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This evening class will require some adjustments to lesson plans for them to be successful.

There is a wide mix of cultural diversity, meaning that students will have diverse life experiences that have been encompassed by their culture.

While 80% of students can speak English, 15% of students are non-native English speakers, who speak Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.

There is a spread in educational background, where the majority of students have completed some collegiate level education, while the outliers have either only completed high school or graduate school.

A majority of workers are in the healthcare field, while percentages are spread for the rest of the work experiences.

Learning preferences seem to be majority visual, while the are split between hands-on and reading/writing.

There is a disparity of those who are comfortable with technology, at 30%.

As for learning challenges, 25% Time constraints, 15% Learning disabilities, 10% Tech literacy, 10% Language barriers, 5% Neurodiverse, 20% Assessment anxiety.

Career and Learning Goals

40% Career Advancement

30% Career Change

20% Personal Growth

50% Professional Development

30% Career Transition

20% Personal Enrichment

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Listed below are links that are learner-centered activities that will accomodate diverse adult learners. These activities can be used in the first few nights of class, implement adult learning theory, active learning, and engage all students of the classroom.

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A major requirement for adult learning, is the sense of belonging. Belonging is the foudnation for engagement, persistence, and transformation. When adult learners are able to feel like they have a place in the classroom, they are more motivated to participate and invest in their own growth. For theoretical foundations, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs identified that belonging was a core human need, as learners struggle to focus on higher-learning if their social-emotional needs are not met. In Mezirow's theory of Transformative Learning, students need to feel safe enough to question ideas and beliefs in order for them to grow and shape their perspectives. In my own learning experiences, I found that these ideas were the most effective.

1. Icebreaker Activities. They allow all people to express their unique backgrounds, interests, and goals.

2. Small Group Discussions. They allow students to build trust and cooperation with each other.

3. Instructor Presence. Having a presence that responds promptly and personally to each student contribution will show each student that their voice matters.

4. Relevant Information. Using real-world examples that connect to what learners wish to learn, their cultures, and aspirations, will prove to be meaningful.

As for my own personal experiences, I often found that professors that created community boards and small-groups for discussions fostered a sense of belonging that was not recreated by other classrooms. In these experiences, we encouraged each other, learned how to support one another, and offered practical help to each ohter. This environment of belonging carried over into academic discussions, which boosted both participation and reflection.

Overall, belonging is a necessity for effective adult learning. When insturctors are able to create intricate learning environments, whether that is online or face-to-face, with the students in mind, they allow for opportunities for learners to move toward transformative thinking, self-actualization, and personal growth.

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Article: The Importance of Belonging in Adult Learning

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Article: The Importance of Belonging in Adult Learning

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Psychological Safety in the Online Classroom

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Psychological Safety in the Online Classroom

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Creating Psychological Safety in the Online Classroom

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Transformative Learning Theory: Unlocking the Power of Change (3 Minutes)

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Learners create a simple “life map” (a visual timeline of key life experiences) and share selected parts with a partner or small group. This activity draws on andragogy by valuing learners’ experiences and connecting them to course themes.

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This teaching strategy was originally designed for use in a face-to-face setting. For tips and guidance on using this teaching strategy in a remote or hybrid learning environment, view our Becoming Ourselves Activity.

In an activity based on the Life Road Maps strategy, students draw a map of someone's life that highlights the important events and decisions that shaped that person's identity. This activity helps students better understand historical or literary figures by focusing their attention on the many factors that contributed to a figure's decision making. You can use this strategy as part of a research project, as a way to review previously studied material, or as an assessment tool. You can also have students create personal "life road maps" to help them reflect on key choices that have shaped their own identities.

This also makes for a useful community-building activity at the beginning of a Facing History class or unit. Use it at the beginning of an identity unit or at the beginning of a course to help create a safe environment in which students feel comfortable sharing and listening to one another.

1. Students Learn about the Individual
To use this strategy, students need to have information about an individual and the context in which he/she lived. This could be information gleaned from a film, independent research, or class activities. To prepare students to construct someone's life journey, have them write a journal entry about pivotal moments or important decisions in this person's life. Alternatively, they can create a timeline that represents significant events and choices in this person's life.

2. Brainstorm "Life as Journey" Metaphors
Explain to students that they will be drawing a "map" of someone's life. Before students draw their maps, have them brainstorm things people might encounter when they take a trip or journey. Items on this list might include stop signs, speed bumps, traffic lights, dead ends, detours, highways, tolls, and rest stops. Give students the opportunity to discuss what these items might represent when applied to the metaphor of "life as journey." For example, a dead end might represent a decision that did not yield the desired result. A green light might represent getting approval to move ahead.

3. Students Construct Life Road Maps
Students can construct "life road maps" in small groups or individually. It is best if students have a large piece of paper on which to map out the journey. The journey should represent important decisions and events that have shaped this person's life. Students can add details to their maps, including factors that may have influenced decisions, such as historical events, important relationships, goals, beliefs, and aspects of human behavior (fear, conformity, prejudice, etc.). As students work on the "life road maps," you might allow them to walk around the room to survey what their peers are doing. This can be a great way for students to generate new ideas about how to represent an individual's life as a journey.

4. Share and Debrief
Students can share their work through a formal presentation to the class or small group or as agallery walk. As students review the work of their classmates, ask them to pay attention to similarities and differences among these maps. Prompts you might use to guide students' reflections and a follow-up discussion include: What factors influence the choices people make? What factors help people move forward and make progress? What factors set people back? As a final activity, you can ask students to write a journal entry or essay explaining what they have learned from this activity. In particular, students can reflect on what is unique about this person's life and what seems universal.

Personal Life Road Map: Students can follow these same steps to construct a life road map for themselves. This can be something they share with their classmates as a way to help students get to know each other, or it can be a final assignment for an identity unit.

Multiple Perspectives on Someone's Life: You can assign several students the same person as the focus of a life road map. Students might collaborate on research but still produce their own road maps. The benefit of this variation is that it gives students the opportunity to see how the same information can be interpreted to construct different life stories.

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This teaching strategy was originally designed for use in a face-to-face setting. For tips and guidance on using this teaching strategy in a remote or hybrid learning environment, view our Becoming Ourselves Activity. In an activity based on the Life Road Maps strategy, students draw a map of someone's life that highlights the important events and decisions that shaped that person's identity.

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A structured “speed dating” style icebreaker where learners rotate in short (2–3 min) conversations with multiple peers, guided by questions tied to course goals. Implements Maslow’s belonging needs by creating quick, low-stakes social connections.

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Post large sheets or digital whiteboards around the room with open-ended prompts related to the subject. Learners move around, add responses, and read others’ contributions. This taps constructivist principles and transformative learning by valuing diverse perspectives.

Active learning aspect: Movement, collaborative brainstorming, and peer teaching.

Diversity accommodation: Multiple ways to participate (writing, drawing, symbols, short notes).

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Supporting Discovery in Teaching and Learning Whether you teach in person, hybrid or online, AdvancED provides consulting and technological support to help you pursue pedagogical excellence at every career stage, design student-centric experiences that transform learning in any context, and innovate best practices that encourage discovery. Partner With Us The Institute for the Advancement of […]

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Section 2 Act 4: Two Truths and A Lie: Professional.

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Section 2 Act 4: Two Truths and A Lie: Professional.

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Learners share two true professional/personal facts and one false one, while classmates guess the false statement. This encourages trust-building and rapport, aligning with self-determination theory.

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Facilitation Techniques and Workshop Activities | Library

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Hundreds of group facilitation activities for workshops, meetings and training sessions. Find the best team building activities, energisers, process facilitation and leadership development techniques.