What contributions to adult education have the following made:

• Knowles (1913-1997) was an important and innovative contributor to adult education in USA with key focus on the theory of informal education practice, self direction and andragogy. Key characteristics of adult learners differ from children learners (pedagogy) and include:

“1. Self-concept: As a person matures his self concept moves from one of being a dependent personality toward one of being a self-directed human being

2. Experience: As a person matures he accumulates a growing reservoir of experience that becomes an increasing resource for learning.

3. Readiness to learn. As a person matures his readiness to learn becomes oriented increasingly to the developmental tasks of his social roles.

4. Orientation to learning. As a person matures his time perspective changes from one of postponed application of knowledge to immediacy of application, and accordingly his orientation toward learning shifts from one of subject-centeredness to one of problem centredness.

5. Motivation to learn: As a person matures the motivation to learn is internal (Knowles 1984:12)” cited in  http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-knowl.htm

• Lindeman (18851953)- Contributed to the discussion of the meaning of adult education and possible the first to use the word Andragogy in the english sense. “Eduard C. Lindeman’s vision for education was not one bound by classrooms and formal curricula. It involved a concern for the educational possibilities of everyday life; non-vocational ideals; situations not subjects; and people’s experience.” http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-lind.htm.

He believed small groups and discussion contributes to the educational experience.

“Adult education  specifically aims to train individuals for a more fruitful participation in those smaller collective units which do so much to mold significant experience.”

(Lindeman 1926a: 38″http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-lind.htm)

“He saw the potential of collaborative and informal educational processes for people to question taken-for-granted ideas, beliefs, values and behaviours”. (Lindeman 1926a: 38″http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-lind.htm.)

Houle (1913-1998) looked at the motivation and orienation of learners. These included the following motivaiton styles:

“1. Goal-oriented learners: Use education to accomplish objectives.

2. Activity-oriented (social) learners: Take part because of social contact.

3. Learning-oriented learners: Seek knowledge for its own sake.” (http://agelesslearner.com/intros/mstyleintro.html)

Completion of Task 2 –  Summary of key philosophies of Adult Education

A summary of the reading by White B and Brokett R – Putting Philosophy into Practice – Developing a Working Philosophy 1987 Vol 25 No 2

White and Brokett (1987) discuss the  importance of using philosophy as a practical tool to reflect on “what we do” and “how we do” it when it comes to improving the way we teach, deliver and plan adult education.

It is important to ask the question of “why” before the question of “how/what (Chambeau 1977). Therefore a philosophical approach will look at:

- why we are plaining the activity

- whose needs will be met

- what are the possible consequences (both negative and positive)

“Recently, Apps suggested that practitioners benefit from philosophical analysis in five major ways, as summarized in the following quote:

Analysis can assist continuing education practitioners in several ways. It can help us to become critically aware of what we do as practitioners; show us alternative approaches to program planning, teaching, budgeting, and so on; help us to become aware of how values, ethics, and esthetics can be applied to continuing education practice; illustrate to us the importance of our personal histories and how they influence what we do as educators; and free us from dependence on someone else’s doctrine (Apps 1985)^“

Elias and Merriam 1980 suggest  four  ways to close gap between philosophy and practice. These include:

Explanation – philosophy can be used to explain results and processes

Criticism – determines how well a given theory fits reality eg examine basic assumptions about the clients we serve

Direction – give directions about philosophy and research

Imagination – expand the limits of what’s possible and expand into new directions

How do you develop your own working philosophy – how do you articulate it?

In developing your own personal working philosophy (or an adult educator system of beliefs) Apps 1985 suggests it should form out of common sense but White and Brokett explain we suggest we should also consider:

- What is human nature

- What is the mission of Adult Education Practice

- What value does Adult Education have in our society

- What is my role as an Adult Educational professional

“This philosophy is an outgrowth of the sum of our personal values, experiences, and lifestyles, and is clearly reflected in the way we function as professionals” (White and Brokett 1987).

