Assignment 4

Reflection: Theories Into Practice

For this assignment, you will reflect on the present adult learning theories that you have studied in the course. You will use such reflections in order to develop your own theory and then speculate upon the future of adult education theories. 

Write a 5–6 page paper in which you:

Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of three adult learning theories that you have studied throughout the course. Evaluate the soundness of each theory in the way it addresses its target learner audience, related teaching and learning environment, and the adult learning processes.  

Develop your own adult learning theory in which you:

Indicate related theories to which you subscribe and thus have influenced your new theory. Justify your response.

Describe the target learner audience, related teaching and learning environment, and the learning processes that your new theory seeks to address.

Determine the primary manner in which your theory would serve a particular population.

Analyze the existing void within adult learning theories that your new theory seeks to fill. 

Predict the future path of the field of adult education, and suggest whether or not existing learning theories—including yours—would address the challenges of serving a diverse adult learner population. Provide a rationale for your response.

Recommend an approach to designing an inclusive theory for adult learning. Defend or challenge the following assertion: One inclusive theory would meet the needs of adult learners within McLuhan’s global village. Justify your response.

Use at least five quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar websites do not qualify as quality resources.