Dealing With Technophobia Among Learners
With technology advancing by leaps and bounds, technophobia has taken the proportion of a pandemic, gripping people the world over - age, culture, background, no bar. The worst thing is that these poor technophobes have no way to dodge technology, with every sphere of life resorting to its use. Modern day workplaces have led the way, with the introduction of newer applications in their IT infrastructures. The number of technophobes is too large for offices to be able to ostracize them. Learning, too - be it corporate or educative, has gone the e-way. E-learning managers now face a new challenge to motivate technophobes to learn through the use of technology.
E-learners can be categorized into technology lovers, fence sitters, and technology haters, depending upon their reaction and response to technology. While technology lovers devour any new application in the e learning initiative, fence sitters wait for its demonstration from experts. Technology haters are the most dreaded by e learning managers since they get scared of it and drop out of the learning program. The second and third category of learners comprise of 80-90% of the total workforce. The following tips might help in fighting technophobia.
Group learners
Any LMS recommends grouping learners according to their learning needs, but here, grouping according to their temperament towards technology is necessary. Ideally separate them into groups of techno lovers, fence sitters and techno haters. But, separating the technology lovers from the rest of them would also do. Delivery of modules can take place at a faster rate for the first group than the others. Thus, you would be able to set up the pace of learning for each group without making fast learners wait for others and slow learners get jitters. Also, interactive learning through peer to peer discussions, chat, online messaging, and discussion groups would be held between the equivalent learners. An expert to overlook the progress of each group would be an added advantage.
Involve an instructor
When dealing with technophobes, make the learning process more interactive instead of focusing only on delivering modules to be learnt by the learners. The instructor should demonstrate the use of technology to access data, and conduct discussions, without rushing through it. Care should be taken to deliver not more than one or two modules in a single session to enable learners grasp it thoroughly. Keep the language of the instructional material devoid of technical mumbo-jumbo. A classroom setting where the instructor relates anecdotes to make technology seem easier is necessary.
Allow hands-on experience
Allow the learners to commit mistakes while handling technology to get rid of their fears. Do not look askance at silly questions. Stress upon the individual use of the learning platform and the applications involved rather than resorting to mere demonstrations. This will make them learn faster than anything else.
Keep learning modules short
Design special learning objects for technophobes, which do not require too much technical expertise to navigate through or learn. Small learning modules that are self contained and easy take less time to be imbibed by technology haters. Also, they take small sessions to be completed.
Evaluate the learners more often
To gauge if technophobes are adapting themselves to the technology involved in learning, test and assess them more often than the other groups. Before moving on to the next modules, be sure to check their level of comprehension of the previous ones. Tests after the completion of each module with feedback upon the results and ways to improve performance will create a sense of achievement in learners who perform well and point out weaknesses to those who don’t. Encourage queries about topics and make sure learners don’t find fault with themselves after committing mistakes.
Train administrative staff to deal with them
Administrative staff that takes care of the smooth running of the software need to be trained beforehand to address any problems that might arise during its running. Encourage tem to answer any queries related to the functioning of the system on the whole. Also make available expert support for slow learners.
Customize the instructions
Instruction methods that use an example which is closely relevant to the learner can make learning through technology a lot easier. Let them know how technology will make learning easier instead of difficult. Fence sitters will love this approach that makes them understand how technology will enhance efficient learning.
Provide after training support
Even when the training gets over, allow learners access experts and instructors. This will help them retain the knowledge they have gained apart form satisfying any queries about the applying the learnt concepts to the job at hand.
Epilogue
Remember that technophobia can be eradicated only by making technophobes face technology. Allow them the liberty of making silly mistakes and learning through them. You will see the productivity as well as job satisfaction soar among them.
Viswanath Shankar has been managing and maintaining various e-learning softwares for the past decade and a half. A storehouse of knowledge about LMS (Learning Management Systems), He has been working in close co-ordination with web development experts to develop user friendly distance learning programs. It takes a professional like him to declare the big time arrival of e learning as a worthy substitute to conventional learning techniques.
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