© December 8, 1996 -- Robert E. Keating
Abstract Introduction Method Terminology Results Discussion Conclusion Recommendations References Footnotes
This paper examines the uses of the Internet in adult education. The Internet has made a dramatic impact on the ability of
adults to further their education, both professionally and academically. Ease of research, geographic independence, and
asynchronous communications are the Internet's strongest suits. Availability of experts and online conferencing are other
important features of the Internet. Whether researching, taking a class online, or networking with colleagues world-wide,
Internet savvy adult learners have the whole world's resources at their fingertips.
On September 1, 1969, computers from Stanford University, the University of California at Santa Barbara, the University of
Utah, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were linked over commercial telephone lines, creating the Internet
(Filipczak, 1994). From these humble beginnings, the Internet has grown into a colossal network which spans the globe and
supports millions of users. Much of this growth is attributed to the creation of the highly graphic World Wide Web.
The World Wide Web (WWW) was created In 1989. The WWW relies upon the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), an
Internet standard that specifies how an application can locate and acquire resources such as a documents, sound, or graphics
which are stored on another computer on the Internet. Users of web navigation software, called web browsers, simply click
on an underlined word or phrase, and HTTP takes care of locating and downloading the desired document. The graphical
nature of the WWW made the Internet easy to use. The web has become the ideal medium for publishing information on the
Internet. Academics and corporate trainers alike are now connecting to the Internet for their educational needs. The Internet is
rapidly becoming one of the most important vehicles for educators and others to communicate and share information (Burnett,
1995). Growing numbers of adults are learning to use computers and the Internet. Thirty-six percent of American adults use
computers at work, at home, or at school (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1993).
The present review examines how the Internet is used in adult education, both professional and academic. Specific areas of
examination are: (a) use of the Internet for research, (b) use of the Internet to overcome geographic limitations, (c)
asynchronous communications, (d) use of the Internet to reach content experts, and (e) online conferencing. At the outset of
research, it was expected to find that the Internet plays a significant role in the education of adults.
In this study previously published work relating to the Internet and adult education was reviewed. To support the hypothesis
that the Internet plays a major role in the education of adults, all references were compiled using only the Internet. Some
original research was done in the form of interviews with professional trainers and educators to support and expound on the
review material. These interviews were conducted using electronic mail routed through a standard Internet mail server. A
survey was posted to a training and development discussion group.
No special equipment was used to conduct the research. The computer system used consisted of: (a) a 486 DX4-120
personal computer, (b) 33, 600 baud per second modem, and (c) Netscape Navigator version 3.0 browser and electronic
mail software. The author connected to the Internet through a standard dial-up account. Any computer, modem, and graphical
web browser may be used to conduct similar research.
Bandwidth -- A frequency measurement, expressed in bits per second (bps), of the amount of information that can flow through a channel.
Boolean search -- A search that involves the use of Boolean operators (AND, OR, and NOT). In a Boolean search, you can use these operators to refine the scope of your search. A search for "Chardonnay or Cabernet" returns all the items that mention either Chardonnay or Cabernet. A search for "Chardonnay and Cabernet" returns only those documents that mention both of these wines. A search for "Chardonnay and Cabernet not Merlot" returns only those items that mention both Chardonnay and Cabernet, but omits those that also mention Merlot.
Dial-up connection -- A means of connecting to another computer, or a network like the Internet, with a modem-equipped computer over a standard telephone line. Internet service providers sell dial-up access to the Internet.
Electronic mail -- The use of a network to send and receive messages or the messages themselves.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) -- An Internet standard for the exchange of files. To use FTP, you start an FTP client, an application program that enables you to contact another computer on the Internet and exchange files with it.
Gopher -- A menu-based program that helps you find files, programs, definitions, and other resources on topics you specify. Gopher was originally developed at the University of Minnesota and named after the school mascot.
Graphical web browser -- A program that provides access to documents on the World Wide Web (WWW), that displays in-line images, fonts, and document layouts. Popular Web browsers include Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator.
Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) -- A set of conventions for marking the portions of a document so that, when accessed by a program called a parser, each portion appears with a distinctive format. HTML is the markup language behind the appearance of documents on the World Wide Web (WWW), and the parser programs for accessing these documents are called Web browsers.
