1. Barriers to Creating a More Adult Centered Learning Environment Dr. Ingrid Crowther Athabasca University Nov. 3-6, 2003

2. Climate of Adult Learning Environment  Difficult to reconfigure large lecture halls or classrooms into small groupings for individual work and discussions  Lecture type-environments lead to more authority-oriented setting – lecturer at the front, students in rows in front  Lecturer initiates learning through presentation – overhead, board work, computer  Discussion centres around points raised by lecturer  Emphasis on students listening and asking questions  Student discussion limited to a few individuals

3. Planning of Program  Content of program pre-set by educational institution – students fit into pre-planned program  Delivery of program responsibility of faculty – lectures pre-designed, course outlines developed by faculty to indicate expectations  Students required to follow course of study regardless of experience, knowledge, or individual differences

4. Diagnosis of Needs  Diagnosis set by evaluative system of course  Set by faculty – marks, pass/fail  Students fit into pre-existing program of study that compares individuals within the program through marks  Limited opportunity to improve grades achieved

5. Goal Setting  Students may set general goals to complete a specific program of study – ECE, DSW..  Goals of program pre-set by faculty and specified in program layout and on individual course outlines  Students work fits into pre-existing goals

6. Designing Learning Size of class dictates types of learning activities – the larger the class the more: Size of class dictates types of learning activities – the larger the class the more:  Lecture type of activities – content delivered by faculty  Greater degree of teacher-directed activity  More likely to multiple choice or short answer type of evaluation systems  More comparison of student competency /learning

7. Learning Activities  Focus on testing knowledge, facts  Same for all students  The larger the class the less likely that all individuals will participate in discussions, asking of questions and fewer application type written assignments such as essays  Assignments such as presentations – focus on knowledge and facts and are presented in a teacher-directed method

8. Evaluation  Emphasis of learning is competitive – percentages, grades, bell-curving of marks  Evaluation is set and evaluated by faculty  Evaluation product oriented – what has been learned  Evaluation based on memorized facts

9. Knowledge of Adult Learning  Few adult educators have completed adult education learning programs  Adult education not often specified as a criteria for hiring faculty to teach adults  Adult education is a relative new field  Past practices have influenced practices today  Retention of learning not often a cornerstone for teaching

10. Financial Financial Larger class size uses fewer resources -  One individual can lecture to large numbers of students;  Need for decreased number of faculty – fewer salaries, fewer benefits  One large room may be utilized rather than several smaller rooms;  Less resources needed as fewer faculty needed to teach - audio-visual equipment, videos, projectors..

11. Attitudes Attitudes  Status quo - We have always taught like this in post secondary education and it has worked  Faculty are hired as experts; students are not experts, it is perceived that they need to be told what they need to learn  Students need to be taught the same curriculum in order to ensure consistency  Developmentally appropriate practices for teaching adults are more time-consuming and therefore not readily implemented in larger group sizes