Foundations of Adult Education Practice: A Self-Study Guide

Adult education is an exciting field to study and is equally exciting to be associated with as a learner or interested professional. The field is dynamic, growing, and full of opportunity. Today more than 50% of all American college students are over 21, with nearly 15% over age 35. Most authorities predict that the number of older students will continue to increase for some time to come. Researchers have found that almost every adult is engaged in one or more learning projects each year where a considerable amount of time in self-directed study takes place. It appears that an average of 500 hours is spent annually by a typical adult in such learning. In addition, training in the workplace is a multi-million dollar investment.

An aspect of our lives undergoing perhaps the most change today is the workplace. We may never again see the day when a person started working for an organization and then had an opportunity of working there for 30 or more years. Today, most change jobs and even careers several times in their lifetime. This means that we often are in transition and there are various learning implications. This constancy of change is very real. Deems (1995) talks about it this way:

Increasingly, instead of having a "career," a worker essentially contracts with a company to perform a set of tasks. Once those tasks--and the worker's assignment--are completed, the worker negotiates another contract with perhaps a different company for a new set of tasks. What will the eventual impact be? We can't know for sure, but what we do know is that the way work gets done is changing. (p. 23)

Much of this change has been fueled by the need for companies in the U.S. to remain competitive within a global economy. The results for such organizations as they go through their own transitions have included various kinds of change or training needs. What is not yet clear is the impact this will have on morale and even further disempowerment of some workers (Filipczak, 1995).

There also is a continuing stress on obtaining higher quality products or services at the lowest possible cost. Total quality management remains the most active workplace trend, with transitions to team-based structures close behind (Workplace Trends, 1995). Total quality improvement, while on the surface benefiting consumers, often results in the need for considerable extra training, increased employee workloads, and a constant need for employees to be involved in frequent problem solving activities.

The notion of more for less has even impacted the way some managers think about which employees are trained for what areas: "To stay successful, you need value-added services, so everything needs to be evaluated. . . . Management wants to know what value training adds to the business equation" (Gyrus Systems, 1996, p. 1). Education and training actually remains very big business for most organizations. Minoli (1996) notes that the U.S. corporate training market alone is estimated to be a $100-billion-a-year business, with upwards of 35 million individuals receiving formal, employer-sponsored education each year. Another estimate put the amount at more than 52 billion dollars a year (Training Budgets, 1995). Whatever the figure, unfortunately the "doing more with less" theme that seems prevalent today in the workplace has meant employing some training techniques that may be problematic in the long run, such as large numbers in training sessions, shorter training periods, and more technology-directed training packages (Hequet, 1995). Those of us desiring to or working as educators and trainers of adults must be prepared to work under varying kinds of both demands and constraints.

There are some positive benefits from the total quality movement and other workplace initiatives. Self-directed work teams and efforts to give employees a greater say in the management or operation of companies have increased (Orsburn, Moran, Musselwhite, and Zenger, 1990). Companies like Xerox, Proctor & Gamble, Ben & Jerry Ice Cream, Motorola, L. L. Bean, and Domino's pizza have won awards or received numerous accolades for their efforts in excellence, quality, and learner empowerment. Richard Durr, a manager of training for Motorola, notes that the success of implementing self-directed learning at his company has been very valuable in moving each employee toward "becoming an empowered lifelong learner" (1995, p. 343).

The educational implications of such new views and learning attitudes are numerous. Some organizations will find new markets for existing programs aimed at educating adults. Many organizations can redesign existing efforts to meet emerging educational needs related to workplace transitions. These will range from creating new workplace programs on a variety of topics to redesigning existing educational programs or efforts. Opportunities also exist for new partnerships between various employers and education providers. There even will be increasing opportunities for adult education and training consultants to build programs for a variety of specialized or outsourced needs.

Thus, those of us interested in adult education, training, and human resource development need whatever tools we can find to help employees in a wide variety of organizations or agencies deal with change and the constant need for new skills, knowledge, and behaviors.

