From physical classroom to Zoom, online learning has become part of the pandemic reality — and acceptance — among adult learners. But there have been some challenges.

Adult learners are embracing the shift to online learning, having discovered its benefits as a result of last year’s circuit breaker.

And though the switch has been a steep learning curve, both adult learners and educators indicated their preference for online learning because of the technology that has made it more convenient.

This was one of the key findings in a survey of 1,354 adult learners conducted between last September and February. Residents polled were aged 20 to 70.

The survey, by Institute for Adult Learning Singapore (IAL), found a preference for full online learning — from 5.6 per cent before the circuit breaker in April last year, to 26.4 per cent post-lockdown. 

By the numbers

75.3% 

of those who attended a hybrid learning programme reported satisfaction with the programme, as compared with the proportion of those who attended a synchronous (66.1 per cent) or asynchronous (71 per cent) learning programme.

51% 

of respondents highlighted the lack of interaction with other learners as the main concern with online learning.

39% 

of respondents aged 55 and above found their lack of familiarity with technology to be a major challenge in online learning.

26.4% 

of adult learners have chosen full online learning as their preferred mode of learning, a fourfold increase since the implementation of the circuit breaker.

Read the full article here: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/more-adults-leaning-into-online-learning