The researcher intends to collect information related to the participants’ use of andragogy in middle and high school instruction. Study participants identified are current and past middle and high school level classroom teachers; a classroom teacher is defined as an educator who actively works with students. A previously validated and published survey has been chosen; teachers will be sent a survey link with a brief description of the survey and asked to complete and submit anonymously. Initially, several school districts are chosen and letters to the superintendents will ask permission for the survey to be sent via district email. Ultimately, teachers will also be allowed to forward the survey to others. Geographical or other identifying …show more content…
This will separate the responses into PBL/IB and non-PBL/IB for comparative purposes.
Measures of Study
The researcher intends to distribute Gary J. Conti’s Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS), a published instrument available for public use (Conti, 1982). The Principles of Adult Learning Scale was developed and designed to survey educators to see how instruction matched the factors identified. The survey is 44 items and is “valid and reliable as testing by juries, observations and statistical analysis” (Conti, 1982, p. 135). Initially, Dr. Conti validated the survey through work with three adult education professors. Items were analyzed and edits were suggested. He then worked with ten “well-known adult education professors” (Conti, 1982) in various locations throughout the country, and chose professors he thought had a variety of philosophical ideals. Content validity was secured using field tests in public education, while criterion validity was tested by comparison of scores to another validated survey. Reliability was based on the test-retest comparison, using Pearson correlation. The table below reflects the values of each piece of the survey. Questions were clustered into “Factors” as indicated below.
Factor Mean SD
Learner-centered activities 38 8.3
Personalizing instruction 31 6.8
Relating to experience 21 4.9
Assessing student needs 14 3.6
Climate building 16 3.0
Participation in the learning process 13 3.5
The learning material should be relevant to their social positions and lifestyle, and because the learning material directly concerns their lives, they would want to be involved in the whole process – from the introduction of information to the outcome. Adult learners zero in to the elements that are of most relevance to their immediate needs and conditions. Those aspects that well give them the necessary knowledge and skill to resolve life-centered or problem-centered learning experiences.
In the 1950’s and 1960’s organizational development practitioners composed the term andragogy (Kenner, Weinerman, 2011). This was used to help them recognize needs and visage of this distinct learning population. It was also used to
Becoming familiar with adult learning theory and the six principles of adult learning. (2007). Retrieved from http://www.qotfc.edu.au/resource/?page=65375
Knowles posits that adult learners are self directed and autonomous. They are goal oriented, practical and must see and understand the relevance of any training. Adults bring an abundance of experience and knowledge, experiential learning, with them. Most importantly, “…adults need to be shown respect.” (Lieb)
S. et al (1984) Andragogy in Action. Applying modern principles of adult education, San Francisco: Jossey Bass. A collection of chapters examining different aspects of Knowles’ formulation
I believe that the most challenging aspect of being a Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Investigator would be having to work in depressing or sad situations, and making the right judgement calls on cases. I know that I will see tough situations in this field, but you have to put your emotions aside and remain professional. I believe I have the ability to do that, while still feeling compassion for those involved in the situation. Also, I realize that you have to be able to make judgement calls in situations like these. As said in the video, everything will not be black and white but you need to be confident in the decisions you make. I believe that I have the ability to use proper judgment, and with proper training I will feel confident about the decisions I make pertaining to my job.
The assumptions of Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory, first proposed in 1980, have since become an accepted part of the framework when one considers how adults learn. It is difficult to argue with the fact that adults enter each new day with a background of previous experiences. In formal learning situations, an instructor can use the variety of life experiences brought in by students to build a learning
Knowles, M. S. (1980). The modern practice of adult education from pedagogy to andragogy. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Cambridge Adult Education.
