What upgrades or changes are necessary to provide better technology integration for adult learning opportunities?

While University of Phoenix has a wealth of technology resources at their disposal and available for all students to utilize there are areas that could always be improved and make the experience that much better.  For instance, U o P offers a phone app for iPad, iPhone, and Android users so students are able to stay abreast with what is going on in the classroom (University of Phoenix, 2013).  These applications allow students to do several things including: 

• Access and respond to messages
• Participate in classroom discussion and flag comments or questions to be able to follow up at a later time
• View, edit, and save drafts of responses within the LT forum and classroom discussion forum
• Create a customer signature (University of Phoenix, 2013).

What the app does not allow students to do is to post attachments.  This would be an excellent advancement for the university to incorporate because students would truly be able to stay connected regardless of where they are at as long as they have a smart phone or tablet available.  

Another upgrade or change that the University of Phoenix could make to provide better technology integration is the use of webcasts or podcasts within the classroom forum.  For instance, AET 531 is a class all about technology for the adult learner.  It requires that we learn about a variety of Web 2.0 tools that assist with enhancing the learning experience for adults, however most of the tools require students to post items outside of the school's forum.  University of Phoenix should allow for students to post blogs, podcasts, webcasts, etc. to the main classroom forum so all students within the class have the opportunity to become familiar with what is available to them.  

Lastly, University of Phoenix should incorporate other tools into their learning such as Twitter and Facebook.  While they do have a Facebook page it is used to promote the school not to engage in learning activities for existing students.  If a student could share or tweet interesting comments or articles from the website it could not only engage students to utilize other tools it would be a means of promotion for the university as well.  


Reference
University of Phoenix.  (2013).  University of Phoenix Mobile App.  Retrieved from http://www.phoenix.edu/students/how-it-

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