Nurturing Adult Learners Handout Bbmullinix Oct09
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Teaching and Nurturing
Adult Learners A Colloquium co-sponsored by Winston-Salem State University and the North Carolina Adult Education Association
Exploring the Learning Ecosystem Opening Session October 20, 2009 (12:30-2:00)
Dr. Bonnie B. Mullinix Colloquium Facilitator and Consultant Co-President, Jacaranda Educational Development Sr. Consultant, Faculty and Educational Development, TLT Group www.jacarandaeducation.net www.tltgroup.org [email protected] 864/270-3349 [email protected]
Session Goal and Focus: To pose our challenge, set the tone for the colloquium… and start us on our way by: Conceptualizing the learning environment as an Ecosystem… Considering some conceptual and statistical visions of adult learners … Reviewing Colloquial challenges in the context of conceptual frameworks … Thinking about learning… Actively exploring learning theories. 10-15 min
Table Talk & Introductions (during lunch)
20-30 min
Opening Address: Conceptualizing the Learning Ecosystem, More about Adult Learners & Setting forth the Colloquium Challenges
15 min
About Learning
20 min
Constructing and Considering Learning Theories and Frameworks to inform Teaching Practice (A collaborative learning activity)
5 min
Closing/Transitional Remarks
Jacaranda Educational Development Greenville, SC www.jacarandaeducation.net
Bonnie B. Mullinix, EdD [email protected]
Teaching Learning and Technology Group Takoma Park, MD www.tltgroup.org
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 2
Adult Learning Theory & Frameworks Construction Small Group Task Sheet In your self-selected group: 1. Take the cards out of the envelopes (and distribute them among group members); 2. Work together to arrange them in the orientation that makes the most sense to you; 3. When you have agreed on how they are arranged, ask a facilitator for an “answer sheet”; 4. Review the sheet and briefly discuss: ◦ How did your arrangement differ? ◦ How this theory associated with adult learning inform your teaching practice and work with adult learners? You have 10 minutes to complete this activity. We will not have time to share now… but bring your understanding of these theories and frameworks into the panel and roundtable discussions… and add your own to enrich our learning over the coming days.
[Facilitator’s Note: During a regular session, I would normally allow at least 20-25 minutes for this activity and greater time for discussion and post-activity processing around not only content, but the process of re-constructing and exploring theories from one’s own perspective – but as our time is tight in this overview/orientation session, this activity is compressed.]
Jacaranda Educational Development Greenville, SC www.jacarandaeducation.net
Bonnie B. Mullinix, EdD [email protected]
Teaching Learning and Technology Group Takoma Park, MD www.tltgroup.org
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 3
Handout 1
ANDRAGOGY In his book, The Modern Practice of Adult Education, Malcolm Knowles identifies the following for distinctions between andragogy (the science of teaching adults) and pedagogy (the science of teaching children). 1. Self-Concept: In pedagogy, the child is dependent upon those around him/her; the adult acts autonomously in relation to others. Adults are capable of being self-directed, of being able to identify and articulate what they want to learn in dialogue with the teacher. In pedagogy, the teacher is in a directing relationship with the student; in adult education, the teacher is in a helping relationship with the student. 2. Experience: Pedagogy is often seen as the one-way transfer of information from teacher to the student. Since the adult learner has a wealth of experience and wisdom, the teacher becomes a facilitator in a mutual learning environment. The distances created between teacher and student in pedagogy is replaced with a community of learners and facilitators. 3. Readiness to learn. In traditional pedagogy, the teacher decides what the students need to learn, and the curriculum is developed without initial input from the learner. Adult education is more learner-centered and the learner is more actively involved in deciding what will be taught. 4. Orientation to learning. Children have been conditioned to have a subject-centered orientation to learning whereas adults tend to have a more problem or process-centered orientation. Children are able to focus attention towards future rewards while adults are primarily concerned with their present situations and interested in solving problems they experience on a daily basis.
The chart below summarizes some key considerations for the adult educator.
DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN CHILD AND ADULT LEARNING APPROACHES Key Ideas
Child
Adult
The learner
Generally dependent
Self-directed
The educator
Identifies & defines problems
Facilitates learner solving own problems
Primary information source
Educator
Self/experience
Motivation
External
Internal
Time factors
Future
Present
Over the years, both adult education and nonformal education have contributed a great deal to our understanding of how learning occurs. Formal education’s shift to learner-centered pedagogy helps to affirm observations that much of andragogy is simply good pedagogy. If agreed, then the headings on the matrix above can be changed to illustrate the distinction between traditional or instructor-centered education and learner-centered education.
Adapted from Mullinix, Bonnie B., et al. (1989). Nonformal Education Manual.
In Nurturing Participation (2002) p 21.
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 4
Handout 2
MASLOW'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS Attributes
Need for Self Actualization
Ego - Self Esteem Needs
Develop to fullest potential; strong sense of individuality
Respect and like for self and others
Membership, acceptance, belonging, feeling loved and wanted
Love Needs
Protection from physical or psychological threat, need for order and structure
Security Needs
Food, water, shelter, clothing, etc. Survival Needs
Adult Learner Motivation Motivation is an important part of an adult’s ability to learn. Environmental distractions, unmet needs, and personal trauma can divert the learner’s attention from the task at hand. Abraham Maslow is a renowned theorist in the field of humanistic psychology and is often cited when discussing the dynamics of human motivation in general. Maslow suggests that human needs form a hierarchy that can be visualized as a stack of dependent layers; one level cannot be fully attained until the lower level need is met. To further complicate the model, an individual’s position in the hierarchy may change from hour to hour, day to day or year to year. Adapted from Mullinix, Bonnie B., et al. (1989). Nonformal Education Manual.
