Stephanie __EDU-548 Digital Toolbox for Adult Learning (Benchmark #3) by Stephanie Mora

Needs Analysis

mosteph010 — 2025-06-26 20:19:48 UTC

The students in this adult evening class have a wide range of needs that need to be considered when planning instruction. Many are balancing school with jobs and family responsibilities, so time is a major challenge. Tech skills also vary. Some are very comfortable with digital tools, while others will need more support. There are also differences in learning preferences, with many students leaning toward visual and hands-on learning. Some learners face barriers like learning disabilities, language challenges, or anxiety around assessments. Overall, they’re motivated by career goals, whether it’s advancing in their current field, changing careers, or personal growth. To support them well, I’ll need to offer flexible, accessible, and engaging learning experiences that meet them where they are.

GOOSECHASE Interactive Scavenger Hunts

mosteph010 — 2025-06-26 20:19:48 UTC

-Good for getting to know each other or onboarding/orientation session (Stachowiak, 2021).

-Good for making classroom or campus navigation more familiar.

-Start using digital tools in a low-pressure way

Link:

https://goosechase.com/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22152287229&gbraid=0AAAAAo7ZElJxeIHCUw-CC2M5oz6yjTnRS&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgvnCBhCqARIsADBLZoJA5tr9JUwsSIcPoNOxVkczJ3FYHnloyKsoXsTmLU2IoWi6wtWxi-caArC1EALw_wcB

Slido - Polling and Word Clouds

mosteph010 — 2025-06-26 20:19:48 UTC

Activity: Word Cloud Ice Breakers

Give students a few minutes to respond using their phones or a shared device.
As words appear in the cloud, highlight and affirm them aloud
Build psychological safety
Get students involved from the beginning
Acknowledge psychological safety

FigJam (Jamboard Alternative)

mosteph010 — 2025-06-26 20:19:48 UTC

Activity: Class 1 or 2 – after introductions and a brief discussion about challenges adult learners often face.

Normalize shared challenges (e.g., time, anxiety, tech skills)
Encourage reflection and solution-focused thinking
Introduce co-creation tools in a simple, structured way
Build community and peer-to-peer empathy

https://www.figma.com/figjam/jamboard-alternative/

Belonging and Adult Learners (Reflection)

mosteph010 — 2025-06-28 00:51:23 UTC

A sense of belonging is not just a nice concept in education. It’s a basic human need. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, love and belonging come right after safety, and without them, learners are unlikely to thrive academically. Mackh (2024) emphasizes that adult learners who feel known and valued are significantly more likely to persist, especially when facing outside pressures like work, family, or past struggles with school. That’s why creating an environment of belonging is one of my top priorities as I begin this course. I designed each early activity to show students they matter, their voices are heard, and they are not alone in this experience.

Guided by the four‑part digital‑toolkit framework: show, ask, gather, and co‑create, highlighted in Stachowiak’s (2021) podcast, I plan on beginning with a Slido word-cloud check-in where students anonymously respond to a prompt like “What strength do you bring to this class?” This low-pressure entry point helps normalize voice-sharing while honoring each student’s lived experience. Stachowiak (2021) highlights how digital tools like this invite participation early and set a welcoming tone. I also make sure to “show” belonging through visuals, slides include culturally responsive imagery and large, accessible text that reflect the diversity of the class. To “gather” student voices more deeply, I use Padlet or FigJam to create collaborative spaces where students can post goals, challenges, or ideas. These shared spaces archive and validate student identity in a visible, meaningful way. Finally, I integrate “co-create” tools like GooseChase and FigJam to promote collaboration. GooseChase gets students moving and connecting through playful, real-world scavenger hunts tied to course themes, while FigJam supports hands-on, low-stakes teamwork through drag-and-drop mapping or sorting activities. These co-creation moments give students agency and a sense of shared accomplishment, which are key for adult learners.

These activities are grounded in transformative learning theory. Mezirow (in Merriam & Baumgartner, 2020) emphasizes that adult learners experience growth when they reflect critically on their assumptions and engage in dialogue with others. Each of the activities I’ve chosen encourages students to surface personal or academic barriers and rethink what’s possible. For example, naming a personal strength in Slido or sharing a learning support strategy on FigJam helps build confidence and reshape internal narratives. These experiences plant the seeds for long-term transformation.

All of this also connects with Knowles’s principles of andragogy, especially the idea that adult learners bring valuable prior knowledge, prefer self-directed learning, and want to see how their learning applies to real life (Merriam & Baumgartner, 2020). Tools like Slido, GooseChase, and FigJam help meet those needs by building a sense of ownership, connection, and relevance from day one. Together, these strategies and tools help transform the class into a community, so that real learning can begin.