Therefore, the general purpose of this self-study effort is to help you become aware of the nature of the field, its programs, agencies, and individuals. You will examine the contributions made by other disciplines to the knowledge of the field, the issues in practice and research, the field's present state of knowledge, and future roles of professional educators or trainers of adults. The course thus provides you with a foundation of knowledge about adult education and a foundation on which to build future learning endeavors.

Areas for Learning

The following topic areas suggest the range of content possible for in-depth personal study. There are many additional topics that may emerge based on your experience, need, and interests.

1. Scope and Nature of the Field of Adult Education

a. Definitions and terms

b. Theory foundations (e.g., andragogy, perspectives transformed, paradigm shifts, etc.)

c. Agencies and institutions

d. Types of settings (formal, nonformal, informal, etc.)

e. International aspects of adult education

f. Organization and literature of the field

2. The Adult Learner

a. Social and cultural roles

b. Developmental stages/theories

c. Cognition and learning

d. Participation

e. Self-directed learning/individualizing the instructional and learning processes

f. Learning environments

3. Adult Education/HRD Agencies and Programs

a. Types of organizations

b. Programming examples (continuing education, community education, higher education, training, literacy, etc.)

c. Nontraditional/distance education

d. Clientele groups

4. The Educator or Trainer of Adults

a. Functions and roles as practitioners

b. Professional development (graduate courses, professional associations, etc.)

c. Resources

d. Research and scholarship roles

5. History of Adult Education

a. Terminology

b. Historical developments (Lyceum, Chautauqua, Highlander, etc.)

c. Linkages to worldwide adult education and training

d. Famous adult educators (Dorothy Fisher, Cyril Houle, Malcolm Knowles, Alain Locke, Howard McClusky, etc.)

6. Philosophical Foundations

a. Importance to the field

b. Philosophical Orientations

c. Development of a personal philosophy and style

d. Application of philosophy and ethical issues

7. Trends/current issues

a. Current research and research needs

b. Controversial issues (mandatory continuing education, professionalization, standards for graduate study, life experiences credits, in-company or outsourced training, etc.)

c. Futures and Visioning processes

Competency Expectations

At the completion of this self-study effort, given active participation, you should be able to perform with excellence in the following ways:

1. Familiarization with the areas of learning described above.

2. The development of a personal philosophy statement (or an equivalent) relative to working with adult learners.

3. The development of a personal resource file of readings, learnings, ideas, etc. This actually can be the initiation of a personal portfolio that becomes a permanent record of your professional accomplishments.

4. The development of an appreciation for the field in terms of such questions as "Why Adult Education?" "What is its importance?" "What is its history?" and "What is its breadth?"

5. The development of a professional sense of self and the initiating of an ability to be an advocate for the field.

Textbook Suggestions

1. Merriam, S., & Brockett, R. (2007). The profession and practice of adult education: An introduction (Updated Edition). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

2. Hiemstra, R. (2002). Lifelong learning: An exploration of adult and continuing education within a setting of lifelong learning needs (3^rd Edition). Fayetteville, NY: HiTree Press.

Suggested Self-Study Activities

Following are suggested learning activities for this self-study effort:

1. Learning Activity #1 - Learning Contract Design

Complete a self-diagnosis of needs relevant to this self-study area, design a learning contract (or plan) for meeting many of those needs, and carry out the planned activities.

Objective: To facilitate your ability to diagnose, articulate, and meet individual learning needs.

2. Learning Activity #2 - Readings

Complete those readings necessary to introduce you to the field of adult education and its literature. The bibliography in this document, those bibliographies in the suggested texts, those two suggested textbooks, and your own literature searching activity should be the primary means or sources for obtaining this knowledge base. At a minimum to maximize what you obtain from this self-study effort, you should include at least one of the two suggested textbooks, several articles from one or more journals central to the field, and some familiarity with at least eight of the sources listed in this document’s bibliography or general adult education/training sources that you can locate. (The development of an interactive reading log or some similar recording activity are common synthesizing tools).

Objective: To facilitate your acquisition of a broad-based comprehension of related literature.

