DIAGNOSTIC FORM

IDE 502

Adult Learning

Name ____________________________________ Date _______________

The diagnostic form is designed to assist you in assessing your level of competence and need related to possible content areas for the course, for personal study, and for assisting in the construction of a learning contract. The information will help you identify and develop many of the professional competencies required to understand adult learners and adult learning. The information will also help me in planning to meet the needs of this group.

For each potential content area, please check the most relevant column indicating a "self-rating." Any specific needs that are not met by course experiences should guide your personal emphasis on learning activities and the development of a relevant learning contract.

To assist in the decision regarding which column to check for each area, use the information below. Make your best estimation of current strengths and weaknesses. In addition, please feel free to add other content areas you believe are related to the course content or for which you have special needs.

• DK If you believe you currently do not have any skills pertaining to the listed competency or don’t know what skills you possess. This may mean that you will need or will want to develop such competency through future discussion, reading, practice, etc.
• LO If your current competence related to the listed area is especially low, but could be raised toward a desired level through specific learning experiences.
• MD If your past experiences have provided part of the desired competence and some learning experiences or activities would develop the remainder.
• HI If your past experiences and activities have substantially developed the listed area.

(Self-rate your competence by checking the appropriate column box)

Potential Content Area	DK	LO	MD	HI
1. Adult learning theory and research	.	.	.	.
2. Barriers to learning/participation	.	.	.	.
3. Developmental differences among and between men and women	.	.	.	.
4. The adult as learner	.	.	.	.
5. The theory of margin (load/power concepts)	.	.	.	.
6. Motivation for adult learning	.	.	.	.
7. Stages of development/life transitions	.	.	.	.
8. General learning theory	.	.	.	.
9. Learning/cognitive styles	.	.	.	.
10. Learning how to learn	.	.	.	.
11. Self-directed learning	.	.	.	.
12. Facilitator roles and responsibilities	.	.	.	.
13. Perspective transformation/paradigm shifts	.	.	.	.
14. Application of theory to various settings	.	.	.	.
15. A personal philosophy of working with adults as learners	.	.	.	.
16. Other:	.	.	.	.
17. Other:	.	.	.	.
18: Other:	.	.	.	.

Now that you have completed your self-ratings, please go back and numerically rank each "LO" that you checked according to the level of importance you would attach to it. Think of this in terms of the amount of time that you should allot to this topic outside of the time spent on in-class discussions. This might help you in thinking about areas of concentration for your term project or to give some focus to the areas on which you wish to obtain in-depth knowledge.

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