Principles Of Adult Learning Scale Research Articles

Teacher Centered Versus Student Centered Strategies for Undergraduate Students

Objective: To compare the student-centred learning strategies with teacher-centred strategies in developing adult learning principles for medical students.
 Study Design: Quasi-experimental study.
 Place and Duration of Study: Ziauddin Medical College and Jinnah Medical & Dental College, Karachi, Nov 2017 to Oct 2018.
 Methodology: The study participants included first and second-year medical students. They were divided into two groups. One group of students was recruited from a medical college having a hybrid curriculum through problem based learning and lectures. The other students were recruited from a college following a traditional curriculum through only teacher-centred strategies and lectures. The comparison between the two groups of students was based on adult learning principles. A questionnaire including 17 items from the principles of adult learning scale (PALS) was given to medical students. Out of 17 items from the principles of adult learning scale, 13 were related to student learning, and four were regarding teacher instruction. The students were asked to determine the teaching practices promoting the development of adult learning principles on a Likert scale from 0-5.
 Results: In the learning section, the medical students having student-centred learning strategies had 28.16 ± 10.98 scores compared to students with teacher-centred strategies with a score of 33.73 ± 12.66 on the principles of adult learning scale. In the teacher instruction section, the score was 13.81 ± 3.76 in students with learner-centered strategies and 14.76 ± 3.79 in students with teacher-centred strategies.
 Conclusion: The teacher-centred learning strategies promote the development of adult learning principles better than the student-centred strategies in medical students.

3 - Teaching Styles of Educators in Higher Education in Eritrea: Teacher-centred or Student-centred?

To meet the demands of twenty-first-century educational needs in Eritrea, the country required the education sector to replace passive learning and didactic pedagogy with interactive learning and student-centred pedagogy. In line with reform initiatives, teacher education programmes aim to prepare student teachers to increase their prospective students’ participation in the classroom. The purpose of the study on which this article is based was to find out the extent to which educators used student-centred strategies in realising the reform initiatives. The methodology adopted was survey research design. A questionnaire based on the Principles of Adult Learning Scale was used to generate data from sixty-one educators at two teacher education institutions, namely the College of Education of the Eritrea Institute of Technology and Asmara Community College of Education. While student-centred teaching has been advocated, the findings indicate that teacher-centred teaching dominates instructional settings. Moreover, the study examined the relationship between teaching styles and the demographic features of educators using an analysis of variance. No significant differences were found between teaching styles and various demographic aspects of the teacher educators.

Evaluating an Educational Intervention on Lateral Violence

This article, the second in a two-part series, details a correlational study that examined the effects of four variables (graduate degrees in nursing education, professional development training in adult learning theory, nursing professional development [NPD] certification, and NPD specialist experience) on the use of adult learning theory to guide curriculum development. Using the Principles of Adult Learning Scale, 114 NPD specialists tested the hypothesis that NPD specialists with graduate degrees in nursing education, professional development training in adult learning theory, NPD certification, and NPD experience would use higher levels of adult learning theory in their teaching practices to guide curriculum development than those without these attributes. This hypothesis was rejected as regression analysis revealed only one statistically significant predictor variable, NPD certification, influenced the use of adult learning theory. In addition, analysis revealed NPD specialists tended to support a teacher-centered rather than a learner-centered teaching style, indicating NPD educators are not using adult learning theory to guide teaching practices and curriculum development.

Examination of the teaching styles of nursing professional development specialists, part II: correlational study on teaching styles and use of adult learning theory.

This article, the second in a two-part series, details a correlational study that examined the effects of four variables (graduate degrees in nursing education, professional development training in adult learning theory, nursing professional development [NPD] certification, and NPD specialist experience) on the use of adult learning theory to guide curriculum development. Using the Principles of Adult Learning Scale, 114 NPD specialists tested the hypothesis that NPD specialists with graduate degrees in nursing education, professional development training in adult learning theory, NPD certification, and NPD experience would use higher levels of adult learning theory in their teaching practices to guide curriculum development than those without these attributes. This hypothesis was rejected as regression analysis revealed only one statistically significant predictor variable, NPD certification, influenced the use of adult learning theory. In addition, analysis revealed NPD specialists tended to support a teacher-centered rather than a learner-centered teaching style, indicating NPD educators are not using adult learning theory to guide teaching practices and curriculum development.

Teaching style and attitudes towards Facebook as an educational tool

There is a distinct lack of research that has considered university staff use of and attitudes towards Facebook. The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of how teaching staff at one UK university use Facebook, and their attitudes towards Facebook and online professionalism, in terms of the student–staff relationship. An online survey was developed that included the Principles of Adult Learning Scale to explore whether attitudes towards the use of Facebook as an academic tool differed between teaching staff with a teacher-centred style and teaching staff with a learning-centred style. This article offers insight into teaching staff attitudes towards the use of Facebook in an educational context. The results shed light on whether or not teaching style is related to attitudes towards use. Differences in attitude were found which indicate those with a teacher-centred style do not view online and offline identities blurring as much.

EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG CLASSROOM CLIMATE, SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACHIEVEMENT IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS: A MULTI-LEVEL ANALYSIS

For nearly 50 years, leaders in American industry, military, education, and politics have focused considerable attention on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education. Given the increased societal demand for STEM careers, the relationships among classroom climate, self-efficacy, and achievement in undergraduate mathematics needed to be examined. A purposeful sample of college algebra instructors (n = 15), employed at public 4-year universities in various states (n = 10) across the nation, was administered the Principles of Adult Learning Scale at the beginning of the semester to assess classroom climate. At the end of the course semester, their college algebra students (n = 326) were administered the Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale-Revised and final college algebra examinations. The results of the multi-level analysis indicated: (a) students having higher mathematics self-efficacy also had higher mathematics achievement, (b) teacher-centered classroom climates had greater mathematics self-efficacy levels, (c) classroom climate was not a significant predictor of mathematics achievement, (c) classroom climate did not moderate the relationship between mathematics self-efficacy and achievement, and (d) although boys reported higher mathematics self-efficacy than girls, gender differences were not found to exist in regard to mathematics achievement.

The Use Of Teaching Methods And Styles In The Nigerian University System: The Curriculum And Policy Implications For Change

Teaching methods at the University level are supposed to emanate from the Nigerian National Policy on Education and stated curriculum, which have been found to affect learning outcomes significantly. This study surveyed popular teaching methods at the undergraduate level in Universities within the South-West geo-political zone of Nigeria. Six universities were used for the study with two federally owned, two state owned, and two privately owned. The sampling technique used was stratified random sampling with 270 lecturers at the undergraduate level participated in the study. The standardized test Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS) was adapted to suit the Nigerian situation and used for the study. A sit-in-observation/interview schedule method was used. The findings revealed that the most common method of teaching used by lecturers tended towards teacher-centered pedagogy. This is not in consonance with the principles of andragogy. The fact that a teaching background is not emphasized along with the stipulated Ph.D. degree for lecturers may be a contributory factor to the present state of affairs. It was therefore recommended that lecturers be encouraged to obtain a diploma in the art of teaching and focus more on getting the learners to be more self directing in learning.

From Politicized Adult Education to Market Oriented Adult Higher Education

This study investigated the general instructional modes of adult educators in Southeast China and Northeast China. The study utilized Conti’s (1983, 2004) Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS) to measure instructional modes of adult educators. Data were collected from 112 randomly selected participants engaged in teaching Chinese adult learners in Southeast China and Northeast China. The results of the study showed that adult educators in Southeast China were andragogical in their instruction while their counterparts in Northeast China were pedagogical although the difference (p>0.05) between the means of adult educators in Southeast China and Northeast China was not statistically significant.

Teaching Styles of Community College Instructors

This study examined the teaching styles of online instructors at Florida's 28 community colleges in an effort to determine if the instructors had adopted the learner–centered model touted in the literature. The Principles of Adult Learning Scale was the primary instrument used to collect data from 292 online instructors. The study revealed that nearly half of the participants (n = 135) scored in the middle range, with 84% (n = 244) of the participants’ scores falling into the teacher-centered range. Although online distance education does have the potential to transition education from a teacher-centered orientation to a more student-centered orientation, continued efforts are needed to accomplish this shift.

Adaptive use patterns of secondary school classroom environments

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to investigate how secondary school teachers adaptively make use of the classroom learning environment. The approach illustrates the intimate relationship between teaching style, learning style and the adaptive use of space as well as the preferences for different learning environments.Design/methodology/approach – A multi method study approach was used to carry out the research. Two main methods were used in the study. In the first method, trainee teachers recorded spatial observations (mapping). Maps of the chemistry classrooms were produced. The observers marked all fixed, semi‐fixed and flexible elements in the classroom space. The second method involved two questionnaires. The first questionnaire (Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS)) was used to identify and describe teachers' teaching styles. The second questionnaire (Questionnaire of the Classrooms' Physical Properties) was used by trainee teachers acting as observers. It consists of a set of items th...

Instructional Strategies of Distance Education Instructors in China

This study investigated the teaching strategies of distance education instructors at the major universities in Beijing and Shanghai, China in the summer of 2005. The study utilized Conti’s 1983 and 2004 Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS) and researcher-designed open-ended questions to determine the teaching strategies of Chinese distance education instructors. Data were collected from 40 distance education instructors at the major universities to determine the extent to which the Western democratic form of distance education was employed. The study’s results show that although Chinese distance education instructors teach their courses in the Western educational manner, to some extent; they nevertheless oppose the Western collaborative mode of instruction and, instead, feature the teacher-directed form of instruction.

Teaching style and the application of adult learning principles by police instructors

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to describe the teaching style of the faculty of a Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) organization in a Midwestern state and the degree and method of application of adult learning principles by the POST faculty. The move of law enforcement to community‐oriented policing (COP) requires that police officers develop communication and problem‐solving skills. The application of adult learning principles in law enforcement education can help prepare officers for their role in COP.Design/methodology/approachIn this mixed method/descriptive study, 85 instructors completed the Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS) and 21 instructors participated in in‐depth interviews.FindingsMajor findings in the study related to POST instructors' strong preference for a teacher‐centered style of teaching as measured by PALS and a disconnect between what instructors do in the classroom and what they feel is effective instruction.Practical implicationsOffers suggestions related to the nature of the field and for instructor development. Recommendations were made related to professional development and the application of adult learning principles to law enforcement education and training.Originality/valueThis research fills a void in the field by beginning to give a formal description of teaching style in law enforcement education and training. It also details the value of applying adult learning theory in law enforcement instruction and the implications for community‐oriented policing.

Teaching Styles of Interactive Television Instructors: A Descriptive Study

This study identified teaching styles of university interactive television instructors. The instructors (N = 203), representing nine Land Grant universities, completed a demographic survey and the Principles of Adult Learning Scale, a forty-four item teaching-style assessment instrument. Descriptive statistics revealed that interactive television instructors displayed behaviors representative of both learner-centered and teacher-centered styles, with a strong inclination toward a teacher-centered approach to the distance teaching process. Results indicate discrepancies between what research and theory suggest is the most appropriate distance teaching style and what is actually being employed in interactive television classrooms.

Assessing Teaching Style Preference and Factors that Influence Teaching Style Preference of Registered Dietitians

Adult patient education is a major responsibility of registered dietitians. A review of the literature indicates that one important characteristic for an effective adult educator is a teaching style which facilitates learning, known as learner-centered teaching style. The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify the teaching style preference and factors (years of experience, number of formal educational sessions which contained sections of adult education and the route to registration) that influenced the teaching style preference of registered dietitians. Six hundred registered dietitians residing in the Midwest were sent the “Adult Education Questionnaire” and the “Principles of Adult Learning Scale(PALS)”, assessment tools, to complete. The overall PALS scores were generated and the frequency distributions and population percentages were calculated for demographic and descriptive data. Analysis of variance tests were performed to assess the relationship between various factors and PALS scores. The findings suggest that the teaching style preference of registered dietitians was teaching-centered. Years of employment had a significant affect on teaching style. The number of formal educational sessions in which the dietitians participated that related to adult education had the most significant effect on teaching style preference. The route to registration had no significant influence on teaching style preference. Registered dietitians demonstrate a teacher-centered teaching style. Formal educational programs incorporating principles of adult education can positively influence the teaching style of dietitians to become more learner-centered.

Learning Styles, Classroom Environment Preferences, Teaching, Styles, and Remedial Course Outcomes for Underprepared Adults at a Two-Year College

Sixty-one adult (age 25 and over) and 95 traditional-age (ages 18 through 24) two-year college students responded to a battery of instruments (Adult Classroom Environment Scale, Adaptive Style Inventory, Principles of Adult Learning Scale, and an Evaluation of Instruction Questionnaire) distributed in five remedial English and five remedial mathematics courses. Data analyses indicated that student age accounts for little variance in student expectations of the classroom environment, learning style, or select course outcomes. Nevertheless, students in reading and mathematics classes with learner-centered activities achieved higher course grades. Adult students in the mathematics sections reported a greater sense of accomplishment and a more positive total course experience than their traditional-age counterparts.

Moral Education In a Correctional Setting

Abstract Inmates of the Texas Department of Corrections enrolled in basic education classes were studied to analyze the effect of teaching style on the moral development of the students. Teaching style was measured by the Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS), which determines the degree to which a teacher adopts a pedagogical or andragogical style. Moral judgment, based on Kohlberg's theory, was measured by the Ethical Reasoning Inventory (ERI). The purpose of the study was to determine what effect teaching style alone, independent of a moral education program or curriculum, would have on the development of moral judgment in prison inmates. Results can be used for curriculum and teacher-training components in correctional education programs.

The Relationship Between Teaching Style and Adult Student Learning

Adult education literature suggests that a teacher's actions affect student achievement. To test the appropriateness of the adult education theory base, this study examined the relationship between the teacher's practice of the principles in the literature as measured by the Principles of Adult Learning Scale and student academic achievement based on teacher assessment. It involved 29 teachers and 837 students in an adult basic education program. A significant relationship between teaching style and academic achievement was found. The findings were congruent with the literature base in the basic level and English as a second language classrooms but incongruent with the literature in the GED setting. This contrast was attributed to the differing cognitive and affective focus and the nature of the goals in each type of course. These findings suggest that other situationally specific studies are needed to further clarify the general adult education literature base.