Study of effective approaches for teaching adults
by Moore, Lynn S., Ph.D., CAPELLA UNIVERSITY, 2010, 119 pages; 3419234

Abstract:

The purpose of this case study, of the undergraduate faculty at a private New England college, is to understand if the faculty members embraced a theoretical framework of employing principles of andragogy, constructivism and a learner-centered approach. The problem that guided this case study is to find out to what extent college faculty used a learner-centered teaching approach when teaching adult learners to meet the demands of the 21st century. The methodology used for this descriptive case study included the use of the Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS) survey instrument, mean data supplied by the author of PALS, a faculty focus group, a student focus group and data provided from the student evaluations of undergraduate faculty members supplied by the research site. This case study answered the two research questions. The first question, “To what extent do the undergraduate faculty members use a learner-centered approach?” the answer is that it is within the norm established by the PALS survey instrument. The second question “Do educators with educational methods courses use a learner-centered teaching approach?” the answer is yes, and there is a statistically significance between the educators that have and have not taken educational methods courses. The teachers with educational methodology courses provide more individual instruction than teachers who have not taken methodology courses. On the other hand, teachers without educational methodology courses involve the students more in developing the curriculum than those teachers that have taken educational methodology courses.

 
AdviserCheryl D. Bullock
SchoolCAPELLA UNIVERSITY
SourceDAI/A 71-10, p. , Oct 2010
Source TypeDissertation
SubjectsAdult education; Higher education
Publication Number3419234
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