Foundations of Adult Education in Vocational Education

1. Foundations of Adult Education in Vocational Education Instructor: Dr. David M. Agnew Associate Professor Arkansas State University

2. Topic/Objectives for this Session • Class Orientation, schedule, assignments, icebreaker • Define terms associated with Adult Education • Summarize the demographics associated with the adult student. • Explain why adults are seeking to continue their education • List factors affecting or limiting adults seeking to continue their education • Describe the duties of an adult instructor.

3. My Background inAdult Education • I had No Clue as to how it could make a positive difference in the teaching experience. • I had some mention of adult ed in my undergrad program. • During my first year at my first teaching job I visited the nearby teacher during his adult class one night. • Early in my career and at a different school I was ask if I wanted to teach adults?

4. My Background inAdult Education, ….Continued • Grad school With Glen Shinn, my advisor-had taught in MO, I went with him to speak to several adult groups in Mississippi. I also had more info about adult education in my grad classes. • Montana – Project • Nebraska – Several AE projects, wrote a handbook for adult teachers. • Arkansas – About the 12th time I have taught this course. Taught several adult education courses

5. Enough About Me….. • What about you????????

6. You and Your Expectations • 10-15 Minute “Get to know you” Activity • Objective: • 1. To identify the background of the students and how adult education fits in their career plans. • 2. To identify goals of the students for this course. • 3. To build a framework on which to refine the course objectives that will best meet the needs of everyone.

7. Questions for you 1. Who are you and what is your discipline, and how does adult education relate to your discipline? 2. How do you think that you might work with adult students in the future? • What do you want from this course? What goals do you think appropriate for you to have for this course? • What suggestions do you have for achieving your goal for this course?

8. Overview of the Semester • Foundations– What is a foundations course? • Historical roots of the subject • Philosophical rationale for existence • Principles of beliefs and operation • Overview of the Scope of the Discipline • Survey course • Issues and Trends • Nuts and Bolts

9. What do we do in this course? • 35% of semester with me teaching • Traditional Lecture/Discussion • Abstracts • Quizzes / Exams • 40% with guest speakers, fieldtrips, etc. • Worksheets • Reports • 25% with application of principles learned or Learning by Doing • Adult Education Project

10. Personal Philosophy • Need balance between Theory and Practice • Learning by doing is preferred • Vocational education is practical • Knowledge not much good if not usable • Only exposure some of you will ever have to adult ed “up close and personal” is this course .

11. The questions I ask myself upon completion of this course are: • Is your opinion about Ad Ed positive or negative? • Do you see where Ad Ed fits in the total educational system? • Do you see how Ad Ed might be related to you career choices? • Would you be competent to plan, implement and evaluate an Ad Ed program? • Do you have a grasp of the structure, major issues, and principles associated with Ad Ed. • Are you open to the concept of life long learning?

12. Review of Course Requirements • Attendance – Weekly assignments, Usually 25pts. • Abstracts – 4 required, not that hard but useful and will help you explore the literature. • Example • The Project • Group activity • Learning by doing • 200 pts. • Examples

13. General Topics for Session 1 • Definitions • Overview Of Adult Education as a Field of Study • Adult vs other forms of education • Need for Adult Education • Providers of Adult Educations • Responsibilities of an Adult Educator • Sources of info for Adult Educators

14. Definitions • Title of this course--- Foundations of Adult Education in Vocational Education • Adult --- Someone beyond the age of compulsory Attendance in Public Schools • Education --- relating or transferring knowledge from one person to others.

15. Definition of Adult Education • Bryson -- All activities with an Educational purpose carried on by people in the ordinary business of life who use only part of their time and energy to acquire intellectual equipment. • In book; Adult Education

16. Definition of Adult Education • Reeves, Fansler and Houle --- Any purposeful effort toward self-development carried on by an individual without direct legal compulsion and without such effort becoming his major field of activity.

17. Definition of Adult Education • Russell G. Mawby of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation--- We are a learning society, and learn throughout our entire lifetime. Learning is for life and is a part of life. It is essential for occupational efficiency, civic competence, satisfaction of a vocational interests, and self-fulfillments of goals.

18. Definition of Adult Education • Malcolm S. Knowles -- Adult education is… continuous development of individuals toward full and unique potential through their lifespan, and the continuous renewal of the larger social systems of which they are part through constructive interaction with them. • 1974 speech at Univ. of New York at Buffalo, before the Division of Continuing Education

19. Define Vocational Education • Vocational Education – • Other than a BS / BA degree • Educational preparation for purpose of employment, or getting a job

20. Terms Related to Work/Careers • Career - work done over a period of years in one area of interest. • Job - being employed by a person or company to perform certain tasks and being paid for the work. • Occupation - the type of job in which a person is employed. • Work - productive activity resulting in something useful.

21. Other Definitions….. • Adult vocational education --- Organized instruction for persons beyond the age of compulsory school attendance to prepare them for employment or to increase knowledge and skills required in their occupations.

