Cornelia Trahan University of Rhode Island Light the path! Strategies to encourage the development of an adult learners identity for academic success in an online environment. Cornelia Trahan University of Rhode Island

“All lighthouses have a beacon at the top “All lighthouses have a beacon at the top. The beacon is housed in a room with large windows all the way around called a lantern room. A spiral staircase provides a way to climb to the top of the tower” (http://ponceinlet.org/images/content/what_is_a_lighthouse.pdf)

“Digital Literacy is transforming our educational system to meet the demands of globally-connected life and work in the 21st century” (Hobbs, R. & Coiro,J., 2017).

“Is Digital Literacy the ability to use digital technologies to accomplish a particular task? Or navigating the Internet without being taken in by false information? Or the ability to create digital objects, code something useful, or develop visualizations of text?” (Kelly, T.M.,(2017)

Online course enrollment rising at nonprofit universities The number of U.S. students who enrolled in at least one online course rose by 5.6 percent in one year between fall 2015 and fall 2016 – a faster rate than in the previous three years. This trend expected to persist in 2018 with another single-digit percentage increase to mark the 15th consecutive year of online enrollment growth. 2018 report, Babson Survey Research

“The Association for College and Research Libraries (ACRL) has adjusted our understanding of information literacy, describing it as an overarching set of abilities in which students are (critical) consumers and creators of information who can participate successfully in collaborative spaces” (ACRL, 2015).

A student-centered approach to dance studies.

Literature Review – Themes and Trends Varying levels of digital literacy skills among students and teachers. Pedagogy which is more active, participatory, flexible, and inclusive. Identity is shaped by social, institutional and personal processes. Various forms of support (from teachers or peers) is a significant factor in student stories of their learner experience. A transitional space (the university) implies being in-between in terms of identity whereby an individual lets go of part or all of their old identity and assumes a new or modified identity. The critical role that agency and structure play in constructing a learner identity. Issues of retention and withdrawal are a complex interplay between the self, institution and external factors.

Case Study Raise awareness of information and digital literacy issues. Creating a Connected Future Through Information and Digital Literacy: Strategic Directions at The University of Queensland Library Raise awareness of information and digital literacy issues. Low levels of student digital skills and critical thinking. Lack of digital competence on the part of some teaching staff in preparing students for career success. Development of a strategic framework to guide practice across the university. Emphasis on leveraging technology to encourage and support innovative and sustainable practices in teaching and research balanced by the encouragement of a culture of evaluation and evidence-based practice.

Cool Tools Flipgrid Padlet Screencast-O-Matic “We need to reinvent the relationship between teacher and student, so that the student is not simply consuming knowledge that is transmitted to them but becomes actively engaged in the production of knowledge with academic content and value” (Neary, M. (2009).

Online Teaching Strategies Keep lesson content relevant. Remember student backgrounds. Integrate emotion into lessons. Encourage exploration. Make assignments convenient. Always offer feedback. https://online.pointpark.edu/education/strategies-for-teaching-adults/

Resources Networked Communities of Practice – https://lincs.ed.gov. Open Education Resources-https://lincs.ed.gov/sites/default/files/OER_Fact_Sheet_508.pdf Tools and technologies to explore - https://cooltoolz.tumblr.com/ Poll Everywhere - https://www.polleverywhere.com/

“A path is the way of making sense of the world “A path is the way of making sense of the world. There are infinite ways to cross a landscape; the options are overwhelming, and pitfall abound. The function of a path is to reduce this teeming chaos into an intelligible line” Moor,R. (2016).

How can you use these strategies in your own work?