Introduction to Adult Learning
Course Syllabus
Instructor: Shanetta Oliver
Introduction to Adult Learning is an online course for individuals who are interested in teaching adults. Instructors, seminar leaders, and facilitators will benefit from learning how the process of educating the adult learner is different from their younger counterparts. Today, more adults are seeking to further their education than ever before. In order to stay marketable in today's workplace, workers are forced to take more active roles in their education. If you are a teacher, you undoubtedly will notice more "seasoned" adults in your classes. On the other hand, adults, who have decided to return to school after a long hiatus, may be apprehensive adopting the term "student". This course will help the adult learner as well as the teacher.
What to expect from this course.
In this course you may move at your own pace. However, it is recommended that you complete the course within 6 weeks. This will not only help you to stay motivated, but also assist you in retaining most of the information covered in this course. Introduction to Adult Learning is a non-credit course, which is an adaptation of my face-to-face train the trainer course. As an introductory course to teaching adults, students do not need to fulfill any prerequisites. Most of the material covered in this course, touch only the basics of the theories and concepts of adult learning.
To fully benefit from this course, regular participation is strongly recommended. As the instructor, I expect completion of all lessons, activities, and quizzes. In return, my students can expect continual feedback and support from me. I understand that your time and money is valuable and I do not plan to waste either one.
Course Objectives
1. Students will become aware of and recognize the special needs of adult learners.
2. Students will learn the various models and theories of learning styles.
3. Students will be able to incorporate teaching strategies into their instructional techniques.
Course Topics
This course will provide an overview of andragogy, adult learner characteristics, models and theories of learning styles, and teacher implications for adult learning.
Required Text
No text is required for this course, however recommended reading materials will be posted throughout the course.
Contact the Instructor
If you have any questions or concerns and you need to reach me, the best method is through email. My email address is web-request@universalclass.com. I have had this email address for years and I do not expect for it to change anytime soon. I check my email at least once a day. Please put the course name in the subject line so that I can distinguish your email from the tons of junk mail I receive on a daily basis.
Technical Requirements
All students must have access to the Internet and a working email address. Students are encouraged to have access to Microsoft Word and Power Point.
Communications
Please make sure that I have a valid email address on file, so I may be able to reach you. Also, check the Announcements regularly for any comments I make to the class.
Class Rules
I understand that sometimes we may get too comfortable in front of the computer screen. However, please be aware that on the other end is a live person with real feelings and concerns. Each student is expected to be respectful to each individual. Proper etiquette is required in forums and email. Unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated and participants will be removed from the course immediately (no refunds)!
Participation
Part of your grade will be based on class participation. Students are encouraged to log in several times a week to check announcements and discussions in forums. After each lesson, a discussion question will be posted. Students must respond to these discussion questions in the forum section. After you post your responses, you may respond to messages left by other students. I will follow (and grade) discussions, but I will not actively participate. However, I will follow up on discussion topics as needed during class chats.
Quizzes
A quiz will be given at the end of each lesson. In order to move on to the next lesson you must satisfactorily complete the current quiz. The quizzes are challenging, however these are good practice for the final. You may retake the test if you do not receive a passing grade. All quizzes are made up of 15 multiple-choice or true-false questions.
Final Exam
There are three options in which to choose for your final exam grade. Please refer to the class assignments section for more information. A final exam will be given at the end of the course. This exam is cumulative, so it will cover all concepts covered in the previous lessons. The final may be multiple-choice or essay questions (or both). I will go over the format and the concepts covered before I post the exam. Final Exams are worth 100 points.
Grading Policy
In order to pass this course, students must receive at least a grade of 70%.
Breakdown of the Grades
Participation
| Activity | Weight | Points | Note |
| Discussion Questions | | 20 (5 each) | Not graded; checked for completion |
| Overall Participation | | 14 | |
| | | | |
Quizzes
| Quiz 1 (lesson 1) | | 30 | 15 multiple-choice |
| Quiz 2 (lesson 2) | | 30 | " " |
| Quiz 3 (lesson 3) | | 30 | " " |
| Quiz 4 (lesson 4) | | 30 | "" |
| Total Quiz Grade | | 120 | |
Graded Assignments
| Student Introductions | | 15 | |
| Lesson Two | | 15 | |
| Lesson Five | | 15 | | |
| Case Study | | 20 | | |
| Extra Credit Assignments (3) | | 5 each | | |
| | | | | | | |
Final Exam/ Final Grade
Grading is as follows
(90-100%) = A - Certificate of Outstanding Achievement
(80-89%) = B - Certificate of Academic Excellence
(70-79%) = C - Certificate of Merit
below FAIL
Certificate of Participation is given to students who log in on at least five different days.
