Course Description:

How do adults learn? What are the most successful ways to teach them? This course presents principles of adult education and their application to various adult age levels within the church. Learners explore theories in young, middle, and older adult education, and examine successful ministries to singles, single parents, and families. The course promotes Knowles' andragogical model of adult education, emphasizing such important subjects as how adults learn, how to structure the classroom, and how to facilitate learning.

Course Objectives:

Download Course Syllabus

Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Understand a basic biblical theology of adult education.
2. Develop a "psychology of adulthood," especially a grasp of adult learning theories.
3. Analyze the characteristics and developmental areas of the three general adult age groups (young, middle, and senior).
4. Develop a philosophy of ministering to various sub-groups among the church's adults (e.g., singles, single parents, divorced, ill, and elderly).
5. Apply the principles of adult education to church ministry.

Course Texts:

Gangel, Kenneth O and James C. Wilhoit. The Christian Educator's Handbook on
Adult Education. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1998.

Students will select two (2) additional books from an expanded bibliography.