Reaching and Teaching Adults

1. Reaching and Teaching Adults Focus on Educators Susan Cox 2005 PLT Conference

2. What Does Adult Development Mean? • EVOLUTION • Mental growth as a process of interacting with one’s environment • How we make meaning of our world at different times in our lives

3. Assimilation: Fitting experiences into our present stage of cognitive development; continuity with past perceptions “A McDonald’s would be a nice sight at the trail head.”

4. Accommodation: Changing our present stage of cognitive processing to incorporate new experience. New perceptions and revision of previous understandings lead to change and growth. We are often out of our comfort zone here.

5. How Do You Make Meaning of Your World?

6. Development Happens in Stages. • Some people spend most of their lives in one stage, others progress through stages. • Each stage represents a different way of viewing the world. • Stages are hierarchical

8. Where are Adult Development Theories Used? • Psychology/Social Work • Education • Medicine/Dentistry • Philosophy • Journalism

9. What are the Theories Used for? • Professional Development • Decision-making & Collaboration • Personal Growth • Managerial Effectiveness • Designing Effective Education & Policies

10. Three Types of Development Moral Ego Conceptual

11. Moral • How people determine what’s “right” or “fair” • The ethic of justice versus the ethic of care • Not to separate people but how they come together and interconnect

12. Ego • The way a person “keeps things together, one’s method of facing problems and one’s whole attitude toward life. It’s the personality framework in which learning of any kind is embedded. • Some learning can alter a person’s framework so much that it moves them into the next stage of development.

13. Conceptual • The way a person understands, constructs knowledge • Concrete- Abstract- ability to see different perspectives and approaches

14. Conceptual Maturity • Complex ways of understanding • Moving away from simple stereotypes and clichés toward constructed knowledge • Recognition of individual differences in attitudes, interests, and abilities • Increased toleration of paradox • Increased toleration of contradiction & ambiguity • Ability to hold 2 opposing views

15. Conceptual Development: “New discoveries don’t just happen by chance but come to a prepared mind.” –Louis Pasteur

16. Conceptual Ego Moral Pre-conventional Conventional Post-conventional

17. Higher stages are not necessarily better than lower stages- it’s just how people are viewing their world.

18. Environmental Attitudes-Robbins & Greenwald Study on women’s attitudes toward the environment. Used Robert Kegan’s theory of ego development

19. Stage 2: Pre-Conventional “We all have the ability to do things to help or harm the environment, like when it comes to disposing of motor oil, and picking up litter.”

20. Stage 2: • Concrete ideas (motor oil) • Personal benefit • Can’t conceive of a relationship with an abstract entity like the environment

21. Stage 3: Interpersonal “There are experts. They know best what is required to protect the dolphins. I don’t hear a lot of negative information anymore about dolphins. They must be doing better. There are regulations for such issues. Everyone should follow the regulations and then the dolphins will be saved. That must be what is happening.”

22. Stage 3: • Assume authorities know more and leave difficult issues to them • Rely on information from political leaders and the news • Rely on things that keep them from having to take personal responsibility

23. Stage 4: Institutional “So many issues come to mind. The deforestation in Brazil, the loss of forests here in NH, and biodiversity and global warming. Where do I start?”

24. Stage 4: • Can grasp complex ideas • Can see beyond immediate environment • Will address future impacts

25. Stage 5: Interindividual “There are many issues which need attention. We must transform our approach to make new systems that work to integrate environmental stewardship into everyday thinking. A new paradigm is needed.”

26. Stage 5: • Can have perspectives on relationships and themselves • Rethink complex issues • Can understand abstract concepts like sustainability

27. Educational Implications If we wish to provide information or experiences that nurture and facilitate growth, me must take into account the developmental stage(s) of the receiving party!

28. Promote Stage Change & Growth by • Action & Reflection • Role-taking and Real-life Experience • Support, Challenge, & Trust • Continuity and Time

29. CBAM • Computer Based Anti-microbial Monitoring • Concerns Based Adoption Model • Cost Benefit Analysis Method

30. CBAM Concerns Based Adoption Model • A basic structure for looking at concerns that individuals have when they are affected by a new idea or educational innovation.

31. Based on Assumptions • Change is a process, not an event • Highly personal • The change process is developmental

32. Stages of Concern 0- Awareness 1- Informational 2- Personal 3- Management 4- Consequence 5- Collaboration 6- Refocusing

33. Awareness/Information • Oh, I’m really not interested • Never heard of it • I’m taking a class • I’m talking to people to find out more • Want to know long term benefits and short term costs

34. Awareness/Information • Involve teachers in discussion and integration • Share information, encourage questions • Help teachers see how current practices are related to integration

35. Personal • This is going to be a lot of work. • I’m not sure I can commit to this! • I’m not sure this will work in my class. • Emotions are high, need to see the personal benefit.

36. Personal • Legitimize personal concerns • Provide encouragement • Connect with teachers who have overcome their personal concerns • Establish attainable expectations

37. Management • I’m taking work home every night! • There’s not enough hours in the day. • I don’t have the time to get this done. • Recognizing the time and energy to make the change

38. Management • Clarify steps • Address the “how-to”issues • Demonstrate practical solutions • Help teachers sequence activities and set timelines

39. Consequence • I would like to get my students excited about their role. • I’m concerned about the student’s attitude • What’s the long range impact for my students? • Considering the impact of the innovation.

40. Consequence • Provide opportunities for interaction with others implementing the program at conferences or through school visits • Encourage to share skills

41. Collaboration • We need to coordinate on our delivery. • I think we should share ideas. • This would work better if we teamed up. • Have a desire to improve the program for the students

42. Collaboration • Provide opportunities to develop skills to work collaboratively • Bring people together- both within and outside school to help with integration • Don’t force collaboration on those not interested

43. Refocusing • I know some other approaches that might work better • Let’s move on to something new • This usually occurs after several years and people are now open to new programs or major revisions.

44. Refocusing • Respect and encourage those for finding a better way • Help channel energy to be productive • Encourage to act on concerns for program improvement • Help find access to resources • May replace or significantly modify existing program

45. CBAM Survey • I don’t know what PLT is. • Making a change PLT will require too much work for me. • I would like to know how using PLT with science, math and language arts is better than what I have now. • I am concerned about the time I would have to spend on the nonacademic problems related to PLT.

46. Teacher Institute • Do you use integrated learning with your students? • Do you incorporate environmental learning into your curriculum? • When adjusting to curriculum changes, what’s the greatest challenge for you? • What student issue(s) pose the greatest challenge when developing lesson plans?

47. Bottom Line • Pay attention to teachers and be prepared for situations which stall implementation.

48. Conditions for Stage Growth • Role taking • Reflection • Balance • Continuity and Support • Challenge Reiman and Thies-Sprinthall 1998