EHRD 630 - Adult Learning
EHRD 630 - Adult Learning
EHRD 630 examined adult learning theory through cognitive, motivational, and socio-emotional lenses. The course emphasized metacognition, self-directed learning, intellectual humility, and the role of prior experience in shaping learning processes. Through reflective essays, learning audits, and applied readings, I critically examined my identity as an adult learner and educator.
Metacognitive Reflection
This metacognitive reflection synthesizes my learning across the semester and examines how self-regulated learning, vulnerability, failure, and feedback shaped my development. The essay demonstrates my ability to analyze my own cognitive processes and connect theory to lived academic experience.
Personal Learning Audit
The Personal Learning Audit required a structured examination of my academic history, learning habits, and cognitive tendencies. Through this assignment, I analyzed formative educational experiences, identified patterns in self-directed learning, and developed an action plan grounded in adult learning theory. This artifact reflects my growth in understanding motivation, learning environments, and the importance of learner-centered design.
Book Analysis: Think Again
This book analysis connects Adam Grant’s work on intellectual humility and cognitive flexibility to adult learning theory. The assignment reinforced the importance of rethinking assumptions, embracing uncertainty, and cultivating psychological safety in learning environments. These themes directly influence how I approach leadership, facilitation, and professional development.
Professional Reflection
EHRD 630 deepened my understanding of learning as an intentional, reflective, and self-directed process. Prior to this course, I viewed adult learning primarily through instructional design and facilitation. This course shifted my focus inward, requiring me to examine my own cognitive patterns, biases, and motivational drivers.
Through structured learning audits and metacognitive reflection, I gained greater awareness of how past educational experiences shaped my confidence, self-talk, and academic identity. Recognizing the role of vulnerability, failure, and intellectual humility has influenced how I approach both leadership and professional development within my organization.
This course strengthened my ability to:
Analyze cognitive and motivational influences on performance
Design learner-centered environments grounded in andragogy
Foster psychological safety in training contexts
Encourage reflective practice in myself and others
EHRD 630 reinforced that effective adult education is not only about content delivery but about cultivating curiosity, resilience, and adaptability in complex professional environments.