3. Learning Activity #3 - Personal Journal or Diary, Resource File, or Initiation of a Professional Portfolio (chose a, b, or c)

a. Throughout your study efforts maintain a personal journal or diary to capture your growing understanding of the field. Any of these products should include systematic observations of insights, events, and changes in your perspective.

b. Develop a personal resource file of information on adult education programs, literature, resource bases, associations, authors, etc.

c. Initiate the development of a professional portfolio that captures the information described for "a" and "b" above and other material that reflect your current professional accomplishments.

Objectives: (1) To facilitate an understanding of the nature and scope of the field and to build critical reflection skills.

(2) To facilitate your skills in developing, cataloguing, and synthesizing information on the field of adult education and your development as a professional within it.

4. Learning Activity #4 - Develop a Personal Philosophy Statement

Develop a personal statement of educational philosophy and professional style relative to working with adults as learners. This could involve participating in some study efforts related to educational philosophies described later in this guide and then developing a statement that makes sense given requirements or constraints within your place of work, your own personality, and the ways you have developed for working with adult students or trainees. The product could be a 2-3 page paper in which you discuss your findings and conclusions in relation to the course readings and subsequent discussions. This could be then shared with friends, colleagues, etc. and you ask them for feedback as a way of reinforcing your learnings. [Alternatively, develop a personal Code of Ethics or a Statement of Professional Commitment—see the web page /ethics1.html—for examples.]

Objective: To facilitate your study of different philosophies related to working with people so that a personal statement of educational philosophy can be developed and described to others.

Choose learning activity #5, #6, or #7

5. Learning Activity #5 - Adult Learner Interviews

Conduct at least two informal or structured interviews with any adults and obtain information relative to learning activities, learning styles, learning attitudes, etc. Do more than two if possible. The product could be a 3-5 page paper in which you discuss your findings and conclusions in relation to the course readings and subsequent discussions. This could be then shared with friends, colleagues, etc. and you ask them for feedback as a way of reinforcing your learnings.

Objective: To facilitate your understanding of adult learners and the self-directed learning phenomenon.

6. Learning Activity #6 - Agency Study

Conduct a site visit and study an adult education or human resource development organization or agency. The product could be a 3-5 page paper in which you describe the agency and what you have learned regarding its adult education activities. This could be then shared with friends, colleagues, etc. and you ask them for feedback as a way of reinforcing your learnings.

Objective: To facilitate your initial understanding of at least one adult education agency--its purposes, its programs, and its personnel.

7. Learning Activity #7 - Personal Vitae of an Adult Education Historical Figure

Select an historical figure or individual of significance in the Adult Education field (living or deceased) for which a “personal vitae” has not been completed, and develop a personal vitae according to the guidelines (see /vitae.html). The product could be a 3-5 page personal vitae in which you describe what you have discovered about the individual. This could be then shared with friends, colleagues, etc. and you ask them for feedback as a way of reinforcing your learnings.

Objective: To facilitate your understanding of one aspect of the history of adult education in greater depth.

8. Learning Activity #8 - TERM PROJECT (any one of the following)

a. Complete an extensive paper on some topic related to the course content such as an elaboration, discussion, and/or analysis of some current issue, the examination of an international adult education issue or program, etc.

b. Acquaint yourself with the literature of the field by carrying out some reading activity that goes beyond that described in #2 above. This would include reading of a fairly broad, overview nature and would result in an interactive reading log, diary, journal, theory log, etc.

c. Carry out an historical study of some adult education person, agency, movement, etc. You can use various types of materials, but it is recommended you use the OCR material shown in the Adult Education History Project.

d. Negotiate some activity of your own choosing as a means of acquiring some in-depth on adult education.

[Suggestions on the nature of a final product are described later in this document.]

Objectives: (1) To facilitate your carrying out in-depth study, acquisition, and comprehension of knowledge related to some course content area.

(2) To enhance your analytical skills in comparing, contrasting, and critically reflecting on various sources of information.