In Nurturing Participation (2002) p 22-23.
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 5
Handout 3
THE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CYCLE Adult Learning - Process and Styles An adult educator named David Kolb developed a model that integrates an experiential learning process with learning styles and provides a comprehensive theoretical guide for the adult educator. This model begins by describing four key steps in the learning cycle and provides a clear method to consider when designing programs for adults. Since adult learning is heavily based on previous experience, Kolb suggests the following types of learning that make up the adult learning process: 1. Concrete Experience (Do It): The learner is involved in a concrete experience that is provided in training. The learner explores a new situation firsthand. The learner learns by demonstration, explanation, lecture, and the giving of facts by the trainer. 2. Reflection and Observation (Think About It): The learner maintains concrete involvement but distances self, becoming reflective observer, taking a step back to observe and reflect on what the situation means to him/her. Learning occurs through question and answer periods, discussion, or individual time for reflection and work. 3. Abstract Conceptualization (Think About How to Apply It): Based on reflection, the learner analyzes the situation and forms theories, generalizing from the particular to the hypothetical and general. Interaction with peers and the trainer helps the learner analyze situations. 4. Active Experimentation (Try It Out): The learner formulates a plan or strategy to apply the newly attained information to his/her own situation. The learner needs to discover for him/herself the application of knowledge. This experiential learning cycle can be represented as follows: CONCRETE EXPERIENCE
ACTIVE EXPERIMENTATION
REFLECTION AND OBSERVATION
ABSTRACT CONCEPTUALIZATION Learners who feel most comfortable immersing themselves in an experience may be the ones who most need to be drawn back occasionally, and helped to conceptualize their experience (and vice versa). People have a tendency, even in childhood, to gravitate towards one style or another. By the time that they are adults, they have firmly established their preferred way of learning and may not wish to move through this process in a stage-by-stage manner. The job of the nonformal trainer is to design programs that address each stage in the experiential learning cycle. Designing a simulation or practical experience without allowing time to reflect, discuss and process the experience will not give learners the chance to bring the learning into their daily lives and experiences, and the learning will be incomplete.
Adapted from Mullinix, Bonnie B., et al. (1989). Nonformal Education Manual.
In Nurturing Participation (2002) p 22-23.
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 6
Handout 4
Stages of Cognitive and Ethical Development William Perry’s study of intellectual and ethical development among a group of male Harvard undergraduates (1970) helped to describe the key stages that many faculty encounter in learners as they pass through their undergraduate experience. Below are the four basic stages. A nine phase version details transitions between stages and differentiates growth within stages. Stage Name
Dualism
Multiplicity
Relativism
Commitment
Stage Description
Experience
Division of meaning into two realms -- good versus bad, right versus wrong. We versus They. All that is not success is failure. Right Answers are to be memorized by hard work. Knowledge is quantitative. Diversity of opinion and values is recognized as legitimate in areas where right answers are not yet known.
Agency is experienced as external, residing in authority, test scores, the right job.
Diversity of opinion, values, and judgment derived from coherent sources, evidence, logic, systems, and patterns allowing for analysis and comparison. Knowledge is qualitative, dependent on context. An affirmation, choice, or decision (career, values, politics, personal relationships) made in the awareness of relativism (distinct from commitments never questioned).
Opinions remain atomistic without pattern or system. No judgments can be made among them so "everyone has a right to his own opinion; none can be called wrong." Some opinions may be found worthless, while there will remain matters about which reasonable people will reasonably disagree. Agency is experienced as within the individual with a fully internalized and coherent value structure.
Adapted from Perry, W. Cognitive and Ethical Growth in Chickering, A. W., & Associates (Eds.). (1981). The modern American college: Responding to the new realities of diverse students and a changing society. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 7
Handout 5
Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education In 1987, Art Chickering and Zelda Gamson distilled decades of research on the undergraduate experience into Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. Viewing education as active, cooperative, and demanding, these principles assert that good practice: 1. Encourages Contact Between Students and Faculty 2. Develops Reciprocity and Cooperation Among Students 3. Encourages Active Learning
4. Gives Prompt Feedback
5. Emphasizes Time on Task
6. Communicates High Expectations
7. Respects Diverse Talents and Ways of Learning
Frequent student-faculty contact in and out of classes is the most important factor in student motivation and involvement. Faculty concern helps students get through rough times and keep on working. Knowing a few faculty members well enhances students' intellectual commitment and encourages them to think about their own values and future plans. Learning is enhanced when it is more like a team effort that a solo race. Good learning, like good work, is collaborative and social, not competitive and isolated. Working with others often increases involvement in learning. Sharing one's own ideas and responding to others' reactions sharpens thinking and deepens understanding. Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just by sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing pre-packaged assignments, and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write about it, relate it to past experiences and apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves. Knowing what you know and don't know focuses learning. Students need appropriate feedback on performance to benefit from courses. When getting started, students need help in assessing existing knowledge and competence. In classes, students need frequent opportunities to perform and receive suggestions for improvement. At various points during college, and at the end, students need chances to reflect on what they have learned, what they still need to know, and how to assess themselves. Time plus energy equals learning. There is no substitute for time on task. Learning to use one's time well is critical for students and professionals alike. Students need help in learning effective time management. Allocating realistic amounts of time means effective learning for students and effective teaching for faculty. How an institution defines time expectations for students, faculty, administrators, and other professional staff can establish the basis of high performance for all. Expect more and you will get more. High expectations are important for everyone -- for the poorly prepared, for those unwilling to exert themselves, and for the bright and well motivated. Expecting students to perform well becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when teachers and institutions hold high expectations for themselves and make extra efforts. There are many roads to learning. People bring different talents and styles of learning to college. Brilliant students in the seminar room may be all thumbs in the lab or art studio. Students rich in hands-on experience may not do so well with theory. Students need the opportunity to show their talents and learn in ways that work for them. Then they can be pushed to learn in new ways that do not come so easily.
