Designing Distance Education for Adults.

How might you design a Distance Education course for Adult

Learners?

Ken Desjardine
Graduate Student
Educational Communications and Technology
University of Saskatchewan
February 2009
Revision March 2009

Introduction
Distance education is becoming a common option for adult
learners to gain valuable skills, knowledge and experience. When
distance education is designed with the adult learner in mind it can be
a rich and valuable learning experience. In this paper, I will describe
what distance education is in terms of a definition and terminology. I
will look at characteristics of adult learners. Finally, I will discuss
distance education for adult learners and what needs to be done to
make learning from a distance successful for most adult learners.

Distance Education
Distance education (DE) can be referred to as open education,
online education, online learning or distance learning. Without getting
into the specific details of the definitions of each of these terms, we
will refer to D.E. as meaning the same as all these terms. D.E. has
been defined as, “…institution-based formal education where the
learning group is separated, and where interactive telecommunications
systems are used to connect learners, resources, and instructors.”
(Simonson et. al., 2006, p. 32).

“…distance education is now regarded as an important setting

within which a great deal of significant adult learning occurs (Gibson,
1992). Weekend college formats, multi-media experimentations and
the educational possibilities unleashed by satellite broadcasting have
combined to provide learning opportunities for millions of adults across
the world.” (Brookfield, 1995, p.11)

“A formal learning activity which occurs when students and

instructor are separated by geographic distance or by time, often
supported by communications technology such as television,
videotape, computers, email, mail, or interactive videoconferencing.”
(www.netnet.org/students/student%20glossary.htm, paragraph 7).

Distanced Education has evolved from a correspondence format

of mailing assignments and papers between the student and the
 Designing Distance Education for Adult Learners 2

instructor to an online and email system. The term Distance Education

has become interchangeable with the term online learning. An
important aspect of Distance Education is that it is presented in a
formal environment. DE is orchestrated from a learning institution and
is not referring to an online learning community. D.E. has a distinct
instructor or teacher and enrolled students. There is a major theme of
students being seperate from the instructor. Ultimately there is a
geographical or physical space between them. The “space” between
the instructor and the student is filled by the use of
telecommunications. This technology can be course management
systems, email, telephone or another form of communication. In the
remainder of this paper we will look at the uses of distance education
through the lens of online implementation. The assumption will be that
D.E. is done primarily via the Internet.

Adult Learners
An adult learner is identified by Illinois State University as
“Historically, an adult learner/non-traditional student is someone who
is pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree, but who does not
meet the definition of a “traditional” college student. If you feel that
any of the following describe you . . . then you are considered an adult
learner/non-traditional student at Illinois State.”
(http://www.emas.ilstu.edu/adult_learner_services/who_is.shtml). The
former Adult Learner Services Task Force at Illinois State University
defined adult learners as, “lifelong learners who generally are 25 years
or older, and/or have additional responsibilities such as family, career,
military, or community, and are seeking a degree or other educational
offering (credit or non-credit) to enhance their professional and/or
personal lives.”
(http://www.emas.ilstu.edu/adult_learner_services/who_is.shtml). These
are rather standard and structured definitions that leave a lot of room
for knowing who an adult learner actually is. Apart from that, they
serve the purpose of distinguishing “who” we are talking about when
using the term Adult Learner (age, life position, purpose).
Stephen Brookfield (1995) states, “we are very far from a
universal understanding of adult learning.” It is understood that most
adult learners have many other responsibilities in their lives that they are
trying to balance along with their studies. Brookfield is suggesting that
there cannot be a set understanding of how adults learn because there
are too many different situations to be able to develop a true model of
how adults learn. “Indeed, a strong case can be made that as we examine
learning across the lifespan the variables of culture, ethnicity, personality
and political ethos assume far greater significance in explaining how
learning occurs and is experienced than does the variable of chronological
age.” (Brookfield, 1995, p.1)
 Designing Distance Education for Adult Learners 3

