Experiential Learning and Adult EducationAdult Teaching PracticeClass 4

Learning Community ???

Experience and Learning: What is the connection?

What, if anything, does experience add to adult learning?

Is experience a pre-requisite of learning? Can learning take place without experience?

What is the role of the adult educator in the practice of experiential learning?

Experiential Learning

TSWBAT apply their new knowledge of experiential learning to a Christian’s spiritual growth process.

TSWBAT recall information previously discussed in class.

TSWBAT examine what a philosophy of educating adults entails.

TSWBAT identify his/her personal philosophy of teaching adults

TSWBAT differentiate between a teacher-centered and a learner-centered approach to teaching

TSWBAT identify his/her personal teaching style

Intro to Experiential Learning

• “Adult experiential learning is a complex, vague and ambiguous phenomenon, which is still inadequately defined, conceptually suspect - and even poorly researched. . . . On the other hand, its theoretical and philosophical foundations are fragmented and confusing. . . . There are too many interpretations and priorities among the theorists and practitioners that no single, clear definition of these foundations could be constructed” (Malinen, 2000, p. 15)

• “Clearly the role of experience in learning is highly complex” (p. 169, Learning in Adulthood)

Relationship: Adult Ed & Experiential Learning

1. The need to know

2. The learners’ self-concept

3. The role of the learners’ experience

4. Readiness to learn

5. Orientation to learning

6. Motivation

Experiential LearningDefinitions

• Jarvis (1999): – "learning that begins with experience and transforms it

into knowledge, skill, attitude, emotions, values, beliefs, senses" (p. 65).

• Fenwick (2001) – "an independent learner, cognitively reflecting on concrete

experience to construct new understandings, perhaps with the assistance of an educator, towards some social goal of progress or improvement" (p. 7).

• Saddington (1992) – "a process in which an experience is reflected upon and

then translated into concepts which in turn become guidelines for new experiences" (p. 44).

More Definitions

• Hoberman and Mailick (1994)– "learning activities that require participants to gather

data, interact with others, respond to changing circumstances, implement decisions, or deal with the consequences" (p. 18).

• Usher: – differentiates between learning from experiences

(day-to-day learning from what we experience) and experiential learning (a discourse of study, knowledge, theory, learning, provides vocabulary to discuss exp learning);

– experiential learning looks at learning from experience

Some Models

Dewey Continuity:

"every experience both takes up something from those which have gone before and modifies in some way the quality of those which come after"

Interaction: "transaction taking place between an individual

and what, at the time, constitutes his [sic] environment”

What are the implications for the teacher?

Kolb’s ModelSmith, M. K. (2001) 'David A. Kolb on experiential learning', The

encyclopedia of informal education, http://www.infed.org/b-explrn.htm

Boud, Keogh, and Walker

add the dimension of emotion;

reflection and experience cannot be separated;

must consider preparation prior to experience and reflection-in-action (Schön)

Learning integrated

Stage ADeveloping Awareness of Cultural

Diversity

Stage BImmersion into a Different

Culture

Stage CFormal TESOL Training

Commitment to teach EFL as a career is fostered

Plus

Plus

Concrete experience

General contempla

tion on experienc

eContemplation

applied to personal life

Reflection

ERLC Events

ERLC Events

ERLC Events

Exp. process that fosters a commitment to teach EFL as a career(Crosby, 2004)

Role educators play in practicing experiential learning (handout)

Educator’s role through Constructivist lens

Educator’s role through Situative lens

Educator’s role through Psychoanalytic lens

Educator’s role through Critical Cultural lens

Educator’s role through Complexity lens

Applying to Spiritual Growth

How would each of these “lens” play out in a Christian’s spiritual growth? Constructivist Situative Psychoanalytic Critical Cultural Complexity

Next

• Chapter 3: Exploring philosophical orientations;

• Chapter 4: Identifying your teaching style

Philosophical Orientations & Teaching StylesCAE 323 Adult Teaching Practice

Learning Community ???

Philosophical orientation to teaching – nice but abstract.

Why do I have to have one?

Why do I have to know what mine is?

What’s the big deal?

What does one look like in practice?

Objectives(reminder)

TSWBAT recall information previously discussed in class

TSWBAT examine what a philosophy of educating adults entails

TSWBAT identify his/her personal philosophy of adult education

TSWBAT differentiate between a teacher-centered and a learner-centered approach to teaching

TSWBAT identify his/her teaching style

I. Philosophy of Adult Education

• Our philosophy guides the implementation of our teaching

• Our philosophy gives us the “why” behind our actions and lesson plans. (“why” must precede the questions of “what” and “how” (deChambeau, 1977) on page 41 in text.)

• Our philosophy gives us the framework by which we teach and facilitate learning in adults.

• Our philosophy is linked to our beliefs and our values.

Discussion

What would a teacher’s life and teaching look like if he/she did not identify his/her personal philosophy of adult education?

What would you expect it to look like?

Philosophy of Adult Education Inventory (page 60-73)

Take (should have already done prior to class)

Discuss results

Apps Framework

The learner

Overall purpose of adult education

Content of subject matter

Learning process

Role of the adult educator

Identifying your Values

• An alternative to writing your philosophy

• Personal example: How values impact the facilitation of adult learning– Guidance of the Holy Spirit – HS plays a vital

role in the process as guide, teacher– Representation – all voices need to be heard– Collaboration – working together sharpens the

final outcome– Ownership – the final outcome needs to be

owned by the majority if not all for it to have effect.

Values

Philosophy of Adult Education

Action

Discussion

What do I value about the learner?

What do I value about adult education? (or the education of adults)

What do I value about the content to be taught? (would be idiosyncratic to the topic) The content should be…

What do I value about the learning process?

What do I value about the role the adult educator plays in adult education?

Learner

Purpose of Adult Education

Content

Learning Process

Role of Adult Educator

VALUES

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Assignment Discussion

Paper: “Personal Philosophy of Adult Education”

Next Session

Assignment for next week (March 4th)Chapter 4: Identifying your Learning

StyleDo Appendix B and bring to class

Chapter 5: Designing instructionChapter 6: Understanding & using

learning stylesCaffarella: chapter 9 (course home page)