Adapted from Chickering, A. W. and Gamson, Z. F. (1987). "Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education." AAHE Bulletin. 39 (7), 3-7.
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 8
Handout 6
Cup Analysis adapted from Srinivasan, Lyra, Tools for Community Participation, 1994, p. 156. Cup & Arrow Symbolic Design Analysis in Nurturing Participation (2002) p 49-50.
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 9
The Arrow Analysis of Movement
Active Movement – Participants are primarily active and moving throughout the technique/session. Some Movement – Participants move to new locations or between groups but are then mostly stationary throughout the technique/session. No Movement – Participants remain where they are and there is little or no movement during the technique/session.
See also page 10 for an example of how Symbolic Analysis can be used to graphically summarize and analyze session (and course) design.
Cup Analysis adapted from Srinivasan, Lyra, Tools for Community Participation, 1994, p. 156. Cup & Arrow Symbolic Design Analysis in Nurturing Participation (2002) p 49-50.
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 10
Handout 7
Sensory Learning and Remembering
10%
20%
30%
50%
70%
90% Mullinix (2002). Nurturing Participation p. 66
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
The Three Squares Analysis of Participation
Facilitator Box PaParticipation
Equal Participation
Participant Box
greatest participation by facilitator
equal participation, greatest participation responsibility, guidance by participants and input from facilitator and participants shared
Primary color
red (or white)
1/2 red (or white), 1/2 green (or gray)
green (or gray)
Orientation (emphasis)
top left
equal
bottom right
Mullinix (2002). Nurturing Participation p. 16 & 17 – Adapted from Tim Simkins (originally in Mullinix et al (1989) Nonformal Education Manual.
page 11
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
4A
4B
Mullinix (2002). Nurturing Participation p. 16 & 17 – Adapted from Tim Simkins (originally in Mullinix et al (1989) Nonformal Education Manual.
page 12
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 13
Handout 8 FORMAL EDUCATION
A COMPARISON OF AND NONFORMAL EDUCATION PURPOSES
1. 2.
Long-term and general Credential-based (diploma oriented)
1. 2.
Short-term and specific Not credential-based
TIMING 1. 2.
Long cycle Preparatory (provides the basis for future participation in society and the economy)
1. 2.
3.
Full-time
3.
Short cycle Recurrent (depends on the immediate learning needs arising from the individual's roles and stage of life) Part-time
CONTENT 1.
2. 3.
Subject-centered & standardized (a well defined package of cognitive knowledge (knowing) with limited emphasis on psychomotor (doing) or affective (feeling) considerations and designed to cover needs across large groups of learners) Academic Clientele determined by entry requirements (tests)
1.
Problem-centered & Individualized (task or skill centered, discrete units which may be related to what individual participants or small groups may want to learn)
2. 3.
Practical Entry requirements determined by the clientele
DELIVERY SYSTEM 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Institution-based (highly visible and expensive) Isolated (from socio-economic environment) Rigidly structured Teacher-centered Resource-intensive
1. 2.
Environment-based (minimal local facilities with low cost) Community-related
3. 4. 5.
Flexibly structured Learner-centered Resource saving
CONTROL 1.
Externally controlled (curricula and standards are externally determined)
2.
Hierarchical (internal control is based on role--defined relations among teachers and between teachers and learners)
1.
2.
Self-governing (autonomy at program and local levels, with an emphasis on local initiative, selfhelp and innovation) Democratic (substantial control vested in participants and local community)
Mullinix (2002). Nurturing Participation p. 16 & 17 – Adapted from Tim Simkins (originally in Mullinix et al (1989) Nonformal Education Manual.
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
Four Types of Education
Incidental Education
Education that takes place without any conscious intent on either the part of the learner or the source of information.
Informal Education
Learning is the result of a conscious effort on either the part of the learner or the information source.
Nonformal Education
Learning occurs when there is an intent on the part of both the learner and the information source; nonformal education is planned.
Formal Education
Learning occurs when there is intent on the part of both the learner and the information source; formal education is planned and institutionbased.
Mullinix (2002). Nurturing Participation p. 16 & 17 – Adapted from Tim Simkins (originally in Mullinix et al (1989) Nonformal Education Manual.
page 14
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 15
Bonus Handout
How Do I Learn Best? This questionnaire aims to find out something about your preferences for the way you work with information. You will have a preferred learning style and one part of that learning style is your preference for the intake and the output of ideas and information. Choose the answer which best explains your preference and circle the letter next to it. Please circle more than one if a single answer does not match your perception. Leave blank any question that does not apply. 1.
You are about to give directions to a person who is standing with you. She is staying at a hotel in town and wants to visit your house later. She has a rental car. You would: a) b) c) d)
2.
You are not sure whether a word should be spelled `dependent' or `dependant'. You would: c) a) b) d)
3.
cook something familiar without the need for instructions. thumb through the cookbook looking for ideas from the pictures. refer to a cookbook where you know there is a good recipe.
