Abstract
Adult learning has become a dominant emerging trend of contemporary education systems across the globe. Indeed, the pandemic, globalization, deskilling, and increasing migration trends have re-focused academic and applied scholarship on adult learning strategies. But till date adult learning lacks a comprehensive holistic learning theory that focuses solely on fulfilling the dynamic needs and expectations of adult learners. Written from a first-person perspective, this chapter offers a behind-the scenes look of designing an adult entrepreneurial competency learning strategy that encompasses traditional learning principles and unique adult learning characteristics and needs. The chapter details existing learning theories followed by the author's account of how she developed and designed an integrative adult learning strategy.
TopIntroduction
This chapter is an autoethnography which colors and shapes how the author develops her research problem, chooses supportive academic literature, analyzes, and discusses her data, and feasible solutions. Written from the perspective of the author who is an experienced higher education instructional designer, this chapter is an autoethnographic account of the process of designing an integrative adult learning strategy. The author begins her account with a vivid description of her research method: autoethnography which frames the chapter outlook, narration, language, and organization. This approach, though uncommon for authoring chapters, is a preferred organizational style for autoethnographic researchers (Tullis, 2021). The reason being that describing the research method before detailing the event and/or chapter explains the why, how, what, and when of the study. The methodology section flows into a detailed research problem and gap followed by a descriptive background section which discusses various adult learning theories. The latter half of the chapter comprises three sections of, a) main focus of chapter which discusses in-depth the process of designing the adult learning strategy. The author provides a step-by-step approach describing how she designed an integrative adult learning strategy from scratch to fruition. The remaining final two sections focus on future research directions and a summative conclusion. The author hopes that her autoethnographic study contributes to the scholarship of adult learning in society and brings to the fore the problem and challenges of designing a comprehensive adult learning strategy.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Schema: A mental structure/framework that organizes related facts and ideas together.
Theory vs. Model: Models are representations that are developed to explain a theory and/or concept. Theory is a framework and/or statement that explains conceptual ideas and/or factual phenomena/processes.
Intrinsic Motivation: Motivation to engage in behaviors and/or activities due to inner needs and satisfaction. Examples are happiness, job satisfaction, peer recognition, and resume enhancement.
Pedagogy: The method and science of teaching. Pedagogy comprises theories and models to explain how education is taught in classrooms.
Instructional Design: Creation of learning experiences and materials that results in acquisition and application of knowledge and skills.
Extrinsic Motivation: Motivation to engage in behaviors and/or activities to earn external rewards and/or avoid punishment. Examples are studying to get good grades, running hard in a race to win a medal.
Competency: The knowledge, skills, and abilities/behaviors that contribute to individual and organizational performance.