Elmira College

A. AED 5074 Training of Trainers: Characteristics of Adult Learners (1 Credit)

B. DESCRIPTION: This workshop relates principles of adult learning to tasks, roles, and limitations of developmental changes and transitions in adulthood. Why and how such principles are applied in adult education and training settings are discussed. The changing characteristics of adults as learners and meeting the special needs of these learners also are addressed.

C. OBJECTIVES: At the end of the course students should be able to perform with excellence in the following areas: (a) Examine personal learner characteristics in relation to the tasks, roles and limitations of developmental changes and transitions in adulthood; (b) read and discuss the work of adult education experts to gain an overview of psychological and cognitive development theories of intelligence related to adulthood; (c) analyze the characteristics of fictional or real adult learners in relation to various psychological, developmental, or sociological theories; (d) identify questions about the needs of resources adults bring to training situations and the social or institutional barriers that might stymie a learner's development; and (e) integrate the skills, knowledge, and attitudes discussed in the course into personal work with adults.

D. STRUCTURE: The workshop's instructional methods includes lectures, handouts, recommended library readings, small and large group discussions, mapping or other ways of visualizing information, individual and group learning tasks, classroom critical incident questioning techniques, and writing activities.

E. RESOURCES: The required text is Merriam, S., & Caffarella, R. (1991). Learning in adulthood: A comprehensive guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Supplemental reading assignments are drawn from participants' professional journals, Internet sources, and other materials provided by the instructor.

F. EVALUATION: Evaluation is based on class attendance and participation, weekly trainer tips and questions, shared and annotated bibliographic materials, a several page adult learner profile, and completion of weekly classroom critical incident questionnaires.

G. COURSE OUTLINE:

1. Introduction to course requirements and activities

2. The place of identities and attributes of adults in adult education

3. Social and cultural roles of adult learners

4. The "typical" adult learner

5. Adult development and stage theories and models

6. Intelligence theories, intelligence and age, disability, and race, and multiple intelligences

7. Adult motivation and resistance to learn or participate in learning

8. Cognitive development in adulthood

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