Internet -- A system of linked computer networks, worldwide in scope, that facilitates data communication services such as remote login, file transfer, electronic mail, and news groups. The Internet is a way of connecting existing computer networks that greatly extends the reach of each participating system.
Modem -- A device that converts the digital signals generated by the serial port of a computer to the modulated analog signals required for transmission over a telephone line and transforms incoming analog signals to their digital equivalents. People frequently use modems to exchange programs and data with other computers or on-line information services.
Multiple-user-dimension (MUD) -- A form of virtual reality designed for network use that offers participants an opportunity to interact with other computer users in real time. MUDs, originally developed to support on-line role-playing games, have mostly been replaced by more flexible MUDs Object-Oriented (MOO).
Multiple-user-dimension; Object Oriented (MOO) -- A type of Multiple-user-dimension (MUD) that incorporates a sophisticated, object-oriented programming language, which participants can use to construct their own personalized characters and worlds.
Network -- A communications and data exchange system created by physically connecting two or more computers with network interface cards and cables, and running a network operating system.
Online -- Directly connected with and accessible to a computer. In data communications, connected with another, distant computer.
Search engine -- Any program that locates needed information in a database, but especially an Internet-accessible search service that enables you to search for information on the Internet. To use a search engine, you type one or more key words; the result is a list of documents or files that contain one or more of these words in their titles, descriptions, or text. The databases of most Internet search engines contain World Wide Web (WWW) documents; some also contain items found in Gopher menus and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) file archives.
Telecommunications -- The transmission of information, whether expressed by voice or computer signals, via the telephone system.
Teleconferencing -- The linking together of two or more people over electronic cables such as telephone lines, usually in such a way that real-time interaction is possible and all parties are perceived visually as well as by voice, although sound only networks also meet the definition.
Virtual -- Not real; a computer representation of something that is real.
Virtual reality -- A computer system that can immerse the user in the illusion of a computer-generated world and permit the user to navigate through this world at will.
World Wide Web (WWW) -- A global hypertext system that uses the Internet as its transport mechanism. In a hypertext
system, you navigate by clicking hyperlinks, which display other documents (which also contain hyperlinks). The Web makes
the Internet easy to use.
This study found that the Internet plays a key role in the education of adults. Advantages of using the Internet for education
include its ability to arouse the interest of students, the ease of communication among teachers for sharing ideas, the availability
of new resources, the potential to develop relationships all over the world, and the possibility of interaction with experts
(Wagner, 1995). The research capabilities of the Internet are unparalleled. Vast quantities of information reside on the
Internet, available for retrieval around the clock. The Internet has made it possible for the average person to easily obtain
information on almost any topic (Harris, 1996). Teleconferencing is opening lines of communication. The benefits of video
teleconferencing are currently limited due to bandwidth limitations. The capability to communicate with colleagues around the
world leads to important new sources of information, collaboration, and professional development (Tennant, 1996). The
Internet is a convenient, low cost training delivery platform in the corporate environment (Heidenrich, 1996). Distance
education has received benefits from the Internet. The ability to attend classes from remote sites through an Internet
connection allows many students to participate in courses they would be unable to attend in a traditional setting (Parrott,
1995). Highly interactive features of the Internet, such as news groups, chat rooms, and Multiple-user-dimensions encourage
participation and interaction among students.
When asked about the most exciting technology she had seen for education on the Internet, Dr. Anne B. Keating,(1) (personal communication, October 18, 1996) of New York University answered, "The fact that I can put information from around the world within the reach of my students on a 24 hour basis." The ability to gather information from any location, at any time is of great importance to adult learners, many of whom work during times when traditional resources are available. Dr. Keating (personal communication, October 18, 1996) also cites the advantage of being able to show students, rather than merely suggest, that "...there are resources available to students if they are willing to track them down." This incredible wealth of information makes the Internet "...one of the most significant educational tools to come along in quite a while" (Wagner, 1995).