(Back to Table of Contents)

LEARNING ACTIVITY DESCRIPTIVE MATERIALS

LEARNING ACTIVITY #1 - LEARNING CONTRACT DESIGN

I. Preparation

A. Read through the material on learning contracts contained and/or referenced in this workbook (see Supplement A).

B. Determine personal learning needs (see Supplement B) as a means of determining where to concentrate some of your study efforts. Identify appropriate learning objectives, strategies, and resources, and design corresponding validation procedures.

C. Review examples of contract forms and completed contracts (as displayed in Supplements C-F) and/or talk with colleagues experienced in contracting to obtain an understanding of their value, nature, and form.

II. Presentation

A. Prepare a first version of your contract and share it with one or more friends and/or work colleagues to obtain their feedback.

B. After receiving feedback revise, if needed, and utilize this final document as a guide for your learning efforts.

III. Educational Goals

A. That you are able to diagnose, articulate, and meet individual learning needs.

B. That you obtain experience in utilizing learning contracts to guide your individualized, self-directed learning.

IV. Miscellaneous

A. Learning contracts may take on any form that makes personal sense and that describes individual learning plans.

B. Learning contracts are only initial guides and may be redesigned from time to time if your interests and/or goals change.

LEARNING ACTIVITY #1: SUPPLEMENT A - LEARNING CONTRACTS

INTRODUCTION

The use of learning contracts with adult learners has gained cogency during the past decade. Research on self-directed learning has resulted in the search for appropriate learning resources and guides and a need by many teachers of adults to provide some mechanism for learners to build on past experience and determine needs as they carry out learning activities. Finally, the emergence of non-traditional and online learning programs have mandated that some vehicle be available for learners to mix experience with actual learning endeavors. Thus, in response to these many needs the learning contract method is increasing in its use for adult learning.

An extended description of how to complete and utilize a learning contract is shown below. A blank form is provided for you to use if the described format is acceptable. In reality a learning contract can take on many shapes and forms ranging from audiotapes, to outlines, to descriptive statements, to elaborate explanations of process and product. The intent of utilizing learning contracts is to provide a vehicle whereby you can personalize the learning experience. Therefore, feel free to utilize whatever shape or form you develop or with which you feel comfortable. For supplemental reading on contracts, the following is recommended: /tlchap8.html.

LEARNING STYLE PREFERENCES

In developing your learning contract, it may be useful if you have a sense of your own learning and cognitive styles. As you begin to think about your learning contract, you may not yet have a thorough understanding of your own learning style, Thus, the following figure is provided as an initial tool to facilitate the learner who has never filled out a learning contract in obtaining some sense of what might be the best approach for this course.

Your Learning Style Preference

Cognitive Style	Self-Directed Learner	Other-Directed Learner
Learner Dependent	I. Standard Contract with suggested structure used as basic guide	II. Standard contract using suggestions from another person
Learner Independent	III. Create own contract in terms of content and procedure	IV. Develop own version of contract using suggestions from another person

Note that the range of possibilities is quite extensive.

SOME GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF LEARNING CONTRACTS

Why Use Learning Contracts?

One of the most significant findings from research about adult learning is the following: When adults go about learning something naturally (as contrasted with being taught something), they are highly self-directing. Evidence has accumulated, too, that what adults learn on their own initiative they learn more deeply and permanently than what they learn by being taught (Brockett & Hiemstra, 1991 – see /sdlindex.html).

Those kinds of learning that are engaged in for purely personal development can perhaps be planned and carried out completely by an individual on personal terms and with only a loose structure. But those kinds of learning that have as their purpose improving one's competence to perform on a job or in a profession must take into account the need and expectations of organizations, professions, and society. Learning contracts provide a means for negotiating reconciliation between these external needs and expectations and the learner's internal need and interests.

Furthermore, in traditional education the learning activity is structured by the teacher and the institution. The learner is told what objective to work toward, what resources are to be used and how (and when) to use them, and how any accomplishment of the objectives will be evaluated. This imposed structure conflicts with the adult's deep psychological need to be self-directing and may induce resistance, apathy, or withdrawal. Learning contracts provide a vehicle for making the planning of learning experiences a mutual undertaking between a learner and any helper, mentor, or teacher. By participating in the process of diagnosing personal needs, deriving objectives, identifying resources, choosing strategies, and evaluating accomplishments the learner develops a sense of ownership of (and commitment to) the plan. Learning contracts also are a means for making the learning objectives of any field or practical experience clear and explicit for both learners and facilitators.

