Adult learning principles in designing learning activities for teacher development

The research reported in this paper is an investigation of the application of adult learning principles in designing learning activities for teachers’ life-long development. The exploration is illustrated by qualitative data from a case study of adult educators’ and adult learners’ insights and experiences of a teacher development course organised by a Greek university. Analysis focuses on the andragogical notion of design, i.e. selecting the combination of learning units and learning formats that most effectively accomplish the objectives of a programme. Findings of the study are somehow optimistic in that they do indicate, however imperfectly, that adult learning principles might be further applied in designing learning activities for teacher development, and make some tentative recommendations for Greece and elsewhere.