Adult learners cannot be defined within a specific model or be

taught with a specific strategy. This is not very different from “traditional”
learners or K-12 learners. There are always different needs that are to be
taken into consideration and approached on a student-by-student basis.
Adult learners will have different challenges, as Brookfield notes there are
many external variables that adult learners will have that “traditional”
students generally don’t. When designing a D.E. course for adult learners
we must keep in mind the challenges an adult learner will have. An adult
learner generally has a career that they are trying to develop and
advance. They have family and community responsibilities that continue
to exist whether they are studying or not. Their studies will be important
to them, but their number one priority may not be the course they are
taking. They will work hard and be very motivated to succeed. This will
also mean that they will want to accomplish the tasks and not be
burdened by extra work that they do not see as relevant. The adult
student will have external factors to deal with that traditional students
would not have or face.

Adults and Distance Education:

The Challenges
Adult learners taking on the task of learning from a distance or
distance education have to be able to make the adjustments needed
for success. When looking at Adult Learners in the D.E. lens Simonson,
et al. states, “While there are some who would suggest little difference
among the distance learners, adults bring a unique characteristic to a
distance learning setting. Theirs is a world of experiences related to
learning, life, and their profession. To believe that adults bring little to
the “classroom” is limiting the contributions that adult learners can
make to any learning situation.” (2006, p. 158). Adult learners bring a
different kind of learning to a course or program. They have a depth of
experiences that are not present in the “traditional” student. The adult
learner sees things through a different lens and each student will have
a different level of experiences to draw on. An adult learner may be
very experienced in the field of study, be starting a new career or just
wanting to have a new experience. They have a very wide variety of
backgrounds and understanding of how the world works.

In the research study Adult learners’ Emotions in Online

Learning, Michalinos Zembylas speaking about learners’ own
interpretations states, “…first, learners act upon the world on the basis
of the meanings that the world has for them. Second, the learners’
meanings are socially constructed through their interactions with their
instructor, other learners, the available technology, and the social
context in general. Third, the meaning of the world is processed again
through interpretation; that is, the learners interpret their emotions
through the ways they talk about them.” (2008, p. 75). Adult D.E.
 Designing Distance Education for Adult Learners 4

students are bringing a lot more to the table due to their personal
experiences, which for most will be more extensive than most
“traditional” students. An adult learner will see the course through his
or her own worldview. They will be influenced by culture, beliefs,
values and family. An adult learner can bring a real cultural
perspective to a discussion when they have lived and experienced the
situation themselves. Their values and beliefs will be more evident
because they will be more defined as they have grown to understand
them better.

When we take an adult student who has never attempted a D.E.

course previously they tend to have some apprehensions before
beginning a course or a program. Zembylas documented some of the
concerns. In the interviews he did with his students they each
expressed some concerns prior to beginning the course. The major
concerns the students had were fear and anxiety about the unknown or
new method of learning. “alienation and the need for connectedness;
and stress/guilt about the inability to balance multiple roles and
responsibilities.” (2008, p.77 ). One student stated, “to be honest, I
am terribly anxious because of this methodology of distance learning.
This is something completely unknown to me. Registration from a
distance, distance teaching, distance learning – all these make me
question the effectiveness of this methodology. So far, I have to admit
that the lack of face-to-face communication with my instructors and
my limited inexperience with using technology makes me feel like a
lonely traveler… I don’t know where to start…” (2008, p. 79). This
appears to be a common theme for adult learners when starting out
into something that is new. Adult learners tend to be very concerned
about each detail and requirement of the course or program. They are
in the course or program as students and students only. As mentioned
before adult learners come with a lot of experience and it would be
difficult to attempt something that takes them outside their comfort
zone.

