UNDERSTANDING LEARNING: VOICES OF ADULTS IN ESTONIALarissa Jõgi, PhD, Kristiina Krabi, MA, Katrin Karu, MATallinn University, Estonia

atool@tlu.ee

Paper Presented to “Eesti Sotsiaalteaduste VII aastakonverents“ November 23-24, 2007 in Tartu.

INTRODUCTION

Voice is the animus of storytelling, manifestation of author’s will, intent and feeling (Charmaz, Mitchell 1997).

Learning is connected to experiencing self and life/time. Life and life experiences are connected to learning and are affected by social environment, cultural background system, prior life experiences, wisdom of life and changes in personal and social life (Alheit 1996; Alheit, Dausien 2002; Alheit 2005; Bauman 2000; Jarvis 1992; Heidegger 2000; Illeris 2002).

The paper is based on research “Andragogical, social and psychological factors co-influence on learning readiness and training activeness in the context of lifelong learning”. One of the goals of researchers was a need to understand and analyse how adult learning is understood and how these understandings are expressed in the context of lived experience, which in turn would support finding characteristics of adult learning understandings by different generations.

The paper is based on analysis of 55 interviews with adults from different generations. Analysis is based on hermeneutical-phenomenographical approach (Marton, Booth 1997), for this inductive analysis was used (van Manen 2000). In context analysis, persons’ life and educational situations as well as theoretical understandings were taken into account.

The problem of research is following: How adults see, feel and describe themselves as learners? How adults from different generations interpret and understand learning in their

lives?

We are proceeding from a viewpoint that a person in certain generation is influenced by events connected to social roles, social positions, age, life experience and processes in society, which in turn are influencing understanding of learning.

Through subjective understanding of learning, it is possible to understand adult learning (Bruner 1990; Jõgi, Karu 2004; Rogers 2003).

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The aim of our paper is to interpret personal understandings of learning in the context of lived experience.

RESEARCH PROCESS

Empirical data were collected and analysed during 2004-2006. Thematic interview was used as a way of collecting empirical data. According to M. Patton (2002:341) interviewing begins with the assumption that the perspective of others is meaningful, knowable, and able to be made explicit.

Interviews were based on the semi-structured open-ended questionnaire and on open conversation. During the interviewing several questions flowed from the situational context.

Gadamer described a genuine conversation on the basis of Plato’s dialogues: a conversation is a process of two people understanding each other, thus it is characteristic of every true conversation that each opens himself to other person, truly accepts his point of view as worthy of consideration and gets inside the other to such an extent that he understands not a particular individual, but what he says (Gadamer 1975:347).

Interviews in Estonian were transcribed verbatim, and translated to English for this article. Data gathered from interviews were different for each person interviewed. Interpretation of empirical data is based on hermeneutical-phenomenographical approach, holistic perspectives and inductive analyses (Marton, Booth 1997; van Manen 2001).

The sample. 55 interviews with 41 women and 14 men of different age and education from 9 Estonian counties and 5 cities were conducted in order to gather empirical data.

It was important that different generations were represented and hence, at least five interviewees were chosen from each age group (-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71-80, 81-90). The youngest interviewee was a 20-year old woman, oldest, 99-year old man.

LEARNING IN THE CONTEXT OF LIVED EXPERIENCE

Learning takes place in the context of life experiences and is discussed as personal development process. Development and learning process occurs throughout life and time is perceived as past, present and future. In different stages of life uniqueness of a person

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appears. It is characteristic to learning that experiences influence personality. Human being develops and grows as an individual throughout life.

Adults accumulate experience and learning over their lifetime, therefore, learning is a socially determined lifewide and lifelong process including socialisation and being socialised through lifetime. Person’s life is connected to time and time is connected to changes and learning.

Lifelong dimension of learning is connected to time and sensing and experiencing time or passing of time where people seem to act intuitively, but actually they act upon lived experiences. “Learning is lifelong, because it occurs whenever we are conscious and it needs have no end in itself, although it frequently does have a purpose” (Jarvis 2007:98).

