Syllabus for Theory and Practice of Adult Learning for Medical Educators
ADLT 671, Summer 2015, section 901
Course Director
Teresa (Terry) Carter, EdD
Associate Dean for Professional Instruction and Faculty Development
McGlothlin Medical Education Center, 4-203
Telephone: 828-3134; Email:
Class Meeting Dates
McGlothlin Medical Education Center, Room 3-101
Tuesdays, June 9 – July 28, 2015, 5:15-7:45 pm
Office Hours
By appointment. Please contact me (), and we’ll arrange for a convenient time to meet.
Textbooks
Houle, C. O. (1961). The Inquiring Mind: A study of the adult who continues to learn. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press. (Out-of-print; a pdf copy will be provided to you. This is the pre-class reading assignment, which is due, along with a written paper, on the first night of class, June 9). Instructions for the assignment will be sent by email.
Merriam, S. B. & Bierema, L.L. (2014). Adult learning: Linking theory and practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Course Description
This course provides a comprehensive overview of learning in adulthood, beginning with the historical development of the field and its philosophical underpinnings, including major theoretical perspectives with an emphasis on how theory informs practice in health professions education. The course provides an introduction to the major adult learning perspectives and how these form the basis for practical aspects of teaching and learning, including self-directed learning and development of expertise. The psychological, social, and physical attributes of adult learners are addressed, as well the effects of age and motivation on learning, learning styles, and the relationship of adult learning to theories of adult development. We will focus on the application of adult learning theory to practice so that what you learn about adults as learners has application for the classroom as well as the clinical teaching environment in the health professions.
Course Delivery
This course is a combination of eight, face-to-face class sessions during June and July with a self-directed component that consists of a pre-reading assignment and reaction paper written before the first class begins. In this way, we will meet our requirements for contact hours, while limiting the number of face-to-face class sessions during the summer months. The pre-reading assignment will be sent to everyone in May so that you have time to read this 58-page classic in adult learning that is no longer in print. We will provide you with a PDF version of Cyril O. Houle’s (1961) The Inquiring Mind, along with a series of guiding questions and assignment expectations to help you prepare your paper.
Goals for the Course
The goals for the course are to:
· Provide you with a meaningful learning experience that challenges you to think critically and reflectively about what it means to work with adults as learners in your setting;
· Enable you to better understand yourself as a learner;
· Challenge you to reflect on your own teaching practices for methods to enhance adults’ motivation to learn;
· Equip you with a broad understanding the theoretical underpinnings of adult learning and the contributions of key theorists in the field;
· Enable you to articulate your personal philosophy of learning as a teacher in medical or health professions education.
Assumptions about Adults as Learners
This course will be conducted in a manner that reflects my belief in the value of experiential and collaborative learning. Each of us has insights and experiences that are of value to the group as a whole and much of our time will be spent in dialogue about our readings and in-class projects and assignments. The quality of the course will, in large part, depend upon your preparedness with reading assignments and willingness to participate in learning from one another. As your instructor, I deeply respect the unique background and personal experiences that each of you brings to the classroom with your expertise in medicine, nursing, or dentistry. This is an opportunity for you to learn from each other as much as you will learn from me or our texts and readings.
Course Objectives
After completing this course, faculty fellows will have:
· Defined the adult learner within the unique context of medical or health professions education in terms of characteristics, needs, and interests;
· Identified key theories and philosophies of adult learning and how they can be applied to your teaching practices in a very practical manner;
· Expressed a philosophy of practice based on what you have studied and your own experience as a learner; and
· Identified attributes of the instructional setting that can help or hinder motivation for learning
Expectations for Attendance and Participation
You are expected to attend all class sessions, unless an emergency situation arises or you are presenting at a medical conference or similar activity, in which case you should let me know ahead of time of your absence. If you are able to connect with us remotely while away, we will arrange for a videoconferencing connection with Vidyo so you can join us with your laptop, much like a Skype connection. Much of the learning in this course will occur in class discussions and through interaction with your peers, so absences will not only inhibit the quality of your learning but will adversely affect others’ learning as well. Participation includes preparation with reading assignments ahead of the class session, timely submission of papers and projects, and active engagement in learning from each other as well as from what we do in class. A detailed schedule for weekly readings and any assignments will be available for you at the first class session. At that time, I will also introduce you to the use of Rampages, a Wordpress publishing platform similar to a Wordpress blog that we will use as a delivery platform for the course for everything except grades, which will be located on Blackboard.
