Educational Technology in the Development of Adults

Technology in the educational field acts as an important tool for information and communication, offering new approaches to knowledge and relationship to the adult learner. It is about confronting the student with problematizing questions, new ways of learning and retaining knowledge, experiences and conversations with new people and cultures, providing the adult learner the opportunity to build knowledge in a dynamic and collaborative way in the educational process in a relationship where it is for the educator to assist the learner in developing new skills and attitudes, creating in this way opportunities for knowledge building.

The development of knowledge occurs when the student, besides having access to new technologies, is included in this new form of social communication, being respected as a human being with experiences, wants and needs, having the attention and support needed for the full enhancement of his potential.

Within the structure of a teaching mode online, young or adult is accompanied by a teacher-tutor, who aims to guide the student in his activities, interactions, and questions. The teacher-tutor will make the relationship between content and student, mediating and clarifying doubts raised by the adult, encouraging the student to overcome his difficulties and build new knowledge.

However, it is necessary to consider some points such as:

·         Experiences of adult students: every student carries knowledge accumulated throughout life that should be considered for the promotion of learning. Upon the knowledge that the adult already has, should the new concepts be built.

·         Considerations for teaching: the promotion continuum of group discussions on themes and concepts worked in class adds a constant self-evaluation on performance and learning throughout the course and is an important instrument for the exercise of autonomy and diagnostic evaluation of what was learned and what can still improve.

·         Conceptions of giving the learning: the adult can only retain what was taught or discussed when certain topic or subject is part of his reality. In this way, the teacher-tutor must focus on it to make learning a way of exchange and relationship, not turning knowledge into transmission of content. In addition, students also feel motivated to learn when they are stimulated by the teacher with compliments, good grades, recognition for delivering activities, and active participation in tasks and discussions in class.

It is worth noting that in the mode of teaching at a distance, it is necessary that the learner is able to plan, organize, and study the proposed content, sharing his knowledge with others, endeavoring in the tests and activities. The student must demonstrate interest, effort and participation, while he can have the flexibility of time and study, personalized attention beyond the opportunity to meet and work with new Internet tools.

Technology in adult education is more than just a tool; it is the backbone of this learning mode.

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