Past experience is an essential component in learning, both as a base for new learning and as an unavoidable potential obstacle. Past experiences always enter into adult learning unless the learning experience of content is wholly new to the learner (MacKeracher 2004:35).

Lifewide dimension of learning makes it possible to understand learning more extensively – people learn in different fields of life.

Goals and scope of learning depend on social environment and context, learning possibilities, socialisation, being socialised, individual motivation and readiness to learn throughout life.

Learning is defined as a process of making sense of life’s experiences and giving meaning to whatever „sense” is made (MacKeracher 2004:7). “Learning is existential, … because it is about an individual’s life” (Jarvis 2007:98). Every experience is a potential opportunity for learning; each experience is influenced by the unique past as well as the current life context. Learning is experienced as a seamless whole (Miller, Boud 1996; Baert, De Rick, Van Valcenborgh 2006).

UNDERSTANDINGS OF LEARNING

Learning is something more than an individual cognitive process, learning starts from experiencing, noticing experience and reflection, the result of which is a changed understanding. Understandings of learning form through experience and are prerequisite to possibility of learning (Alheit 2005; Kuurme 2004; Manninen, Mannisenmäki, Luukannel, Riihilä 2003; Marton, Dall’Alba, Beaty 1993).

Learning is related and intertwined with adult’s life, individual and subjective experience, which influences development of learning understandings. Understanding is always subjectively unique, nonrecurringly meaningful and socially designated in the context of lifecourse (Krueger, Alicke, Dunning 2006).

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Changes in time and in social environment alter learning conditions and influence adult’s understandings of learning.

When analysing interviews, phenomenographic approach was used, and when interpreting understandings of learning, inductive analysis was used in order to answer following questions:

o How is learning understood in the context of lived experience? • What are the meanings that are connected to learning?

In everyday language, an understanding of learning can be understood as an opinion. However, phenomenographic approach sees learning comprehension as a social construction, a schemata of interpretation (Alvesson, Skölberg 2005; McLeod 2002; Marton, Dall’Alba, Beaty 1993; van Manen 2001) which is formed by a thought or a thinking process about a certain phenomenon. Therefore, a phenomenon gets its content through meanings attributed to experiences. Subjective comprehensions make it possible to analyse and understand the essence of adult learning, development of learning comprehensions, attitudes towards learning and studies (Alheit 1994).

RESEARCH RESULTS

Based on results of analysis, it is possible to point out, that younger interviewees (21-30 year olds) connect learning to knowledge and skills, practical things, teaching and acquiring something. Also succeeding in life and work. They emphasise, that this notion is subjective to change.

Learning is acquiring knowledge, but understanding of learning also changes – as studies get more practical and as the person ages, the more conscious learning gets (Laura, 22).

For them, it is important, that whatever they learn is useful. Their life experience is inadequate for looking back, remembering and analysis. There are not enough events, personal resources, learning skills, and life and work experiences.

Understandings of learning are normative, habitual with no meaning. Therefore, the meaning of learning, personal functional thought is still developing.

The more experienced the person is, the more he or she senses or values learning possibilities in informal situations and in life itself without defining themselves as learners.

30-90 year-olds perceive learning as development, as personal and spiritual growth, a possibility.

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Learning is definitely discovering your own individuality followed by strengthening and perfection. During the last two years I have discovered, that I have found courage to challenge myself (Katrin, 30).

Learning is integrated to everyday life, it is lifewide, learning is life, and learning is a way of life which influences people’s understandings, life course, education, work and career.

I have learnt, that everything is temporary ... life itself, new relationships, new situations have required me to move from one place to another and have required me to learn (Vaike, 56).

I want a quieter life, to be more at home, to do things I am interested in. Life is really busy at the moment. I don’t know how to plan my time. I have to learn it.

I feel that I don’t know all the trees growing in Estonia. I envy men who look at something and say, that this is made of beech (Priit, 33).

No, I don’t want to study at the moment ... My wife didn’t like when I went to the library after work. I would like to be quietly at home, because money makes you work (Priit, 33).

They believe that studies and continuing learning supports individual development, self-actualisation and managing life and work.

