Learners’ Personal Interest
One of the principles of adult education is self-motivation to learn (Knowles, 1984). According to Knowles (1984) adult learners are interested in the topic and motivated to learn it while learning. Origin of this motivation mostly come from usefulness of the information.
After I read this week’s reading, learners’ personal interest issue took my attention. This is one of the common issues mentioned in all of the articles of this week. Kukulska-Hulme, A., et al. (2009) states that mobile devices support learner’s personal interest. Pachler, N., et al. (2010) states that young generation uses mobile devices as a part of their life. As we see In Traxler’s (2013) article, mobile phones enable reader participation and viable platform for distributing longer form content. Mobile learning offers entertainment (Pachler, N., et al., 2010). Common point of these articles is that mobile learning supports learners’ internal motivation.
All adult education principles may not fit for children’s case. On the other hand, I believe, self-motivation to learn principle fits for both children and adult learners. For children, internal motivation may not be an obligation for learning different than adult. But, there are a lot of studies that explain positive effect of motivation on learning (Garris, R., Ahlers, R., & Driskell, J. E., 2002). That’s why, learners personal interest makes mobile learning a more powerful learning method for every age groups.
I believe that supporting personal interest is one of most powerful attributes of the mobile learning. This dimension of the mobile learning can be used for solving some problems related in the society. For example, NEET (not in education, employment or training) problem is huge burden on countries and mobile learning can help to solve this issue (Traxler, 2013). If using mobile learning opportunities for solving NEET issue succeeds, it can be inspiring for future projects. As a result, addressing learner’s self-interest is powerful trait of mobile learning that is also one of the components of adult learning.
Another common trait of mobile learning that fits adult learning is that mobile learning can cross formal learning boundaries. Mobile learning platforms offer for rich, authentic curriculum with supporting a playful learning experience in both formal and informal learning opportunities (Kukulska-Hulme, A., et al., 2009). In addition, most of the adult learning activities happen outsides of the formal learning settings. As seen, informal learning attribute is common for mobile learning and adult learning.
Taking all above-mentioned points into consideration, it can be concluded that mobile learning platforms offer adult learning opportunities to children. With mobile learning, pedagogy and andragogy are getting closer. Children are more treated like adults in mobile learning platforms. I think, this is a good thing. On the other hand, adult learning style brings more responsibility. For children, it can be dangerous in some way. Security and privacy are some of the prevailing concerns with the usage of mobile learning devices (Pachler, N., et al., 2010). On the other hand, it teaches taking responsibility to children, too, like adults. I don’t say that children should take responsibilities like adult in everywhere. Just letting them taking responsibility can be beneficial for their improvement and building self-confidence until a certain degree with the guidance of their teachers and parents.
References
Garris, R., Ahlers, R., & Driskell, J. E. (2002). Games, motivation, and learning: A research and practice model. Simulation & gaming, 33(4), 441-467.
Knowles, M. S. (1984). Andragogy in action: Applying modern principles of adult education.
Kukulska-Hulme, A., et al. (2009). Innovation in mobile learning. (pages 13 through 35).
Pachler, N., et al. (2010). Mobile devices as resources for learning. (pages 73 through 93).
Traxler, J. M. (2013). Mobile learning . . . . distance, digital divides, disadvantage, disenfranchisement (pages 129 – 141).
You have made a very astute observation in your statement, “…addressing learner’s self-interest is powerful trait of mobile learning that is also one of the components of adult learning.” I cannot begin to tell you how many hours I have spent on my passion – cooking. While I have attended formal culinary school and am a trained chef, having the ability to watch videos, look up recipes, or share my latest creation/disaster on an impulse with my smartphone is powerful. I have learned more over the course of time from these excursions into my cooking interest than I did in my formal culinary training. My interest in how Thomas Keller made a certain recipe verses Dominique Crenn drives my use of my spare time and data usage. I think one reason interest drives usage is because of the emotion it brings out in me. For example: If I see a dish, I want to taste it and have everyone else taste it too. I want to learn how to make the sauce and keep it from breaking. Those thoughts and desires creates anticipation and satisfaction which feels good and moves my phone from being this utilitarian piece of equipment used to walk-and-talk to being a creator of pleasant thoughts and feelings.
Vov, what a great curiosty and hobby!
It is great to see that you are not only curious but also an actioner about your passion.
In adult education, it is one of the principle that adults learn what they need and what they use immediately. Interval motivation is key for learning.
Your case is a great example of this 🙂
Enes – It was very beneficial to hear your adult learning perspective on this! You make a number of really good points about formal and informal learning, as well as self-motivation. However, your thoughts on putting an adult learning framework into the hands of children are my favorite and really made me think. By trusting students to accomplish work on a mobile device, they are learning the valuable skillset of taking responsibility for their actions. I am concerned that the security and privacy issues present issues for the institution, and create more work for the instructors, but I think simply putting trust in younger students to be responsible outweighs the risks. Thanks for offering this new perspective to me and the rest of the reading group.
Enes, very good point about the benefits of motivation and self-interest for mobile learning. It seems to me that it would be a basic requirement for all types of learning and I am curious in what ways you think mobile learning helps to sustain this interest more clearly than other types of learning? Also, you mention that children are offered an “adult” way of learning via mobiles — what is your perspective on what adults are being offered? Thanks!
Indeed: security and privacy as legitimate teacher and administrative concerns for student activity in online systems (Pachler, N., et al., 2010) are significant barriers to the greater integration of mobile learning environments into academic curricula. With this in mind, I remind my students to track their ‘digital footprints’: the amount of information about them that can be traced through such simple and immediately executable means as Google and social media searches, and online white pages inquiries. Since such concerns also apply to adult learners–which can be quite pressing, given that such data discoveries can have direct impacts on career prospects and legal circumstances–it must be an aim of those who design, develop, and maintain such learning systems to protect confidentiality, authorization, and authenticity of all users of all ages, and their user data. I wonder what precisely can and should be done to assure these features, beyond the sort of data encryption, hiding, and integrity-related techniques that are taught and utilized by security experts. I believe that the rise and availability of mobile technologies for advanced learning systems, and their inevitable usage by many despite the presence of security and privacy concerns, should add a sense of urgency into investigating how users, and their data, can be protected.