Grading Summary
Assignment #1 –Reaction paper essay based on pre-class readings 20%
Assignment #2 – Weekly comments based on readings and class participation20%
Assignment #3(a) – Self-directed learning project 30%
Assignment #3(b) – Final paper integrating learning project experience with readings 30 %
Total 100%
Grading Rubric
A93-100 / · Performed at graduate level of excellence in all work.
· Participated in class discussions and activities, appropriately referencing credible resources from class/external readings and introducing personal/anecdotal/experiential comments that contributed to a broad awareness of the topic under discussion for all participants.
· Engaged in scholarly debate with others.
· Made substantial contributions to completion of projects and assignments when jointly conducted with others, if applicable.
· Submitted timely, impeccable, and well-written documents/papers related to assignments.
B
85-92 / · Performed at graduate level on most work, but did not rise to the level of excellence in all areas.
· Participated in class discussions and activities, but with less displayed familiarity with the literature through class readings.
· Made ample contributions to completion of an project and assignments when jointly conducted with others, if applicable.
· Submitted well-written documents/papers related to assignments that contained only minor errors/problems.
C
77- 84 / · Participated in class discussions and activities on a limited basis or did so from an uninformed/ or personal perspective only.
· Made limited contributions to completion of a project or the assignment when conducted jointly with others.
· Submitted written documents/papers related to assignments that were less than comprehensive, inadequately researched, or inclusive of significant grammatical errors.
D
69 – 76 / · Performed in a substandard manner on several assignments.
· Made minimal contributions to completion of a jointly conducted projects and assignments or the project was of substandard quality.
· Attendance was irregular with two or more unexcused absences.
F
Below 69 / · Failed to demonstrate a basic understanding of concepts and/or failed to participate in class discussions.
· Engaged in academic dishonesty, stopped participating altogether, or failed to meet expectations for expected performance at the graduate level.
Supplementary Bibliography
Mentoring and Developmental Relationships
1. Crosby, F. J. (1999). The developing literature on developmental relationships. In A. J. Murrell, F. J. Crosby, & Ely, R. J. (Eds.), Mentoring dilemmas: Developmental relationships within multicultural organizations (pp. 3-20). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
2. Gibson, D. E. & Cordova, D. I. (1999). Women’s and men’s role models: The importance of exemplars. In A. J. Murrell, F. J. Crosby, & R. J. Ely’s Mentoring dilemmas: Developmental relationships within multicultural organizations (pp. 121-141). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
3. Kram, K. E. (1993). Phases of the mentor relationship. Academy of Management Review 26(4), 608-625.
4. Kram, K. & Isabella, L. A. (1985). Mentoring alternatives: The role of peer relationships in career development. Academy of Management Journal, 28(1), 110-132.
5. Zachary, L. J. (2002, Spring). The role of teacher as mentor. In S. Imel (Series Ed.). & J. M. Ross-Gordon, (Vol. Ed.), New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education: No. 93. Contemporary viewpoints on teaching adults effectively (pp. 27-38).
Philosophy of Teaching / Practice
1. Cooke, M., Irby, D. M., & O’Brien, B. C. (2010). Educating physicians: A call for reform of medical school and residency. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
2. Dezee, K. J., Artino, A. R., Elnicki, D. M., Helmer, P. A., & Durning, S. J. (2012). Medical education in the United States of America. Medical Teacher, 34, 521-525.
3. Irby, D. (2011). Educating physicians for the future: Carnegie’s calls for reform. Medical Teacher, 33, 547-550.
4. Pratt, D. D. (2002, Spring). Good teaching: One size fits all? In S. Imel (Series Ed.). & J. M. Ross-Gordon, (Vol. Ed.), New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education: No. 93. Contemporary viewpoints on teaching adults effectively, (pp. 5-15). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
5. Pratt, D. D., Arseneau, R., & Collins, J. B. (2001). Reconsidering “good teaching” across the spectrum of medical education. The Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, 21(2), 70-81.
