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    Making Connections With The Adult Learner

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    Y-ai Juarez-Reotan
    The document discusses strategies for connecting with adult learners. It covers understanding adult learners through assessing their learning styles, backgrounds and goals. It also discusses learning theories like constructivism, andragogy and transformative learning that inform best practices. These include making content relevant, providing options for engagement, building on life experiences and facilitating critical thinking. The document advocates understanding each learner's situation and using collaborative, active learning strategies to help them succeed.

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    Making Connections With The Adult Learner

    Uploaded by

    Y-ai Juarez-Reotan
    42 views69 pages
    The document discusses strategies for connecting with adult learners. It covers understanding adult learners through assessing their learning styles, backgrounds and goals. It also discusses learning theories like constructivism, andragogy and transformative learning that inform best practices. These include making content relevant, providing options for engagement, building on life experiences and facilitating critical thinking. The document advocates understanding each learner's situation and using collaborative, active learning strategies to help them succeed.

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    Adult learning strategy

    Original Title

    Making Connections With the Adult Learner

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    The document discusses strategies for connecting with adult learners. It covers understanding adult learners through assessing their learning styles, backgrounds and goals. It also discusses learning theories like constructivism, andragogy and transformative learning that inform best practices. These include making content relevant, providing options for engagement, building on life experiences and facilitating critical thinking. The document advocates understanding each learner's situation and using collaborative, active learning strategies to help them succeed.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    42 views69 pages

    Making Connections With The Adult Learner

    Uploaded by

    Y-ai Juarez-Reotan
    The document discusses strategies for connecting with adult learners. It covers understanding adult learners through assessing their learning styles, backgrounds and goals. It also discusses learning theories like constructivism, andragogy and transformative learning that inform best practices. These include making content relevant, providing options for engagement, building on life experiences and facilitating critical thinking. The document advocates understanding each learner's situation and using collaborative, active learning strategies to help them succeed.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 69

    Making Connections

    with the Adult Learner

    While we are waiting…


    Text scottschneid964 to 22333
    Making Connections
    with the Adult Learner
    Scott Schneider
    Dean of Adult Education
    Eastern Iowa Community Colleges
    [email protected]
    563-328-7682
    Agenda
    • Participatory Exercise
    • Define Critical Thinking
    • Exploration of Adult Learning
    Theory
    • Application of our Understanding
    • Discussion
    One-Way Street?
    High speed accident?
    Which car sustained the most damage?
    Does the silver car appear drivable?
    How many people were to your left?
    How many had their hand over their mouth?
    Describe the person who took pictures.
    Describe the person next to the bike.
    What was the weather like?
    What color were the cars in the accident?
    What is the speed limit at the site?
    Who was at fault?
    The Face of High School
    Equivalency
    • Low income
    • Unemployed or Underemployed
    • Lack Self Confidence
    • Newfound Intrinsic Motivation
    The Face of English Language
    Learners
    • Low English Literacy
    • May or May Not Have HS Diploma
    • May or May Not Have College
    Degree(s)
    • Often Struggle with Employment
    and Community Assimilation
    Knowing Our Students
    Beyond general demographics,
    what would we like to know about
    our students?
    Knowing Our Students
    • Their unique situation
    • Their family and work commitments
    • Their fears, hesitations, and insecurities
    • Their perceived strengths and
    weaknesses
    • Their short and long term goals
    Knowing Our Students

    Learning Style
    Knowing Our Students

    http://www.slideshare.net/larryweas/memletics-learning-style-inventor
    Assessing Learning Style
    Visual (spatial):  Prefer using pictures, images,
    and spatial understanding.
    Aural (auditory-musical): Prefer using sound and
    music.
    Verbal (linguistic): Prefer using words, both in
    speech and writing.
    Physical (kinesthetic): Prefer using your body,
    hands and sense of touch.
    Logical (mathematical): Prefer using logic,
    reasoning and systems.

    http://www.slideshare.net/larryweas/memletics-learning-style-inventor
    Assessing Learning Style

    Social (interpersonal): You prefer to learn in


    groups or with other people.