22. Adult Education • Adult Education – Broad inclusive term • Adult Teaching – Teacher, Instructor • Adult Learning -- Learner, Student

23. Other Terms Associated with Adult Education • These are terms not modes of delivery • In other words they are not methods of getting the information out to students/adults. • These are other terms that describe the same population or, • They are closely related to the concept of adult education.

24. Other Definitions…..1 • Continuing Education --- Any extension of opportunities for learning following completion of, or withdrawal from, regular school or college programs. Continuing education usually emphasizes nontraditional forms of study, and embraces a variety of instruction ranging from avocational to vocational. May refer to specifically approved additional formal study or individual experiences required for continued licensure, certification, or registration in a particular occupation.

25. Other Definitions…..2 • Life Long Learning – cradle to grave concept, learning is not just for one phase of one’s life. It should and will take place throughout one’s life. • Life Long Learner – The person who seeks to learn throughout life.

26. K. Patricia Cross: “Lifelong learning is not a privilege or a right; it is simply the necessity for anyone , young or old, who must live with the escalating pace of change- in the family, on the job, in the community, and in the world-wide society.”

27. Other Definitions…..3 • Extension Education –

28. Other Definitions…..4 • Distance Education • Distance Education is instructional delivery that does not constrain the student to be physically present in the same location as the instructor. Historically, Distance Education meant correspondence study. Today, audio, video, and computer technologies are more common delivery modes. • defined by Virginia Steiner. The Distance Learning Resource Network (DLRN)

29. Another Definition • Distance Education: The process of providing instruction when students and instructors are separated by physical distance and technology, often in tandem with face-to-face communication, is used to bridge the gap.

30. Distant Learner The student at the distance site Distant Teacher The one who prepares delivers instruction at a distance and evaluates the distance learner Sub-Category of Distance Education

31. Asynchronous: Communication in which interaction between parties does not take place simultaneously. Synchronous: Communication in which interaction between participants is simultaneous Asynchronous vs.Synchronous

32. Vocational Education General Education Vocational Education vs General Education

33. Liberal Education General Education Liberal Education vs General Education

34. Vocational Education College Education Vocational Education vs College Education

35. Secondary Education Post Secondary Education Secondary Education vs Post Secondary Education

36. Andragogy Pedagogy Andragogy vs.Pedagogy

37. Ways to compare two different educational settings… • Climate • Setting of objectives • Testing/evaluation • Curriculum • Control center

38. The premise is for the two major classifications are the differences in: • Physiological Development • Psychological Development • Social Development • Emotional Needs • Motivational Needs • Stages of Moral Development • BOTTOM LINE IS THAT there are Different Stages of Human Development

39. Therefore we approach the teaching of people differently based on their stage of development. • For simplicity sake we offer two major classifications of people. • Youth • Youth can broken down into many stages and approaches to teaching vary greatly because of the stage of development. . • Adult • Little difference in approaches to teaching based on variations in the adult category.

40. Two major duties of a teacher are to: • Decide what to teacher • Decide how to teach

41. Another Major Premise: • In education to be an effective teacher and to meet the challenge of “how to teach” you need to understand those that you plan to teach. • Understanding the differences in? • Physiological Development • Psychological Development • Social Development • Emotional Needs • Motivational Needs • Stages of Moral Development

42. Evident that we seek to understand students • Aptitude testing • Ability testing • Learning styles • Personality typing • Age appropriate expectations (16 to drive) • Survey them • Focus groups • Talk to them

43. The planning the instruction. Methods used Motivation Marketing The fact that there are differences matters to:

44. Formal 2 x 4 (Classroom) highly structured testing teacher directed institutionalized rigid start stop times individual conforms credit bearing Used cost Informal anywhere any time credit or non-credit student centered self paced self directed may or may not cost $ Formal vs. Informal Education

45. Which is Adult Education? • Formal or informal? • Answer --- Both

46. Major Premise: • Learning takes place, is needed and is wanted beyond the formal required education which stops after high school. • For some people that is a surprise. • Old farmer was ask if he was going to attend night school. His reply, “ No I already know how to farm better than I am doing now”

47. What??? More Schooling? • But why would anyone want to go to school if they did not have to? • Most youth would like to get a day off from school. • Going back to school? Well you just graduated 10 years ago!!!!! • Sometimes I wonder why we waste so much education on those who don’t want it. • Education is one of the few items we want to receive less than what we deserve. UNTIL….

48. UNTIL…They/We Have a Reason to Learn • Reasons vary as to why people want to continue their formal or Informal education. • Can you think of some?

49. Reasons Adults Need or Want to Continue Their Education • Career advancement open up opportunities • Change careers (due to changing technology, illness, etc.) • Pay increase • Supplement current knowledge and do a better job • Required (by employer, courts) • Maintain certification • Expand service or work opportunities. • Personal interest • They live longer now….therefore work or play longer.

50. So What Stops Them From Continuing Their Education?