Thousands of libraries have placed their catalogs online, allowing learners to search for and order applicable references from
remote locations. That is significant in itself, but the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) University
Library has gone a step further. The IUPUI University Library has built a multi-platform, multimedia, integrated workstation
using an Internet web browser as an interface (Hay & Koopman, 1994). The incorporation of a web browser as the interface
results in a seamless transition from information stored locally to that on the Internet.
During a recent survey, Internet users were asked how often they use the Internet for various tasks. Answers were scored on
a 1 (never) to 9 (regularly) scale. Accessing reference information was among the highest scoring activities, with an average of
6.2 (Pitkow & Recker, 1995). Finding information on the Internet, once a daunting task, has become manageable due to the
recent proliferation of search engines. The ability to perform topic or key word searches using full Boolean logic allows
learners to rapidly find the information they are looking for. David B. Harris,(2) (personal communication, September 10,
1996) of Harris Training and Consulting Services, states that search engines are one of the most useful technologies available
for training and education on the Internet.
To illustrate the effectiveness of a Boolean search, the author searched for information about an educational
Multiple-user-dimension, Object Oriented (MOO) relating to American history, particularly the Civil War. This search was
conducted using the Alta Vista search engine. The "+" symbol represents the Boolean operator AND. This search took
approximately 3 minutes to complete. Results of the search are shown in Table 1.
Table 1
Effect of Search Parameters in a Boolean Search by Keyword | |
Search Parameters | Number of Documents |
| education | 3,027,581 |
| education + MOO | 16,625 |
| education + MOO + history | 2,417 |
| education + MOO + history + American | 1,038 |
| education + MOO + history + American + Civil War | 73 |
Research for this paper was done exclusively via the Internet from the author's home. Internet technologies used included a
graphical web browser, search engines for document location, list server correspondence to post a survey to over 4,000
training and education professionals, and electronic mail for correspondence with experts in the field.
Another growing use of the Internet for adult education is to escape from geographic limits. Kilby (1996) states that,
"Web-based training is an ideal vehicle for delivering training to individuals anywhere in the world at any time." As more
colleges, universities, companies, and private citizens connect to the Internet, more possibilities open for educators to
overcome time and distance to reach students. In fact, many institutions offer both undergraduate and graduate programs
which rely almost exclusively on computer-based resources (Gottschalk, 1995). Students may even attend Law School online
through Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia (Wilson, 1995).
For students in remote geographical locations, programs offered over the Internet may be their only educational option
(Mirabito, 1996). For others, the Internet allows a choice of programs; without the loss of salary due to relocation (Trier,
1996). Katrina Meyers(3) (personal communication, September 11, 1996) is pursuing a Master's program at Boise State
University in Idaho while living and working in Vermont.
Many adult students have family responsibilities which prohibit regular classroom attendance (Parrott, 1995). The Internet
gives them an opportunity to work around their other responsibilities. The ability to escape geographic limitations and access
the learning environment when and where they have the motivation to learn is a key factor in many adults' decision to continue
their education (Finnegan, 1996).
Parrott (1995) states that, "There are two primary forms of communication utilized to deliver instruction--synchronous and
asynchronous." Programs based on asynchronous methods allow participants to be separated in time and distance from the
delivery of instruction. The asynchronous nature of electronic mail, electronic bulletin boards, news groups, and World Wide
Web documents has many benefits for the adult learner. Material can be posted on the Internet for students to retrieve, or it
may be sent to them via electronic mail (Stone, 1996). Scheduling difficulties are minimized by allowing learners to
communicate with each other and the instructor at times convenient to everyone involved. Professor Anne B. Keating
(personal communication, October 18, 1996) says that, thanks to electronic mail, she has a virtual office and office hours that
are available to all her students, including those attending night school. This benefit also transfers to the corporate setting.
Asynchronous communications allow contact with supervisors and managers who can be difficult to reach by telephone or in
person (Evans, 1996). Other corporate benefits include lower travel and lodging costs and increased productivity for trainers
and participants who do not need to leave their offices to participate in training (Wilson, 1995).
Another form of asynchronous communication is the electronic bulletin board. Bulletin boards are a forum where users can
post questions or comments. Other users can read the posts and reply to them. All participants can read all posts and replies.
