About the MAEd in Adult Education
Coordinator: Dr. Steven W. Schmidt; Ragsdale 221 B; 252-328-1118
This program is designed for instructors, trainers, administrators, and others who teach adults or plan educational programs for adults in a variety of settings. Emphasis is on developing the theoretical and practical foundation for critical thinking and effective practice that are needed by professional adult educators.
Course work assists adult educators in becoming reflective practitioners and in developing the skills and abilities necessary to initiate, design and develop, organize, implement, and evaluate effective educational programs for adults.
The mission of the adult education program is to develop professional adult educators who are reflective practitioners. The program provides students with the theoretical, philosophical, historical, and research foundations of best practice in the education of adults. Core courses address program development, instructional processes or strategies, the nature of adult learning and development, the organization and administration of adult education programs, and an introduction to the field of adult education. The Research Problems in Education course provides students with foundational knowledge of how to use, plan, and conduct research. Elective courses in adult education address the diverse areas of practice as well as the diversity of adult learners.
Students come from a variety of work areas, such as community colleges and higher education, adult literacy, health care, law enforcement, business and industry, government and military, and community-based organizations.
The majority of students are part-time and classes are offered entirely online.
