UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A newly redesigned course on teaching adult learners is among this summer’s offerings from Penn State World Campus Online Faculty Development.
“Teaching the Adult Learner” (OL 3100.01) is an online, self-guided course that opens May 5. It is one of the many professional development courses Penn State World Campus Online Faculty Development will offer during the summer sessions of the University’s academic calendar. Courses may be self-guided or led by an instructor, but all are asynchronous.
Online Faculty Development also is offering registration for its “Graduate Student Online Teaching Certificate” through May 11.
Courses are free and open to all Penn State instructors and staff members.
About 'Teaching the Adult Learner'
Penn State World Campus Online Faculty Development has completely redesigned the “Teaching the Adult Learner” course with the help of an alumna-turned-instructional designer.
According to the American Council on Education, more than 50% of students are older adults. This course aims to help instructors differentiate between the needs and skills of adults and traditional-age college students, who are 18 to 22 years old.
The course material presents adult learning principles, and enrollees will learn about the unique characteristics of adult learners, examine the relationship between teaching and specific adult learner needs, and infer how the characteristics of adult learners influence their engagement and expectations in higher education.
Course author Crystal Donlan revamped “Teaching the Adult Learner,” applying her more than 20 years of experience as an educator and teaching and learning professional. Donlan earned a master of education in learning, design, and technology from Penn State World Campus and is a doctoral candidate in lifelong learning and adult education from the Penn State College of Education.
Donlan hopes course participants will learn something about themselves — both as practitioners and as learners.
“I think faculty members and professional staff will find when they engage with this course that they’re not only learning about adult learners, but they’re learning about themselves — both as teachers and as learners,” she said. “They also get to engage in reflective practice, and that is something we as professionals do not often consciously take the time to do.”
The course includes content modeled from a universal design for learning (UDL) perspective, and includes learning activities focused around reading, watching, doing and reflecting. Donlan said the experience can help build common ground between instructors and adult online learners.
“Our professional learners will be actively involved in the learning experience. We’re modeling to our participants how to engage adult learners,” Donlan said. “We’re really leading by example in showing our faculty how we can engage and extend compassion to adult learners.”
Those who have taken the previous version of the course are encouraged to take the redesigned one.
Additional opportunities for professional development
Penn State World Campus Online Faculty Development offers a variety of self-guided and instructor-led courses focusing on online learning, student success, advising and more.
The self-guided courses available this summer are:
- “Student Support and Advocacy in Online Learning” (OL 1200)
- “Accessible Online Course Authoring” (OL 2600.01)
- “Supporting Accommodations for Online Learners” (OL 3000.01)
- “Serving Military-Connected Students” (OL 3200.01)
- “Universal Design for Learning” (OL 3600.01)
- “Excellence in Academic Advising” (OL 3800.01)
- “Excellence in Academic Advising: Under-Resourced Students” (OL 3825.01)
- “Excellence in Academic Advising: Under-Resourced Students II” (OL 3850.01)
- “Empowering Conversations: Interacting with Student Supporters” (OL 3855.01)
- “Excellence in Academic Advising: Career Advising” (OL 3875.01)
Instructor-led courses start in June and July, covering topics like online teaching essentials, online assessments, Canvas best practices and integrating open education resources into courses.
Graduate students: Earn a certificate in online teaching
Registration also is open now through May 11 for the “Graduate Student Online Teaching Certificate” (OL2050). This course is a free five-week asynchronous experience for all current and recently admitted Penn State doctoral, post-doctoral and master’s students.
Students will learn about the essential competencies and effective practices of online teaching. More than 1,800 people have completed the program, which recognizes those who complete the course work with a professional development certificate.
View the full list of courses on the Penn State World Campus Online Faculty Development website.