How do you develop a learning contract?

Step 1: Diagnose your learning needs. A learning need is the gap between where you are now and where you want to be in regard to a particular set of competencies. You may already be aware of certain learning needs as a result of a personal appraisal or the long accumulation of evidence for yourself regarding any gaps between where you are now and where you would like to be.

If not (or even so), it might be worth your while to go through this process: First, construct a model of the competencies required to perform excellently the role (e.g., parent, teacher, civic leader, manager, consumer, professional worker, etc.) about which you are concerned. There may be a competency model already in existence that you can use as a thought-starter and checklist; many professions are developing such models. If not, you can build your own, with help from friends, colleagues, supervisors, and expert resource people.

A competency can be thought of as the ability to do something at some level of proficiency and is usually composed of some combination of knowledge, understanding, skill, attitude, and values. For example, "ability to ride a bicycle from my home to work to get in better physical shape" is a competency that involves some knowledge of how a bicycle operates and the route to work; an understanding of some of the dangers inherent in riding a bicycle; skill in mounting, pedaling, steering, and stopping a bicycle; an attitude or desire to ride a bicycle; and a valuing of the exercise it will yield. Ability to ride a bicycle in cross-country racing would be a higher-level competency that would require greater knowledge, understanding, skill, etc. It is useful to produce a competency model even if it is crude and subjective because of the clearer sense of direction it provides.

Having constructed a competency model, your next task is to assess the gap between where you are now and where the model says you should be in regard to each competency. You can do this alone or with the help of people who have been observing your performance. The chances are you will find that you have already developed certain competencies to a level of excellence so that you can concentrate on those you haven't mastered. An example of a competency model is contained in Appendix A.

Step 2: Specify your learning objectives. You’re now ready to begin with the first learning contract (objectives) column. Each of the learning needs diagnosed in Step 1 should be translated into a learning objective. Be sure your objectives describe what you will learn, not what you will do. State them in terms that are most meaningful to you--content acquisition, terminal behaviors, or direction of growth.

Step 3: Specify learning resources and strategies. When you have finished listing your objectives, move over to the second column of the contract (resources and strategies) and describe how you propose to go about accomplishing each objective. Identify the resources (material and human) you plan to use in your various learning experiences and the strategies (techniques, tools) you will employ in making use of them. Here is an example:

Learning Objective	Learning Resources and Strategies
Improve my ability to organize my work efficiently so that I can accomplish 20 percent more work in a day.	1. Find books and articles in the library on how to organize your work and manage time and read them.
.	2. Interview three executives on how they organize their work, then observe them forone day each, noting their techniques.
.	3. Select the best techniques from each, plan a day's work, and have a colleague observe me for a day, giving me feedback on my efficiency.

Step 4: Specify target dates for completion. After completing the second column, move over to the third column (target completion date). Put realistic dates, unless there are institutionally or other required deadlines.

Step 5: Specify evidence of accomplishment. Move to the fourth column (evidence) and describe what evidence you will collect to indicate the degree to which you have achieved each objective. Perhaps the following examples of evidence for different types of objectives will stimulate your thinking about what evidence you might accumulate:

Type of Objective	Examples of Evidence
Knowledge	Reports of knowledge acquired, as in essays, examinations, oral presentations, audio-visual presentations; annotated bibliographies.
Understanding	Examples of utilization of knowledge in solving problems, as in action projects, research projects with conclusions and recommendation, plans for curriculum change, etc.
Skills	Performance exercises, videotaped performance, etc., with ratings by observers.
Attitudes	Attitudinal rating scales; performance in real situations, role playing, simulation games, critical incident cases, etc., with feedback from participants and/or observers.
Value	Value rating scales; performance in value clarification group, critical incident cases, simulation exercises, etc., with feedback from participants and/or observers.

