Adult Learners and Technology: Understanding the Digital Divide in Developmental Writing Courses

This study investigated computer literacy of nontraditional and traditional adult learners in a two-year community college. The study included 276 participants enrolled in developmental writing courses. Participants were administered a computer literacy survey and demographic form to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Mixed methodology and convergent design, in particular, were used to analyses data. Quantitative analysis was used to determine correlations between three constructs: computer literacy scores, age, and performance. Qualitative analysis was used to determine attitudes about receiving supplemental technology training based on the three constructs. Computer literacy score and age did show a significant inverse correlation. In addition, age and performance did show a significant correlation. However, computer literacy score and performance did not show a significant correlation. Frequency counts determined that 78.5% of adult learners preferred supplemental training during class time. The implications of this study warrant investigation of nontraditional adult learners’ motivation and curriculum development to include technology training. Background, methodology, findings, conclusions, implications, and recommendations are discussed

Adult Learners and Technology: Understanding the Digital Divide in Developmental Writing Courses

This study investigated computer literacy of nontraditional and traditional adult learners in a two-year community college. The study included 276 participants enrolled in developmental writing courses. Participants were administered a computer literacy survey and demographic form to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Mixed methodology and convergent design, in particular, were used to analyses data. Quantitative analysis was used to determine correlations between three constructs: computer literacy scores, age, and performance. Qualitative analysis was used to determine attitudes about receiving supplemental technology training based on the three constructs. Computer literacy score and age did show a significant inverse correlation. In addition, age and performance did show a significant correlation. However, computer literacy score and performance did not show a significant correlation. Frequency counts determined that 78.5% of adult learners preferred supplemental training during class time. The implications of this study warrant investigation of nontraditional adult learners’ motivation and curriculum development to include technology training. Background, methodology, findings, conclusions, implications, and recommendations are discussed

Measuring the determinants and barriers to physical activity for older people

Objective: Despite a recent focus upon the promotion of walking owing to its physical and mental health benefits, there is no appropriate measure that explores the determinants and barriers of walking for older people. Method: Interviews were conducted with 19 older people to generate an initial item pool, which was supplemented with relevant literature. A preliminary scale was developed, with a two-part preliminary piloting procedure that reviewed the initial items and domains. Results: The preliminary measure contained 73 initial items and 15 proposed initial domains. The development procedure suggested that the measure has acceptable face and content validity. These stages resulted in the development of the Determinants and Barriers to Walking for Older People Scale (DABWOP-S). Conclusions: Following a future psychometric evaluation, it is hoped that the DABWOP-S will result in a greater understanding of the determinants to walking for older people to shape social prescribing practices and walking programmes

Social Networks im Zeitalter des demographischen Wandels: Senioren als „Digital Immigrants“ in virtuellen Umgebungen

Diese Dissertation thematisiert den Umgang von Senioren mit virtuellen Umgebungen. Insbesondere liegt der Betrachtungsfokus auf Social Network Sites (SNSs), allerdings werden andere virtuelle Umgebungen nicht ausgeschlossen. Diese Betrachtung geschieht unter der Berücksichtigung zweier aktueller Trends. Das so entstehende Spannungsfeld zwischen der steigenden Interaktion in diesen virtuellen Netzwerken generell und einem demographischen Wandel hin zur gesellschaftlichen Alterung umfasst die Haupteinflüsse für die Themenstellung. Gegenstand der Analyse dieser Arbeit ist, wie Senioren den Umgang mit den virtuellen Umgebungen erlernen können. Dies setzt am eingangs beschriebenen Unterschied zwischen „Digital Natives“ und „Digital Immigrants“ (zu denen auch die Senioren gehören) an, den sogenannten „Digital Divide“. Um die Kluft in der Fähigkeit des Umgangs mit diesen Umgebungen zu überwinden, hilft ein Verständnis über die Lernansätze der Senioren bei einem effizienteren Design der virtuellen Umgebungen (wie z.B. SNS). Zur Analyse der Lernansätze wird exemplarisch die Lerntheorie des Lerndreiecks von Knud Illeris als Erklärungshilfe herangezogen

E-Governance: Strategy for Mitigating Non-Inclusion of Citizens in Policy Making in Nigeria

The Nigerian federation that currently has 36 states structure adopted the Weberian Public Administrative system before now as an ideal way of running government, which was characterized with the traditional way of doing things without recourse to the deployment of Information Communication Technology (ICT). Today e-governance is seen as a paradigm shift from the previous way of governance. Research has shown that, the adoption and implementation of e-governance is more likely to bring about effective service delivery, mitigate corruption and ultimately enhance citizens’ participation in governmental affairs. However, it has been argued that infrastructure such as regular electricity power and access to the Internet, in addition to a society with high rate of literacy level are required to effectively implement and realize the potentials of e-governance for improved delivery of services. Due to the difficulties currently experienced, developing nations need to adequately prepare for the implementation of e-governance on the platform of Information Communication Technology (ICT). Hence, this study seeks to examine whether the adoption and implementation of e-governance in the context of Nigeria would mitigate the hitherto non-inclusion of citizens in the formulation and implementation of government policies aimed at enhanced development. To achieve the objective of the study, data were sourced and analyzed majorly by examining government websites of 20 states in the Nigerian federation to ascertain if there are venues for citizens to interact with government in the area of policy making and feedback on government actions, as a way of promoting participatory governance. The study revealed that the adoption and implementation of e-governance in the country is yet to fully take place. This is due to lack of infrastructure, low level of literacy rate and government inability to provide the necessary infrastructure for e-governance to materialize. The paper therefore, recommends among others the need for the Federal Government to involve a sound and clear policy on how to go about the adoption and implementation of egovernance through deliberate effort at increasing budgetary allocation towards infrastructural development and mass education of citizens

The Impact of e-Democracy in Political Stability of Nigeria

The history of the Nigerian electoral process has been hitherto characterized by violence stemming from disputes in election outcomes. For instance, violence erupted across some states in Northern Nigeria when results indicated that a candidate who was popular in that part of the country was losing the election leading to avoidable loss of lives. Beside, this dispute in election outcome lingers for a long time in litigation at the electoral tribunals which distracts effective governance. However, the increasing penetrating use of ICTs in Nigeria is evident in the electoral processes with consequent shift in the behavior of actors in the democratic processes, thus changing the ways Nigerians react to election outcomes. This paper examines the trend in the use ICT in the Nigerian political system and its impact on the stability of the polity. It assesses the role of ICT in recent electoral processes and compares its impact on the outcome of the process in lieu of previous experiences in the Nigeria. Furthermore, the paper also examines the challenges and risks of implementing e-Democracy in Nigeria and its relationship to the economy in the light of the socio-economic situation of the country. The paper adopted qualitative approach in data gathering and analysis. From the findings, the paper observed that e-democracy is largely dependent on the level of ICT adoption, which is still at its lowest ebb in the country. It recognizes the challenges in the provision of ICT infrastructure and argues that appropriate low-cost infrastructure applicable to the Nigerian condition can be made available to implement e-democracy and thus arouse the interest of the populace in governance, increase the number of voters, and enhance transparency, probity and accountability, and participation in governance as well as help stabilize the nascent democrac