The adult learning theory Also known as andragogy is the concept of Adult learning as a science in the field of education. Created by Malcolm Knowles , the theory is comprised of four different concepts. A fifth concept was later added by Knowles. within these different concepts, Knowles set forth compilation of expectations for educators within the Adult Education community. Firstly, he suggests setting a corporative climate in the classroom for learning. (Knowles, 1984, p.76) An assessment of the learners needs and a compilation of objectives and educational activities to help learner reach needs
Specifically, adult student persistence is effectively influenced by four pillars of support: (a) the extent to which students are able to manage positive and negative forces, (b) support from a school 's staff for students ' sense of self-efficacy, (c) established realistic and attainable educational goals, and (d) the opportunity to assess progress toward those established goals (Comings, Parrella, & Soricone, 1999). Also important to adult education completion is the nature of interactions among students and staff. In a study of 600 literacy and numeracy students in Scotland, Tett, and Maclachlan (2007) found that learners who networked with other students and who interacted with their teachers had a more robust learning experience and generally demonstrated more positive life changes. Kegan et al. (2001) connected learning content and skills with complex meaning systems that are conceptually grounded in the idea that adults develop their reality and beliefs over time through a socializing process that occurs in and outside the classroom. After studying the developmental changes in 41 learners at three adult learning centers over period of 9-14 months, they concluded that adult learners change in a variety of ways that allow them to consolidate and elaborate their skills, knowledge, perspectives, and beliefs. The positive effect of adult education on learners is established in the literature. Kegan et al.
Today's workers need to prepare with continuous job training, growth and development. Given the increased age, experiences and diverse lifestyles of the working population, it is understandable that adult education practices must move beyond the traditional model of teachers and learners, while new skills, working with local companies to match their needs and sending staff into factories and other workplaces to spread the word about state and federal retraining assistance. While trying to decide how to rebuild your life after loss of employment and lack of job opportunities following the current recession, or devastated from a divorce? Adult students faced with other struggles; studies have shown that older adult students face different hurdles, family problems, and poor self-image. These along with poor time management, weaker academic preparation and a need for remediation an increased focus on adult learners and their needs can help. (armour)
The six principles of andragogy should be applied to how the curriculum for adult learning is created. Providing lessons that adults enjoy and can relate to is what will draw in students to the class. Also, it will be very beneficial to not only the adults, but the school as well. A study by a private liberal arts college was held and using a pre test-post test-control-group design, andragogy was tested against traditional instruction type teaching. After conducting the research it was concluded that there was no significant differences between the two different types of teaching.
ADULT LEARNING THEORY 3 significant mentors in his life—Eduard Lindeman. By reading Lindeman’s Meaning of Adult Education, he obtained a profound understanding of adult education, which later became his source of inspiration and concepts. Major Works In 1943, Knowles was recruited into the Navy, and began to read extensively in the field of adult education, which contributed to his final decision to undertake a master’s program at the University of Chicago (Smith, 2002). His adviser at the University of Chicago was Cyril O. Houle, who had been a role model in rigorous learning for Knowles. Carl Rogers, “the founder of 'client-centered' or 'non-directive' therapy” (Smith, 2004, para. 1), and Arthur Shedlin, an associate of Rogers, had also exerted a great influence on Knowles—he began to consider learning as an exciting incident. In 1949, Knowles gained his Master’s degree and published his first book Informal Adult Education, which was also his master thesis (Smith, 2002). In 1951, he became “executive director of the newly formed Adult Education Association. ” and also “attended a couple of summer sessions of the National Training Laboratories in 1952 and 1954” (Smith, 2002, para. 7). The founders of the labs—Kenneth Benne, Leland Bradford, Ronald Lippett and Kurt Lewin—consequently impacted Malcolm and his wife, Hulda, who co-authored books on leadership (1955) and
Basically, this article by Malcolm Knowles is a conglomerate of all aspects of adult learning. It outlines aspects of adult learning, theories of adult learning, and expands on them. The main idea of this article is to create awareness on the existence of adult learning, and to help instructors of adult learning to know how to go about it successfully. Additionally, the article is of help to adult learners to enable them to learn the most they can (Knowles, 2007).
My impression of adult education has changed immensely. First and foremost, the first lesson learned that teaching adults are a separate, intensive, and long debated process. Portions of certain theories learned illustrated below. I have extended knowledge about Meizrow (Transformational Learning) and Knowles (Andragogy). The six key features of Adult Learners are: