Johns Hopkins University Offers graduate degrees in Education:

Yvonne Waller

"Johns Hopkins helped me to improve my teaching skills and advance my career as an educator."
- Yvonne Waller, middle school teacher

Graduate Certificate in Adult Learning

The Graduate Certificate in Adult Learning prepares expert practitioners to teach in higher education, professional education, corporate universities, training and development, government agencies, and community settings. Participants examine the history, trends, issues, and latest theory and practice in the emerging field of adult learning. They then explore the instructional design process from an outcomes perspective focused on the identification of critical understandings and appropriate assessment measures. Participants also learn effective instructional strategies and technologies to optimize learning outcomes.

In the second half of the program, participants explore the varied cultures associated with teaching adults in academic, professional, health, community, public service, and personal enrichment settings. As a capstone, students create, develop, implement, and evaluate a learning experience, course, or program for adults in a specific setting.

This program can also be combined with another graduate education certificate program for a master's degree. Prospective students may arrange an appointment with an adviser by contacting the Linda Carling at 410-516-9842 or via email at carling@jhu.edu or Susan McLean 410-516-8225 or mclean@jhu.edu.

Requirements (15 credits)

 

  • 610.610 Foundation To Innovation: Adult Learning

    Participants examine the history, philosophy, and theory of adult learning, as well as the breadth of the field, as they construct their personal philosophy of adult learning for their portfolio. Participants analyze the contributions of major contributors to the field from Knowles to Brookfield. Participants explore the evolution of adult learning theory, including traditional and emerging views of the practice of adult learning, such as andragogy, transformative learning, social and cognitive constructivism, and critical reflection. Participants investigate the importance of the contextual elements of epistemology and cultural issues, such as class, gender, and race. (3 credits)

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  • 610.620 Assessment-Based Instructional Design for Adult Learners

    Through this course students develop an approach to instructional design based on the establishment of clearly defined learning goals and indicators of their achievement. Participants design learning-focused, evidence-based instructional experiences for adult learners. Participants differentiate between knowledge and understanding; coverage and uncoverage; choose between depth and breadth; and create appropriate and authentic assessment tasks, including classroom assessments to demonstrate learning. Participants also develop valid, reliable, summative, and formative assessments. (3 credits)

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  • 610.630 Effective Instructional Strategies and Technologies for Adult Learning

    Participants learn how to select and use appropriate techniques and strategies, including technology, to create learning experiences aligned with learning goals and their corresponding assessment. Participants experiment with and examine effective elements of interactive lectures, small groups, and case studies. Participants give special attention to the role of technology in enhancing the teaching-learning process. Specifically, participants analyze the impact of various techniques and technologies in order to choose the most effective means to accomplish learning goals. (3 credits)

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  • 610.640 Leadership in Adult Learning

    Participants study leadership qualities such as responsiveness, accountability, and scholarship that are critical for effective needs assessment, program design, advocacy, implementation, and evaluation of adult learning experiences. They examine the unique needs of leaders within the diverse adult learning settings of higher education, business, and community. Participants explore teaching as scholarship, study models such as action learning, and explore potential funding sources. Next, they center on the development of needs assessments, measuring results, and advocating for internal and external support and resources to address a community, professional, legislative, or business need. Throughout this process, participants adjust their language and approach to match the varied cultures associated with business, higher education, professions, government, and specialized communities. Participants develop an outcomes based project targeted to address an identified need in one of these settings. (3 credits)

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  • 610.650 Internship in Adult Learning

    Participants engage in a capstone project to apply and analyze their approach to adult learning. Under the guidance of a faculty sponsor, each participant prepares an extensive learning experience designed to address identified learning goals. Participants implement the learning experience and conduct an analysis of the outcomes with recommendations for future modifications to the experience. Participants share learning with a panel of experts. (3 credits) (3 credits)

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