Empowering Adult Educators: Building Learning Communities

Course Introduction“Good” Teaching Class Session One CAE 323 Adult Teaching Practice

Session Learning Objectives • The student/participant will be able to recall information gained in the past two Ad Ed courses. • TSWBAT value the class environment by knowing the role of learning communities in the course. • TSWBAT relate the 6 assumptions of adult learning to the course . • TSWBAT formulate questionnaires to be used to interview adult educators and adult learners concerning teacher qualities.

Session Overview • Review Andragogy and student’s prior learning • Describe / introduce learning communities II. Distribute and review Syllabus III. Discuss Chapter 1: Teacher of adults

Warm-up Question • How do you see the education of adults playing out in your life now and in the future?

I. Review Andragogy and students’ prior learning • Discussion: • What do you know about adult learning and education? • Associated people? • Associated terms?

Associated People: • Malcolm Knowles, Miles Horton, Paulo Freire, Ron Cervero & Wilson, Tyler, Ferris, etc. • Associated Terms: • Andragogy: “The art and science of helping adults learn” (Knowles) • Transformational learning, critical reflection, stakeholders, etc.

Andragogy’s Six Assumptions • The need to know • The learners’ self-concept • The role of the learners’ experience • Readiness to learn • Orientation to learning • Motivation

Planning & Administration of Adult Education • What do you know about planning and administration of adult education? (Tyler, Ferris, Cervero, Wilson) • Power of stakeholders • Need for objectives to guide planning • Need to evaluate based on objectives • Importance of who is at the table • Needs assessment (learner, content, organization, society) • Planning is a continuous process

Tyler & Ferris operate from the same basic planning structure (Penland, 2008) “What is implied in all of this is that curriculum planning is a continuous process…” (p. 123).

Our learning environment:“A Learning Community” “small groups of aspiring adults who desire to keep their minds fresh and vigorous; who begin to learn by confronting pertinent situations; who dig down into the reservoirs of their experiences before resorting to texts and secondary facts; and who are led in the discussion by teachers who are also searchers after wisdom and not oracles”(Lindenman, as cited in Day, “Enhancing learning communities in cyberspace.” In Galbraith, M. (ed.), Adult Learning Methods, 2004, p. 426).

Another def… • “a sitting-around-a-table group of mature individuals, who discuss issues presented via concrete situations, who view truth as organic, and knowledge as understanding gained through experience and who consider teachers as fellow inquirers” (Day, 2004, p. 427).

Related concepts: • Cohort • Learning Community • Collaborative Learning • Baking ideas • Role of the Instructor

How are LCs sustained? • Inter-dependence • A willingness to be changed • A deep sense of commitment

II. Course Syllabus • Distribute and Review the syllabus

Applying 6 assumptions to Our Course • Why do you believe we need to study these topics? • How would you prefer to address the subject matter? What in the syllabus resonates with your preferences? What action or learning methods do you like and what would you like to attempt to implement? • What teaching experiences do you bring to this semester? Actual teaching of adults? Observations of adult teaching situations? Learning in adult contexts?

4. What life situations might the learning you glean from this course help you to cope with real-life situations, certain or anticipated? 5. What tasks do you see this course helping you to master? What problems do you anticipate might arise wherein your learning will help you solve? 6. What external motivators would help you to successfully complete this course? Can you identify any internal pressures that will help you to successfully complete this course?

So you want to be an adult educator? What does a good one look like?? What criteria would you use to define “good”?

Teaching & Learning • What role does learning have with teaching? • Can teaching take place without learning? • Can someone be a good teacher without learning taking place? • How do TFC students characterize a “good teacher”?

Purpose of Teaching • “to facilitate personal growth and development that impact the professional, social, and political aspects of learners” (Galbraith, p. 3) • Add “spiritual”

III. Chapter One: Teacher of Adults (Galbraith) • What is a “Good” Teacher? • If you were to teach a group of adults, desiring the session to be a good learning experience by the students, what would be your concerns as you prepare? • “I would want to …”

A Look as some lists from the literature • “General Characteristics of teachers of adults” (Handout / word.doc) • “Any person trying to measure up to all of these qualities and traits will inevitably fall short…. In trying to be everything a good teacher is supposed to be, we cannot be ourselves” (Cranton, 2001, p. 27, as cited by Galbraith)

Balance Needed • “Good teaching should be a balance of understanding one’s self as a teacher and knowing how to develop learning encounters that are meaningful and useful in the promotion of personal and professional growth” (Galbraith, p. 4)

Types of Teachers • Organized teacher: organized in both content and process of teaching • Caring teacher: concerned with developing a warm, encouraging, friendly, and safe environment for all learners • Practical teacher: works from real-world experiences; teaching grounded in experiential learning • Creative teacher: seeks for students to make changes and improvements; excites and encourages students; uses critical thinking by students (Cranton, 2001)

Another Listing • Cruickshank & Haefele: “Variations of a Good Teacher” (Handout / word.doc)

So What’s the Point with these lists? • Validates some of our own ideas and preferences for teaching / learning • Develops and strengthens our self-concept • Opens our minds to new vistas • Prods us on to expanding our teaching skills • Other points…?

Class Task • Questionnaire Development

Looking Ahead to Next Week • Knowledge Areas of a good teaching style of a teacher of adults: • Teaching style: a mode of expression • Knowledge of Principles of Practice • Knowledge of Self • Knowledge of Learners • Knowledge of Content • Knowledge of Methods

Assignment during week: read Lawrence, “A circle of friends…”; Chapter 1 & 2, 21 of Galbraith; conduct interviews, bring the results to class on Monday Next Monday: (meet in classroom at 5?? 6 pm) • Review reading: Learning Communities • Review assignment results – Good Teaching • Chapter 2: Understanding adults • Attend WOC Monday night

Empowering Adult Educators: Building Learning Communities