EDUCAUSE 7 Things you should know about ...... Microlectures

In the online learning realm, there are new online teaching techniques that can be utilized to enhance learning that can encourage learning and enhance your lessons.  If you are working with Adult Learners keep in mind that they are mostly Digital Immigrants (were not born into the technological age) and may not be as technologically savvy as your Digital Native students (students born into the technological age).  Because of this fact, as educators/teachers we need to include technology techniques that our students can effectively relate to and utilize.

   EDUCAUSE which is a nonprofit organization/association whose mission is to enhance and advance higher education through the use of information technology has developed several learning initiatives that instructors can utilize.  These learning initiatives include microlectures, badges, video communication, and challenge-based-learning.  Please see my personal choice/preference microlectures for online learning. 

Choice: 

The learning initiative that I have chosen to utilize with my online learning course is Microlectures.   Microlectures are a mini (at minimum 3 minutes long) lectures used to introduce a learning topic, objective, or lesson.  Microlectures can be integrated into online learning and reviewed multiple times by the learners or audience they were created for.  Microlectures are primarily created by the instructor, however, they consist of lectures that integrate animation, PowerPoint, Prezi, YouTube, and other educational sources. 

Describe Detail and Connection to Lesson: 

To implement Microlectures into my online learning course, I plan to use multiple resources, PowerPoint, animation, and some video lectures that I will create myself.  I will use these lectures to introduce topics for the lesson, to orientate my clients, introduce them to the specific terminology, and inform them of the purpose of the lesson.  Other materials such as additional activities, handouts, websites, tools and resources will reinforce the microlecture to assist the learning in developing a deeper meaning and understating of the lesson. 

The purpose in my choice to use the Microlectures technique is primarily based on the audience that I am directing my online learning course towards.  My primary audience consists of the clients that I work with in the Educational Opportunity Center program.  All my clients are Adult Learners who range in age from 18 and above.  What has made our program somewhat difficult to administer is that the Educational Opportunity Center does not have any mandatory activities or lessons that our clients “must’ complete. 

Our program has various assurances and objectives that we must accomplish, however, none of them are mandatory for the clients.  In addition, most of the EOC clients are transitional adults who are at times unemployed, homeless, and in need of various services such as mental health, and counseling.  To meet the needs of our clients we tend to meet our clients where they are and supply community resources for their additional needs.

Providing an online learning environment is one of our programs services that we have included in our grant and it will provide a platform for our program to supply a needed service (workshops and enrollment information) to our clients and meet our grant objectives.  An online learning course will also make it easier for our clients to access information and resources due to their transportation needs and lack of funds. 

Another consideration that assisted me in finalizing my decision to choose Microlectures was the fact that my clients are Adult Learners.  In designing the online learning course, I am implementing Malcolm Knowles andragogical principles of Adult Learning.  Some very important points that I must remember are that Adult Learners are self-directed; goal-oriented; and most Adult Learners have accumulated experiences and previous education.  Adult Learners must also be shown respect therefore I would not want my online course design to be too elementary or insulting to the Adult Learners.  I also wanted to design a course that would allow the client to move forward at their own pace and build skills as they learn. 

To connect my Microlectures to the context of the online lesson I plan to design an OLM lesson with  mini lectures.  Each mini lecture/microlecture will focus on the specific learning objective of the lesson.   The first lesson I will create will introduce my Adult Learners to the step by step process of understanding how to complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Application for the intent and purpose of enrolling in postsecondary education.  The online lesson will introduce the Adult Learner to a 5-step process: 

1.  What is Financial Aid?
2. Understanding the Financial Aid Process
3. What Materials do I need to complete a FAFSA Application?
4. Creating a FSAID:  How to Login, Sign, and Submit
5. Let’s Complete a FAFSA Application! 

This lesson will prepare my Adult Learner clients to obtain knowledge, and skills they will need to be able to complete a FAFSA Application with my assistance or on their own if they are unable to meet with me to get the assistance they may need. 
         Since I have introduced you to the concept of Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives.  The next entry will discuss how these two terms relate to two generational subcultures of students that you will encounter in an online learning environment.  Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives needs must be addressed an Online Learning environment because of their distinct differences.  The next post will also offer some strategies that instructors can use to assist Digital Immigrants as they navigate the Online Learning environment.