Learning Theories / Learner Motivation / Learning from Experience
1. Cell, E. (1984). Learning to learn from experience. (pp. 28-54). Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
2. Clark, M. C. (1993, Spring). Transformational learning. In R. G. Brockett & A. B. Knox, (Series Eds). & S. B. Merriam (Vol. Ed.), New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education: No. 57. An update on adult learning theory. (pp. 47-56). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
3. Cranton, P. (2000). Individual differences and transformative learning. In J. Mezirow (Ed.), Learning as Transformation: Critical perspectives on a theory in progress. (pp. 181-204). San Francisco, CA : Jossey-Bass.
4. Cranton, P. (2002, Spring). Teaching for transformation. In S. Imel (Series Ed.). & J. M. Ross-Gordon, (Vol. Ed.), New directions for adult and continuing education: No. 93. Contemporary Viewpoints on Teaching Adults Effectively (pp. 63-71). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
5. Cranton, P. (2006). Understanding and promoting transformative learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
6. Dirkx, J. (1998). Transformative learning theory in the practice of adult education: an overview. PAACE Journal of Lifelong Learning, 7, 1-14.
7. Merriam, S. B. & Clark, M. C. (1993). Learning from life experience: What makes it signficant? International Journal of Lifelong Education 12(2), 129-138.
8. Mezirow, J. (1990). How critical reflection triggers transformative learning. In J. Mezirow and Associates (Eds.) Fostering critical reflection in adulthood (pp. 1-20). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
9. Merriam, S. B. Caffarella, R. S., & Baumgartner, L. M. (2007). Learning in adulthood: A comprehensive guide. (3nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
10. Pratt, D. D. (1993, Spring). Andragogy after twenty-five years. In R. G. Brockett and A. B. Knox (Series Eds.) and Sharan B. Merriam (Volume Ed.), New directions for adult and continuing education: No. 57. An update on adult learning theory. (pp. 15-23). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
11. Wenger, E. (1996). Communities of practice: The social fabric of a learning organization. Healthcare Forum Journal 39 (4), 20-26.
12. Wilson, A. L. (1993, Spring). The promise of situated cognition. In R. G. Brockett & A. B. Knox (Series Eds.) and S. B. Merriam (Vol. Ed.), New directions for adult and continuing education: No. 57. An update on adult learning theory (pp. 71-79). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Learning Strategies
1. Ausubel, D. P. (1960). The use of advance organizers in the learning and retention of meaningful verbal material. Journal of Educational Psychology, 51, 267-272.
2. Brookfield, S. D. (2005). Discussion as a way of teaching: Tools and techniques for democratic classrooms (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
3. Irby, D. M. (1994, Dec). Three exemplary models of case-based learning. Academic Medicine, 69(12), 947-953.
4. Kasworm, C. E. (1992). The adult’s learning projects: A fresh approach to theory and practice in adult education. In G. J. Confessore & S. J. Confessore (Eds.), Guideposts to self-directed learning: Expert commentary on essential concepts (pp. 55-73). King of Prussia, PA: Organization Design and Development, Inc.
5. Novak, J. (1998). Learning, creating, and using knowledge: Concept maps as facilitative tools in schools and corporations. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
6. West, R. F. (1992). The organizing circumstance: Environmental determinants in self-directed learning. In G. J. Confessore & S. J. Confessore (Eds.), Guideposts to self-directed learning: Expert commentary on essential concepts (pp. 85-98). King of Prussia, PA: Organization Design and Development, Inc.
Learning as Development / Adult Development
1. Caffarella, R. S. & Olson, S. K. (1993, Spring). Psychosocial development of women: A critical review of the literature. Adult Education Quarterly, 43(3), 125-151.
2. Chickering, A., & Reisser, L. (1993). Education and identity (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: JosseyBass.
3. Levinson, D. (1990). A theory of life structure development in adulthood. In C. N. Alexander and E. J. Langer (Eds.), Higher stages of human development: Perspectives on adult growth, (pp. 35-50). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
4. Perry, W. (1968). Forms of intellectual and ethical development in the college years: A scheme. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.