Planning Programs for Adult Learners is 422 pages long and arranged in 15 chapters. Caffarella and Daffron wrote this book to serve as a textbook. The book has a plethora of figures, exhibits, and exercises. The text is thoroughly researched while being quite comfortable to read.
The majority of the book explains the Interactive Model of Program Planning that the authors present. This model has sixteen elements: eleven components and five areas of foundational knowledge.
Foundational Knowledge
Adult Learning * Cultural Differences * Relationship Building * Power and Interest * Technology
Components
Context * Support * Needs Assessment * Goals and Objectives * Instruction * Learning Transfer * Evaluation * Scheduling * Budgets * Details * Marketing
If you are looking to plan a program and you address each of these areas, you will develop a really solid plan.
The authors have logically laid out each of the chapters. Additionally, they provided ample examples of the various concepts. At the end of each chapter, Caffarella and Daffron included chapter highlights as well as additional resources where one can do further research and discovery.
In my opinion, one of the greatest elements of this book is the exercises at the end of each chapter. These are actually tools that one could use to help plan a program. The publisher has included additional tools that are available online. Regardless of your experience as a program planner, these tools will help make the process easier. I certainly will be referencing this book and these tools as I plan my programs.
So far, my class has been extremely happy with Planning Programs for Adult Learners. This is what one learner had to say,
“The Caffarella and Daffron text is incredibly practical. It is refreshing to have a text that is accessible and applicable to actually put into practice.”
I couldn’t say it better myself. If you are involved in program planning and evaluation, I would recommend that you check out Planning Programs for Adult Learners.
Additional Reading
- Book Review: Developing Programs in Adult Education: A Conceptual Programming Model (2nd Edition)
- Book Review: Program Planning and Evaluation for the Public Manager
- Book Review: Assessment for Excellence: The Philosophy and Practice of Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education
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Dr. Stan is my instructor for HiED 5610-40: Planning and Evaluation at the University of Wyoming. As a graduate student, I have not found a more helpful or insightful textbook. “Planning Programs for Adult Learners” explains program planning techniques in real-world examples and situations, in a language easy to read that will move you through the book.
Thanks for the nice shout out, Janie!