About
If you are planning to leverage andragogy in your online course, it is important to consider giving students choices in the types of assessments or activities they complete. Because learners represent all different backgrounds, experiences, and levels of expertise, allowing choice when it comes to how they will demonstrate mastery can remedy certain shortcomings related to equity in the learning environment. This can have an impact on their success in your course and their ability to transfer content knowledge into authentic environments. This practice also makes room to address certain criticisms of andragogy that relate to equity, access, and cultural differences (Roberson, 2002, as cited in Chan, 2010).
Application for Teaching and Learning
Offering students choice in course activities does not mean you have to sacrifice your learning objectives. Depending on the circumstances, creating a predefined set of choices can assist in making the assessment of their work less onerous for faculty. If students are to demonstrate that they can apply a particular concept, for instance, you might allow them to choose a particular medium that they are most comfortable with, for instance: writing a paper, creating a video, recording a podcast, etc. Each of these options would facilitate students showing you how they can apply x concept in a scenario they create using methods, technology, or ways that best fit their learning preferences and unique abilities.
Steps for Implementation
- Clearly define the objectives you wish your assignment to address.
- Create a rubric that outlines success in each of the criteria you will be assessing.
- You may need to adapt a criteria or two for each choice you give students, but you can also make some of these generic enough, regardless of the choice students make.
- Choose examples and choices that best fit with your learning objects.
Additional Resources
Chan, S. (2010). Applications of Andragogy in Multi-Disciplined Teaching and Learning. Journal of Adult Education, 39(2). Retrieved May 27, 2021.
Roberson, D., & Educational Resources Information Center. (2002). Andragogy in Color. S.l.]: Distributed by ERIC Clearinghouse.
Link to ATUS Materials on this topic: Alternative Assessments
Best practices for Online Quizzes: ATUS doc
