Integrating Digital Tools for Adult Learners: Four Critical Factors

Technology has the potential to be a powerful tool for improving access to learning for adult learners. According to a Tyton Partners study, there is increasing demand for education technology among adult education program administrators and educators. A recent report from SRI also found that educators see great potential for edtech while learners enjoy using edtech tools.

Despite this enthusiasm, adult education programs lag behind their K-12 and higher education counterparts in incorporating technology. If we believe in the potential of technology to bring quality digital learning opportunities to this underserved population, what can we do to accelerate adoption?

Our report, Integrating Digital Tools for Adult Learners: Four Critical Factors, seeks to help answer this question by focusing on four factors that contribute to effective implementation of technology:

• Support multiple implementation models;
• Use data;
• Support a rich technology infrastructure; and
• Support the evolving role of the instructor.

These factors are drawn from our work to support the fourteen program sites that participated in the SRI study of digital learning technologies’ effectiveness in adult basic education. Our hope is to inform the practice of adult educators and administrators, as well as the design and development of new products for this market, to help realize the potential of technology to personalize and provide a quality learning experience for adult learners.

Learn more by reading the full report.