A group of tourists has been assigned to you to find out about wildlife reserves or parks. You would: d) a) c) b)
6.
phone her immediately and tell her about it. send her a copy of the printed itinerary. show her on a map of the world. share what you plan to do at each place you visit.
You are going to cook something as a special treat for your family. You would: d) a) c)
5.
look it up in the dictionary. see the word in your mind and choose by the way it looks. sound it out in your mind. write both versions down on paper and choose one.
You have just received a copy of your itinerary for overseas travel. This is of interest to a friend. You would: b) c) a) d)
4.
draw, or provide a map. tell her the directions. write down the directions (without a map). collect her from the hotel in a car.
drive them to a wildlife reserve or park. show them slides and photographs. give them pamphlets or a book on wildlife reserves or parks. give them a talk on wildlife reserves or parks.
You are about to purchase a new CD player. Other than price, what would most influence your decision? b) c) d) a)
The salesperson telling you what you want to know. Reading the details about it. Playing with the controls and listening to it. It looks really smart and fashionable.
a)
b)
c)
d)
Count your choices on this page
Turn to the next page.
Jacaranda Educational Development Greenville, SC www.jacarandaeducation.net
Bonnie B. Mullinix, EdD [email protected]
Teaching Learning and Technology Group Takoma Park, MD www.tltgroup.org
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
7.
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 16
Recall a time in your life when you learned how to do something like playing a new board game. Try to avoid choosing a very physical skill, eg. riding a bike. You learnt best by: a) c) b) d)
8.
visual clues -- pictures, diagrams and charts. written instructions. listening to somebody explaining it. doing it or trying it.
You have an eye problem. You would prefer that the doctor: b) a) d)
9.
told you what was wrong. showed you a diagram of what was wrong. used a model of an eye to show you what was wrong.
You are about to learn to use a new program on a computer. You would: d) c) b)
10.
You are staying in a hotel and have a car. You would like to visit friends whose address/location you do not know. You would like them to: a) b) c) d)
11.
You have used a copy before. A friend talking about it. Quickly reading parts of it. The way it looks is appealing.
A new movie has arrived in town. What would most influence your decision to go (or not go)? b) c) a)
13.
draw you a map on paper or provide a map from the internet. tell you the directions. write down the directions (without a map). collect you from the hotel in a car.
Apart from price, what would most influence your decision to buy a particular book? d) b) c) a)
12.
sit down at the keyboard and begin to experiment with the program. read the manual that comes with the program. telephone a friend and ask questions about the program.
You heard a review about it on radio. You read a review about it. You saw a preview of it.
Do you prefer a teacher who likes to use: c) a) d) b)
a textbook, handouts and readings. flow diagrams, charts and graphs. field trips, models, labs and practical sessions. class or email discussion, online chat groups and guest speakers. a)
b)
c)
d)
Count your choices on this page
Total for both pages V A R K Copyright Version 4.1 (2002) held by Neil D. Fleming, Christchurch, New Zealand and Charles C. Bonwell, Green Mountain Falls, COLORADO 80819 U.S.A. This material may be used for faculty or student development if attribution is given. It may not be published in either paper or electronic form without consent of the authors. The VARK website is at www.vark-learn.com.
Jacaranda Educational Development Greenville, SC www.jacarandaeducation.net
Bonnie B. Mullinix, EdD [email protected]
Teaching Learning and Technology Group Takoma Park, MD www.tltgroup.org
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 17
Recommended References: Angelo, T. and Cross, P. (1993). Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Belenky, M., Clichy, B., Goldberger, N., & Tarule, J. (1986). Women’s ways of knowing: The development of self, voice and mind. New York: Basic Books. Bransford, J. D., A.L. Brown and R.R. Cocking (eds). (1999). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience and School. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Available online at: http://www.nap.edu/html/howpeople1/notice.html. Chickering, A. W. and Gamson, Z. F. (1987). "Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education." AAHE Bulletin, 1987, 39 (7), 3-7. Christopherson, R.W. (2008). Geosystems:An Introduction to Physical Geography. Prentice Hall. Fleming, N. VARK (Learning Styles Inventory). Online at: www.vark-learn.com. Lovelock, J.E.; Margulis, L. (1974). "Atmospheric homeostasis by and for the biosphereThe Gaia hypothesis". Tellus 26 (1): 2–10. Mullinix, B. B. (2002). Nurturing Participation: A Facilitator's Introduction to NonFormal Education and Participatory Training. Amherst, MA: Center for International Education, University of Massachusetts. Perry, W. Cognitive and Ethical Growth in Chickering, A. W., & Associates (Eds.). (1981). The modern American college: Responding to the new realities of diverse students and a changing society. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Shriver, M & and the Center for American Progress (2009) A Woman’s Nation. Available: http://www.awomansnation.com/awn.php Tansley, A.G. (1935) The use and abuse of vegetational terms and concepts. Ecology 16, 284-307. Thomas, L (1974). The Lives of a Cell. Bantam Books. Teaching Goals Inventory. Online version available at: http://centeach.uiowa.edu/tools.shtml U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (2002). Nontraditional Undergraduates: Findings from "The Condition of Education” Available: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2002/2002012.pdf
Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (2008). Knocking at the college door. Available: www.wiche.edu/policy/knocking/19922022/knocking_complete_book.pdf.
