PSYC 7040:
ADULT LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT
SPECIFIC
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Numbers in parentheses indicate specific required readings.
OVERVIEW
1. Define educational psychology and discuss how it can help teachers, counselors, and administrators carry out their respective roles as educators of adults. (Reading #1)
2. Draw and discuss a model of the teaching‑learning process. Name and define each of the categories of variables in your model and identify some of the research that has been used to build the model. (Be certain to identify the source of your model.) (Reading #2)
3. Provide an overview of the Brilliant Star model of human behavior presented in class, describing how the model addresses internal and external aspects of development. Also discuss the importance of moral character and personal style as core elements of the model. (Reading #3)
RESEARCH
4. Describe the role of the scientific method in educational psychology. Define and differentiate assessment, measurement, evaluation, and research. Name and describe the three types of studies used in scientific research, giving specific, original examples of how these could be used to study adult learning. (Readings #4, 5, 6)
ADULT LEARNING
5. Compare and contrast the terms pedagogy and andragogy and the support for a differentiation between the two terms. Discuss the importance of the study of self-direction to theories of adult learning. (Reading #7)
6. Name and describe the stages of development made by a professional as he or she moves from novice to expert. (Reading #8)
CONTEXT
7. Discuss at least 5 important factors that are presently influencing or are likely to influence education during the next 20 years. Include in your discussion the impact the transition to the information age is having on the required knowledge, attitudes, and skills required for successful living. Make recommendations on how professional educators should respond to changing conditions. (Reading #9)
8. Name and discuss the essential foundations and competencies needed to work effectively in the information age as developed by the (U.S. Department of Labor) Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS). Discuss Dr. Huitt's critique of the SCANS report in terms of important attitudes, knowledge, and skills for being successful in the information age? How do these compare to the concept "Becoming a Brilliant Star?" What evidence would you use to persuade students, parents, educators and community members that these are indeed important? [See objective # 3 above] (Readings #3, 10)
LEARNING THEORIES AND ASSESSMENT
Overview
9. Define learning and differentiate it from development. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of theories of learning. Differentiate important issues between issues relevant to the teaching of children and adolescents versus the teaching of adults. (Reading #11)
10. Define learning and define the major approaches to how scientists study learning. (Reading #11)
11. Define achievement and differentiate it from ability. What is the relationship between planning, instruction, and assessment? Describe the major types of assessments and discuss how the concepts of reliability and validity are related to each. (Reading #11)
Behavioral Theories of Learning
12. Compare and contrast three major behavioral theories of learning, giving examples of how each of these can be used in the teaching‑learning process. (Readings #12, 13, 15)
13. Define operant learning and give original examples of four different methods for altering behavior using this theory. Discuss how this theory can be applied to the teaching‑ learning process, including how the Premack principle can be used to determine reinforcers. Additionally, name and define each of the schedules of reinforcement, and give an example of each kind as it might be used in the classroom. (Readings #14, 15)
Information Processing and Memory
14. Define and differentiate the stage, levels-of-processing, parallel distributed processing, and connectionist models of information processing. Draw and discuss the information-processing model of memory and give an example of how it works. Discuss the kinds of stimuli likely to arouse the orienting response and describe how short-term memory and long-term memory operate. Discuss some principles for getting information into both types of memory. How might these principles be implemented to improve instruction? (Readings #16, 18, 22)
15. Describe each of the six levels of Bloom's cognitive domain, providing original examples of actions students might exhibit to demonstrate competency at each level. (Reading #17)
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
16. Define critical thinking and describe five ways to help students increase skills associated with critical thinking. (Reading #19)
17. Discuss the steps in a general model of problem solving. Define critical and creative thinking and discuss how these are related to the
specific steps in problem solving. (Reading #20).