Regents College in Albany, New York uses an electronic bulletin board to communicate with students, faculty, and graduates
(Wilson, 1995). Class bulletin boards can foster student to student interaction. This is especially important with distance
education students who often work in isolation, without the support of fellow students (Gottschalk, 1995).
Asynchronous communications also lead to greater participation in discussions by introverted students. They often feel that it is
easier to participate due to having time to reflect before answering a message (Stone, 1996). Anne B. Keating, (personal
communication, October 18, 1996) notes that, "...shy students come out of their shells."
Internet technology can be used by instructors to access resources from around the world, including other teachers and
experts who could not be brought into the classroom any other way (Muth, 1995). Gottschalk (1995) states, "Interactive
audio or video conferencing can provide real time face-to-face (or voice-to-voice) interaction. This is also an excellent and
cost effective way to incorporate guest speakers and content experts." In one of his courses, Bill Ryan(4) brought in, via audio,
sixteen guest speakers from around the country, giving his students the opportunity to gain insights and ask questions of
industry experts (Michele, 1995).
The Internet allows professionals to contact each other and collaborate on projects. News groups are electronic bulletin boards dedicated to a specific topic. Professional news groups are open forums for the discussion of technical issues and current developments in a field. These forums allow posting questions to the group, often eliciting responses from established authorities in the field. The author posted a survey to the training and development list server (distributed news group) TRDEV-L during his research for this review. He received seventeen responses. Twelve of the respondents held MS. degrees or higher and seven had over fifteen years experience as professional trainers or college professors.(5) This type of access to top professionals is unprecedented. Tennant (1996) states that the Internet, "...fosters an unparalleled opportunity for communication, collaboration, resource sharing, and information access." This type of professional communication is one of the main uses of the Internet for Katrina Meyers (personal communication, September 11, 1996).
Teleconferencing is another use of the Internet for education. The ability to transmit data, sound, and video makes the Internet
a versatile tool for conferencing. The limitation on virtual conferencing is the low bandwidth most users have available. Video,
even highly compressed, requires high bandwidth channels for transmission. Streaming video technologies are emerging which
promise to reduce the required bandwidth for video, even as modem capabilities continue to increase. It will not be long
before the average user can access medium quality video transmissions from the Internet. Kirkley (1995) states that virtual
conferencing is becoming more important due to the time and expense of traveling to face-to-face events. Virtual conferencing
also increases interaction between students (Gottschalk, 1995). Online conferencing allows students to communicate in real
time, discuss course issues, and get acquainted (Stone, 1996).
One interesting type of conferencing environment is a Multiple-user-dimension, Object Oriented (MOO). MOOs evolved from Multiple-user-dimensions (MUDs) which were originally developed to allow multiple player interactive game play. MOOs are designed to work efficiently with low bandwidth requirements, avoiding the pitfalls of video while adding interactivity. Moock (1996) describes MOOs as, "...text-based electronic communication environments; MOO users are situated within a dynamic text setting in which they interact both with their environment and with other users at near real time speeds." This interaction can build a sense of community in a class spread across the globe as students explore content areas together and engage in real time discussion of the content (Stone, 1996). Several innovative teachers are using MOOs to create virtual worlds for their students to explore. 'Le MOO Francais' is a setting in which students of the French language may immerse themselves while practicing conversational French.(6) '1848 MOO' is an educational setting based on the period of American history leading up to the gold rushes of 1848-1851.(7) The 'Pueblo-Global Learning Collaboratory' is a virtual learning community.(8) 'MiamiMOO' is a virtual environment in which students and instructors collaborate to reconstruct historical sites and reenact the events which transpired there.(9)
The benefits of MOOs can also be applied to students in a traditional setting. At the University of Louisville, first-year
composition students use MOOs to talk, interview people, and collaborate with classes from other universities. Fanderclai
(1995) states that they, "...try on new personas, new ways of thinking, new ways of interacting. They would get immediate
responses to their ideas and to the text objects they created, experiencing dynamically the effects their words have on others."
