, cross-cultural interactions are a dominant characteristic of our global lives in the digital age. Embedded in this dynamic is the fact that cross-cultural learning becomes a valuable form of learning. Cross-cultural learning is widely defined as both learning about and adapting to other cultures. Therefore it includes not just theoretical knowledge but also skills and attitudes (Han, 2010). This type of learning was the focus of the previous discussion of intercultural competence in this book.

However, it would appear the digital age also exposes us to another version of cross-cultural learning, which is more akin to ways of knowing (Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger, & Tarule, 1996). As adults engaging in global communication and relationships, we also discover that others have varied ways of making sense of their world and even of proceeding with learning. As mentioned previously, although traditional learning in the United States included recitation at one point and is now shifting more to critical thinking and problem-based learning, people of different cultures have traditional modes that they use and favor.

Developing an inclusive perspective and appreciation of different cultures and ways of knowing are foundational elements of intercultural competence (Han, 2010). From the vantage point of effective skills, it also affords additional learning strategies.

Contextual Learning

Another revealing perspective of learning in the digital age is to create contextual learning experiences for adults. That is, their learning focus, needs, goals, preferences, and resources can be related to the context in which they need to function (Brown, 1998). In designing contextual learning experiences, connections to constructivism become clear because the learning opportunity enables people to construct meaning and create solutions just as they would interact with and interpret their context or environment (Brown, 1998).

As a learner-centered approach, contextualized learning is best constructed by the learners in order for them to identify the needs and challenges they truly encounter. When contextual learning has been used extensively in adult literacy and workplace training programs in the past, frequently it has been employed with a transactional, skill-building orientation. More recent research on the subject revealed great potential to explore critical perspectives of contextualized learning as well (Dirkx, Amey, & Haston 1999; Sandlin, 2000). Such approaches encourage learners to question the status quo, examine issues beneath surface meaning and purposes, and pose questions related to equity, power, ecology, and so on. In these ways and others, the relevance and immediate application of contextual learning can be vitally blended with the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Such strategies provide new perspectives that can frame life and learning every day.

On-Site Learning

In comparison to virtual learning, on-site learning situates the place of learning to a physical space. Beyond that one criteria, all learning possibilities are available as options. This category provides the opportunity to recognize when in-person learning may be the preferred mode or when it is not viable because of various limitations.

Several examples of content areas arise when considering onsite learning as the preferred mode. During the beginning years of distance learning, educators believed that it was essential to have in-person learning for the hard sciences such as physics, chemistry, and so on. However, virtual simulations, such as 3D modeling (working with molecular models in an online or virtual space) and dry chemistry (conducting virtual chemistry experiments), were developed and used to create meaningful experiences and learning. In a similar way, webcams and video recording have provided opportunities to conduct school observations and social work or counseling practice sessions.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of on-site learning is that many people find online learning provides too little dialogue, personal interaction, and social learning exchange. In order to develop these outcomes in technology-based environments, careful planning and design need to be incorporated.

Opportunities to Apply MoRALI

MoRALI could be used as a framework for research in better understanding implications and connections of mind, body, and spirit (MBS) or contemplative education approaches and practices to adult learning. It could also be used to help determine how MBS can assist adult learners with unmet learning needs. For instance, interdisciplinary teams could explore how MBS skills can be used with learners who have severe chronic pain, mental illness, or mild cognitive impairment. Key issues to explore with such findings would be based on the new knowledge:

• Which instructional strategies would be best to use and how?
• What challenges do new instructional approaches need to be designed to address?

Based on the work of many researchers in the educational field, cross-cultural learning and research may also be prime areas that could be tapped to reveal new forms of learning. Moreover, these findings could hold the possibility of discovering new intellectual capacities that Western culture, or no cultures, yet track or identify completely.

This book included discussions of how various cultures have different ways of knowing. Cultures often have different epistemologies, but their people might also learn and make sense of the world differently based on prior experiences, socialization, and context. Just as intercultural competency is recognized and expected in the digital age workplace (Han, 2010), research regarding models of teaching and learning needs to incorporate this cultural diversity of perspective and understanding. Ginsberg and Wlodkowski's (2009) work provides a foundation, and building on it with these questions from the digital age could provide new research agendas.

