Assessing Adult Learning

The Assessing Adult Learning course is for those looking to build skills in facilitating, designing, and assessing the educational offerings and learning outcomes of adult students, including:

• Human Resources professionals
• Learning and development professionals
• Corporate training professionals
• Adjunct faculty in higher education
• English as a Second Language instructors
• GED instructors
• Career changers looking to teach adults in formal and informal settings
• Anyone seeking professional development related to teaching adults

The Assessing Adult Learning course will:

• Provide a comprehensive understanding of the fundamentals you need to teach, train, and develop adult learners in academic and professional settings
• Expand your expertise in teaching mature students
• Teach you the means to develop effective adult training programs

• Produce informal assessment instruments and critically review them in terms of their cultural relevance, validity, adequacy, and contextual appropriateness.
• Construct a coherent assessment plan for a selected offering (e.g., course, workshop, training) that responds to learning outcomes, is supported by the literature, can be feasibly implemented, and identifies how assessment evidence can be used to improve instruction/delivery and contribute to learning.
• Assess your own learning in relation to learning outcomes, and draw on your work and products to identify areas of growth and challenge.

Is there a required text?

Yes, the course typically requires a textbook. In addition to the text, there will be other readings and articles posted on the D2L site. Are books included in the tuition fee? The textbook is not included and needs to be purchased but may be found for library loan. If you’re entering teaching adults as a profession, we encourage you to keep your textbooks for future reference. Supplementary readings are included and downloaded from the D2L site. Are courses taught in class or online? Classes are taught online with Zoom sessions for live instruction and discussions. How long is the course? This course is 10 weeks of instruction. It is one of the three courses required to earn the Educating Adults Certificate.

Do I need prior education or work experience to enroll in the program?

While there are no prerequisite requirements, this course is designed at the Master’s educational level. You will be most successful if you have college-level writing skills.

Will I have to write papers and take exams?

Our teaching philosophy is on applied learning. It is expected that your course work will show evidence of applying the course learning to a variety of applications. A final project or assessment plan will be due at the end of the course.