SYLLABUS

GRADUATE SEMINAR: ADULT EDUCATION

Course Description and Rationale

For a student arriving at this course in their graduate program, adult education has been an interesting field to study and to be associated with as a learner, graduate student, and developing professional. By now you have taken a number of courses, had a variety of experiences, and developed a number of papers and other products. You have tested theories, learned new knowledge, and most likely tried out those theories and learnings in various ways as you have taught, trained, counseled, and/or administered. You have formed opinions about the field and about your own role in the field. You may even have attended one or more professional conferences, joined a professional association, and submitted manuscripts for publication. In essence, you have begun in earnest your growth and development as an adult education professional.

Therefore, the general purpose of the seminar is to provide you a setting in which you can synthesize and share with others your knowledge, skills, and attitudes gained as a graduate student. The primary course products will be a substantive research or scholarly paper and/or a professional portfolio that summarizes, synthesizes, and reflects the work you have accomplished throughout your graduate degree effort. We spend time together in a "seminar" environment where we can discuss issues, clarify thoughts, share these final products, and "put everything together" as a professional educator or trainer of adults.

As in other courses for which I have had responsibility, I believe it is crucial that adult learners become actively involved in any learning process in which they are engaged. This instructional philosophy stems from personal involvement by me with research or practice related to self-directed adult learning. Self-directed learning research has shown that learners, when given the option and encouragement, often will come to prefer learning involvement where considerable freedom and personal direction is possible. At the same time, I recognize that I owe you and the college some direction in terms of course content and those competencies achievable during the course. Thus, I will employ some techniques where necessary information is presented and skill building enhanced. However, there also will be plenty of time for discussion, questioning, and challenging each other. Thus, I wish to be a manager of the learning experience, resource for new knowledge, and a dispenser of information as needed.

Areas for Learning

The following topic areas suggest the range of content likely to be covered during the course. Some areas can be studied in considerable detail depending on your need and interest. Others will become focal points for either review or in-depth personal study. There probably are many additional topics that could be added or that will emerge based on your experience, need, and interests.

1. Scope and nature of the field of Adult Education

2. Theories or theory areas pertaining to or supporting Adult Education

3. The adult learner - or adult as learner

4. Adult Education/HRD agencies and programs

5. The educator, trainer, or teacher of adults

6. History of Adult Education and its leaders

7. Philosophical foundations

8. Trends/current issues/future expectations

9. Professional skills, such as financial literacy, writing expertise, and technological knowledge

Competency Expectations

At the completion of the course, given active participation, each learner should be able to perform with excellence in the following ways:

1. Familiarization with the areas of learning described above and others that emerge based on your need.

2. The development or reworking of a personal philosophy statement relative to working with adult learners.

3. The development of a personal portfolio that summarizes or records your professional accomplishments, in and out of the graduate degree program.

4. The development of a major research project, paper, or scholarly product that makes a unique contribution to your personal development, to your place of employment, or to some area of need within the field of Adult Education.

The Teaching and Learning Process

There are three broad approaches to teaching and learning, although various adaptations are made:

1. Didactic - the instructor controls most of the direction and content through a lecture format. Learners are expected to acquire and retain knowledge primarily through memorization.

2. Socratic - the instructor utilizes questions in some way (testing, small group discussion, question and answer periods in class, etc.) to take the learner through a prepared and logical sequence of content acquisition. Learners are expected to respond to the questions in some manner usually designated by the instructor.

3. Facilitative - the instructor creates an educational environment in which learning can occur. A variety of instructional techniques, including both didactic and socratic approaches as appropriate, can be utilized. Learners are expected to assume increasing responsibility for specific content determination and acquisition.

There are obvious philosophical differences associated with the three approaches.

In this course all three approaches will be utilized. For example, didactically I will present some information pertaining to research, professional writing, and finalizing a personal (professional) portfolio. As a facilitator I will endeavor to create an environment in which we can learn, share, and grow. However, the socratic approach will no doubt garner the majority of our time together as we raise questions, discuss them thoroughly, and develop personal opinions, answers, and ideas.