By identifying our working philosophy it can be used as a practical tool that can provide a rationale for certain decisions we make and  give us greater control over the decisions we make (White and Brokett 1987).

So how do we begin to articulate our personal working philosophy? White and Brokett (1987) suggest we must focus on answering:

1. What basic beliefs to I hold about the nature of education

2. How strongly to I hold these beliefs

To help us examine our own philosophy Elias and Merriam (1983) and Zinn (1980) have identified six major philosophies that are important in adult education:

Table 1. Adult education philosophy applied to Extension practice ( White and Brokett 1987).

Philosophy	Description	Application to Extension practice
Liberal	Probably the most enduring of the major educational philosophies; stresses develop ment of intellectual power of the mind. Emphasizes content mastery with the educator viewed as expert/authority.	Educational effort in pesticide education with agriculture specialist providing instruction via lecture with a test following presentation of material; content mastery is essential due to mandatory testing for licensing of pesticide applicators.
Progressive	Developed out of the ideas of John Dewey; stresses an experiential, problem-solving approach to learning. Emphasizes experience of learner in determining problem areas and solutions to be considered.	Human resource specialist in interior design and household equipment designs an instructional approach directed toward household maintenance via a problemsolving process; participants identify, by experience, problems in home care and then determine appropriate procedure based on alternatives suggested by the specialists.
Behaviorist	Emphasizes importance of the environment in shaping desired behavior. Behaviorism has contributed to the development of systematic instructional design models and emphasizes accountability.	Family economics specialist provides home study course in estate planning involving a systematic (step-by-step) approach to determining accountable end results; specialist serves as facilitator while participants take initiative to complete process and evaluate each step before proceeding to the next step.
Humanist	Based on the assumption that human nature is essentially positive and that each person possesses virtually unlimited potential; places emphasis on personal growth and selfdirection in the learning process.	Family development specialist designs instruction relevant to economic stress with emphasis on self-concept and self-esteem (the worth of the individual). Small group workshops, seminars, and forums used to enhance “participatory” approach resulting in a positive feeling by individuals. Specialist serves as facilitator of the learning process.
Radical	Stresses the role of education as a means of bringing about major social change; education is used to combat social, political, and economic oppression within society.	Public affairs specialist designs instruction relevant to public issues such as water policy. Forums, selfinstructional packages, and other techniques are used to increase awareness of specific issues and, in turn, provide opportunity for possible community change.

These models can be useful tools to gain new insights about our self and how we deliver adult education and give a more objective understanding of our orientation

( White and Brokett 1987).

The second question we must answer according to White and Brokett (1987) in understanding our personal philosophy is the finding out how strongly we are committed to certain values. Do we hold acceptance, preference or strongly committed. By understanding the strength of commitment to certain values it helps us know where to focus our energies and “choose our battles” eg “A value to which we’re committed would obviously be more worthwhile to defend than one that we merely accept”

So what is my philosophy…… After taking the “Zinn Test” and analysing the results I have found I am a progressive behaviourist.  I have never thought about my training in this way or analysing my philosophy before I plan to teach or develop training material. It does not surprise me that I have a behaviourist bent as the majority of my own education and training has had it roots in behaviourism. I like the fact that I have been tempered by the progressive movement and I do like a problem-solving approach to learning.

So I am back at it albeit with a different level of time management this year. Reading and writing whilst the baby is asleep…and please Aveline sleep….please so I can finish this post…..

So what I have grabbed from the first few readings of:

Merriam S and Brockett RG 2007  Chapter 1: What Counts as Adult Education? pp 3-25, The Profession and Practice of Adult Education: An Introduction: Jossey, Bass, San Francisco

Definitions…Definitions and more definitions… always a good and predictable place to start when trying to get your head around a subject.

