Main Content
Syllabus
ADTED 506: Program Planning in Adult Education (3): Intensive study of theoretical foundations, policies, evaluation models, methods, and materials in program planning in adult education. Prerequisites: ADTED 460, ADTED 505
(Please note: ADTED 460 and ADTED 505 may be waived by the sponsoring academic department.)
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Technical Requirements | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Policies
Overview
Program planning is central to the task of most adult educators whether in higher education settings, vocational schools, religious institutions, business and industry, not-for-profit, or community education contexts. Program planning skills include developing appropriate content, learning about the participants needs, understanding the program/learning contexts, evaluating the program, determining program formats, preparing budgets, coordinating facilities and on-site activities, and communicating program outcomes. ADTED 506 is intended to provide participants with an opportunity to develop knowledge and skills relative to what Cyril O. Houle calls the "basic unity of process" which is reflected in program planning in a variety of adult education settings. The underlying assumption is that as course participants become more knowledgeable about that "process", they will become more proficient in planning, implementing, and evaluating effective adult education programs for adults in any institutional setting. Program planning is a value-laden process reflecting a complex interaction between a variety of factors including, but not limited to, various power relationships, needs, and the philosophies and/or ideologies of the planners.
Instructional Process
ADTED 506 will be conducted as a graduate course. Accordingly, a high level of student participation is required. In addition to periodic lecture by the instructor, a variety of techniques will be utilized to stimulate maximum participation, including small group discussions and large group class discussions on implications of course material for professional practice. It is expected that students will draw on their varied professional experiences to ground theory in practice. Students will be expected to carry out research and develop professional quality program plans. The instructor will be available as a learning resource to assist student initiatives.
The Course Content
The course is 16 weeks in length and is broken down in to 14 lessons of study as follows:
- Part One: Foundations for Program Planning
- Lesson 1: Introduction to Program Planning
- Lesson 2: Comparing and Contrasting Models of Program Planning
- Lesson 3: Clarifying Personal Assumptions, Ethical Considerations
- Lesson 4: Program Planning and Analyzing the Organizational Context
- Part Two: Designing Programs
- Lesson 5: An Overview of Needs Assessment
- Lesson 6: Establishing Objectives and Content
- Lesson 7: Designing Instruction Part One: Organizing Content Through Sequencing and Learning Formats
- Lesson 8: Designing Instruction Part Two: Choosing Methods, Creating Learning Climates, and Integrating Principles
- Lesosn 9: Designing Instruction Part Three: Learning Transfer, Develop Expertise, Using Questions, and Distance Education
- Lesson 10: Program Evaluation
- Part Three: Program Coordination
- Lesson 11: Program Budgets, Marketing, and Recruitment of Learners
- Lesson 12: Leading, Staffing and On-site Coordination
- Lesson 13: Improving Programs
- Lesson 14: Course Reflections
The course is built around the application of a generic model of program planning to adult education. The course will begin with a discussion of the nature and context of program planning in regard to the practice of adult education. We will then review a number of models of program planning and instructional design and address various concerns about the use of program design models in adult education. We will then examine each of the major aspects of program planning in more detail.
Course Format
This course is paced, which means that there is an established start and end date, and that you will interact with other students throughout the course. The course consists of several textbooks, a collection of readings, and a course website that contains the lessons and communications tools, such as discussion forums and an e-mail system.
In order to take the course, you need to have the required course materials and an active Penn State Access Account ID and password. The lessons are to be completed at a rate of approximately one lesson per week. Each lesson contains learning activities (both individual and small group) and class discussions.
Our interactions with one another will be "asynchronous"--we'll use tools like e-mail and online discussion forums to exchange our thoughts. These tools will enable each of us to participate at a time of day that is convenient to us. Since the discussions will be ongoing, however, you will be expected to log in to the course website at least five times per week (and not all in the same day!) so that you can participate effectively.
Course Objectives
As a result of this learning experience, course participants should be able to:
- Understand and defend the philosophical rationale for the program planning process they employ.
- Identify similarities and differences in various program planning models.
- Understand the ethical issues related to program planning in adult education.
