During a recent seminar, part-time evening students reading for the BA (Hons.) course in Adult Education, Training and Development individually presented and collaboratively discussed their initial ideas for the research project tied to their programme鈥檚 Dissertation study-unit, which will roll-out during the next (final) academic year of their course.
Chaired by the programme co-ordinator, Dr Maria Brown, participants of the seminar also included the Dean of the Faculty of Education, members of the programme鈥檚 Board of Studies, and lecturers of the same programme, who include visiting lecturers and lecturers from various Departments and Faculties.
The seminar gave the opportunity to further develop presentation and communication skills, network students reading for this programme on a part-time basis with the broader Faculty of Education and with prospective supervisors, present, discuss and review preliminary research designs (including peer-to-peer review), incubate ideas with research potential in the areas of adult education, training and development, identify leads, and examine commonalities and differences, and disseminate the capacity for range, variety and innovation of studies in the areas of adult education, training and development.
Indeed, the various research project ideas included:
- action research projects - examples: within online communities of adult learners; to develop non-formal education on composting targeted at apartment residents in Malta; and action research projects targeting professional development of specific cohorts of adult professionals (e.g., learning support educators, women returning to work in digitised contexts, etc.);
- needs-analysis research to inform a rationale to integrate stress management education in professional settings;
- evaluative research of EU-funded community development using a lifelong education perspective; and
- systemic mapping and review of community-based lifelong education initiatives for persons vulnerable to gender-based discrimination or violence.
Participation in the seminar fostered practice-based engagement with recommendations of the University of Malta鈥檚 Strategic Plan, such as Research and Knowledge Transfer, by offering guidance on developing research that responds to local, regional and global needs and emerging areas; and Learning and Teaching, because it created accessible channels for student to seek support, fostered informal feedback system between students and academics, and gave opportunities to learn about and develop areas of research which have an impact on lifelong education and society.
Further information on the course leading to the B.A. (Hons.) in Adult Education Training & Development, or this initiative, can be obtained by sending an email to Dr Maria Brown.
