Instructional Design needs of elderly learners

As discussed previously, the issues and decline related to cognitive aging hampers the learning abilities of elderly students. The instructional needs of elderly people are different due to their cognitive limitations. Pascal et al (2006) discussed the ID needs of elderly learners in relation to computer tasks, and they proposed the use of design guidelines based on the instructional design theories of CTML and CLT. They suggested that multimedia learning environments are very suitable to support the needs of elderly learners, “the combination of the two theories yields a powerful tool for supporting skill acquisition in the elderly.”

Computers can support learning performance of older adults in at least two ways. First, they can manage the level of extraneous cognitive load by controlling the training format (e.g., modality). Second, they can control the level of germane cognitive load by determining the sequencing and goal specificity of training problems. The combination of these control opportunities should lead to improved learning in older adults without having to invest time and effort in the development of “age-specific” instructional formats.