Many adult learners returning to school later in life have discovered that technology is heavily embedded in the learning environment. Learning both course contents and technology in unison can be a daunting task for students who feel intimidated by technology. Computer anxiety is a term that describes resistance, fear or anxieties towards…

This article considers various learning theories, applied to three key transforming areas in adult education in general, and distance learning in particular: the andragogical issues, the technical issues, and the cultural issues. Cultural Dimension Indexes from Hofstede (1997) are appended. (Contains 1 chart.)

Limited studies on social presence in online learning do not lend themselves to understanding its effects on adult learning. Research indicates a heightened need for examining the relationship between social presence and perceived learning and satisfaction as well as retention in online courses. Incorporating social presence into online courses…

The study discusses some major adult learning theories and practices and their application to the functionality of synchronous learning tools in order to better support the needs and satisfaction of stakeholders while interacting in a web-based environment. It examines how best to provide guidelines for them in choosing the synchronous learning…

Over the past five years, the number of individuals engaging in online learning as well as the number of online course offering has grown exponentially. At the same time, outcome research on online learning design is sparse. This paper describes the development of a constructivist learning environment scorecard and explores its usefulness in…

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the benefits of on-line learning for adult learners and to further demystify three common misconceptions concerning on-line learning: students certainly do receive support from their on-line professors, the professor is pro-active rather than passive, and students may be more motivated to learn than in…