People participate in training programmes to make a better life. I have understood that I haven’t had a big career and I won’t ever have it. I want that I had a job which would offer satisfaction and that I could manage myself (Vaike, 56).

The older one is the more people regret of „learning too little” or „there wasn’t a possibility to learn”. People learn everywhere and constantly.

When I observed mothers of big families, I learnt patience, motherhood, and femininity.

There are things that you don’t learn in life, you can mimic it, but it isn’t it (Aino, 51).

My dog has taught me a lot – big love, self-discipline, morning jogs (Vello, 66).

The support of parents, home, family is important when choosing studies and learning possibilities.

When I was a child, my FATHER was very important to me, I didn’t see much of my mother. She only told me to decide by myself … Now, my partner has supported my studies which is very important to me. I just don’t want to me a housewife or identified only as a mother of three (Liina, 36).

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School and high school remind people something where learning and studies were not very meaningful. School is perceived as important in life and in development of self, but school is not a place where people see themselves as conscious learners. They remember couple of teachers, who influenced understandings and development of worldview.

School is seen and talked about as something negative, compulsive, teachers are associated with negative emotions. All this is remembered and talked about in later years.

There weren’t enough teachers in my elementary school, classes were cancelled. After a while it became evident that students’ ability to speak English was weak, mathematics was hard... (Tiina, 24).

Unbelievable, yes. The better I felt, the better results I had. In elementary school, I studied a lot, but teachers there were very strict and even a bit abusive. I wish they had been a little bit more humane and friendly. I remember that in physics class nobody new much and teacher just yelled by our family names: “Sokk, Sütt!”, stand, sit, F”. You couldn’t think, you just listened and hoped that your name wouldn’t come up (Elvi, 56)

UNIQUE UNDERSTANDINGS OF LEARNING

Learning is understood, interpreted, talked about and explained in contexts of different life experiences. Difference of understandings is influenced by different life experiences, and stages or social framework of life situations.

Heleri’s (student, 22 years old), Marika’s (engineer, 37 years old) and Arno’s (former farmer, blacksmith, 99 years old) interviews are understood as different, unique and interpreted accordingly. Every interview is unique because of one’s life course, individuality, subjectivity and life experience.

Societal-historical context of lived life is different. Arno, born in 1907, experienced more than four periods of radical political, economical and cultural changes in Estonia: independent republic of Estonia, II World War, prison camp, restoration of the independent state in 1991. Marika was born in 1969, attended university during Soviet time and graduated already in independent Estonia. Heleri was born in 1984 and got her education already in independent Estonia. (Illustration 1.)

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Illustration 1. Societal-historical context of lived life (Arno, Marika and Heleri).

Meanings (datum), which belong to concrete interviews, are signs of unique (structural significant nexus, van Manen 2001:37). Every interview was analysed separately in order to find understandings of learning by using conceptual encounter approach (de Rivera 1976).

Following are most characteristic quotations from Heleri’s, Marika’s and Arno’s interviews, where meanings were extracted and assembled, classified according to types under meaning categories. Following meaning categories were formed: comprehension of learning, learning as capability, learning as self-reliance, importance and value of learning, understanding of self as a learner.

Learning

Learning ... Acquiring new skills and knowledge. It’s when I don’t know anything, but I want to know and then I acquire that knowledge (Heleri, 22).

...acquiring skills and knowledge what I can use ... to broaden your horizon, to understand things better, can also be acquiring experiences. To manage yourself in life (Marika, 37).

...learning? It starts from childhood, when a child starts to learn, he learns for life and learns it throughout his life until he dies (Arno, 99).

Learning as self-reliance and capability

When you decide, that you know about a lot of things, it is a very powerful feeling. I think that people, who know a lot of things, are very interesting to listen and then I think what kind of a feeling is it to look down on people in the sense of knowledge. Looking down not in a negative context, but they see things broader. I think it must be a great feeling (Heleri, 22).

