Saint Joseph's College offers new Adult Education & Training focus within online graduate degree in education

STANDISH, ME (06/15/2011)(readMedia)-- Saint Joseph's College of Maine announces a new Adult Education & Training concentration within its online Master of Science in Education degree.

The program will model adult learning principles, which are student-centered rather than teacher-centered, by drawing on the learner's experience, meeting the learners where they are, and allowing learners to guide the learning. "Adult learning concepts foster the students to build knowledge based on their experiences and prior knowledge," says program director Dr. Thomas Hancock. Faculty members become mentors and "guides on the side," while learners mold the program to meet their specific needs.

"Key adult learning concepts such as these are universally taught but rarely practiced in higher education," Hancocks adds. "Not only is the new concentration practical, adaptable and relevant for the workplace, it adheres to adult learning theory."

The degree is intended for educators or trainers who work with adult learners in corporations, the military, community organizations, health care settings, community colleges, performance coaching, e-learning, religious education, mentoring, or staff development. Because of the program's flexibility and learner-driven nature, any adult education or training venue can be the student's focus for graduate-level learning.

Students establish goals and measurable objectives for all but the earliest courses in the program, as well as for their master's degree project. They also choose a major project in adult education or human resource training that is useful in their workplace – a customized project based on their interests and needs at the workplace, in consultation with their faculty mentors.

For more information, visit http://online.sjcme.edu/msed.