Cognitive Developmental Theories and Constructivism
18. Describe intellectual development according to Piaget, including a discussion of both the process and the stages of development. Note behavioral characteristics of each stage, describing how assimilation and accommodation are exemplified for each stage of development. Describe specific actions that teachers can take to incorporate Piaget's theory into the classroom. Compare Piaget's theory to Vygotsky's sociohistorical theory of cognitive development. (Reading #21)
19. Describe some of the implications of the developmental theories of Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky and Bruner for classroom instruction and assessment. How might the practices of alternative assessment be impacted by these theories? (Reading #21)
20. Summarize the research findings on cognition as they specifically relate to adult learning. (Reading #22)
Affective Development and Humanistic Approaches
21. Define affective development and summarize the major theories that address this issue. What role do feelings and emotions play in adult learning? (Readings #23, 24)
22. Describe the humanistic paradigm as it applies to education and schooling. (Readings #25, 26)
23. Name and discuss the stages in Maslow's hierarchy of needs. How does this theory relate to achieving excellence in the nine areas of life presented in the "Becoming a Brilliant Star" exercise discussed in class? What are the major criticisms of this theory? (Readings #27, 28)
Social Learning and Social Cognition
24. Discuss social learning theory and the social cognitive theory of learning. Why is the introduction of reciprocal determination an important addition in the area of learning theory? Define self-efficacy and self-regulation and describe their importance in adult learning. (Readings #29, 30, 31)
25. Define conation, describe how it works and how it might develop. How does goal-setting impact conation and learning? How does conation relate to self-regulation and self-control? What can educators do to help students develop conation? (Reading #32)
26. Describe the importance of context and the social construction of knowledge for adult learning. (Readings #33, 34)
Summary of Learning Theories
27. Define learning and compare and contrast the factors that behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, and social cognitive theorists believe influence the learning process. Mention ways in which the theories are alike and ways in which they are different. Discuss how these theories can impact your role as a professional educator of adults. (Reading #35)
28. Name and discuss at least 5 principles of learning that most learning theorists agree on, regardless of their theoretical orientation. Give specific examples of how these principles could be used in the classroom. (Reading #36)
INSTRUCTION
29. Describe how the categories of instructional models relate to the learning theories discussed above. How important are the outcomes advocated by instructional developers in each of these categories in the information age? Give specific examples of programs for each category. (Reading #37)
30. Compare and contrast Rosenshine's model of direct or explicit instruction and the principles of learner-centered teaching discussed by Fardouly, mentioning how these two approaches do or do not address the learning theories of adult learning discussed in this class. (Reading #38, 39)
31. Describe the Teaching Perspectives Inventory, including your specific perspective and how this might impact your approach to instruction. (Reading #40)
INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
32. Discuss the recent research that differentiates the approaches to learning preferred by women and men. How might this impact your approach to instruction? (Reading #41, 42)
33. Compare and contrast somatic and narrative learning in terms of the learning theories and approaches to instruction discussed in this class. (Reading #43)
ASSESSMENT, MEASUREMENT & EVALUATION
34. Compare and contrast assessment, measurement, and evaluation and describe how these concepts are applied in an educational setting. In your answer be sure to define and contrast the following terms, giving original examples of each:
a) reliability and validity;
b) formative and summative evaluation; and
c) criterion‑referenced and norm‑referenced tests.
Discuss how and when these concepts would be important in classroom assessment, evaluation, and grading practices relative to the important variables discussed in this course. (Reading #44, 45, 46)
35. Compare and contrast the behavioral, cognitive, constructivistic, humanistic, and social cognitive learning theories and describe important assessment issues highlighted by each theory. Describe some assessment procedures that can address these issues. (review relevant objectives above] (Review learning theories)
SUMMARY
36. Define motivation and discuss why a concept like motivation is or is not necessary in a model of teaching and learning and human behavior. If it is necessary to what aspects of learning might it apply? Discuss the differences between internal and external motivation. Describe the positions that behaviorists, cognitivists, constructivists, humanists, and social cognitivists might take on this distinction. Include in your discussion an overview of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. (Reading #47)
37. Discuss Merriam's major points regarding adult learning for the 21st century. (Reading #48)
Last updated: May 2004