This reading answers some of the questions of what does it mean to be an adult, what counts as adult education, who’s in and out of adult education and those endless definitions from an international perspective. Definitions can be quite broad or narrow and according to Merriam and Brockett it depends or how you as the reader or individual experience the phenomenon of adult education. The common element is that you are ‘working with adults in some organised educational activity’ (p4).

Adult Education versus Adult Learning – important to distinguish between these two when you are trying to understand adult education.

Merriam and Brockett argue that “Adult learning is a cognitive process internal to the learner: it is what the learner does in teaching learning transaction as opposed to what the educator does. Learning also incudes the unplanned incendental learning that is part of everyday life” (p6). Adult education is more focused on planned activities with specific learning outcomes and the “process of learning needed for students to acheive those outcomes”. (p6)

So it is important to note that education cannot exist without learning but learning can exist outside the bounds of education but it is most frequently found there (Thomas 1991a cited in Merriam and Brockett).

Definitions usually include reference to:

1) The adult status of the students

2) An activity that is purposeful or planned

3) Change or transfer of knowledge or competence in the individual (eg skill/attitude/value  etc)

Merriam and Brockett argue that definitions depend on where you stand or your personal experience in the field of education.

The also explain that your personal experiences as an adult learner or your experiences with planning, organising and teaching in an adult educational setting may also lead to different understandings of adult education  (p 8).

Merriam and Brocketts definition: “Activities intentionally designed for the purpose of bringing about learning among those whose age, social roles, or self perception define them as adults” (p8).

Another two concepts Andragogy (art and science of helping adults learn)and self-directed learning are also discussed.  These two concepts underpin much of current literature so it is important to include these in this summary. They also influenced a lot of my previous study on this subject so will dedicate a bit of space here to some more definitions.

Self-directed learning is hopefully a feature of most post graduate university work today – it refers to where “the learner chooses to assume the primary responsibility for planning, carrying out  and evaluating those learning experiences” (Caffarella 1993 p 28 cited in Merriam and Brocket).

Another interesting element of this reading were the Bryson (1936)  five “content-purpose” typologies which categorise and summarise the purpose of each type of adult education.

These include Liberal – cultivation of intellect – refers to the study of humanities, social and natural sciences. Knowledge is valued for its own sake with the goal of being an educated person.

Occupational – work related adult education – job related – skills development  - workplace training – human resources development.

Relational – refers to where personal growth is the priority eg leadership training – improving self esteem and self actualisation efforts. Learning related to home, family and leisure.

Remedial – refers to programs that help adults learn to read, skills development programs and those programs which are inherent in basic adult educational programs. Related to remedial and special education work with the developmentally disabled adult or those with literacy/numeracy problems.

Political refers to activities realted to citizenship responsibilities in a democracy eg citizenship classes  for new migrants, local and community forums.

Some additional typologies were added by the authors through their literature review  to include “Social transformation” (empowering adults to bring about change), “Organisational effectiveness (education that achieves the organisations goals) ” and “Scholastic” (graduate study and research).

They also note that this list of typologies is not exhaustive and that you might consider adding your own typology if it is not already represented in the list or see where your current experience best matches the typologies and purpose outlined.  Questions asked:

Is your purpose congruent with your immediate employers or with the organisation that you work for? – is there a purpose to your activity that is not represented?

I would say in my current work in the adult education field fits best across a couple of typologies including Occupational, Relational and Organisational Effectiveness and that I try my best to align the goals and purpose of education to those of the organisation. It is difficult to get funding for programs which are not aligned to these organisational goals. I also like to include some relational aspects to my training/education which are not always matched to productivity and organisation goals. By including some training which is the employees choice and not directed by me it helps build their self esteem and confidence. I firmly believe a healthy and well balanced employee who is working on improving themselves will be of greater benefit to the organisation and  sometimes their choice in training is better than mine!

Ok well I think I have a good enough reason. I have spent the last 12 months or so reading other people’s blogs and not doing much about mine.

Many were educational but not related to my field of study. So I apologise for those who have made comments and I have not moderated….sorry 1000 times over.

