Affiliation:
1. Georgia Institute of Technology, USA
2. Georgia State University, USA
Abstract
The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the macro and micro challenges instructional designers face when designing Web-based instruction for adult learners. Macro level challenges like institutional and infrastructural requirements are those outside the design process that directly affect teaching and learning outcomes. Micro level challenges, on the other hand, are those inside the design process that directly impact teaching and learning outcomes (e.g. cultural biases of the designers and instructors). The authors discuss the effects of these challenges for instructional designers in higher education. Since the population of focus is adult learners, a brief overview of adult learning and characteristics of adult learners is provided. A variety of models and frameworks have been developed within the field, with only a handful that are constructed to explore diverse learners and learning. The chapter also includes introspection of the authors’ experiences as instructors, instructional design professionals, and students in the field. It concludes with strategies instructional designers can use to overcome the challenges discussed.
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