Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE ACA5002

 
TITLE Curricular Issues in Adult Education

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Arts, Open Communities and Adult Education

 
DESCRIPTION The first part of the study-unit deals with Curriculum development with Adult Educators. It advocates a transformative approach to curriculum development. Grounded mainly in the tradition of critical social pedagogy, it sets out to help participants build a vision and generate outcomes and resources for potential education programmes with communities, organizations and groups engaged in transformative social action.

This section of the study-unit will also provide ample opportunities for participants to explore a range of curriculum-development possibilities within different adult-education contexts. Continuing within the same pedagogical spirit and approach, the second part, while for the most part still being delivered on campus, will have an online component on Moodle, the University of Malta LMS. This virtual part of the course is mainly intended for formative assessment purposes. This section will cover such areas as Wenger’s Community of Practice Model and the Community of Inquiry curricular model developed with the online dimension. In the latter case, its applicability to the face to face learning setting is discussed.

Study-unit Aims:

The unit aims to:
1. help one build a vision for education programmes with communities, organizations and groups engaged in transformative social action;
2. provide ample opportunities for participants to explore a range of curriculum-development possibilities within different adult-education contexts;
3. expose students to education and adult learning theories;
4. help students appreciate the benefits of Dialogue in teaching and learning;
5. help students understand the changing roles of the adult educator according to context and time among other things;
6. help students understand the roles of adult learners according to context and time among other things;
7. enable students to identify and gain an understanding of technology in adult education;
8. give students an introduction to forms of and issues concerning assessment and evaluation.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

1. Be familiar with the theories that underpin different curricular trajectories;
2. Create curricula that reflect the different theoretical frameworks;
3. Construct protocols aimed at evaluating different types of curricula;
4. Evaluate / integrate educational theories in the development and facilitation of adult education;
5. Draw on educational theories and own experience to design learning experiences;
6. Distinguish between traditional and learner-centred pedagogic approaches;
7. Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of dialogue in the education of adults;
8. Demonstrate knowledge and ability to apply the key concepts of Lave and Wenger’s (1993) Community of Practice model in their teaching;
9. Demonstrate knowledge and ability to apply the key concepts of Garrison, Anderson and Archer’s (2000) Community of Inquiry model in their teaching;
10. Demonstrate effective communication and collaborative learning skills through in-class and asynchronous discussions online;
11. Demonstrate an understanding of the roles of the adult educator and learners;
12. Apply the key concepts of the ADDIE model, particularly evaluation and assessment;
13. Construct an e-Portfolio that showcases their learning journey.

2. Skills:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

1. Develop curricula according to different theoretical frameworks;
2. Develop curricula which take into account and build on the learners' existential situation;
3. Develop and adopt tools for evaluating and improving adult learning curricula;
4. Adopt an approach to teaching adults using different platforms of delivery and learning;
5. Engage the learner's experience, preoccupations, strengths and aspirations to render the interactive learning with adults most effective;
6. Teach through dialogue.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Part 1

- Brookfield, S. (2013) Powerful Techniques for Teaching Adults. New York: John Wiley & Sons. (Main text)
- Caffarella, R.S. & Radcliff Daffon, S. (2013) Planning programs for adult learners: a practical guide. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
- Preskill, S. and Brookfield, S (2008) Learning as a way of leading: Lessons from the struggle for social justice. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
- Preskill, S. and Brookfield, S. (2005) Discussion as a way of teaching: tools and techniques for the democratic classroom. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
- Ledwith, M. (2005) Community Development – A Critical Approach, Bristol: The Policy Press. (main text)
- Vella, J. (2008) Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach: the power of dialogue in educating adults. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
- Wang, V. (Ed.) (2000) Curriculum Development for Adult Learners in the Global Community, Vol.1 Strategic approaches. Florida: Krieger Publishing.

Supplementary Readings will be available to students though VLE.

Online resources (second part of study unit)

There is no required textbook for this segment of the course.
All learning resources are available online.

Here are some examples:

- Video: Harris, J. (2014) ‘A brief overview of 4 learning theories’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACowHxGEAUg
- Mergel, B. (1998) Learning Theories and Instructional Design
http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/mergel/brenda.htm
- Introduction to Communities of Practice http://wenger-trayner.com/theory/
- Summaries of Learning Theories and Models http://www.learning-theories.com
- Community of Practice Design Guide http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/nli0531.pdf
- Wilson, S. M. and Peterson, P. L. (2006) Theories of Learning and Teaching What Do They Mean for Educators? http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED495823.pdf
- Imel, S. (1995). Teaching Adults: Is It Different? ERIC Digest No. 162. http://www.calpro-online.org/eric/docgen.asp?tbl=archive&ID=A030
- Kerka, S. (2002). Adult Education: Social Change or Status Quo? ERIC Digest No. 176. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED468614.pdf
- Jean Lave, Etienne Wenger and communities of practice
http://infed.org/mobi/jean-lave-etienne-wenger-and-communities-of-practice/
- The Community of Inquiry framework https://coi.athabascau.ca
- Garrison, D.R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2(2-3), 87-105. http://auspace.athabascau.ca:8080/bitstream/2149/739/1/critical_inquiry_in_a_text.pdf
- Swan, K. & Ice, P. (2010). The Community of Inquiry framework ten years later: introduction to the special issue. Internet and Higher Education, 13(1-2), 1-4.
https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/18714/INTHIG%20369%20INTRO.pdf? sequence=2

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Seminar

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S Carmel P. Borg

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit