3 semester credits

The field of adult learning is multifaceted; adult learners are also complex, bringing diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives into the classroom. This course is a foundation for understanding this dynamic field. Education professionals examine what it means to be a leader in a fast-paced, changing environment. They explore and discuss key topics, including the conceptual base of the field, adult learner motivation, settings and contexts of practice, forms and processes of adult learning, best practices that support adult learning, and major issues and controversies in the field today. Applying course concepts, education professionals develop a personal philosophy of adult education to use as a guide in their current or future practice as an adult educator. They also become familiar with the philosophy, requirements, and community of Walden University, The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Human Services, and the MS in Adult Learning program.