Step 6: Specify how the evidence will be validated. After you have specified what evidence you will gather for each objective in column four, move to column five (verification). For each objective, first specify the criteria by which you propose the evidence will be judged. The criteria will vary according to the type of objective. For example, appropriate criteria for knowledge objectives might include comprehensiveness, depth, precision, clarity, authentication, usefulness, scholarliness, etc. For skill objectives more appropriate criteria may be flexibility, precision, poise, speed, gracefulness, imaginativeness, etc.

After you have specified the criteria, indicate the means you propose for verifying the evidence according to these criteria. For example, if you produce a paper, who will you have read it and what are their qualifications? Will they express their judgments by rating scales, descriptive reports, or evaluative memos? How will they communicate those judgments to you? Perhaps they can use a memo or some other written statement. If you attempt to improve a professional skill, is there someone at work who can judge your accomplishments? An action helping to differentiate "distinguished" from "adequate" performance in ethics is the wisdom with which personal validators operate.

Step 7: Review your contract with consultants. After you have completed the first draft of your contract, you will find it useful to review it with two or three friends, your supervisors, or other expert resource people to obtain their reaction and suggestions. Here are some questions you might have them ask about the contract to receive optimal benefit from their help:

· Are the learning objectives clear/understandable/realistic and describe what you propose to learn?

· Can they think of other objectives you might consider?

· Do the learning strategies and resources seem reasonable, appropriate, and efficient?

· Can they think of other resources and strategies you might consider?

· Does the evidence seem relevant to the various objectives and would it convince others?

· Can they suggest other evidence you might consider?

· Are the criteria and means for validating the evidence clear, relevant, and convincing?

· Can they think of other ways to validate the evidence that you might consider?

Revise the contract as needed based on any feedback you received.

Step 8: Carry out the contract. You now simply do what the contract calls for. But keep in mind that as you work on it you may find that your notions about what you want to learn and how you want to learn changing. So don't hesitate to revise your contract as you go along.

Step 9: Evaluation of your learning. When you have completed your contract you will want some assurance that you have in fact learned what you set out to learn. Perhaps the simplest way is to ask the consultants you used in Step 7 to examine your evidence and validation data and provide you their judgment about adequacy. You also can use self-evaluation, talk with one or more friends, and/or people with whom you work and seek their input on your accomplishments.

[Adapted by permission of Malcolm Knowles.]

APPENDIX A

DEVELOPING COMPETENCY MODELS

One of the most valuable techniques for discovering (and constantly rediscovering) learning needs is the competency model. To build a competency model, it is necessary to decide first of all what the competency components are for successful or outstanding performance in a particular field or activity. When this is done, the next step is to determine your own present level of competence with regard to each of the competency components. Once this has been accomplished, the gaps between your present level of attainment and the required level become apparent. While this seems to be simple—and it is—there can be quite an impact when we clearly identify our own learning needs for the first time. The awareness of the gap between "what I can do" and "what I want to be able to do" produces a strong motivational pull to close the gap with all deliberate speed.

An example of this process can be demonstrated in looking at potential competency requirements for a position such as that of a purchasing manager in an industrial corporation. The required competencies might be the following:

Competence Factors^*

1. A knowledge of source of products, materials, or services required for successful corporate operation.

2. Knowledge of purchasing techniques and methods.

3. Familiarity with pricing structures, discounts, allowances, and quantity price breaks.

4. Awareness of delivery schedules, alternate shipping techniques, and transportation routes and methods.

5. Competence in lease/buy decision making and the negotiation of specific performance and delivery contract.

Supervisory and Managerial Skills

Utilizing competency models in organizations can produce the following effects:

1. Self-diagnosis of training and development need.

2. Self-directed planning of personal growth progress leading to greater internal commitment.

3. Increased feelings of psychological success rather than psychological failure.

4. Clarification of supervisor and subordinate perceptions of attainment and competence.

5. Improved bonus and compensation planning.

6. An orientation toward a continuing cycle of growth and development with a focus on forward progress rather than judgement.

___________________

^*You will need to develop appropriate competency models for your interest areas. For example, you might desire to become a successful trainer or teacher of adults in some specialty area.