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1907 – Arno, 99 years 1969 – Marika 1984 – Heleri, 22

... 1918 1939 1991 2006Estonia in Russian Independendent Soviet occupation, Independence Empire Estonian Republic II WW regained

1907 – Arno, 99 years 1969 – Marika 1984 – Heleri, 22

... 1918 1939 1991 2006Estonia in Russian Independendent Soviet occupation, Independence Empire Estonian Republic II WW regained

... and a good feeling, well, not a good feeling, but it is a feeling that you can do something, that you are useful to someone not just to yourself. I don’t know, useful to society. You learn best from practical work really (Marika, 37).

I am not capable much any more; I don’t have a good memory any more. I put something in one place, it is there for some time, but when you turn around, it’s not there any more (laughs). I haven’t thought about it that much, but now ... (Arno, 99).

Understanding of self as a learner

... I have this nature that I like to learn, but when it gets too much, I get tired. Now, for example I don’t want to study. I flee from it now and I fight with myself (Heleri, 22).

It’s in human nature – as little as possible and as much as needed (Marika, 37).

I don’t have learning obstacles, but may be they don’t show. /.../, but my memory isn’t good and walking is difficult, I would be more active, it’s difficult being like this... (Arno, 99).

I was an average student. Now when I am older, I have to confess, that I should have been a very good student. But I didn’t have enough time. Well, to learn about people, this thorough learning takes time, it’s one thing and you have to be observant, I have this characteristic, observation of people is quite good. When you meet someone, may be a stranger, once, twice and it’s clear for you, if he or she is right, right for you, that he is like this and he is like that. I have learnt about this a lot.

Now you regret what you don’t remember when you are young or don’t write down. And

writing down is very important to young people to start and to finish. There would be a lot for your children to read and do, but I started late and I didn’t finish (Arno, 99).

Importance of learning

... Then I am not dumber than the others (Heleri, 22).

... It is important that you are interested in the subject. When you are not interested, then anybody can’t add anything to you. Or a direct need, may be (Marika, 37).

A big success is for me, what I did with a small state grant was to repair my land and got needed equipment and when I was 32, I built a stable and a cellar...It was what I wanted and did but then came an end, which annulled everything (Arno, 99).

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A need to learn

... I can’t really vocalise it, this job I have, I have to learn new things all the time. When I came, I only could do so much with the computer ... (Heleri, 22).

Tolerance ... you get smarter, you just understand, that there are many opinions. I don’t think it’s adapting, it’s just understanding, experience which makes you understand other person. It’s being in the society you have to learn (Marika, 37).

… Me, attitude, I learn how to interact with people. You have to find, whom you depend on, you have to win the trust. Well, learning people, it takes time and you have to be careful, this is a good skill of mine (Arno, 99).

Lifelong learning

… When you decide, that you know about a lot of things, it is a very powerful feeling. I think that people, who know a lot of things are very interesting to listen and then I think what kind of a feeling is it to look down on people in the sense of knowledge. Looking down not in a negative context, but they see things broader. I think it must be a great feeling (Heleri, 22).

This learning, it happens all the time. As soon as you open your eyes in the morning, you hear some news and try to remember them and may be just to feel right, I think ... I don’t think that people absolutely don’t learn anything, but may be they just don’t need more. It is according to what requirements others place on you (Marika, 37).

... Person learns until he dies ... till death, yes, it is important that you stay calm. That

you don’t have so many prejudices ... I am happy with everything... (Arno, 99).

Following is a presentation of examples by person as a whole enabling to understand how understandings of learning are connected with context of lived experience.

Heleri

Learning for her is stereotypical and foremost knowledge centred, tied with will to know and understanding.

When I don’t know something, and I want to know it, then I acquire that knowledge ... until I understand (Heleri, 22).

Describing herself as learner she understands herself foremost as learner in the formal education context. She emphasizes several times that she likes to learn (at university) and

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know things, but now she wants to rest and take a break. She feels problems with memory, concentration, being overwhelmed, having a barrier towards learning and needs to struggle with herself in order to learn. Learning at university is an abstract concept for her, not meaningful for her in current life context. In learning she is orientated to understanding and a sense of achievement.

... I have liked to learn, but there has been too much learning lately, I would like to rest. ... I like le learn, not to do exams with cribs. I like when I know the answer, gives me so good feeling. ... I don’t want to learn now. I have to do an exam anew, and I have to struggle. ... I would like to run for it, I struggle with myself (Heleri, 22).

