Chapter 7: Blending “Learning by Teaching” and “Research Informed Teaching” for Adult Authorship in Learning: A Collaborative Learning Experience of Undergraduate Students in a Human Service Program

Nontraditional students have become the new trend in U.S. colleges and universities (National Center for Education Statistics, 2011). These postsecondary institutions tend to focus on administrative and student service strategies that can contribute to recruitment and retention of nontraditional students (Brown, 2002). The challenge is to accommodate the effective learning of such nontraditional students through innovative ways of teaching (Bland, 2003). Part of meeting such challenge includes an understanding of the perceptions of nontraditional students about their teaching and learning experience (Bierema, 2002). This demarche may enable to adapt innovative approaches in instructional activities involving nontraditional students. This chapter suggests a model that involves a blend of learning by teaching and research informed teaching collaborative approach. Consequently, the reader of this chapter will be able to: (1) Review the main theoretical and conceptual framework of learning by teaching (LBT), research informed teaching (RIT), and adult self-authorship in learning (ASL), (2) Explore the implications of collaboration between adult educator and adult learner for effective teaching and learning processes; (3) Explore the potential of the teaching-learning collaboration gears approach to foster better learning experience for adult students in our complex 21st century world.