Distance Learning Content Development Utilizing Research for Children's Programs

Today adults and children have similar learning styles based upon the effects of mass media!

For the past 50 years educational researcher Dr. Malcolm Knowles and his various disciples indicated differences in how adults and children learn. Some of these learning components have been designed into various distance-learning instructional design elements.

In observing the total influence of mass communications on North Americans, it is my observation today that children and adults learn the same. Short learning segments, repetition, visualization, and action learning only to name a few of the ingredients that are built in to our mass media culture today. Dr. Fowler Humphrey, Professor of Adult Education at Idaho State, also agrees with me, but feels that even though adults and children are learning utilizing similar techniques he believes the major differences are how we actually implement the techniques with the various audiences.

After being involved with the parenting process of five children all of Sesame Street vintage as distance-learning designers we might not be able to put all of the production values that Sesame Street uses, but we certainly could utilize the research not only for children but also for adult distance learning programs. Any time I've ever mentioned the fact that we should be looking at the children's television workshop research that was headed by my former Indiana Professor, Dr. Keith Mielke, it is always discussed at the research only affects children.

However if you think about the concept that I have introduced a children and adults are learning from the same techniques today, we should be able to utilize the Children's Television Workshop information in designing our distant learning programs for all ages. The use of rich display of visual and auditory production features can readily be used today in distance learning technologies to teach children and adults even if it is an entertainment value such as music, visual imagery and other techniques that are readily available to us..

I must point out that all of the ingredients to think about utilizing contemporary information such as Sesame Street, and heaven forbid thinking about the research components in Barney and other children's programs such as Mr. Rogers that provide a wealth of information that I'm suggesting should be incorporated into distance learning programs for all ages.

I look forward to your comments regarding utilizing contemporary children's research for distance-learning programs for all ages. Please take time to look at our Learning Collaboration Suite which incorporates all of the ingredients that I have discussed.

I'm looking forward to your comments. Lorne A. Parker, PhD.