Empowering older adults\u2019 informal, self-directed learning: harnessing the potential of online personal learning networks

Dirk Morrison,Jessica Mccutheon

doi:10.1186/s41039-019-0104-5

Dirk Morrison, Jessica Mccutheon

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41039-019-0104-5

Copy DOI

Abstract

Information and communication technologies have had an enormous impact on how we live, work, communicate, re-create, and connect with others. However, there is a paucity of research regarding older adult learners’ adoption and adaptation of Internet-based tools, techniques, and resources to support their informal, self-directed lifelong learning goals. This research contributes to our understanding of how and why older adults leverage the Internet and social media tools to create, develop, and maintain online personal learning networks (oPLNs) for the purposes of self-directed knowledge acquisition, personal development, and the facilitation of healthy aging.

Highlights

If one were to ask friends and relatives to estimate how important Internet-based activities are to older adults, the likely responses may be variations of “they don’t go online, they don’t even know how to use the Internet!” The pervasive stereotype of older adults’ disregard of and/or ineptness with “all things Internet” remains, sadly, unchallenged
Who is using online personal learning networks (oPLNs)? For the purpose of this survey, oPLNs were defined to the participants as a collection of individuals and/or groups with whom you communicate, via the Internet, to engage in discussion, exchange information, and/or share resources to learn more about a hobby or interest
The theory proposes that “as older adults age, they make adaptive choices to maintain the internal and external structures of their physical, psychological, and social environments” (p. 139). Regarding the latter two structures, our study provided a glimpse into how older adults use their oPLNs to maintain, and to enrich these that may otherwise have been limited by the effects of aging

Summary

Introduction

If one were to ask friends and relatives to estimate how important Internet-based activities are to older adults, the likely responses may be variations of “they don’t go online, they don’t even know how to use the Internet!” The pervasive stereotype of older adults’ disregard of and/or ineptness with “all things Internet” remains, sadly, unchallenged. Robertson and Merriam (2005) examined self-directed learning processes of older (75–87), rural adults and found that self-directed learning is initiated when there is an incentive and interest in learning, thereby motivating the access of resources They go on to point out that there is often a “catalyst,” namely, another person contributing to the success of their self-directed informal learning. It was surprising to the authors that there is such a paucity of research focused on older adults’ use of these powerful learning tools until very recently (e.g., PEW Reports cited above) given that older adults are often uniquely positioned to learn for intrinsic reasons (e.g., personal interest, love of learning) as opposed to being driven by extrinsic motivators (e.g., formal degrees, work promotions)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion