Institute for Adult Learning Courses

Reflective Practice for Adult Educators

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To many adult educators, reflective practice is a crucial skill in their continuing professional development. However, the process of doing it effectively is never easy as Brookfield (1998) pointed out in noting that “to some extent, we are all prisoners trapped within the perceptual frameworks that determine how we view our experiences…”Our course is for adult educators or teachers who are interested in using a structured method to examine their own teaching/training practices. Through using four perspectives better known as Brookfield's Four Reflective Lens, this course attempts to address the limitations of our perspectives in the reflection process.The 4 lenses areAutobiographical: examining our autobiographies, both as learners and adult educatorsLearner: learning to see ourselves through our learners’ eyesPeer: accessing our colleagues’ perspectives on our practice;Theoretical: examining the theoretical literature for alternative interpretations to our experiencesThis programme is self-paced and designed for those who want to get started in their reflective practice straightaway. You will learn more about each lens through a video example of how the particular lens is applied by practitioners. This followed by worksheets and questions that gets you to apply the lens in your professional practice.Our course is for adult educators or teachers who are interested in using a structured method to examine their own teaching/training practices. Whether you are a vocational education instructor, a lecturer or professional trainer and facilitator working with adults, this course will help you get started in the practice of conducting a systematic inquiry into your own practice with the intent to improve what you are doing.

Helping Adults Learn by Using Appropriate Instructional Methods

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As an adult trainer, are you sick of the “Death by Powerpoint” style? Are you thinking of using different ways to engage your learners? Do you toss and turn at night wondering if your materials have been effective and useful for your learners? Enroll in this short course to pick up some tips on using a range of instructional methods to engage your adult learners and make their learning relevant and meaningful.As a needs-based course, we will first determine the type of program you are currently or will be facilitating, and then recommend a range of instructional methods that are relevant to your learners and the learning outcomes for the program.With the help of video resources, short notes, formative quizzes, and forum discussions, you will engage with the learning materials both individually and with a community of like-minded practitioners. Hear from experts how they adapt these instructional methods for their own facilitation purposes, and start or join conversations to discuss these methods at greater length and depth.This course is for both new and experienced trainers.As the course design is based on your needs as a trainer, there is no need for you to work through everything, only what you deem relevant to you. This will take about a week. However, if you feel that you want to find out about instructional methods that are not immediately relevant to you now, you are most welcome to explore the rest of the course. This will take approximately three more weeks.