I base my teaching and learning process on the premise that adult students are mature learners who flourish in settings where considerable independence is expected or permissible. Thus, the process is a dynamic one that actively involves the learner in determining personal needs, potential, and capabilities. The learning contract will be used as the planning mechanism for each learner because it allows considerable freedom or can provide a fairly prescriptive path throughout the course, depending on your preferences.

Evaluation and Feedback

Evaluation and feedback are integral parts of any learning. Evaluation is a tool for measuring personal progress toward individual or course goals. In addition, it is required that grades be established as marks for transcripts and degree completion.

Thus, in terms of feedback I hope the communication process will indeed be a two-way street. Feedback should reflect not only how well class objectives are being met, the effectiveness of any instructional facilitation, and the extent to which your individual needs are being fulfilled, but also the quality of student contribution and involvement. Consequently, your oral and written feedback relative to questions or concerns you may have, more information you need, and any evaluation you have of the process, content, or me will be welcome at any time.

I will use several techniques throughout the course to help in this evaluation and feedback. In addition, I'll provide evaluative feedback via comments, advice, and resource suggestions in response to any submitted materials. We also will have multiple opportunities to critique each other's ideas, progress, and final products. Hopefully, these efforts will provide you some modeling regarding evaluation possibilities.

Personal evaluation and validation will come through the learning contract. In planning for a letter grade, I assume no student will wish to contract for a grade of C or below. Further, I assume the quality of work submitted will be of a level reflecting the contracted grade. Thus, the grade of B can be achieved by successfully completing all of the learning activities (or their equivalent) described below, completing those readings necessary for a basic understanding of the topics, and either term project A or B. The A grade can be accomplished by contracting for and completing the above plus the second term project option. Because this is one of your final courses and perhaps the best representation of what you can do as a graduate student, it is strongly recommended that you go for the grade of A.

Textbook Requirements

There is one required book:

1. Hiemstra, R., & Brier, E. M. (1994). Professional writing: Processes, strategies, and tips for publishing in educational journals. Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing.

In addition, although the two following books are not required or recommended in terms of what is made available for purchase from the bookstore, you are encouraged to obtain them for your professional library as ongoing resources to enhance your professional writing skills: (a) American Psychological Association. (1983). Publication manual (3rd Edition). Washington, DC: The Association (or some other stylistic guide better suited to your style or writing requirements); and (b) Strunk, W., & White, E. B. (1979). The elements of style (3rd Edition. New York: Macmillan Publishing (or some other book that provides the basics for correct writing in terms of grammar, word usage, and style).

Course Requirements

Following are suggested requirements for the course. The grade of B can be achieved by completing the first six learning activities (or their equivalents) plus one of the term projects. The grade of A can be achieved by completing the B requirements plus the second suggested term project. However, if you are comfortable with yourself as a self-directed learner and/or if you have experience in writing learning contracts, it should be noted that negotiated alternatives are welcome in meeting any of the requirements. You are strongly encouraged to go for the grade of A in this course.

1. Learning Activity #l - Class Participation

Participate in the course planning, implementation, and evaluation activities that develop as a natural part of the course's evolution.

Objective: To facilitate your growth through contributive group membership and active learning participation.

2. Learning Activity #2 - Learning Contract Design

Complete a self-diagnosis of needs (with my assistance as necessary) relevant to the course content, design a learning contract (or plan) for meeting many of those needs, and carry out the planned activities. The course product will be a first and, if necessary, second draft of a learning contract.

Objective: To facilitate your ability to diagnose, articulate, and meet individual learning needs.

3. Learning Activity #3 - Readings

Complete those readings necessary to enhance your understanding of the field of adult education and to increase your ability to participate in any discussions taking place during the seminar.

Objective: To facilitate your acquisition of a broad-based comprehension of related literature.

