Theme 3: Adult Learning
Evidence of Participation
Course: EAC 559 - The Adult Learner

This narrative discusses a course project that provides evidence of participation from an adult learner (myself) in a distance-learning course about adult learning. Distance-learning has become a common form of adult learning, as it provides an alternative way to further one's education and career, for those who work full-time and/or have family obligations. Most interactions occur asynchronously, where instructors and students are not physically in the same place and do not meet at the same time. Participation predominantly occurs in online discussion forums.

As evidence of my participation, I reflected on and analyzed the learning I gained for myself and created for others via online discussion forums. Specifically, I had to provide evidence of linking  literature with my learning, relating theory to my practice, posing new challenges, sharing excellent resources, and presenting alternative perspectives. Topics discussed in my discussion forum posts included my learning style; the connection between emotions and adult learners; reducing anxiety for adult learners; assumptions about adult learners; and, how culture and gender impact adult learning.

This project was particularly useful in a course about adult learning. Self-concept is one of Malcolm Knowles’ six principles of adult learning or andragogy – adults prefer to be responsible for their own actions including evaluation of their own learning.

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