Jacaranda Educational Development Greenville, SC www.jacarandaeducation.net
Bonnie B. Mullinix, EdD [email protected]
Teaching Learning and Technology Group Takoma Park, MD www.tltgroup.org
Adult Learners A Colloquium co-sponsored by Winston-Salem State University and the North Carolina Adult Education Association
Exploring the Learning Ecosystem Opening Session October 20, 2009 (12:30-2:00)
Dr. Bonnie B. Mullinix Colloquium Facilitator and Consultant Co-President, Jacaranda Educational Development Sr. Consultant, Faculty and Educational Development, TLT Group www.jacarandaeducation.net www.tltgroup.org [email protected] 864/270-3349 [email protected]
Session Goal and Focus: To pose our challenge, set the tone for the colloquium… and start us on our way by: Conceptualizing the learning environment as an Ecosystem… Considering some conceptual and statistical visions of adult learners … Reviewing Colloquial challenges in the context of conceptual frameworks … Thinking about learning… Actively exploring learning theories. 10-15 min
Table Talk & Introductions (during lunch)
20-30 min
Opening Address: Conceptualizing the Learning Ecosystem, More about Adult Learners & Setting forth the Colloquium Challenges
15 min
About Learning
20 min
Constructing and Considering Learning Theories and Frameworks to inform Teaching Practice (A collaborative learning activity)
5 min
Closing/Transitional Remarks
Jacaranda Educational Development Greenville, SC www.jacarandaeducation.net
Bonnie B. Mullinix, EdD [email protected]
Teaching Learning and Technology Group Takoma Park, MD www.tltgroup.org
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 2
Adult Learning Theory & Frameworks Construction Small Group Task Sheet In your self-selected group: 1. Take the cards out of the envelopes (and distribute them among group members); 2. Work together to arrange them in the orientation that makes the most sense to you; 3. When you have agreed on how they are arranged, ask a facilitator for an “answer sheet”; 4. Review the sheet and briefly discuss: ◦ How did your arrangement differ? ◦ How this theory associated with adult learning inform your teaching practice and work with adult learners? You have 10 minutes to complete this activity. We will not have time to share now… but bring your understanding of these theories and frameworks into the panel and roundtable discussions… and add your own to enrich our learning over the coming days.
[Facilitator’s Note: During a regular session, I would normally allow at least 20-25 minutes for this activity and greater time for discussion and post-activity processing around not only content, but the process of re-constructing and exploring theories from one’s own perspective – but as our time is tight in this overview/orientation session, this activity is compressed.]
Jacaranda Educational Development Greenville, SC www.jacarandaeducation.net
Bonnie B. Mullinix, EdD [email protected]
Teaching Learning and Technology Group Takoma Park, MD www.tltgroup.org
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 3
Handout 1
ANDRAGOGY In his book, The Modern Practice of Adult Education, Malcolm Knowles identifies the following for distinctions between andragogy (the science of teaching adults) and pedagogy (the science of teaching children). 1. Self-Concept: In pedagogy, the child is dependent upon those around him/her; the adult acts autonomously in relation to others. Adults are capable of being self-directed, of being able to identify and articulate what they want to learn in dialogue with the teacher. In pedagogy, the teacher is in a directing relationship with the student; in adult education, the teacher is in a helping relationship with the student. 2. Experience: Pedagogy is often seen as the one-way transfer of information from teacher to the student. Since the adult learner has a wealth of experience and wisdom, the teacher becomes a facilitator in a mutual learning environment. The distances created between teacher and student in pedagogy is replaced with a community of learners and facilitators. 3. Readiness to learn. In traditional pedagogy, the teacher decides what the students need to learn, and the curriculum is developed without initial input from the learner. Adult education is more learner-centered and the learner is more actively involved in deciding what will be taught. 4. Orientation to learning. Children have been conditioned to have a subject-centered orientation to learning whereas adults tend to have a more problem or process-centered orientation. Children are able to focus attention towards future rewards while adults are primarily concerned with their present situations and interested in solving problems they experience on a daily basis.
The chart below summarizes some key considerations for the adult educator.
DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN CHILD AND ADULT LEARNING APPROACHES Key Ideas
Child
Adult
The learner
Generally dependent
Self-directed
The educator
Identifies & defines problems
Facilitates learner solving own problems
Primary information source
Educator
Self/experience
Motivation
External
Internal
Time factors
Future
Present
Over the years, both adult education and nonformal education have contributed a great deal to our understanding of how learning occurs. Formal education’s shift to learner-centered pedagogy helps to affirm observations that much of andragogy is simply good pedagogy. If agreed, then the headings on the matrix above can be changed to illustrate the distinction between traditional or instructor-centered education and learner-centered education.
Adapted from Mullinix, Bonnie B., et al. (1989). Nonformal Education Manual.
In Nurturing Participation (2002) p 21.
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 4
Handout 2
MASLOW'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS Attributes
Need for Self Actualization
Ego - Self Esteem Needs
Develop to fullest potential; strong sense of individuality
Respect and like for self and others
Membership, acceptance, belonging, feeling loved and wanted
Love Needs
Protection from physical or psychological threat, need for order and structure
Security Needs
Food, water, shelter, clothing, etc. Survival Needs
Adult Learner Motivation Motivation is an important part of an adult’s ability to learn. Environmental distractions, unmet needs, and personal trauma can divert the learner’s attention from the task at hand. Abraham Maslow is a renowned theorist in the field of humanistic psychology and is often cited when discussing the dynamics of human motivation in general. Maslow suggests that human needs form a hierarchy that can be visualized as a stack of dependent layers; one level cannot be fully attained until the lower level need is met. To further complicate the model, an individual’s position in the hierarchy may change from hour to hour, day to day or year to year. Adapted from Mullinix, Bonnie B., et al. (1989). Nonformal Education Manual.