4. Learning Activity #4^* - Complete an activity to reduce by at least 20% the number of words in a manuscript. You will need to develop a professional manuscript or technical product of at least 1000 words as part of this activity. The course product will be the manuscript or product showing the word reduction result.

Objective: For learners to improve their ability to be concise in personal and technical writing and to enhance editing and proofing abilities.

5. Learning Activity #5* - Choose one of the following four options:

#5a - Revisit Your Personal Philosophy Statement

Revisit your previously developed personal statement of educational philosophy and professional style relative to working with adults as learners. Make any changes appropriate based on the growth and development you have experienced as an adult education professional during your graduate studies. The product will most likely be a 2-3 page paper, and it can become part of your professional portfolio.

Objective: To facilitate your understanding of different philosophies related to working with people so that your personal statement of educational philosophy can be enhanced.

#5b - Create a Financial Plan for Your Own Business

Many people establish a consulting organization after completion a graduate degree or in some other way establish some sort of a personal business entity. Yet, many such venture fail because of lack of planning, knowledge, or financial expertise. For this learning activity, establish a business and financial plan for an existing or future personal endeavor. The product will most likely be a 3-10 page paper, including business objectives, implementation strategies, and financial plan. It can become part of your professional portfolio.

Objective: To facilitate your understanding of different approaches to establishing and running a personal business, including the corresponding financial aspects.

#5C - Enhance and Document the Way Technology Has and Will Impact You as a Professional

It is very important that today's adult education or training professional master various aspects of technology. This includes using the Internet, creating web pages, utilizing various types of software, and determining the many ways technology enhances your professional endeavors. The product will most likely be a 5-25 page document that describes, portrays, and plans for the future in terms of your mastery of technology. It can become part of your professional portfolio.

Objective: To facilitate your understanding of different aspects of technology and the corresponding impact on your abilities as a professional educator or trainer of adults.

#5D - Contribute to Your Field by Creating a Personal Vita for Some Adult Education Professional

As you may know, I have initiated a process of creating personal vitas of famous living or deceased adult educators. Visit my site on the Web for more information and the format for a "personal vita" (/vita.html). For this learning activity, create a personal vita that can be added to my web page. The product will be a 3-5 screen web document that follows the format created for depicting a famous living or deceased adult educator. It needs to be submitted on disk or submitted to me electronically. An HTML document is preferred but not mandatory (saving the document in word as an html file, for example).

Objective: To facilitate your understanding of the contributions a famous adult educator has made to the field by creating a personal vita to be placed on the Web.

6. Learning Activity #6^* - Professional Associating

Attend at least two meetings of some local adult education or training-related professional association -or- attend one state, regional, or national adult education or training-related conference and write a brief report on your observations. The product for this activity will be a 2-5 page paper, log, or report.

Objective: To facilitate your gaining experience in "professionally associating" with other professional educators or trainers of adults.

TERM PROJECT (choose one for the grade of B and both for the grade of A)

7A. Learning Project A^* - Professional Portfolio

Finalize the development of a professional portfolio utilizing the material developed in earlier courses and enhanced during this seminar. The product of this activity will the portfolio, itself. It is intended to reflect the work accomplished throughout the graduate program. Considerable attention will be given during the first two workshop sessions to discussing the portfolio and the nature of the expected product or products.

Objectives:

(1) To facilitate your advanced professional understanding of the nature and scope of the field and to build critical reflection skills.

(2) To enhance your skills in developing, cataloguing, and synthesizing information on the field of adult education and your development as a professional within it.

7B. Learning Project B^* - Research Paper or Project

Complete a substantive research paper or project that builds on the information, knowledge, and skill obtained during any graduate research course and that demonstrates your ability to solve an education problem. The nature of the research effort can be negotiated with the instructor, fellow students, and/or your employer.

Objectives:

(1) To enhance your research skills and abilities.

(2) To demonstrate your ability to complete an educational research effort.

* Or some negotiated alternative.

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