In the middle of my studies last year I became pregnant with my first daughter…she arrived on April 9 2009. So my lastest work in progress has been her and much time has been spent doing research on babies…. not e-learning. I have learnt so much from the baby blogging world out there and have done a crash course in motherhood.

I will be back at my studies next year (2010) and back blogging. It was an important part of  reinforcing my learning.  I was really pleased with my results and got great grades so I must be doing something right. So apart from working full time, moving house, moving city and doing two subjects at uni I was working on my major masterpiece – Aveline Grace Dorothy Bell.

So apologies again upfront for my slackness and yes bub and mum are doing great!

From further readings I have picked up a couple of points worth remembering. Again they are in no order and will feed into the over design process.  Interesting to note I am very much in the “Analyse”,”Information Gathering” or “Brainstorming Phase” (depending on which framework or methodology you subscribe to) of the Design process:

1.  Prefer a design where Instructions need to be customised rather than standardised

2. Model will not be a static model but a dynamic flow of activities – can be circular/spiral not linear. The learning activities can be organised in a spiral manner so that the learner continually builds  upon what they have learner already (Machowski N.D).

3. Interested in the concept of What? How? and Why?

3. Instructional design begins with the learner and the learner’s expeirence (Siemens 2002)

4. Designers need to understand the needs, desire and methods of potential users (Merholz cited in Nichani 2002).

5. Model is appearing to have a strong foundation in social constructivist theory. Adapted from  (Machowski N.D) the following applies.

This includes:

- emphasis placed on the learner rather than the teacher

- teacher or instructors role will be in scaffolding - but could play a dual role of peer/mentor?

- the learner interacts with learning objects and activities, gains an understanding of these and then comes to their own conceptualisation and solution to the problem. They will actively construct their own understanding 

- autonomy and inititave will be encourage and accepted   

- Learners willl be able to fit new information with what they already know about the problem/situation. They will be given the opportunity to build on prior knowledge

- Learners will be encouraged to come up with their own solutions, test ideas and hypothesise.

- Social negotiation, feedback and discussion will be encouraged as part of the process

- Learners will be able to test what they know about something with other learners in a safe environment

- Collaboration will also be encouraged which provides opportunities for negotiation, testing of knowledge and provide opportunities to improve work systems so it has real world application

I got around to mind mapping this yet – just some topline ideas to see if I am on the right track and an opportunity to clarify my thinking ……..

1. An online one stop shop for knowledge/information with live feeds

2. A collaborative based e-learning training solution

The question is though how would I construct a rigorous process to ensure all stakeholders are captured in the design process and that learner needs are paramount in the design process as opposed to being an afterthought. So I have taken my thoughts and focus from Customer Service principles. As we are a customer centric organisation I would also like to think we could also be a learner centric organisation. My staff are my internal customers and therefore I should provide a design which meets their needs and creates a positive and exceptional learning experience. Other internal customers like management and other relevant stakeholders will also be included in this process.

Some key topline requirements which I would like to see included in the design are (they are currently not in any order):

1) Scaffolding – the use of mentors or supervisors to assist learning

2) Collaboration – opportunities for learners to learn from each other and share resources and information

3) Consultation:

An understanding of learner needs – taking into account diverse age groups, gender, socio cultural issues, cognitive styles and technology uptake

An understanding of other stakeholder needs – taking into account budget/resources/IT Capabilities

4) Reuse of information and learning materials which may already exist – don’t’ reinvent the wheel if necessary.

5) Learning Theory – learning theory which underpin design meets the needs of learners and management/organisation outcomes

6) Learning Framework chosen is based on sound principles of instructional design and is suited to the learning environment – this will be supported by literature review, an understanding of learners and workplace context.