In Nurturing Participation (2002) p 22-23.
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 5
Handout 3
THE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CYCLE Adult Learning - Process and Styles An adult educator named David Kolb developed a model that integrates an experiential learning process with learning styles and provides a comprehensive theoretical guide for the adult educator. This model begins by describing four key steps in the learning cycle and provides a clear method to consider when designing programs for adults. Since adult learning is heavily based on previous experience, Kolb suggests the following types of learning that make up the adult learning process: 1. Concrete Experience (Do It): The learner is involved in a concrete experience that is provided in training. The learner explores a new situation firsthand. The learner learns by demonstration, explanation, lecture, and the giving of facts by the trainer. 2. Reflection and Observation (Think About It): The learner maintains concrete involvement but distances self, becoming reflective observer, taking a step back to observe and reflect on what the situation means to him/her. Learning occurs through question and answer periods, discussion, or individual time for reflection and work. 3. Abstract Conceptualization (Think About How to Apply It): Based on reflection, the learner analyzes the situation and forms theories, generalizing from the particular to the hypothetical and general. Interaction with peers and the trainer helps the learner analyze situations. 4. Active Experimentation (Try It Out): The learner formulates a plan or strategy to apply the newly attained information to his/her own situation. The learner needs to discover for him/herself the application of knowledge. This experiential learning cycle can be represented as follows: CONCRETE EXPERIENCE
ACTIVE EXPERIMENTATION
REFLECTION AND OBSERVATION
ABSTRACT CONCEPTUALIZATION Learners who feel most comfortable immersing themselves in an experience may be the ones who most need to be drawn back occasionally, and helped to conceptualize their experience (and vice versa). People have a tendency, even in childhood, to gravitate towards one style or another. By the time that they are adults, they have firmly established their preferred way of learning and may not wish to move through this process in a stage-by-stage manner. The job of the nonformal trainer is to design programs that address each stage in the experiential learning cycle. Designing a simulation or practical experience without allowing time to reflect, discuss and process the experience will not give learners the chance to bring the learning into their daily lives and experiences, and the learning will be incomplete.
Adapted from Mullinix, Bonnie B., et al. (1989). Nonformal Education Manual.
In Nurturing Participation (2002) p 22-23.
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 6
Handout 4
Stages of Cognitive and Ethical Development William Perry’s study of intellectual and ethical development among a group of male Harvard undergraduates (1970) helped to describe the key stages that many faculty encounter in learners as they pass through their undergraduate experience. Below are the four basic stages. A nine phase version details transitions between stages and differentiates growth within stages. Stage Name
Dualism
Multiplicity
Relativism
Commitment
Stage Description
Experience
Division of meaning into two realms -- good versus bad, right versus wrong. We versus They. All that is not success is failure. Right Answers are to be memorized by hard work. Knowledge is quantitative. Diversity of opinion and values is recognized as legitimate in areas where right answers are not yet known.
Agency is experienced as external, residing in authority, test scores, the right job.
Diversity of opinion, values, and judgment derived from coherent sources, evidence, logic, systems, and patterns allowing for analysis and comparison. Knowledge is qualitative, dependent on context. An affirmation, choice, or decision (career, values, politics, personal relationships) made in the awareness of relativism (distinct from commitments never questioned).
Opinions remain atomistic without pattern or system. No judgments can be made among them so "everyone has a right to his own opinion; none can be called wrong." Some opinions may be found worthless, while there will remain matters about which reasonable people will reasonably disagree. Agency is experienced as within the individual with a fully internalized and coherent value structure.
Adapted from Perry, W. Cognitive and Ethical Growth in Chickering, A. W., & Associates (Eds.). (1981). The modern American college: Responding to the new realities of diverse students and a changing society. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 7
Handout 5
Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education In 1987, Art Chickering and Zelda Gamson distilled decades of research on the undergraduate experience into Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. Viewing education as active, cooperative, and demanding, these principles assert that good practice: 1. Encourages Contact Between Students and Faculty 2. Develops Reciprocity and Cooperation Among Students 3. Encourages Active Learning
4. Gives Prompt Feedback
5. Emphasizes Time on Task
6. Communicates High Expectations
7. Respects Diverse Talents and Ways of Learning
Frequent student-faculty contact in and out of classes is the most important factor in student motivation and involvement. Faculty concern helps students get through rough times and keep on working. Knowing a few faculty members well enhances students' intellectual commitment and encourages them to think about their own values and future plans. Learning is enhanced when it is more like a team effort that a solo race. Good learning, like good work, is collaborative and social, not competitive and isolated. Working with others often increases involvement in learning. Sharing one's own ideas and responding to others' reactions sharpens thinking and deepens understanding. Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just by sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing pre-packaged assignments, and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write about it, relate it to past experiences and apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves. Knowing what you know and don't know focuses learning. Students need appropriate feedback on performance to benefit from courses. When getting started, students need help in assessing existing knowledge and competence. In classes, students need frequent opportunities to perform and receive suggestions for improvement. At various points during college, and at the end, students need chances to reflect on what they have learned, what they still need to know, and how to assess themselves. Time plus energy equals learning. There is no substitute for time on task. Learning to use one's time well is critical for students and professionals alike. Students need help in learning effective time management. Allocating realistic amounts of time means effective learning for students and effective teaching for faculty. How an institution defines time expectations for students, faculty, administrators, and other professional staff can establish the basis of high performance for all. Expect more and you will get more. High expectations are important for everyone -- for the poorly prepared, for those unwilling to exert themselves, and for the bright and well motivated. Expecting students to perform well becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when teachers and institutions hold high expectations for themselves and make extra efforts. There are many roads to learning. People bring different talents and styles of learning to college. Brilliant students in the seminar room may be all thumbs in the lab or art studio. Students rich in hands-on experience may not do so well with theory. Students need the opportunity to show their talents and learn in ways that work for them. Then they can be pushed to learn in new ways that do not come so easily.