- Recognize the complexity of effective needs assessment in program planning.
- Transform uncovered needs into program goals and objectives.
- Appreciate the variety of curricular design and delivery options in adult education.
- Understand the procedures employed in program evaluation.
- Develop program budgets and design effective promotion and marketing for programs.
- Understand how to staff programs and coordinate the on-site delivery of programs.
- Demonstrate the ability to apply the above skills through the design of an original program of significance to ADTED.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Note: Course textbook (required and recommended) selections are dependent on program faculty and campus site. The College of Education uses the current APA Manual criteria for all written assignments. The APA manual is listed as an optional material for purchase.
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
You will be required to complete selected readings to become acquainted with the topics to be covered and participate effectively in class discussions. Participation in class discussions is considered critical for creating a comfortable learning environment conducive to the open exchange of ideas and experiences as well as critical thinking. I will monitor your class participation throughout the course, and will provide you with feedback on a regular basis. In addition to this required participation in class discussions, you will also be expected to complete two (2) assignments, as described below.
A note about FEEDBACK: This course is built on a systems perspective which means that each piece of your project will be based on the previous step and will contribute to the next step; it's all interconnected. In some cases I will suggest you need to change something before you move on. I expect you to do that work on your own. You will be given ONE set of feedback based on your graded submission. Unfortunately because of the volume of work involved with so many individual projects, I cannot give you feedback on subsequent revisions.
Program Planner Practice Probe Project (worth 20 points)
For the first assignment, you will be interviewing an "outstanding" programmer asking questions about a specific adult education program he or she has designed. The purpose of the assignment is to provide you with an opportunity to gain some firsthand knowledge and insight into the practice of program planning and evaluation. You need to e-mail me with the name and position of the person you wish to interview for the project. Remember that in order to learn the various steps of program planning highlighted in this course, the program planner and plan you analyze must be an adult education program that takes the form of a class, workshop, seminar, or some other format of formal learning. If you have any questions, please let me know!
Your interview can be conducted in the setting of your choice and can be conducted by a variety of methods, including e-mail and phone. The questions for the interviews should include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Background information on the programmer/organizer:
- What is your social, educational, and work experience?
- How did you become involved in program planning?
- What is your "philosophy" of program planning, if any?
- What models of program planning are you familiar with?
- Which particular model have you used in the past?
- Do you have any preference for any model? Why?
- How has your approach to program planning changed over the years?
- What do you consider the single most important skill in planning effective programs?
- Information about a particular program he/she designed (workshop, class, etc.):
- How did the agency become aware of the need for the program?
- What information did the agency require to proceed with the program?
- What was the setting of the program and who were the learners?
- What resources were available for the program and how did you determine registration fees, if any?
- What were the goals and objectives and how were they established?
- What teaching and learning methods were employed?
- How was the learning sequenced?
- What were the criteria for evaluation? How was the program evaluated and who conducted the evaluation?
- What problems arose in the development and delivery of this program?
- How did you incorporate adult education theories and principles?
An Actual Program Plan (worth 60 points)
The major application assignment for this course integrates program planning principles and theories into the design of a specific program plan aimed at a particular adult audience. The program may be either hypothetical or one in which the student intends to implement it at a later date in their professional practice. The program MUST NOT be one already in the planning process. The proposal for a program plan topic should address several questions, including:
- What do you see as an important educational problem that needs to be addressed?
- Why do you think it is an important problem for you to address?
- How can finding a solution result in significant changes/improvements?
The written proposal for the program topic must be sent to the instructor for approval. The proposal should be no more than 500 words maximum. For a review of the discussion on generating program ideas, refer to Chapter 5 in the Caffarella text. The actual program will be designed in sections throughout the course in coordination with the content of the course. You will be submitting segments of the program for review and feedback at various points. The final program plan submitted will reflect the following template:
Part 1: Program Context (should be in the 500-750 word range)
- Background of the program problem/idea (the context of the problem or idea).
- Description of the source of the problem (people, responsibilities and tasks, organization, community).
- Description of the nature and extent of the problem (any documentation, literature, etc.).
- Define the institutional and personal context for the program.
