Week 2 Overview

Adult learners often have similar desires: courses that are challenging, collaborative, and flexible to accommodate their different work/life situations and learning styles. They appreciate knowing why and how they are to learn (and be evaluated) and like to engage in learning activities that are relevant, applicable, and meaningful.

When you teach online, you may have to adapt your adult teaching strategies and the way you develop learning activities, to accommodate the impact of the change in learning environment and the ways in which you can monitor, interact and adapt your practice with each new group of learners. You will need to consider the "affordances" of the technologies you have available, and think about how your beliefs about teaching might affect how you approach online teaching and learning.

In this module you'll explore some key ideas that apply to our work with adult learners online, including what is often referred to as "learning styles" and "adult learning" theory.

The least important thing is becoming an expert on any learning theory, style or teaching strategy. The most important thing is understanding the main IDEAS, and being able to USE them as tools/supports for your thinking and problem solving when you are making instructional designs and decisions.

In Week 2 you will notice that there are two mini-sessions:

1. Adult Learners Online
2. Course Review Task Force (Case Study)

The workshop facilitators may choose to run one or both of these sessions. Watch for updates from your facilitators.

Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

Here are the Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria you should be working with/toward for this week's mini-sessions. 

Learning Outcomes common to both mini-sessions:

• Assess community-building elements and strategies in the design of online learning activities and courses
• Critically evaluate self-performance and learning

Adult Learning Online

Course Review Task Force