Ultimately, the MoRALI model provides a framework for researching digital age innovations and adult learning by doing the following:

• Respecting intercultural competencies
• Considering opportunities provided by innovation, technology, current issues, and trends
• Seeking to use adult learning principles, critical thinking, and problem-based learning
• Exploring cultural uniqueness as it contributes to greater intercultural competency

For a globally connected world there is much more to learn about cross-cultural learning and competency.

Research in Educational Practice

As learning continues to take so many different forms during this age of innovation, educators have a responsibility to be leaders in research. As experts in teaching and learning, we need to discover the best ways to leverage these advancements in our field. Although scores of new technologies are available, the focus of educators needs to be on how to use them to facilitate deeper, greater, and more powerful skills and learning for adults in the digital age. Technology by itself will not accomplish this goal; educators have the abilities, expertise, and passion to understand learner needs and the potential to combine the technology opportunities to reach greater possibilities.

Another critical research opportunity is the study of intercultural competencies, which the workplace demands in the digital age.

• What are transferable, cross-cultural skills for global digital communication?
• What are effective ways to build relationships, respect, and collaboration via global virtual technologies?
• How can people most efficiently recognize when their learning preferences do not align with their cross-cultural colleagues' choices?

Based on my current understanding, I believe the answers to each of these questions will continue to change over time. These research inquiries create an open door to appreciate and comprehend the type of learning that will lead to the next generation of changes.

Our society needs to reach beyond conventional understandings of formal, informal, and virtual learning in order to realize the practices, goals, possibility, and new models that capture new possibilities on the horizon, for instance, helping people who are able to access and direct power of mindfulness and spirituality learning to understand how not only to continue to grow but also teach others. These are a few examples of areas that are prime for investigation in teaching and learning development.

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL)

The scholarship of teaching and learning (SOTL) is another indispensable area for research that brings rigor, value, and meaning to instructional research across disciplines (Boyer, 1997). By engaging faculty members in SOTL, such research is more legitimized and therefore is more likely to be adopted. SOTL provides a different perspective for the ongoing debate regarding the assignment of resources and assignments. Because of e-learning, virtual learning, and innovation in teaching and learning, teaching methods and learning methods have moved closer to center stage in higher education priorities (Allen & Seaman, 2014; Fink, 2013; Lowenthal, Wray, Bates, Switzer, & Stevens, 2012).

Within this arena, we could increase our understanding of the cognitive processes of adults engaged in virtual learning. Research surrounding simulations, simulated learning, and simulated realities are becoming more advanced and being studied in more depth (Aldrich, 2009a, 2009b; Dieker, Hynes, Ludlow, & Whitten, 2012; Dieker, Hynes, Stapleton, & Hughes, 2007; Kleinheksel, 2014). As cognitive psychology research continues, researchers and educators should develop a better understanding of how adults' minds apprehend and comprehend information even beyond their present, physical space. Although the number of adults enrolled in higher education sometimes exceeds 50% of the student population, up until this point the majority of research in higher education has been focused on young adults.

Examining adult learning in virtual spaces provides a powerful prospect to advance research and understanding of creativity and innovation in different ways (Aldrich, 2009a). In particular, virtual environments offer new opportunities and insights into problem-solving and creativity. As researchers understand how adults navigate virtual reality environments (beyond their physical space), construct knowledge, and solve problems, they can better understand the cognitive processes of creativity, intangible tasks, and the overall creative process.

Dirkx (2001a, 2001b) and others have expressed interest in research regarding imagination and learning among adults. This work provides connections for cognitive psychology and creativity in technology-based simulations. As we understand better how adults reach beyond their present experience (into virtual spaces) to construct meaning and create solutions for problems, we may uncover new knowledge regarding innovative strategies or perspectives.

All of these prospects are important areas for adult learning research now and for the future. Although educators need to understand how to improve student achievement in their learning pursuits, they also need to continue to design engaging learning opportunities for every individual to discover his or her full potential. In this manner, learners will lead us into the future they need to create. Educators of adults therefore have the responsibility of supporting the creation of our future experiences. We have a great opportunity for adult learning research to reach forward and lead the way beyond our current limitations into more learner-centered, dynamic, innovative understandings.