COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the course on Adult Learning & Instructional Design Models. This comprehensive course is designed to equip educators, trainers, and instructional designers with the essential knowledge and skills necessary to effectively design and deliver educational programs tailored to adult learners in vocational education and training (VET). By mastering these principles and models, you can create engaging and impactful learning experiences that meet the needs of adult learners.

We begin with an introduction to adult learning in vocational education and training. This section covers the definition of adult learning, its importance in the VET sector, and the unique characteristics of adult learners that influence how they engage with and benefit from educational programs.

Theories of adult learning provide the foundational knowledge necessary for understanding how adults learn best. This section covers key theories such as Andragogy (Knowles' Theory), Transformative Learning Theory, and Experiential Learning Theory, offering insights into the principles and practices that underpin effective adult education.

Principles of adult learning explore the core concepts that guide adult education. You will learn about self-directed learning, the motivation and readiness to learn, and the relevance and practical application of learning, all of which are crucial for designing effective educational programs for adults.

An overview of instructional design models introduces the definition and purpose of instructional design, its historical evolution, and its importance in the VET sector. Understanding these models is essential for creating structured and effective learning experiences.

The ADDIE Model is a fundamental instructional design framework. This section covers each phase of the model—Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation—providing practical techniques for applying this model to your instructional design process.

Bloom's Taxonomy offers a hierarchical classification of learning objectives. This section explores the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains of Bloom's Taxonomy, with examples of how to apply these concepts in educational settings.

Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Training Evaluation is a widely used model for assessing the effectiveness of training programs. You will learn about the four levels—Reaction, Learning, Behaviour, and Results—and how to apply this model to evaluate the impact of your training programs.

Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction outlines a systematic approach to instructional design. This section covers each of the nine events, such as gaining attention, stimulating recall of prior learning, and providing feedback, with practical examples of how to implement these events in your instructional design.

Merrill’s Principles of Instruction focus on demonstration, application, and integration principles. This section provides practical examples of how to apply these principles to enhance the effectiveness of your instructional design.

The SAM (Successive Approximation Model) offers an iterative approach to instructional design. This section covers the preparation, iterative design, and iterative development phases of SAM, with examples of how to apply this model to create dynamic and responsive educational programs.

The ARCS Model (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction) is a motivational design framework. You will learn techniques for capturing attention, establishing relevance, building confidence, and ensuring satisfaction, with examples of how to apply these concepts in your instructional design.

Constructivist Learning Theory in VET emphasises learner-centred approaches, collaborative learning, and real-world contexts. This section explores how to apply constructivist principles to create engaging and meaningful learning experiences for adult learners.

Designing effective learning activities is crucial for achieving learning objectives. This section covers aligning activities with learning objectives, using active learning techniques, and implementing assessment and feedback mechanisms, with practical examples to guide your practice.

Implementing instructional design models in VET involves best practices for implementation, case studies and examples, and strategies for continuous improvement and evaluation. This final section provides insights into how to effectively apply instructional design models in your educational practice, ensuring that your programs are both impactful and sustainable.

By the end of this course, you will be equipped with the knowledge and practical skills needed to design and deliver effective educational programs for adult learners, using a variety of instructional design models and principles to enhance learning outcomes and support the success of your learners in the VET sector.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand the following topics:

1. Introduction to Adult Learning in Vocational Education and Training

• Definition of Adult Learning
• Importance of Adult Learning in VET
• Characteristics of Adult Learners

2. Theories of Adult Learning

• Andragogy (Knowles' Theory)
• Transformative Learning Theory
• Experiential Learning Theory

3. Principles of Adult Learning

• Self-Directed Learning
• Motivation and Readiness to Learn
• Relevance and Practical Application

4. Instructional Design Models Overview

• Definition and Purpose of Instructional Design
• Historical Evolution of Instructional Design Models
• Importance in VET

5. ADDIE Model

• Analysis Phase
• Design Phase
• Development Phase

6. Bloom's Taxonomy

• Cognitive Domain
• Affective Domain
• Psychomotor Domain
• Examples in Action

7. Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Training Evaluation

• Reaction
• Learning
• Behaviour and Results
• Examples in Action

8. Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction

• Gaining Attention
• Stimulating Recall of Prior Learning
• Providing Feedback
• Examples in Action

9. Merrill’s Principles of Instruction

• Demonstration Principle
• Application Principle
• Integration Principle
• Examples in Action

10. SAM (Successive Approximation Model)

• Preparation Phase
• Iterative Design Phase
• Iterative Development Phase
• Examples in Action

11. ARCS Model (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction)

• Capturing Attention
• Establishing Relevance
• Building Confidence
• Examples in Action

12. Constructivist Learning Theory in VET

• Learner-Centred Approach
• Collaborative Learning
• Real-World Contexts
• Examples in Action

13. Designing Effective Learning Activities

• Aligning Activities with Learning Objectives
• Active Learning Techniques
• Assessment and Feedback Mechanisms
• Examples in Action

14. Implementing Instructional Design Models in VET

• Best Practices for Implementation
• Case Studies and Examples
• Continuous Improvement and Evaluation
• Examples in Action

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.

COURSE DELIVERY:

Purchase and download course content.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.