Adapted from Chickering, A. W. and Gamson, Z. F. (1987). "Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education." AAHE Bulletin. 39 (7), 3-7.
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 8
Handout 6
Cup Analysis adapted from Srinivasan, Lyra, Tools for Community Participation, 1994, p. 156. Cup & Arrow Symbolic Design Analysis in Nurturing Participation (2002) p 49-50.
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 9
The Arrow Analysis of Movement
Active Movement – Participants are primarily active and moving throughout the technique/session. Some Movement – Participants move to new locations or between groups but are then mostly stationary throughout the technique/session. No Movement – Participants remain where they are and there is little or no movement during the technique/session.
See also page 10 for an example of how Symbolic Analysis can be used to graphically summarize and analyze session (and course) design.
Cup Analysis adapted from Srinivasan, Lyra, Tools for Community Participation, 1994, p. 156. Cup & Arrow Symbolic Design Analysis in Nurturing Participation (2002) p 49-50.
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 10
Handout 7
Sensory Learning and Remembering
10%
20%
30%
50%
70%
90% Mullinix (2002). Nurturing Participation p. 66
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
The Three Squares Analysis of Participation
Facilitator Box PaParticipation
Equal Participation
Participant Box
greatest participation by facilitator
equal participation, greatest participation responsibility, guidance by participants and input from facilitator and participants shared
Primary color
red (or white)
1/2 red (or white), 1/2 green (or gray)
green (or gray)
Orientation (emphasis)
top left
equal
bottom right
Mullinix (2002). Nurturing Participation p. 16 & 17 – Adapted from Tim Simkins (originally in Mullinix et al (1989) Nonformal Education Manual.
page 11
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
4A
4B
Mullinix (2002). Nurturing Participation p. 16 & 17 – Adapted from Tim Simkins (originally in Mullinix et al (1989) Nonformal Education Manual.
page 12
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 13
Handout 8 FORMAL EDUCATION
A COMPARISON OF AND NONFORMAL EDUCATION PURPOSES
1. 2.
Long-term and general Credential-based (diploma oriented)
1. 2.
Short-term and specific Not credential-based
TIMING 1. 2.
Long cycle Preparatory (provides the basis for future participation in society and the economy)
1. 2.
3.
Full-time
3.
Short cycle Recurrent (depends on the immediate learning needs arising from the individual's roles and stage of life) Part-time
CONTENT 1.
2. 3.
Subject-centered & standardized (a well defined package of cognitive knowledge (knowing) with limited emphasis on psychomotor (doing) or affective (feeling) considerations and designed to cover needs across large groups of learners) Academic Clientele determined by entry requirements (tests)
1.
Problem-centered & Individualized (task or skill centered, discrete units which may be related to what individual participants or small groups may want to learn)
2. 3.
Practical Entry requirements determined by the clientele
DELIVERY SYSTEM 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Institution-based (highly visible and expensive) Isolated (from socio-economic environment) Rigidly structured Teacher-centered Resource-intensive
1. 2.
Environment-based (minimal local facilities with low cost) Community-related
3. 4. 5.
Flexibly structured Learner-centered Resource saving
CONTROL 1.
Externally controlled (curricula and standards are externally determined)
2.
Hierarchical (internal control is based on role--defined relations among teachers and between teachers and learners)
1.
2.
Self-governing (autonomy at program and local levels, with an emphasis on local initiative, selfhelp and innovation) Democratic (substantial control vested in participants and local community)
Mullinix (2002). Nurturing Participation p. 16 & 17 – Adapted from Tim Simkins (originally in Mullinix et al (1989) Nonformal Education Manual.
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
Four Types of Education
Incidental Education
Education that takes place without any conscious intent on either the part of the learner or the source of information.
Informal Education
Learning is the result of a conscious effort on either the part of the learner or the information source.
Nonformal Education
Learning occurs when there is an intent on the part of both the learner and the information source; nonformal education is planned.
Formal Education
Learning occurs when there is intent on the part of both the learner and the information source; formal education is planned and institutionbased.
Mullinix (2002). Nurturing Participation p. 16 & 17 – Adapted from Tim Simkins (originally in Mullinix et al (1989) Nonformal Education Manual.
page 14
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 15
Bonus Handout
How Do I Learn Best? This questionnaire aims to find out something about your preferences for the way you work with information. You will have a preferred learning style and one part of that learning style is your preference for the intake and the output of ideas and information. Choose the answer which best explains your preference and circle the letter next to it. Please circle more than one if a single answer does not match your perception. Leave blank any question that does not apply. 1.
You are about to give directions to a person who is standing with you. She is staying at a hotel in town and wants to visit your house later. She has a rental car. You would: a) b) c) d)
2.
You are not sure whether a word should be spelled `dependent' or `dependant'. You would: c) a) b) d)
3.
cook something familiar without the need for instructions. thumb through the cookbook looking for ideas from the pictures. refer to a cookbook where you know there is a good recipe.
