NU 500 Unit 5 DQ 1: Adult Learning Theory in nursing
Find a peer-reviewed article integrating theory with a nursing education topic, present it and discuss the theory used and the benefits of theory in nursing education, then discuss how nurse educators can use Adult Learning Theory principles to guide teaching practice and curriculum development.
Editorial process
Last reviewed · August 14, 2026
Knowles's assumptions, and what each one changes
The post has two halves that need different work. The first asks you to find and present a peer-reviewed article that integrates theory with a nursing education topic, so search a named theory alongside an education outcome rather than searching for nursing education generally: constructivism with simulation debrief, self-efficacy with clinical confidence, situated learning with preceptorship, andragogy with returning RN-to-BSN students. Present the study properly — design, sample, what was measured, what was found — and then say what the theory contributed to it, which is a claim about the research rather than praise for the theory. Say where in the paper the theory actually appears, because a framework named only in the introduction is not integrated with anything, and an article chosen on its title alone will leave you nothing to discuss. Attach the article to the forum, since that is a separate graded instruction and easy to forget.
The second half is the one the title names and it wants application, not definition. Knowles's andragogy rests on assumptions about adult learners, and the useful approach is to take each and say what it changes about teaching and about curriculum. Adults are self-directing, so give choice in assignment topics and build in learning contracts rather than fixed reading lists. They bring experience that is a resource and sometimes an obstacle, so teach through case discussion and reflection and be ready to help unlearn outdated practice. Their readiness to learn is tied to social role, so sequence content to arrive when clinical placement needs it. Their orientation is problem-centred rather than subject-centred, so build curriculum around clinical problems instead of body systems. And their motivation is largely internal, so relevance works better than grades. For curriculum, name concrete implications: flexible pacing for working nurses, credit for prior experiential learning, authentic assessment. Andragogy is criticised as under-evidenced, and noting that shows critical analysis.
Likely learning objectives
Inferred from the brief — check these against your own rubric.
- 01Locate peer-reviewed literature that integrates theory with nursing education.
- 02Explain what a theoretical framework contributes to an education study.
- 03Apply Knowles's assumptions about adult learners to specific teaching decisions.
- 04Translate Adult Learning Theory into curriculum design choices.
- 05Evaluate the limitations of andragogy as a theory.
Read the full question
Review every instruction before using the planning guidance that follows.
Course-wide instructions that accompany this question
ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CLASS Discussion Questions (DQ) Initial responses to the DQ should address all components of the questions asked, include a minimum of one scholarly source, and be at least 250 words. Successful responses are substantive (i.e., add someth Herzing NU 500 Unit 5 DQ 1 ing new to the discussion, engage others in the discussion, well-developed idea) and include at least one scholarly source. One or two sentence responses, simple statements of agreement or “good post,” and responses that are off-topic will not count as substantive. Substantive responses should be at least 150 words. I encourage you to incorporate the readings from the week (as applicable) into your responses. Weekly Participation Your initial responses to the mandatory DQ do not count toward participation and are graded separately. In addition to the DQ responses, you must post at least one reply to peers (or me) on three separate days, for a total of three replies. Participation posts do not require a scholarly source/citation (unless you cite someone else’s work). Part of your weekly participation includes viewing the weekly announcement and attesting to watching it in the comments. These announcements are made to ensure you understand everything that is due during the week. APA Format and Writing Quality Familiarize yourself with APA format and practice using it correctly. It is used for most writing assignments for your degree. Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for APA paper templates, citation examples, tips, etc. Points will be deducted for poor use of APA format or absence of APA format (if required). Cite all sources of information! When in doubt, cite the source. Paraphrasing also requires a citation. I highly recommend using the APA Publication Manual, 6th edition. Use of Direct Quotes I discourage overutilization of direct quotes in DQs and assignments at the Masters’ level and deduct points accordingly. As Masters’ level students, it is important that you be able to critically analyze and interpret information from journal articles and other resources. Simply restating someone else’s words does not demonstrate an understanding of the content or critical analysis of the content. It is best to paraphrase content and cite your source. LopesWrite Policy For assignments that need to be submitted to LopesWrite, please be sure you have received your report and Similarity Index (SI) percentage BEFORE you do a “final submit” to me. Once you have received your report, please review it. This report will show you grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors that can easily be fixed. Take the extra few minutes to review instead of getting counted off for these mistakes. Review your similarities. Did you forget to cite something? Did you not paraphrase well enough? Is your paper made up of someone else’s thoughts more than your own? Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for tips on improving your paper and SI score. Late Policy The university’s policy on late assignments is 10% penalty PER DAY LATE. This also applies to late DQ replies. Please communicate with me if you anticipate having to submit an assignment late. I am happy to be flexible, with advance notice. We may be able to work out an extension based on extenuating circumstances. If you do not communicate with me before submitting an assignment late, the GCU late policy will be in effect. I do not accept assignments that are two or more weeks late unless we have worked out an extension. As per policy, no assignments are accepted after the last day of class. Any assignment submitted after midnight on the last day of class will not be accepted for grading. Communication Communication is so very important. There are multiple ways to communicate with me: Questions to Instructor Forum: This is a great place to ask course content or assignment questions. If you have a question, there is a good chance one of your peers does as well. This is a public forum for the class. Individual Forum: This is a private forum to ask me questions or send me messages. This will be checked at least once every 24 hours.
Turn the brief into deliverables
- 01A peer-reviewed journal article integrating theory with nursing education.
- 02A presentation of the article and the theory it uses.
- 03The benefits of using theory in nursing education.
- 04How nurse educators can use Adult Learning Theory to guide teaching practices.
- 05How those principles guide curriculum development.
- 06The article attached to the discussion forum, with APA citations.
The article first, then the principles applied
The article and its theory
Present design, sample, measures and findings, and name the theory.
What the theory contributed
Argue what the framework did for the study's design or interpretation.
Adult learners are self-directing and experienced
Turn the first two assumptions into teaching decisions.
Readiness, orientation and motivation
Sequence content to role, build around problems, use internal motivators.
Curriculum development implications
Flexible pacing, prior learning credit, authentic assessment.
Limits of the theory
Note the evidence and cultural critiques of andragogy.
Searching for theory-integrating education articles
Recommended databases
- CINAHL
- ERIC
- PubMed
- Journal of Nursing Education
- Your course textbook's learning theory chapters
Search sequence
- 1.Search a named theory with a nursing education outcome, not nursing education alone.
- 2.Check the theory appears in the article's framework rather than its introduction.
- 3.Write out Knowles's assumptions and one teaching change for each.
- 4.Separate teaching-practice implications from curriculum ones before drafting.
- 5.Find one source critiquing andragogy so the last section is evidenced.
Reference shortlist
These are authoritative starting points, not a ready-made bibliography. A qualified reviewer must confirm that each source fits the assignment and supports the claim beside which it is cited.
Nothing here is cleared for citation until you have read it.
- 01
Feedback in Medical Education
StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf · 2023
Evidence on formative feedback, the clearest andragogical principle to apply to assessment design.
- 02
Nursing Professional Development Evidence-Based Practice
StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf · 2024
Connects theory-guided education to practice change, which is the benefits question.
- 03
The UDL Guidelines
CAST · 2024
A design framework that operationalises learner choice and multiple means of engagement.
- 04
Nursing Process
StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf · 2023
A worked example of problem-centred rather than subject-centred organisation of content.
Review before submission
Common mistakes
- Choosing an article that mentions a theory rather than one that uses it.
- Defining andragogy instead of applying it.
- Treating all six assumptions as one general point about adult learners.
- Addressing teaching practice but not curriculum development.
- Presenting andragogy as settled when it is contested.
- Forgetting to attach the article, which is a graded instruction.
Submission checklist
- The article is peer-reviewed and its theory is in the framework.
- Design, sample and findings are stated.
- The benefits of theory are argued as a claim about research quality.
- At least three of Knowles's assumptions are applied to a teaching decision.
- Curriculum development is addressed separately from teaching practice.
- The article is attached and citations are in APA format.
Use this guide to plan and review your own work. Follow your institution's rules and read our academic-integrity policy.

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