Abstract:

This educational research proposal seeks to describe and evaluate, from a critical standpoint, the weaknesses, strengths, opportunities and threats in two teaching experiences in the area of social sciences and humanities which have implemented different methodologies such as active learning and traditional teaching in adult education.
On the one hand, one teaching experience in the course "Human Rights" at the Elder’s University of Valencia “Nau Gran”. It is an introductory and interdisciplinary subject for over 55 years old that focuses on the study and analysis of different human rights issues from a theoretical and empirical approach through role playing dynamics. The role playing is a didactic tool to active learning which facilitate the formative process of complex contents of the Law and legal skills for students with different scholar training. And on the other hand, a second teaching experience in the course “History of Art – View through the Art” at the Elders’ University of the Technical University of Cartagena. The aim is to travel into the past, with the explanation and analysis of paintings, sculptures and architectures from a multidisciplinary approach. So, notable works of art, which are well known throughout the world, are reviewed with the only help of the observation in order to deepen the historical previous knowledge and to acquire a new critical approach about Art.
Both experiences try to know how teaching-learning methodology can motivate better students over 55 years old in order to propose good practices and a specific guidelines for the development of generic and transversal skills basically instrumental (learning tools and training), interpersonal (social abilities and relationships) and systemic in adult education.

References:
Bain, Ken (2004): What the best college teachers do, Cambridge (MA): Harvard University Press.
Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (2008): Innovating to Learn, Learning to Innovate. Paris: OECD
Jarvis, Peter (2010): Adult education and lifelong learning: theory and practice, New York: Routledge.
Johnson, Roger T.; Smith, Karl A. (1998): Active learning: Cooperation in the college classroom. Edina: Interaction Book Company.
Miguel Díaz, Mario De (Coord.) (2006): Metodologías de enseñanza y aprendizaje para el desarrollo de competencias. Orientaciones para el profesorado universitario ante el Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior. Madrid: Alianza
Parcerisa Aran, Artur (Coord.) (2010). Ejes para la mejora docente en la universidad, Barcelona: Octaedro.
Peers, Roberts (2003) Adults education: a comparative study, London: Routledge
Ovejero Bernal, Anastasio (1990). El aprendizaje cooperativo: una alternativa eficaz a la enseñanza tradicional. Barcelona: PPU.

Keywords:

Adult education, active learning, skills, traditional teaching.