ML527: Creative
Strategies for Teaching Adults (4 units)
DESCRIPTION:
Current or potential teachers, trainers, and facilitators in this
course share a common goal of creating situations where learning is effective
and sustained. They want a sure way to design and lead such learning
opportunities that are meaningful and engaging to adult participants.
“Dialogue Education” uses the
principles and concepts of adult learning theory to transform “education” into
balanced sharing of new information with interactive, hands-on practice. This
approach is “learning” centered rather than teacher centered or even learner
centered. Participants will discover new ways to design curriculum, meetings
and programs that are both meaningful and relevant to their audience as well as
engaging and immediately applicable. By practicing this method and applying it
to their own situations many times during the course, they will leave prepared
to improve learning session designs and equipped with useful tools for teaching
or facilitating dialogue based workshops, meetings and programs for adults.
(LIMITED TO 14 STUDENTS DUE TO THE INTERACTIVE NATURE OF THE WORK)
LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of this
course you will have:
· Analyzed and used the principles
and practices of this learning-centered approach to education
· Compared the factors of best
adult learning practices with Jesus’ methods and your current practice
· Listed ways to strengthen your
teaching by adding visual, auditory and kinesthetic approaches
· Compared the eight steps of
designing taught in this course with your current planning approach
· Described some cross-cultural implications of this method
· With a partner, designed and taught two 20 minute learning events using
these methods
COURSE FORMAT:
The class will meet at night during the 10-week quarter for 3 hours
each evening or in a two week intensive. Each session students will interact
with course material through a series of learning tasks designed to accomplish
the learning outcomes. Each student must attend all of every class session
since other students’ work will depend on their participation.
REQUIRED READING: Read 1200 pages from
the required reading and the reserve shelf.
MacKeracher,
Dorothy, 2004, Making Sense of Adult
Learning, University of Toronto Press, Toronto.
Vella, Jane, 1994. Learning to Listen,
Learning to Teach: The Power of Dialogue in Educating Adults. Jossey-Bass.
Vella, Jane and associates, 2004, Dialogue
Education at Work: A Case Book, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Special reserve shelf reading in addition to
required texts
2. Weekly learning tasks to be
accomplished in class
3. Six, 500 word (two-page) proactive
book reviews from required texts and reserve shelf reading
4. With a partner, design and teach two
20 minute learning sessions using these methods
5. Submit a 3750 (15-page) “learning
centered” design for a future teaching event
For ThM Students: Read an additional
300 pages and do two additional book reviews
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective. NO AUDITORS.
FINAL EXAM: None.
Last Date Updated: June 13, 2005