Adult Education Study Simulators

The understanding of educational theory improves the quality of teaching taking place in schools. Indeed, according to Podeschi and Pearson (2003, p. 89), continued exposure to diverse educational theories help instructors to apply best practices in day-to-day teaching activities.

Further, instructors are more likely to apply a different teaching method, which helps in understanding what works best with different students and lessons. The resulting system is mutually beneficial among educational stakeholders: teachers improve on respective professionalism, students receive high quality education, and school administration becomes more efficient in executing duties and responsibilities.

Instructional processes being used by this researcher will definitely be improved upon reading the chapter. Most importantly, the understanding of factors influencing instruction delivery among adult students would results to change in strategies.

This instructor will therefore embark on understanding specific factors before developing strategies to be applied. The strategy of involving adult students in the development of individuals’ academic goals will also get incorporated in the new instructional processes. The newly improved procedures will be implemented and consequently get evaluated regularly.

In order to understand the participation rate in the local population, a group of ten adults were randomly selected and asked various questions regarding their propensity to participate. Four of the selected adults are active participants in adult education, whereas the rest (six) said they would like to participate but lack time.

Those currently undergoing adult education do so through weekend classes as well as summer school. The adults were more inclined to attend group classes instead of studying privately.

Participants of organized adult education are better positioned to succeed compared to individuals on self-directed learning, considering professionalism involved in adult educational systems (Knowles, 1999, p. 213). Organized education benefits from various teachers with wider experience and knowledge to guide adults in attaining respective academic goals.

Participants in organized classes further get opportunities to share with each other, which enhances the understanding of concepts taught in classes. On the other hand, adults on self-directed learning have the advantage of concentrating on subjects and concepts of interest, which lacks in organized reaching.

This instructor’s recruitment of adult education will be influenced by what has been learnt in the chapter. The new understanding on individuals more likely to participate in adult education will especially be of help. The instructor will embark on the process as recruiting adult students from both groups—those who are more likely to enroll and succeed and those with difficulties.

Both groups will further get mixed in all the classes and educational activities. Mixed classes are, according to Moos and Tricket (2004, p. 117) better placed to motivate struggling adult students to succeed academically. This will also help in the process of reducing chances of me drop out from the struggling students. Most importantly, the instructor will ensure encouraging students from either group to interact more in class activities.

The instructor will further work closely with individual students with the intention of establishing a working rapport. This way, students would feel free to express their hardships to the instructor and therefore increase chances of resolving issues before reaching crisis level.

Knowing adult students’ cognitive and learning styles are a must for teachers involved in the sector. Indeed, it is only through such knowledge that teachers can successfully help students achieve respective academic goals. Having such understanding helps teachers to come up with strategies that improve students’ ability to grasp concepts taught in their classes.

Fort instance, understanding that some students learn better by just listening to lectures and others through visual aids, teachers are more likely to combine strategies. This would mean running lectures in combination with lecture notes for those who learn better through reading and PowerPoint slides for those in need of visual aids. Such approach leaves all students with better understanding.

Though there exists little data relating to motivating general public in taking part in adult education, it is with no doubt that improving awareness would improve enrollment rates.

This instructor will therefore embark on improving awareness of adult education courses within the locality, which would be achieved in collaboration with relevant departments. In addition to improving awareness, diversity in student’ body would be enhanced at various levels, which would leave participants stronger in their academic endeavors.

There exist some differences between youth and adult students, especially regarding needs and preferences. Adult students are more likely to prefer the traditional lecture notes instructions delivery, whereas the youth would prefer aggressive usage of information technology (Knowles, 1999, p. 72).

To the youths, sitting down and consequently taking lecture notes sounds tedious—significant portion prefer having lectures delivered through IT, especially the Internet, where they can access at afterwards and regularly. On the other hand, adults are less inclined to rely on information technology, because they lack, or have little of the required technical skills.

The first step in designing class instructions for adult students is to request them to share goals they would like to achieve. This instructor would arrange for a meeting with individual students and consequently collect views and concerns that would be incorporated in the instructions. Instructor will thus understand each student needs that will be considered in curriculum development process.

The traditional lectures, which most adult students are comfortable with, would become the primary teaching method. However, the instructor will embark on incorporating information technology throughout the process. The use of technology will also provide adult students to learn about the modern methods and thus overcome the digital divide barrier separating them from youth students.

Wild Wide Web, PowerPoint presentations, and email communication between teachers and students will be used widely. All lecture and learning material will be posted on class website, where students can refer at their own convenience. As discussed above, the instructor will arrange for private meeting time with individual students.

These meetings will be used to gage students’ comfort in using information technology—problems in using the system would be dealt with accordingly. In addition, the meetings would be used to understand whether the goals set in advance have been achieved. Students will therefore get a chance to get the much-needed counsel.

The same processes can be applied with regard to youth education, given that they are in need of much support. Youth students are more likely to lack self-control and discipline that are required in academics. It is important for teachers in lower and upper academic levels to embark on improving this much-needed discipline in their students.

This will serve them well in latter years, especially when they participate in adult education. The long run beneficiaries of improved understanding of education theories would therefore include stakeholders from all walks of life: teachers would become more efficient in their professions, whereas students benefit from high quality teaching methods.

References
Knowles, M. (1999). Pedagogy versus Andragogy. New York: Routledge.

Moos, P. & Trickett, E. (2004). Classroom Environment. Palo Alto: CPP.

Pearson, E. & Podeschi, R.  (2003). Humanism & Individualism in Adult Education. Adult-Education Quarterly. Vol. 50 (3): 39-55.