Skill development

One of the areas in which technologies were first used for learning was skills development, whether as a means of reinforcing reading skills through specially designed print programs or learning the correct method for CPR on a Resusci-Annie. One commentator pointed out the extent to which learning technologies have been used to train people in using other technologies, and remarked that there seemed to be a fairly natural continuity in this approach, providing the system was well designed and complemented by a lot of other opportunities for practice and for mentoring.

How do technologies help?

It has been suggested that women's use of technologies tends to take a very practical orientation, and this is perhaps most true in the field of skills development. While there are many situations in which technologies help to "teach" skills, for example a video that demonstrates a technique, or a computer program that corrects spelling, it is the exceptional learner who learns wholly from technology. One observer suggested that technologies that provide for practice and feedback can be very useful for building learners' confidence and skills. Learners can then go on to apply these skills in a new context, supported by mentoring and interaction with peers and/or an instructor.

The instructor's perspective

So far, we have considered the possible uses of technologies for a number of aspects of learning, primarily from the perspective of the learner. However, given the important role of the instructor or facilitator with or without learning technologies, we should also consider the impact of learning technologies for the instructors who use them.

The dynamics of introducing learning technologies

There is considerable literature on the dynamics of adoption of a new technology in organizations, from the time when the "early adopters" take it on, through to the period when the majority of people decide to use it, to the point when only a few are not using the technology.⁵⁰

This description tends to imply that the acceptance has largely to do with individual attitudes, but the institutional setting has a significant role regarding the effective use of technologies. If people are allowed to explore technologies and determine for themselves whether or not they are appropriate for their particular context, there is more likelihood they will learn more about them and find creative ways of using them.

However, when the use of a specific technology is mandated by special funding arrangements, the institution must them find instructor willing to undertake pilot projects. There is some anecdotal evidence that more women instructors seem to be asked to teach using new technologies in trial runs.

Conditions that support technology use

The introduction of any new technology, considering technology as "a way of doing things", requires a supportive environment, in which everyone involved can learn not just how to use a piece of equipment, but how to use it for its best purpose; how to use it creatively and how to explore its potential. This type of general learning takes place over time, and is based on experience as well as training on cooperative exchanges between users, on mentoring as well as demonstrations.⁵¹

For a specific situation, instructors need to be able to learn enough about a particular technology and its application to decide whether and how it is useful. They need preparation time so they do not enter into a situation with a "sink or swim" feeling. They may need ongoing technical support to help them and/or their students to make the best use of the technology, and they should also have access to information, facilities and time that will help them develop an appropriate evaluation of the experience.

Women instructors' concerns

Women interviewed for a recent study on instructors' learning needs indicated that they learned from colleagues, form experience, from their learners, from reflection. They also placed special priority in maintaining connectedness among learners and in minimizing any potential disruption the technology might cause. Women instructors sometimes report that they feel at a disadvantage in technology training sessions because their orientation towards using the technology is less instrumental than that of their male counterparts, and they want more time to explore and consider how the technology can be best used.

These considerations are as much a requirement for quality learning as are all the other issues more directly related to learners: an instructor who feels constrained to use technology and does not feel competent is less likely to be able to provide a quality learning experience as one who has decided to use technology and feels comfortable using it.