- Describe the target population: age, grade, reading level, attention span, occupation, previous experience, motivation level, health, interests, socioeconomic status, attitudes toward school or work , previous performance levels, language, ethnic/cultural background, gender.
- Identify learning-site constraints that could affect design and delivery.
Part 2: Needs Assessment (should be around four pages long)
- Describe the target population in terms of: age, grade, reading level, attention span, occupation, previous experience, motivation level, health, interests, socioeconomic status, attitudes toward school or work, previous performance levels, language, ethnic/cultural background, gender.
- Define the term "need" as it best relates to your program design activity.
- Determine the basic purpose(s): Why is the needs assessment required?
- Determine the type of "data" necessary to determine the actual "need."
- Determine the data collection methods: How will information about needs assessment be collected? What instruments should be used during needs assessment? How should they be used? What approvals or protocols are necessary for conducting the needs assessment?
- Determine how you will analyze the findings? What specific procedures and techniques will be used? How will the data be organized for analysis and presentation? How will the results be interpreted?
- Sort and prioritize the identified needs: How will the needs be identified from the results of data collection and analysis? How will they be prioritized? Which specific needs require instructional intervention? Which ones require alternative interventions?
- Detail the true "costs" of the needs assessment process.
- Provide examples (mock-ups) of any tools to be employed (such as questionnaires, surveys, focus group questions, etc.).
Part 3: Establishing Objectives and Defining Content (should be four to five pages long)
- "Flesh out" each specific need according to the knowledge, skills, attitudes (KAS) needed to satisfy the need.
- Once the KAS objectives linked to the "needs" have been established, the next step in the process is to expand the KAS objectives into broad learning objectives. Take the knowledge, skills, attitudes identified previously for each "need" and expand and clarify through the use of descriptive verbs.
- Continue to "flesh out" the learning objectives by determining the broad content tied to each of the expanded learning objectives. The key here is to think through what specific content is necessary to achieve each of the learning objectives you have identified and fleshed out for your program.
- The core content identified under the objectives must be expanded upon to discover the specific data needing to be known under the objective.
Part 4: Designing Instruction (will vary widely in length due to the nature of the program you are designing)
- Determine content needed to achieve each established program objective.
- Determine the content sequencing strategy.
- Determine the learning formats to be employed.
- Determine which teaching/learning methods are best suited for each established program objective.
- Describe the overall instructional strategy.
- Describe the instructional media chosen: what, how, and why?
- Describe the instructional materials chosen: what, how, and why?
- Describe the learning environment.
- Describe how adult learning principles are being incorporated into the plan.
- Describe how the transfer of learning principles are being incorporated into the plan.
- Describe how you are fostering expertise developments through the instructional design.
- Organize the design into an instructional plan following Caffarella's guideline in Exhibit 9.4, page 201.
Part 5: Evaluation
- Establish a "purpose(s)" for your evaluation.
- Establish a "focus" for the program evaluation--will you be measuring program-related issues (non-learning outcomes of training) or learning outcomes or both. If evaluating program-related issues, will you be targeting economic inputs, development activities, participant data, instructor perspectives, or learner reactions? If evaluating learning outcomes, will you be targeting first, second, or third order outcomes?
- Decide the type of data (hard or soft) needed for the evaluation effort.
- Determine the evaluation tools/methods.
- Determine the resources and costs for evaluations.
Note: The instructor will not review this part of your plan. You will submit Part 5 as part of your Final Written Program Plan.
Part 6: Program Coordination
- Develop the complete budget for your program following the guidelines in this week's content (including a break-even analysis based upon your established registration fee).
- Develop the marketing/promotional strategy for your program. Be sure to identify the costs and the timeline for the strategy.
- Determine the staffing needs of your program and the criteria you will follow in selecting proper staff.
- Discuss your plan for obtaining the suitable facilities, arranging meeting rooms, arranging for equipment, overseeing the program arrangements on-site, opening and monitoring programs, and concluding the program. Be sure to use Caffarella's checklist in Exhibit 15.1, beginning on page 341, to justify the choice of facility for your program. Also use the seating arrangement possibilities in Figure 15.1 and Figure 15.2 to determine the arrangements for the various segments of your program instructional plan.
