Overview
MDDE 611: Foundations of Adult Education introduces the purposes of adult education, and provides an overview of adult education theory and practice. Although the course is not intended as a comprehensive examination of the field of adult education, it will provide you with a foundation for studying other adult education courses and related fields.
A complementary course to MDDE 611 within the MEd and MAIS programs is MDDE 613 Adult Education and Lifelong Learning.
Outline
The course is composed of seven units:
- Unit 1: Exploring the Foundations
- Unit 2: Understanding the Social
- Unit 3: Education for Economy
- Unit 4: Education for Transformation
- Unit 5: Education for Diversity
- Unit 6: Education at a Distance: Online and Open
- Unit 7: Canadian Adult Education in a Global Context
Learning outcomes
The goals of the course are to provide you with the following skills and knowledge:
- Critically discuss the foundations of adult education;
- Describe the dominant theoretical perspectives in adult education and relate them to practice;
- Identify and discuss the key social, economic, and political issues that currently affect adult education.
- Analyze an adult education issue using an integrated approach;
- Discuss how adult education theory relates to distance education;
- Discuss your informed, critical perspective on the purpose of adult education for the 21st century.
Evaluation
Students will be assessed on the basis of six assignments and their participation in the course.
| Activity | Weight |
| Assignment 1: Chapter Review | 25% |
| Assignment 2: Program Critique Group Presentation | 25% |
| Assignment 3: Research Paper | 30% |
| Course Participation | 20% |
| Total | 100% |
Materials
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
Athabasca University (1988). Perspectives: On adult education. (Interviews with Malcolm Knowles, Allen Tough, Patricia Cross and Roger Boshier). Athabasca, AB: AU Press.
Freire, P. (2003). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Revised 30th Anniversary Edition. New York: Continuum. [Original work published 1970].
Nesbit, T., Brigham, S., Taber, N., & Gibb, T. (Eds.) (2013). Building on critical traditions: Adult education and learning in Canada. Toronto, ON: Thompson Educational Publishing.
Spencer, B., & Lange E. (2014). The purposes of adult education: A short introduction. Toronto, ON: Thompson.
Welton, M. (Ed.) (1987). Knowledge for the people. Toronto, ON: OISE. (E-text)
Other Resources
Online Study Guide and Readings