Engaging Adult Learners using E-Learning Technologies

In a learner-centered world, student selection of e-learning technologies may better predict how to engage students in an online distance education course (Kim & Bonk, 2006; Percival & Muirhead, 2009; Su, 2006). In this study, adult learners enrolled on a blended campus and adult learners enrolled on an online campus used laptops the most. This implies that learners are using mobile devices to access their instructor, course content, and other learners. Internet technology is evolving. Internet devices are getting smaller and some learners have begun using these devices to access their instructor, course content, and other learners. In this study, there were not a significant number of learners using mobile handheld devices that could be held in the palm of the learners’ hands. For this course, campus leaders should determine if they should include course information in a format that can be accessed by these devices. This decision would be based on the cost of providing information in a different format for these devices and if the educational institution wants to be first, last, or somewhere in the middle when implementing new Internet technology in their e-learning environment.