Another concern mentioned was time. Faye Wiesenberger, in

The Roller Coaster Life of an Online Learner, writes about adult
distance education students, “…having many roles to fulfill at home
may have conflicted with their new and very time-consuming role as a
graduate student.” (2001, p. 43). This continues in another example
from a student who said, “…I never have enough time to do
everything…I feel very reluctant to engage in email discussions
because I think my ideas would look very stupid if I expressed them via
email.” (Zembylas, 2008, p.79). Lack of time is a major issue for an
adult student. Having the appropriate amount of time to contribute
insightful comments on discussion boards can be very challenging for
any student, especially one who is trying to balance many other parts
 Designing Distance Education for Adult Learners 5

of their lives. It is also a challenge to make the step of shifting the way
ideas are expressed. When you are accustomed to face-to-face
discussions where there are many other ways of communicating, (e.g.,
facial expressions, tone of voice) “Electronic learning has been
depicted as less emotional and more impersonal” (Zembylas, 2008, p.
71).
When an adult decides to return to school or go to school for the
first time it is an immense decision. They must realize the
consequences and sacrifices that will be required in order to
accomplish the task. The adult learner may need to develop new skills,
such as using a computer or other technology they haven’t used in the
past. They will also need to be aware of the time commitment. Many of
these issues are difficult to approach from outside the course or
program. Many adult learners also have the challenge of balancing
their lives, which can include career, family, culture and many other
responsibilities. As we have discussed previously their lives don’t
change as a result of enrolling in a course, they just add one more
thing into their lives. Adult learners energy is dispersed among many
things. They are usually not able to be fulltime students and able to
comment 100%, even if they wish they could, to their studies.

Adult Learners and Distance Education:

The Benefits
Adult students have also expressed a number of positives
about learning from a distance. The major attraction to distance
education is the convenience of it. “The convenience of learning online
applies equally well to adult learners, students from educationally
underserved areas, those pursuing specialized or advanced degrees,
those who want to advance in their degree work through credentialed
courses, and any students who simply want to augment the curricular
offerings from their local institutions.” (Ko & Rossen, 2004, p. 3). It
makes a large difference when an adult learner can have the
convenience of deciding when and where they will be learning. D.E.
can give any student the variety of options that they may be looking
for. It can offer a course that is not available at their present institution
or they can take a course at a different time. D.E. can create a much
more flexible program compared to a face-to-face program. D.E. can
also make balancing all the other parts of life a little easier.

This theme of convenience continues into the ideas of the

flexibility of D.E. One student stated, “I am happy…[because] I can
study in my own private space, at the time I choose, while I can still be
with my family when I take a break. I feel empowered that I can cope
with both my student life and family life.” (Zembylas, 2008, p. 77).
Another student suggests, “Open and distance learning offers me the
opportunity that I have always been dreaming; a graduate degree. Up
 Designing Distance Education for Adult Learners 6

until now, family responsibilities have prevented me from attending

university…I am extremely proud and happy for this opportunity!”
(Zembylas, 2008, p. 77). The flexibility of the D.E. program is the key
to having success in distance education. The students are then able to
work on the courses when they have the time. Along with flexibility,
adult learners can develop new skills which is another advantage that
students expressed about D.E. “I like this new ‘toy!’ I am excited
because I find all these resources from the Internet to do my
assignments. And it’s so easy because I can do everything from home
(Zembylas, 2008, p. 77). This is also reiterated by O’Lawrence who
says, “…distance education appeals to these groups (Adult learners)
because of flexibility of time, convenience of working from home, and
the ability to take care of family or work from the office while at the
same time having cultural diverse group interactions.” (O’Lawrence,
2006, p. 48)

Our discussion in this paper is not so much a comparison

between distance education and face-to-face or traditional classroom
situations. It is more about looking at what factors are involved in
developing a distance education program or course for adult learners.
However, it is important to mention that distance education is
regarded as just as effective as face-to-face or traditional classroom
situations. “…distance education can be as effective as any other
category of instruction. Learning occurs and knowledge is retained.
Students report that they have learned and they feel their distance
learning experiences are as successful as more traditional education.
The keys to distance education are in the design, development, and
delivery of instruction, and are not related to geography or time.”
(Simonson, et al., 2006, p. 158) This is another benefit for an adult
learner to consider when deciding on how to upgrade their education.
If the D.E. program will give you as much meaningful learning as the
face-to-face program and it is more convenient for your situation then
it is a viable option.

