Technology for Adaptive Aging (2004) / Chapter Skim
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8 Technology and Learning in Current and Future Elder Cohorts
8 Technology and Learning in Current and Future Elder Cohorts
Pages 209-229
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From page 209... ...
In this chapter, two major domains of technology-based learning are considered: the use of technology to acquire knowledge and skills related to substantive topics (e.g., healthcare, leisure activities, job skills) and the knowledge and skills required to use technology (e.g., Internet searches, e-mail)
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COGNITIVE PROCESSES INVOLVED IN LEARNING: INFORMATION SEEKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING At the heart of complex, long-term learning activities is the ability to acquire and retain relevant information and to solve problems. Acquisi
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From page 211... ...
. An example of an ill-defined, poorly structured task is the seeking of health information on the Internet and use of this information in decision making regarding a medical problem.
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From page 212... ...
The Internet search behaviors described below have been reported for older Internet users, as well as users in general. I then relate the search behaviors of the typical Internet user to experimental studies on expertise and problem solving (Chi, 1985; Hershey, Walsh, Read, and Chulef, 1990; Meyer, Russo, and Talbot, 1995)
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Because novices are just acquiring the relevant information, they have less understanding of how to efficiently organize information on a topic, and the organization of their knowledge base is therefore less hierarchical and integrated. Older adults with experience in a subject domain would be expected to have declarative knowledge bases that are hierarchically organized and well integrated (Hershey et al., 1990)
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From page 214... ...
Almost half of information seekers started with the first search results on the retrieved list and worked their way down, reflecting neither hierarchical organization of knowledge nor an understanding of the most relevant information regarding a problem. Many information seekers did not know that search engines may be paid to list sites in a prominent position.
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From page 215... ...
Thus, Internet information seekers are somewhat like older adults in that they rely inordinately on their own prior knowledge or psychologically meaningful data in determining the validity of information. Whereas the expert quickly identifies the specific unit of prior knowledge that is relevant to a given situation, older adults and the Internet user seeking health information often draw on prior knowledge indiscriminately, whether or not it is relevant to the current problem.
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From page 216... ...
. Procedural Knowledge Procedural knowledge represents the individual's understanding of how to go about solving a particular problem -- how declarative knowledge relevant in a particular situation can be combined to produce a solution (Anderson, 1985; Chi, Feltovich, and Glaser, 1981)
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From page 217... ...
They depend on the algorithms of global search engines rather a preconceived plan of their own. Table 8-2 provides a summary of the similarities and differences between expert, novice, elder, and the typical Internet user with regard to declarative and procedural knowledge.
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218 of to Willis begins down User own two check and evaluates on 30 plan; search incremental -- works Internet up; quality searches 1989) ;( based and knowledge search sites sites general apparent of Sinnott User Typical Limited Bottom Limited information; quality prior Brief minutes; five No with engine list consecutively (1995)
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(1995) reported a procedural instructional method to be more effective in learning to use an electronic bulletin board system.
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The findings discussed above indicate that a focus solely on the volume and depth of declarative knowledge is insufficient for successful learning. Of critical importance is the industry's ability to organize content in ways that facilitate information searches and to highlight the relevance of particular content for a specific task.
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From page 221... ...
There would appear to be more burden on students to monitor their own learning and to initiate questions for clarification. Although there is always the need for an instructor to continually ask questions to increase interactivity and to monitor students' progress, continually diagnosing each learner's particular strengths and limitations would seem more challenging in a virtual than a traditional classroom (Duckworth, 2001)
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From page 222... ...
Throughout this treatment, the importance of declarative and procedural knowledge has been emphasized both as a means of understanding individual differences between expert and nonexpert learners and as a critical framework for training people in the use of technology to foster their own learning. A concrete example is in order.
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From page 223... ...
They rely on many familiar conventions in the use of icons and allow integration with very common applications for word processing, presentations, and web browsing. They are not overly technical, and many of the tools are labeled well or have easily recognized meanings.
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From page 224... ...
Learning to deliver content and dynamically control delivery and user interactions takes considerably longer. Returning to the declarative versus procedural knowledge framework that has guided much of this chapter, there are myriad facts that must be learned to use this system well.
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From page 225... ...
Facilitators often make the assumption that users are attending to these multiple regions optimally so that they register critical state changes shortly after they occur. This is a naive assumption at best, particularly for the older user, who will have difficulty dividing attention, sustaining attention when information changes at a rapid rate or is embedded in noise, and switching attention once it is focused on a particular subtask or region (see McDowd and Shaw, 2000)
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From page 226... ...
Although there have been numerous recommendations for universal design that would make technology user friendly for people of all ages, adherence to these recommendations is not common practice today. As a consequence, for older adults, learning through technology will continue to fall short of its potential.
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. Broadband Internet services that give e-learning its revolutionary potential are still relatively limited, particularly among low-income, poorly educated people.
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. Vital decisions: How Internet users decide what information to trust when they or their loved ones are sick.
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From page 229... ...
. Theoretical perspectives on cognitive aging.
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