For Heleri the importance of learning in other words knowing is a matter of self-evaluation, competitiveness. She does not want to be less clever than others – the motive for learning is external. The wise, which is knower for her, manages and is able to understand difficult things.

Then I am able to compete, I am not dumber than other. ... I feel that I am wiser and able to do these things. I am able to clarify more difficult things (Heleri, 22).

When she is asked about need to learn, she notices herself as a learner at work. She connects a need to learn with learning new terminology and challenges at work.

I have all the time to think these ... I don’t know how to express myself at work and I have to learn new things all the time. When I came here, I was only able to draw with this computer (Heleri, 22).

Lifelong learning for her is „learning from everything “, like she finds that she has learned to not to fear her boss.

I’ve learned that bosses are also human. I don’t need to fear them… (Heleri).

Heleri has not yet realized her possibilities, capabilities as a learner. For Heleri real „fruits” of learning seem to be distant, in future, there is a sharp divide between her and the ideal. She voices herself as not-knower, the one lacking broad vision, the one who is not interesting to listen. And she doesn’t present herself actively seeking for knower position; it seems to be in distant future. Maybe this is the wisdom of a young person, a learner, finding that there is so much to know yet.

When you clarify something for yourself ... Then you see things from above and this is a very powerful feeling. I think that people who know a lot of things, they are interesting to listen and then you think what kind of a feeling is it to look down on people. Not in a negative context, but they see things broader. I think it must be a great feeling (Heleri, 22).

Heleri’s understandings of learning are knowledge-centred and influenced by normative beliefs and lived experience. Heleri’s understanding of learning based on experiences of

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childhood relationship with her father, school and work. She is silent about meta-cognition and her reflection is yet superficial.

Marika

Learning for her is foremost tied with experience, knowledge and skills for practical use, enabling managing life. But she finds learning for broadening the mind, which gives background-enabling understanding important as well.

[Learning is] acquiring new skills and knowledge what to use ... and also learning for broadening the mind in order to understand things better ... obtaining experience (Marika, 37).

Talking about self as a learner she uses pragmatic approach – „not more than needed“, being ironical or blunt. She says that she was not self-conscious learner before she started to work – then came understanding what do you learn, what is needed to learn. She says that learning was not hard for her, but there was no motivation, need to strain. She finds important to understand what is learned.

[As a learner I am] as human being basically: as little as possible and as much as needed. ... During school time ... learning was not hard for me, maybe this is the reason why I had average certifications that I didn’t want to strain... when you have graduated from university and work two or three years, then you actually understand, what do you need to learn on this field (Marika, 37).

Important in learning is interest and need especially in work context.

It is important that what is learnt is of interest to you ... when you are not interested, then no one can pour it from cup to you. ... Or direct need at work (Marika, 37).

Her need to learn is connected with herself – to feel herself well and know oneself better.

[I learn] in order to feel myself well, I guess. ... Because of good self-feeling (Marika, 37).

Lifelong learning is important for self-achievement, satisfaction.

[Lifelong learning is important for] self-achievement ... for self-realization. In order to not be just a furniture in the corner [useless] (Marika, 37).

Marika claims that she has learned tolerance in relationships, taking others in account, and being useful to others, for society. She connects wisdom to being wise in relationships, relating to people, not so much to knowledge.

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[I have learned] tolerance. Especially when you are young and very square, but those squares are quickly made round. ... You will get so much more wisdom that you understand, that there is so many different opinions. I wouldn’t say its adaptation, it is understanding, experience, which makes you to understand or count others. ... [Learning] is for survival, ... and for self-realization that you can be useful to others, not just for yourself. I don’t know it is kind of... being useful for society (Marika, 37).

Marika has variety of roles and experience, and her understanding of learning is richer. There are several contexts of learning and reflection in her interview: childhood, university, and work context, her own family context, training, social-relationships, traveling and societal context. She describes also observing others while learning (her small child) and reflecting on it. Based on her example, it can be said, that the richer the experience, the more capital to reflect on and richer the understanding of learning.