What to keep in mind when planning and designing a Distance

Education course
When we are designing a distance education course educators
need to keep several things in mind to create a successful course. All
courses need to be adjusted based on the type of learners that are
enrolled, but there are a few “standard guidelines” for constructing an
effective distance education course:

Situation and Support

It is important for adult learners that the institution they are
studying with understands the external demands they have on their
 Designing Distance Education for Adult Learners 7

lives. (Wiesenberg, 2001) Sometimes the institution is the major

support the adult learner is getting. “Significant negative correlations
between the Situation Scale and Martial Status and between the
Support Scale and Martial Status seemed to indicate that being
married/partnered did not necessarily translate into having a support
system at home.” (Wiesenberg, 2001, p. 46) The adult learner may not
be getting much support from their spouse and/or family while
attending the program. They will need the institution to be available to
help out when they are needed. The instructor and the student need to
be able to communicate freely with each other in order to create a
supportive and trusting environment.

Technology and Support

Support can also include technical support. It is important that
each student is encouraged to ask questions about the technology and
be able to get answers in a timely manner. Alessi and Trollip suggest,
“Most programs require the use of external materials, such as
operating manuals, forms to be filled out or reference books. The
development phase includes creating and providing these materials,…
[These can include}: Learner manuals, Instructor manuals, Technical
manuals and Adjunct instructional material.” (2001, p. 542). Pallof and
Pratt also state, “Technology should not drive the course --- instead,
the desired outcomes of the course and needs of the participants
should be the deciding factors.” (1999, p. 2). This is a principal reason
students are hesitant to enter a D.E. program. If the technology is not
familiar, easy to use or functioning properly it will be very difficult for
someone new to it to have success. There must be a user friendly
interface, manual, and support available via email, telephone or
another form of communication.

Time & Motivation

Adult learners tend be motivated by career advancement, more
money or self-improvement. “…most adult learners are self-starters
and thus require little to get them interested in a course of study.
However, because of their focus on getting what they need from the
learning situation, they have little patience for irrelevant information or
activities that do not lead them to intended outcomes.” (Simonson et
al., 2006, p. 158) This is also important to keep in mind when
developing an online course. The student is in the program for a
purpose and will want to accomplish that purpose. They will not want
to be wasting, in their opinion, time on assignments or activities they
cannot see the relevance in. The developer and instructor must be
clear on the reason behind why they are doing each requirement of the
course. It is important to remember to keep your focus on the task and
purpose of the course.
 Designing Distance Education for Adult Learners 8

Feedback
The response of the D.E. teacher is very important to the
learners and must be prompt and clear. Simonson et al. describes
feedback as, “Feedback allows the sender and receiver, teacher and
learner, to determine if the message was understood correctly.” (2006,
p. 89) They also state, “A well run-online course should provide regular
feed back to students.” (2006, p. 174) “Teaching online courses can be
very challenging and time consuming and requires extensive
preparation to ensure that things are done well and that students get
feedback within 24 hours of posting their responses.” (O’Lawrence,
2006, p. 49) When planning a D.E. course feedback must be an integral
part and focus of the overall design. If the designer and instructor are
the same person this will be easier to implement, but if the designer
and instructor are different then they must be communicating with
each other as to how they will provide the feedback to the students.
The feedback will primarily fall on the instructor and will need to be
available for quick and reliable feedback for each student.

Preparation, Organization & Self discipline

When Adult Learners plan to take a D.E. course they must be
prepared for what is to come. They need to be aware of the different
learning methods they will be involved in. Ko and Rossen suggest, “ the
most successful online programs offer students orientations as well as
continuing technical support and resources.” (2004, p. 183) One
student makes this statement, “Let me tell you this. The whole idea of
online learning is about good and efficient organization of your time
and lots of self-discipline! This form of learning may not fit for
everyone, but it certainly suits me well! I complete one assignment, I
get feedback from you, I make revisions, I move to the next one … I
feel I am constantly aware of what’s going on and this gives me a
tremendous feeling of control … I am pleased because online learning
‘forces’ me (in a good sense) to be constantly on top of things, to be
disciplined and organized.” (Zembylas, 2008, p. 78) Preparation,
organization, and self-discipline are a combination of design, instructor
and the learner. If one of these three isn’t doing their part in the D.E.
course then it will be difficult to succeed. The designer of the course
needs to implement a method or number of methods into the course
for students to be able to have those skills needed to succeed in the
course. There must be clear timelines on when assignments,
discussions or activities need to be completed. These components will
help the student, however, the student will ultimately be responsible
for completing each task.

