This week's reading required us to think about the pedagogy of online learning. I would like to respond by describing the impact of TPACK and importance of pedagogy on adult basic education learners involved in distance-learning.

ABE learners must become proficient users of computers and the Internet.

-70% of all jobs in the US will require some computer literacy by 2016

-Nearly 75% of Minnesota State College and University system faculty use online learning

-Starting in 2014 GED exams will only be offered online

-New technologies have redefined literacy to include digital and information literacies. Reading done via the Internet is "web-literacy", a non-linear approach to literacy.

Supported online learning is one way to get them there.


Marchwick, K., Johnson, K., & Parrish, B. (2008). Instructional practices alignment project summary ABE transitions to post-secondary initiative: lignment of ABE and post- secondary instructional practices. St. Paul.

McCain, M. (2009). The power of technology: expanding access to adult education & workforce skills through distance learning. New York. Retrieved from http://www.caalusa.org/POWER_OF_TECH.pdf

Sutherland-Smith, W. (2002). Weaving the literacy web: Changes in reading from page to screen. The Reading Teacher, 55(7), 662–669

Choices about how to balance use of technology, pedagogical choices, and the required content* are even more critical with adult basic education learners.

Many ABE learners new to using technology and facing barriers in daily life are more likely to fail in persistence if online learning is not effectively designed and facilitated.



*Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. The Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054.

As technology has increased the diversity and possibility of activities in online learning, pedagogical choices have also expanded to encompass different means of teaching content to learners.

Anderson and Dron (2011) describes three distinct categories present in the evolution of pedagogical approach in distance education: cognitive-behaviorist, social-costructivist, and connectivity.

They describe how the three pedagogical approaches have been built upon one another as technology has changed affordances available in distance education. They suggest that a blend of these approaches is best way o determine the pedagogy of an activity.


Anderson, T., & Dron, J. (2010). Three generations of distance education pedagogy. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 12(3), 80-97.

Anderson, T., & Dron, J. (2010). Three generations of distance education pedagogy. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 12(3), 80-97.

When they are first engaged in online learning adult basic education learners will likely focus on basic skill-defined content. This sort of learning is best addressed through the cognitive-behaviorist pedagogical approach (Anderson & Dron, 2011).

As learning targets and technology skills of online ABE learners become more sophisticated with experience, then social-constructivist and, eventually connectivist pedagogy can be accessible for them.