    Solitary (intrapersonal): You prefer to work


    alone and use self-study.

    http://www.slideshare.net/larryweas/memletics-learning-style-inventor
    Critical Thinking
    Vs.
    Weighing All Options
    Questioning Beliefs
    Examining via
    multiple lenses
    Varying Perspectives
    Personal/Professional Bias
    Critical Thinking
    Commonly Held Beliefs
    Religious or spiritual belief system
    Political platform
    Role of education
    Others?
    Critical Thinking
    An Exercise in CT
    Bachelor degree attainment
    a. Essential for professional success
    b. Level playing field
    c. Stepping stone to graduate degree
    d. Worth the investment
    e. Not worth time or money
    Critical Thinking
    Critical Debate
    Take the opposite position and offer a
    supporting argument in a constructive
    but convincing manner.
    Critical Thinking
    Critical Debate
    • Research supported (properly cited)
    • Research taken from multiple perspectives
    • Consideration of potential bias
    • Counterpoints presented constructively
    • Facts and educated conclusions vs. opinions
    • May or may not alter original beliefs
    Critical Thinking
    A formal definition:
    “…the intellectually disciplined process of
    actively and skillfully conceptualizing,
    applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or
    evaluating information…”

    Source: National Council for Excellence in CT (1987)


    Constructivist Theory
    Constructivism is defined as a process of building
    knowledge through a personal connection to the
    new information.

    It involves active engagement in problem solving


    and critical thinking as new information is
    applied to the students’ current knowledge base.
    Constructivist Theory

    Introducing Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development


    Scaffolds
    • Lectures
    • Lab
    Activities
    • Discussions
    • Internships
    What I Cannot Do • Readings
    • Practice
    What I Can Do with Help Tests
    What • Field Trips
    I  • Internships
    Zone of Proximal • Guest
    Can Do
    Development Speakers
    • Online
    Supports
    • Contextual
    Exercises

    Zone of Proximal Development


    Transformative
    Learning
    Jack Mezirow
    • Induces more far-reaching change in
    individual than other kinds of learning

    • Experiences which shape the learner and


    produce a significant paradigm shift
    Transformative
    Learning
    Jack Mezirow
    • Often triggered by a significant, life-
    altering event (a.k.a. disorienting
    dilemma)

    • Followed by a period of critical


    reflection
    Transformative
    Learning
    Roles of Instructor
    • Establish an environment of trust and
    care

    • Facilitate sensitive relationships and


    topics
    Transformative
    Learning
    Roles of Instructor
    • Seasoned guidance – serving as an
    experienced mentor, engaging in self-
    reflection as a means of modeling it for
    others
    • Compassionate criticism – assisting in
    questioning their own realities in ways that
    would promote transformation
    Transformative
    Learning
    Roles of Student
    • Share in the responsibility of creating
    both the environment and the process

    • Be willing to let go of old


    conceptualizations of self and the world
    Transformative
    Learning
    What are some examples
    of disorienting dilemmas
    that our students may
    encounter?
    Andragogy
    Malcolm Knowles
    Based upon six guiding
    principles
    Andragogy
    • Adults are internally motivated and
    self-directed

    • Adults bring life experiences and


    knowledge to learning experiences

    • Adults are goal oriented


    Andragogy
    • Adults are relevancy oriented

    • Adults are practical

    • Adult learners like to be respected


    Andragogy
    Andragogy
    Constructivist Theory
    Learning Style

    Andragogy
    ZPD

    Transformative Learning
    Strategies
    Accessibility
    Online Registration
    Convenient Scheduling
    Options for Engagement
    Online/Blended/Flipped/Videoconferenc
    e
    Strategies
    Relevance
    Contextual Content
    Fit with Goals
    Connection to Career Pathway
    Student Status in the College
    Strategies
    Active/Participative Learning
    Collaborative Learning
    Student as Teacher
    Teacher as Facilitator
    Internships
    Field Trips/Business Visits
    Strategies
    Constructivist Based
    Building Upon Life Experiences
    Learning Style Assessment
    Assessing Prior Learning
    Strategies
    Create Expectations
    Enhanced Orientation
    Tell Them…Teach Them…Tell Them
    Practice, Practice, Practice
    Learning Outcomes
    Strategies
    Incentivize Success
    Dual Enrollment Scholarship
    Completion Voucher
    Making Connections
    with the Adult Learner

    Discussion
    Discussion
    How does this information help us make
    connections with adult learners?

    What best practices are you using to engage your


    adult students in and out of the classroom?

    Share your successful strategies or ideas for new


    approaches with your group.
    Making Connections
    with the Adult Learner

    Sharing
    Making Connections
    with the Adult Learner
    Scott Schneider
    Dean of Adult Education
    Eastern Iowa Community Colleges
    [email protected]
    563-328-7682

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