7) Evaluation and Feedback Mechanism – learners will be involved in the planning and evaluation of their learning

Real world and specific organisation problem solving application – the design will have an immediate application and benefit to their work and hopefully stimulate a personal learning journey

a) Current views on learning

 Learning is essentially a social activity which comes about through the relationships which are created between people and the connections individual’s makes between the knowledge, activity and the communications which are delivered in a situated context. The factors which are important for learning include a desire or motivation to learn and the ability to apply oneself to the task or area of study. To learn you need to have clear goals about what you want to achieve from learning and they should be matched with what is on offer. Effective role models which may include mentors, teachers or peers provide opportunities for learners to observe and model behaviours which can support and enhance the learning process. The opportunity to practice the skill or activity being learned is another important factor to help learners retain knowledge and demonstrate the new skill or knowledge is being retained. For meaningful learning there has to be a change or increase in knowledge base, meaningful personal connections with the knowledge and a profound awaking which is sometimes described as the ‘ah ha’ moment. Meaningful learning is also evident when intellectual curiosity is further stimulated beyond the original learning goals and thus takes you on tangents or fosters a desire to further expand your knowledge base.   

 b) Technology Mediated Learning 

The role of technology mediated learning is to provide systems and tools that support and enhance the learning process. The technology platform must be engaging, motivational and support the learner’s goals and needs. As learning is primarily a social activity, technology mediated learning has to provide opportunities for humans to interact in a social context beyond the face to face environment. To do this technology has to have relevant instructional content, be easy to use, easy to install, easy to navigate and understand. It should allow both asynchronous and synchronous interactions where learners can choose when they want to participate and choose their level of active involvement. In addition, there needs to be a strong role model to mediate and frame the learning conversations and to foster an understanding of the implicit and external rules that govern the learning environment.

The best example of technology mediated learning I have experienced was my recent participation in the web based social networking application, Ning as part of e-Learning Experiences one. The Ning fostered social behaviours such as observation, modeling and participation in a wide range of social practices such as conversation, discussion and feedback. These primarily social activities offered opportunities for meaningful interaction, responding to each other socially, encouraging debate, evolving ideas and problem solving. My personal participation, both through lurking and active participation in the Ning definitely contributed to a more meaningful learning experience as the views, support and knowledge of other participants expanded my knowledge beyond my original learning goals.   

c) Teaching  

Teachers provide an important support structure and can reinforce a leaner’s motivational process by articulating the goals and the reasons for coming together in the first place to begin the learning process (often evident in tools such as a learning contract). Teachers play an important role in ensuring that the technology mediated learning environment has its origins in an educationally sound theoretical basis such as social constructivism and providing engaging and relevant content which supports the learning goals and outcomes.  Teachers also play an important role in modeling a range of behaviours where students can learn by observation and importantly provide support, links to resources and feedback during the learning process. In addition conscious facilitation by teachers within the technology mediated learning environment will help students understand a predictable rhythm about how and when they should participate and help participants learn the norms, roles and expectations of the learning environment.

Another semester is underway and firstly we have to clarify our views on learning. More often than not we come up with complex paradigms and explanations of the world. I came across this simple proverb which for me just about sums up the learning and teaching dynamic and something to keep in mind when designing  e-learning environments.

Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.” Chinese proverb

I also love the above pic which I am sure is happening in many classrooms around the world -the combination of technologies – the old and the new.  If you asks the students here – which is the most engaging? I wonder what they would say….they do seem pretty immersed in what they are doing.

So how do we incorprate sound pedagogy into e-learning design to develop engaging and authentic learning experiences and outcomes…..don’t have the answers yet but I am sure to find out during the semester. 

Happy for anyone to comment and provide a few pearls of wisdom to inspire me for the semester…..

Came across an interesting SMH article by Jill Serjeant titled “Why the switched on are switching off” which I could totally relate to and it could sum up my experience with ELMT1. Although I have loved every moment of this course I have spent a huge amount of my waking existance on line. 

So as the subject draws to a close I am wondering how much I will scale back my online time.

Saying that I have finally joined Facebook….and have found another new reason to spend more time on line