Understanding the Evolving Online Learning Landscape: The Case of Science and Religion

Abstract

As the online learning landscape expands and social media continue to be an important information source for many, it is important to ask how people evaluate and experience online sources of learning differently and how this compares across domains. Drawing on interviews with 45 adults in the United States, we examine how people’s attitudes and experiences around online learning differ across science and religion. We find that the topic shapes how people evaluate different ways of seeking knowledge online, including through social media. Trust, knowledge, ease, and privacy further influence how people approach learning by domain. Our findings highlight incidental learning through online social networks, suggesting that personal (offline and online) networks as well as intentions shape how the internet helps people learn. We discuss the implications of the findings for future research on the online learning landscape considering the different experiences people have when learning about different topics.

Negotiating Technological Engagement: Use and Non‐Use Among Older Adults in Assisted Living

“…Additionally, once ICTs are adopted, older adults may also feel a reliance on family members to help them with further education and any technical support issues (Quan‐Haase et al, 2016; Selwyn, 2004; Selwyn et al, 2003). While this support typically comes from more technologically savvy family members, such as children and grandchildren (Francis et al, 2018), digital assistance can also come from in‐home partner support (Marler & Hargittai, 2022). Hänninen et al (2021) found that older adults often benefit from having access to warm experts who can be “involved in the digital everyday life of older adults, ranging from small acts of motivation and giving practical advice to actual co‐use and proxy use of ICTs” (p. 1596).…”