A group of tourists has been assigned to you to find out about wildlife reserves or parks. You would: d) a) c) b)
6.
phone her immediately and tell her about it. send her a copy of the printed itinerary. show her on a map of the world. share what you plan to do at each place you visit.
You are going to cook something as a special treat for your family. You would: d) a) c)
5.
look it up in the dictionary. see the word in your mind and choose by the way it looks. sound it out in your mind. write both versions down on paper and choose one.
You have just received a copy of your itinerary for overseas travel. This is of interest to a friend. You would: b) c) a) d)
4.
draw, or provide a map. tell her the directions. write down the directions (without a map). collect her from the hotel in a car.
drive them to a wildlife reserve or park. show them slides and photographs. give them pamphlets or a book on wildlife reserves or parks. give them a talk on wildlife reserves or parks.
You are about to purchase a new CD player. Other than price, what would most influence your decision? b) c) d) a)
The salesperson telling you what you want to know. Reading the details about it. Playing with the controls and listening to it. It looks really smart and fashionable.
a)
b)
c)
d)
Count your choices on this page
Turn to the next page.
Jacaranda Educational Development Greenville, SC www.jacarandaeducation.net
Bonnie B. Mullinix, EdD [email protected]
Teaching Learning and Technology Group Takoma Park, MD www.tltgroup.org
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
7.
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 16
Recall a time in your life when you learned how to do something like playing a new board game. Try to avoid choosing a very physical skill, eg. riding a bike. You learnt best by: a) c) b) d)
8.
visual clues -- pictures, diagrams and charts. written instructions. listening to somebody explaining it. doing it or trying it.
You have an eye problem. You would prefer that the doctor: b) a) d)
9.
told you what was wrong. showed you a diagram of what was wrong. used a model of an eye to show you what was wrong.
You are about to learn to use a new program on a computer. You would: d) c) b)
10.
You are staying in a hotel and have a car. You would like to visit friends whose address/location you do not know. You would like them to: a) b) c) d)
11.
You have used a copy before. A friend talking about it. Quickly reading parts of it. The way it looks is appealing.
A new movie has arrived in town. What would most influence your decision to go (or not go)? b) c) a)
13.
draw you a map on paper or provide a map from the internet. tell you the directions. write down the directions (without a map). collect you from the hotel in a car.
Apart from price, what would most influence your decision to buy a particular book? d) b) c) a)
12.
sit down at the keyboard and begin to experiment with the program. read the manual that comes with the program. telephone a friend and ask questions about the program.
You heard a review about it on radio. You read a review about it. You saw a preview of it.
Do you prefer a teacher who likes to use: c) a) d) b)
a textbook, handouts and readings. flow diagrams, charts and graphs. field trips, models, labs and practical sessions. class or email discussion, online chat groups and guest speakers. a)
b)
c)
d)
Count your choices on this page
Total for both pages V A R K Copyright Version 4.1 (2002) held by Neil D. Fleming, Christchurch, New Zealand and Charles C. Bonwell, Green Mountain Falls, COLORADO 80819 U.S.A. This material may be used for faculty or student development if attribution is given. It may not be published in either paper or electronic form without consent of the authors. The VARK website is at www.vark-learn.com.
Jacaranda Educational Development Greenville, SC www.jacarandaeducation.net
Bonnie B. Mullinix, EdD [email protected]
Teaching Learning and Technology Group Takoma Park, MD www.tltgroup.org
Colloquium on Teaching and Nurturing Adult Learners
Opening Session October 20, 2009
page 17
Recommended References: Angelo, T. and Cross, P. (1993). Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Belenky, M., Clichy, B., Goldberger, N., & Tarule, J. (1986). Women’s ways of knowing: The development of self, voice and mind. New York: Basic Books. Bransford, J. D., A.L. Brown and R.R. Cocking (eds). (1999). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience and School. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Available online at: http://www.nap.edu/html/howpeople1/notice.html. Chickering, A. W. and Gamson, Z. F. (1987). "Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education." AAHE Bulletin, 1987, 39 (7), 3-7. Christopherson, R.W. (2008). Geosystems:An Introduction to Physical Geography. Prentice Hall. Fleming, N. VARK (Learning Styles Inventory). Online at: www.vark-learn.com. Lovelock, J.E.; Margulis, L. (1974). "Atmospheric homeostasis by and for the biosphereThe Gaia hypothesis". Tellus 26 (1): 2–10. Mullinix, B. B. (2002). Nurturing Participation: A Facilitator's Introduction to NonFormal Education and Participatory Training. Amherst, MA: Center for International Education, University of Massachusetts. Perry, W. Cognitive and Ethical Growth in Chickering, A. W., & Associates (Eds.). (1981). The modern American college: Responding to the new realities of diverse students and a changing society. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Shriver, M & and the Center for American Progress (2009) A Woman’s Nation. Available: http://www.awomansnation.com/awn.php Tansley, A.G. (1935) The use and abuse of vegetational terms and concepts. Ecology 16, 284-307. Thomas, L (1974). The Lives of a Cell. Bantam Books. Teaching Goals Inventory. Online version available at: http://centeach.uiowa.edu/tools.shtml U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (2002). Nontraditional Undergraduates: Findings from "The Condition of Education” Available: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2002/2002012.pdf
Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (2008). Knocking at the college door. Available: www.wiche.edu/policy/knocking/19922022/knocking_complete_book.pdf.
Jacaranda Educational Development Greenville, SC www.jacarandaeducation.net
Bonnie B. Mullinix, EdD [email protected]
Teaching Learning and Technology Group Takoma Park, MD www.tltgroup.org
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