Adult, Community, and Higher Education

EDER 631.01 Adults as Learners

This course serves as a wonderful and challenging introduction to the world of adult learning by exploring the learning-teaching transaction both from the learners’ and the facilitator/instructor’s point of view. It adopts the fundamental and respectful adult education principle of starting with the experience of each participant, as adult learners and as facilitators of adult learning.

EDER 659.15 History and Philosophy of Adult Education

The purpose of this course is to explore and assess a variety of historical and philosophical trends that have shaped adult and higher education over the years. Through exploring the past, you will be better able to develop, define and articulate your own philosophical approach to the current practice of adult education and higher education, as it relates to your specific context and culture.

EDER 600 Research Methodology in Education

This first course in educational research methodologies provides the background necessary to make cogent decisions around the types of research questions that might be asked and the kinds of insights and answers particular methods can provide.

This introductory course is intended for graduate students in the first year of their cohort-based Master’s of Education programs. The course focuses on some of the issues and dilemmas that frame the context for contemporary research, and guides participants in a preliminary consideration of research strategies, questions and methods, for further study and application in the subsequent course EDER 692 Collaboratory of Practice. In relation to EDER 692 Collaboratory of Practice, this first course includes a discussion of action research in education as a pragmatic way to integrate various methods in one school based research project. Participants will also be encouraged to approach research articles and reports with a critical perspective and develop some skills and techniques for this kind of close reading.

EDER 631.17 Lifelong Learning

This course aims to explore the current theories, policies, and practices of lifelong learning within the context of knowledge-based economy. In particular, we will critically analyze key debates about the relationship between lifelong learning, democracy, and equality within post-industrial societies. Graduate students will be challenged to explore their professional development practices and to expand their understanding and appreciation as to how ‘lifelong learning’ extends beyond the learning that occurs within formal and traditional education and professional contexts. 

EDER 631.19 Global Issues & Development

This course aims to explore the role of adult, community, and higher education in responding to the challenges of globalization. It will focus on issues in developing countries and cover a variety of topics, including poverty, literacy, human rights, HIV/AIDS, health, environment, and development. It will provide learners with an opportunity to analyze concepts and prevailing discussions that may be necessary for a critical understanding of globalization, adult education, and social development.

EDER 631.05 Workplace Learning & Society

This course provides a macro-level examination of the place of individual, group and organizational learning in the community and contemporary society; perspectives on societal change, work and learning; philosophical and ideological perspectives.

EDER 631.12 Perspectives on Community

The history of adult education is steeped in accounts of community formation, as this relates to the development of an individual and social consciousness, intent on bringing about change for the greater good. In this course, learners will explore these historical perspectives. In addition, learners will view community formation and development through an expanded, contemporary lens; they will choose a community focus and area of study most meaningful to them. These may include: local communities; work communities; faith communities; professional communities; and global communities.

EDER 602 Program & Practice Evaluation

Students in this course will have an opportunity to discover how to creatively establish, plan, and evaluate adult education programs that will positively affect their organization or community.

EDER 606 Writing Educational Research

This course will focus on examining and developing the skills associated with crafting an academic paper. Topics will also include genres and purposes of academic writing, and venues for presentation and publication.

EDER 619.08 Teaching & Learning in Higher Education

This course has been designed to increase both your awareness and your understanding of the learners involved in higher education today, as well as what is considered to be teaching and learning for these learners. It will give you the opportunity to link the theory and practice of teaching and learning through focusing on the achievement of specific learning outcomes. Finally, it will give you the opportunity to look at the implications of the theories and research about learners and learning for you, as educators, leaders and administrators.

EDER 619.02 Leading in Adult & Higher Education

In this course and through assigned readings, you will begin with a brief review of some pertinent research on organizational leadership, before turning attention to unique features of adult and higher education contexts. In the latter part of the course, particular attention is paid to ‘leadership in the middle’ and the challenges faced by leaders of both academic and non-academic units in colleges and universities, and in other adult education settings. This course will be of interest to individuals in formal and informal leadership capacities.

EDER 604 Collaboratory of Practice

Collaboratories of Practice represent a fusion of two important developments in contemporary research: communities of practice and collaboratories. A collaboratory is a new networked organizational form involving structured experiences of authentic, real-world practice which serve as sources of active inquiry and professional learning. This course provides opportunities for individuals or groups to investigate real world problems and to devise or recommend pragmatic solutions suitable to their contexts.

EDER 631.22 Policy & Adult Learning

This course will offer a critical introductory framework to explore contemporary adult education policy issues in Canadian and international education contexts. By drawing from the history, sociology, and philosophy of adult education, students will be able to understand and critically assess adult education policy and practice.