Connecting to others
One of the prevalent concerns when it comes to D.E. is making
meaningful and important connections to classmates and the
 Designing Distance Education for Adult Learners 9

instructor. This is a major struggle for designers of D.E. courses. How to

create a course that will involve meaningful communication and
relationship? The designer must include opportunities for the students
to have the situations where they can make connections with their
classmates. This can be even more challenging when there are
students who are not as comfortable or familiar with joining into
discussions. If possible a face-to-face meeting at the beginning of the
course is ideal so everyone can visually see each other and have a
chance to dialogue. This is not always possible and it may take a
student a course or two to get comfortable in online communication. A
designer can create those opportunities and students will again
ultimately decide how they will approach and respond. Here are some
examples of students’ responses about communication and making
connections with classmates and students:
“The close relationships I have managed to form with some of
my classmates, perhaps due to the nature of this program, help me
tremendously to deal with my feelings of stress. If I had been told at
the beginning of this course I would have formed such strong
relationships with some of my classmates, I would never have believed
it! It’s paradoxical, but I feel that I have managed to create stronger
relationships in the context of this online program than I ever did in my
face-to-face classes.” (Zembylas, 2008, p. 78).
“Online communication may not be so bad after all; especially
when you receive ongoing encouragement – via emails, phone calls,
face-to-face meetings. …creates a feeling of not being alone in this
journey. This feeling of ‘being with others’ is very important to me.”
(Zembylas, 2008, p. 78)
“The emotional support you can receive from online
communication is unbelievable! Frankly, it surpassed all my
expectations. I can’t tell you how important it was for me to open my
email account and find an email message from my instructor or my
classmates. Every single day! It meant something, you know? … Online
learning does have an emotional character, whether we ‘see’ this or
not.” (Zembylas, 2008, p. 79)
These examples come from the same course and each student is
expressing how they saw the communication. This course must have
been well designed and delivered. Simonson et al. suggests, “Effective
instructional messages are designed according to the situation,
experiences, and competencies of learners. In order to communicate,
instructional ideas are encoded into some transmittable form, such as
spoken words, pictures, or writing… When the distance learner
receives the message it must be decoded. This means the spoken must
be heard and defined, or the pictures shown must be seen and
understood. If the communication is successful, the receiver – the
learner – will have the same idea or understanding as the sender – the
teacher…Effective communication requires an active audience.” (2006,
 Designing Distance Education for Adult Learners 10

p. 89). Meaningful communication and relationship can be developed

in a D.E. course when the course is designed with opportunities for
developing relationships in mind.

Conclusion
Designing a distance education course for adult learners can be
a challenging and rewarding task. From the literature, it is possible to
identify a number key issues to keep in mind while designing a
distance education course.
• Situation and Support
• Technology and Support
• Time & Motivation
• Feedback
• Preparation, Organization & Self discipline
• Connecting to others

Distance education is a key to allowing adult learners to have an

opportunity to learn when external constraints of location (too far from
a learning institution), family and community responsibilities have
made it difficult or impossible to attend a traditional classroom
situation. Many factors intervene in the lives of adults that make it
difficult for them to attend conventional courses; it is critical to take
that into consideration when designing adult learning programs. One
avenue is to provide programming via distance education
 Designing Distance Education for Adult Learners 11

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www.netnet.org/students/student%20glossary.htm

Ko, S., & Rossen, S. (2004). Teaching online A practical guide (2nd ed.). Boston:
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