Students are not the only beneficiaries of the technology. Members of professional communities also benefit from the access to
geographically remote colleagues and the blending of work with play which occurs in a MOO. New collaborations arise, new
projects are born, and boundaries between established authorities and newcomers to the field blur (Fanderclai, 1995). As the
technologies for online conferencing improve, the number and depth of cooperative ventures will rise, leading to increased
possibilities for professional development. Another possibility for corporate use of MOOs is in training seminars. Role playing
has been in the corporate trainer's arsenal for many years, but never like what is possible in a MOO. Management techniques,
sexual harassment, equal opportunity, and other practice scenarios could be played out and critiqued. MOOs can keep
records of actions which take place, assisting in critiquing the performance of the role players. Role players would not even
need to leave their offices to participate. The limits on this technology are set only by the imagination of the trainer.
Dubbed The Information Superhighway by the media, the Internet is living up to its billing. Traditional roles are changing. The Internet is changing the way adults obtain an education. The most wide spread and practical application of the Internet for education is research. The most exciting educational technology currently available is the Multiple-user-dimension, Object Oriented. MOOs promise to revolutionize online education. The Internet plays many roles in adult education, the most important of which have been addressed in this review of the current literature in the field.
Research is no longer confined to a library, adults routinely gather information from the Internet. Thanks to smart new search
engines, the staggering bulk of information on the Internet can be sorted, evaluated, and employed. Anne B. Keating (personal
communication, October 18, 1996) says the Internet is becoming a "...necessary and natural part of the way we access
information."
Adults no longer need to restrict their educational options to those in the vicinity of their homes and jobs. Distance education is
now a viable option for such high level endeavors as law school and postgraduate programs. The Internet has broken the
traditional geographic barriers.
Students can participate in class activities and discussions at times convenient for them thanks to the asynchronous nature of
electronic mail and bulletin board systems. This freedom allows the student to juggle responsibilities to family, employer, and
university.
Guest speakers and content experts can be brought in from around the world using the video and audio conferencing abilities
of the Internet. This allows for expert instruction without the sometimes prohibitive cost of travel. Multiple-user-dimensions,
Object Oriented, chat rooms, and other conferencing technologies encourage interaction and collaboration among both
students and professionals.
The possibilities of the Internet for adult education are only just beginning to show themselves. The potential of the Internet to
educate can not be overstated. However, enthusiasm must be tempered by rational judgement. Rather than rushing to connect
every computer in every home and on every campus to the Internet, we must expend a portion of our resources to ensure we
can take advantage of the new technology. It is better to have ten students who know how to properly use the Internet share
one connection, than to have ten students, each with an Internet connection and no idea how to use it. Teachers must also
learn how to effectively employ the emerging technologies. Many elements of traditional education do not work well in the
unique environments of the Internet and virtual reality. Content developers must stop looking toward tomorrow's
improvements and concentrate on effectively utilizing today's technology. We should run, not walk to embrace the emerging
educational technologies on the Internet; but we should not forget our shoes in our haste to get out the door.
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1. The author would like to express his appreciation to Professor Keating for her valuable insight into the uses of the Internet in an academic environment. For an example of the use of the Internet in conjunction with curriculum, visit her web site at: http://www.nyu.edu/classes/keating
2. The author would like to express his appreciation to Mr. Harris for his valuable comments on the uses of the Internet in a corporate training environment. Mr. Harris may be contacted by electronic mail at: [email protected]
3. Katrina Meyers is a training professional with six years experience designing and delivering training. Her insight into the uses of the Internet for training and education was of great value to the author. She may be contacted by electronic mail at: [email protected]
4. Bill Ryan is a cooperative extension specialist in the Tourism Research and Resource Center in Madison, Wisconsin. He can be reached by electronic mail at: [email protected]
5. More information about TRDEV-L can be found at URL http://cac.psu.edu/~dlp/TRDEV/trdev-l.html
6. Information about Le MOO Francais can be found at URL http://www.teleport.com/~dispatch/moonfrancais.html
7. More information relating to 1848 MOO can be found at URL http://www.1848.musenet.org/
8. The Pueblo-Global Learning Collaboratory can be found at URL http://pc2.pc.maricopa.edu/
9. MiamiMOO can be found at URL http://miamimoo.mcs.muohio.edu/