Overview of Adult Learning Principles and Methods

1. Overview of Adult Learning Principles and Methods ASPBAE Leadership Workshop 2008 ASPBAE Facilitation Teams

2. Aim Our aim is to connect your educational practice to the theory of adult education/learning and its underlying principles

3. Who are we? We are self-directed learners and come from a wide range of backgrounds, skills, knowledge and experiences as adult educators. We have very diverse adult learning contexts. But there are shared themes and regional challenges. We have the commitment towards transformative and empowering adult learning practice,with the firm belief in the right for all to learn, especially the most marginalized sectors.

4. How do we hope to achieve these? Part 1: Individual Recall/ Description Identify a most significant change story (one activity that you have facilitated or experienced). Recall and briefly describe the issue being addressed Summarise the steps involved in achieving this most significant change What were the adult learning activities conducted? Who were involved in the change and how did your organisation contribute to the change? Part 2: Small Group Sharing - Part 3: Plenary Reporting Part 4: Synthesis and Discussion

5. Assumptions We have shared understandings of meanings eg. Adult education, adult learning, transformative Rodikaya �need for conceptual clarification� and � has come to acquire a whole array of of synonyms and near-synonyms and sometimes overlapping and competing terms� Foley- the radical adult educator

6. Jarvis- shifts in emphasis Childhood to lifelong learning Few to the many Education and training to learning Learning as a process to learning as an institutional phenomenon Teacher centred to student centred Rote learning to reflective learning Etc etc

7. The Four Pillars of EducationThe Four Pillars of Education, described in Chapter 4 of Learning: The Treasure Within, Delor�s Report (1996) Learning to know Learning to do Learning to live together Learning to be

8. Assumptions about adult learners Have life experiences and knowledge which are grounded eg. Classes in Madrasa Are relevancy oriented- cultural sensitivity; commonalities Are goal oriented- sensitise the decision makers Are practical-organic farming demonstration Require respectful dialogue- Afghan case study Are autonomous and self directed Participatory approach- story telling We are all learners and we are all educators-equal power dynamics�hanging question???

9. Process of delivery Recognitions of different knowledge systems and learning styles including indigenous Acknowledgement of the growing need to work across traditional disciplinary boundaries especially given a lifelong focus integrated and whole Co-generation/ co-production of knowledge which is ongoing Sharing and ownership of knowledge

10. So what ? Our insights? Our learnings? How do those learnings change our practise and help transform the lives and communities in which we work? Our educational philosophy informs our educational practice.