One of the longstanding problems facing those involved in the adult education sector has been a lack of formal training and accreditation. This lack applied to both teachers and learners. Specific courses for those who wanted to teach adults were thin on the ground while adult learners could spend years doing community-based courses without receiving any formal qualifications.
University College Dublin is endeavouring to address at least one side of the problem with a new certificate course in adult education. This is aimed at those teaching in the adult education sector or those whose jobs involve an adult training or teaching component. The certificate is modular in structure which facilitates those who want to get a qualification fast and those for whom a more leisurely pace is better.
The course comprises six modules and the modules are taught Monday to Thursday nights and on a Saturday morning at the UCD in Belfield. Each module costs £140 and this includes the assessment fee. Evening modules run for 12 weeks from 7.30 p.m. until 9.30 p.m. The Saturday morning module is six weeks long and runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. There is a student intake now with another in February 2001. Places are limited to 25 students per class.
Assessment is by various methods such as essay, project, case study and journal. The course does not have specific entry requirements. An interest/experience in the area is sufficient.
"We had our first intake of students in spring and most of the modules filled up very quickly," says course co-ordinator Rhonda Wynne. "The course attracted a broad mix of people, including those already teaching adults and those who suddenly fond themselves in a situation where they have to - for example, people in industry given a responsibility for training or perhaps secondary teachers who have to teach on adult education programmes."
The six modules cover adults and learning, the philosophy of adult education, supporting the adult learner, contemporary issues in adult education, course delivery/practical teaching skills and designing the learning experience.
"The course is designed to give students the opportunity to reflect on the issues influencing the field of adult education while also addressing practical considerations such as motivation, adult learning models and how to support the adult learner," says Wynne.
Contact point:
Those wishing to start the course this autumn should waste no time contacting Rhonda Wynne at (01)7068094 or
e-mail rhonda.wynne@ucd.ie