Note: The instructor will not review this part of your plan. You will submit Part 6 as part of your Final Written Program Plan.
Final Written Program Plan
Your final written program plan incorporating all of the above elements in not to exceed thirty (30) pages in length (with appendix as additional pages) and is to be submitted to the "Assignment 2: An Actual Program Plan" drop box by the middle of Unit 13. The final plan must follow APA style (6th Ed) and include the following:
- Title Page: This must include the full title of the program, authors of the report, institutional affiliation (i.e. Penn State University).
- Table of Contents: This must list the main headings/subheadings, including references and appendices.
- Body of the Report: Follows the template given above.
- References: This must list all the works or sources cited in the body of the report.
- Appendices.
The final grade will be based on the following:
|
Assignment
|
Points
|
|---|---|
| Program Planner Practice Probe Project |
20 points
|
| An Actual Program Plan |
60 points
|
| Class Participation (first 1/2 of the course) |
10 points
|
| Class Participation (second 1/2 of the course) |
10 points
|
| TOTAL |
100 points
|
The following grading scale will be used to determine the satisfactory completion of the course:
|
Letter Grade |
Description |
|---|---|
|
A (Excellent) |
Indicates exceptional achievement. |
|
B (Good) |
Indicates extensive achievement. |
|
C (Satisfactory) |
Indicates acceptable achievement. |
|
D (Poor) |
Indicates only minimal achievement. |
|
F (Failure) |
Indicates inadequate achievement necessitating a repetition of the course in order to secure credit. |
The final grades of A, B, C, and D will be assigned as follows:
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
A |
95-100 |
4.0 |
|
A- |
90-94 |
3.67 |
|
B+ |
87-89 |
3.33 |
|
B |
84-86 |
3.0 |
|
B- |
80-83 |
2.67 |
|
C+ |
77-79 |
2.33 |
|
C |
70-76 |
2.0 |
|
D |
60-69 |
1.0 |
|
F |
< 60 |
0 |
Assignment Policies
Assignments and course discussions all have a due date for submission to the course instructor. The due dates for each are noted in the Course Schedule section of this syllabus, below. Please make every effort to submit assignments on time, or notify the instructor in advance of a late assignment. Late assignments will be penalized unless you have made prior arrangements with the instructor. Deadlines will be defined as 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the last day of the lesson timeframe, unless noted differently.
If you know you will be offline the day an assignment is due, please make sure to post it early. Anytime you feel that you might be falling behind in the course, it is best to contact the instructor to discuss your situation. No assignments can be accepted after 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the final day of class. If you have an assignment completed by the deadline but are unable to submit to the assignment or post in the discussion forum for technical reasons, contact the IT Service Desk.
For assignments you submit, you are required to use Microsoft Word to complete your assignment. Once you have submitted your file to the assignment, it is a good idea to click the link to the file to make certain that it is viewable or accessible for downloading. For lengthy discussion forum posts, it is recommended that you draft your post using Notepad (PC) or TextEdit (Mac) and then copy and paste the information into your discussion forum posting (or e-mail message). That way you will have a copy saved on your computer should anything go wrong!
Finally, please keep a copy of ALL your work. We cannot assume responsibility for lost items.
Course Readings Guide
The schedule below outlines the topics we will be covering in this course, along with the associated time frames and assignments. Note that assignments are due based on Eastern Time (ET). This ensures that all students have the same deadlines regardless of where they live. All lesson assignments must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the last day of the timeframe indicated below for the lesson.
In addition to the topics and assignments, the tables below list out the required readings for each lesson. Please note, these readings may be links, specific chapters from your text, and/or eReserves from the library. To access eReserves, click on the Library Resources link on the Canvas Navigation menu.- Course begins:
- Course ends:
- Course length: 16 weeks
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
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Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Course Policies
- Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
- Procedures for Resolution of Problems
For procedures pertaining to a range of concerns and disagreements involving graduate students and other members of the University community (e.g, faculty, staff, or undergraduate student), please see the Procedures for Resolution of Problems (Appendix II) website.
- Additional Course Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.