Arno

Arno’s understanding of learning is wide: learning covers life and is life.

Talking about self as learner, he regrets that he had little time for learning at school, all the other activities were more important (fishing, skiing). There were no barriers to learning, but at one time his father interrupted his learning and gave him responsibility for farming, this means that time for schooling was over, the role of the farmer started. Nowadays his physical condition is a barrier to learning: lack of memory, visual and hearing problems, making the limit to learning not dependent on the learners will. He has a will to learn, but the process of aging is limiting it.

[As a school child] I had little time for learning. I have to admit now thinking about it that I should have been very good student, but I had not enough time. I had other activities. ... I had no significant barriers to learning... But there was not enough time... I am not able any more [to learn], my memory doesn’t hold any more... (Arno, 99).

Importance of learning is to create freedom for oneself, his main motive in learning during adulthood was the sense of independence – in prison camp and in working in collective farm he tried to create spaces of his own, which knowing the extreme conditions was a risky and very challenging task.

Then I went to my own blacksmith’s shop and there I had my own room and own permit again. Then I had no one to fuss, I did my work to be done, and the manager I went to and talked (Arno, 99).

His need to learn was existential – in order to survive, live and the most important was to know the other (many cases his enemy), to create trust and through this create spaces of independence (air to breathe), the freedom to live without others control. But learning to know people takes time.

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Well, learning to know people, learning to know them thoroughly takes time. You have to be observant and I have the virtue, that I notice people well. The ones you meet first, regardless how strange to you he is and second time is clear – is he right, is he honest. ... This I have learned a lot ... I didn’t notice it when I was young (Arno, 99).

Learning takes place until you die. Arno presents the vision of a learner dying soon – the wisdom of learning until dying, being calm, lacking dissenting – probably challenges he is struggling.

You learn something more until you die ... the most important is that you are able to keep yourself calm. That there are no big differences of opinions and in life-attitudes (Arno, 99).

He describes two main aspects of what is he has learned in life connected with being people wise – creating trust and overcoming violence.

[In prison camp] I learned attitudes, attitudes to people. You have to find out the ones you depend on, and you have to win his trust. And the level of trust I achieved in camp – I guess no one believes it. ... I learned that you don’t win violence with violence (Arno, 99).

There are different contexts of learning in Arno’s interview: childhood and school context, work context and historical disjunction in his life course. He said that due to Communism he had „nothing left“, he describes especially prison camp as learning context and context of relationships as learning context currently. Arno’s uses broad understanding of learning, learning is life and life is learning, and in his case, with his “life capital” and life experiences it are not a slogan. Arno doesn’t connect learning with knowledge or studies, but mainly with freedom and relationships – with life context and takes lifelong perspective.

CONCLUSION

Heleri’s, Marika’s and Arno’s understandings are based on life events, episodes, life course, learning experience and is influenced by interpretations of learning experiences in childhood, work and studies, life itself in social situations.

Every interview (told life) is a self-edited version of the lived or/and remembered life.

Heleri’s understandings of learning are knowledge-centred and influenced by normative beliefs, short life and cognizing experience.

Marika has more life experience. Her life, work and studies have influenced her personal learning interests and expectations.

Arno’s understandings differ because of his „life capital” and life experience.

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Arno doesn’t connect learning with knowledge or studies, but with life, experiences and himself.

Influences of social environment, support of home and family are crucial in life. Notions of learning develop through life experience. Self-reliance and understanding of self-increases with life experiences. The deeper the understanding of self, the more lifewide and complex is person’s education, work. The more a person has positive learning and life experiences, the more significant events in life, the more people understand and value learning possibilities and learning. Hence, they learn more, want to learn more and are active in life.

People who have experienced success and support in their lives, studies and learning (home and family support, also employer’s and organisational environment’s support, understanding and creation of learning possibilities can be seen here) wish to continue and continue their studies actively and/or participate in training programs, have different interests and hobbies.

Learning in the context of lived life can be understood as life-based and a constant process connected to life. Learning is understood differently. Understandings of learning change during life, are intertwined with life, where one of the dimensions, that is not dependent by life course is understanding of learning as acquiring skills and knowledge.

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