LEARNING ACTIVITY #1: SUPPLEMENT B

DIAGNOSTIC FORM

Adult Education: Foundations of Practice

Name ____________________________________________ Date ________________________

The diagnostic form is designed to assist you in assessing your level of competence and need related to possible content areas for personal study and for assisting in the construction of a learning contract. The information will help you identify and develop many of the professional competencies required to be an effective teacher or trainer of adults.

For each potential content area, check the most relevant column indicating a "self-rating." This information should guide your personal emphasis on learning activities and the development of a relevant learning contract.

To assist in the decision regarding which column to check for each area, use the information below. Make your best estimation of current strengths and weaknesses. In addition, add other content areas you believe will be of value in your study efforts.

DK If you are uncertain regarding the relation between the listed area and your current level of need or competence and you would like or need to explore this relation further through discussion, reading, independent study, etc.

LO If your current competence related to the listed area is especially low, but could be raised toward a desired level through specific learning experiences.

MD If your past experiences have provided part of the desired competence and some learning experiences would develop the remainder.

HI If your past experiences have substantially developed the listed area.

After you have completed your self-ratings, go back and numerically rank each "LO" that you checked according to the level of importance you would attach to it. Think of this in terms of the amount of time that you should allot to this topic. This might help you in thinking about areas of concentration for your term project or to give some focus to the areas on which you wish to obtain in-depth knowledge.

Self-rate yourself on each content area by checking one of the relevant columns at the right of the table:

Potential Content Areas	DK	LO	MED	HI
1. Terms/acronyms/definitions relating to the adult education field
2. Andragogy
3. History of the adult education movement
4. Philosophical foundations and issues in adult education
5. Nature/scope of the adult education field
6. Types of, motivations for, and barriers faced by adult learners
7. Range, nature, and type of adult education providers (agencies, organizations, content focal points, financial support, programs)
8. Types of occupations/professions/training opportunities in the adult education field
9. Literature/information resources in/related to the adult education field
10. Adult education or training professional associations
11. Ethical issues faced by educators or trainers of adults
12. Technological and other trends affecting the adult education and training fields
13. Controversial areas in adult education and training
14. The future for adult education and training
15. Other
16. Other
17. Other
18. Other

LEARNING ACTIVITY #1: SUPPLEMENT C

Learning Contract Form

Learner: Content Area: _

What are you going to learn (objectives)

How are you going to learn it (resources/strategies)

Target date for completion

How are you going to know that you learned it (evidence)

How are you going to prove you learned (verification)

LEARNING ACTIVITY #1: SUPPLEMENT D

Simulation One

Learner: John Doe Course: Foundations of Adult Education _

What are you going to learn (objectives)	How are you going to learn it (resources/strategies)	Target date for completion	How are you going to know that you learned it (evidence)	How are you going to prove you learned (verification)
Improve my ability to participate in a learning experience	Actively participate as a learner	At the end of 4 months	Self-perceptions about my participation as a learner	Seek feedback from colleagues

Improve my general understanding of the theory/literature on the adult education field	1. Actively participate in studying the field’s theory and literature 2. Complete a learning contract	1. First draft by the end of two weeks 2. At the end of 4 months	1. Keep a log of my learnings 2. A learning contract that I am pleased with	1. Ask my work colleagues for feedback 2. All contract tasks completed

Acquire much more information about the education or training of adults	1. Read at least one of the two suggested texts, the workbook, other resources I find, at least 10 journal articles related to educating adults 2. Develop a personal reading log summarizing what I learn	At the end of 4 months	Complete an interactive reading log (see the term project write-up)	Ask some colleagues for feedback
Begin gathering and categorizing information about the adult education field to enhance my knowledge Develop new understanding of my own philosophy for working with adults as learners	1. Develop a personal diary or log that summarizes what I learn 2. Initiate my critical reflection on such material 1. Participate in the mini workshop on philosophy and read suggested material 2. Complete the Zinn instrument on philosophy 3. Talk with colleagues about “work” philosophy	At the end of 4 months 1. During the first two weeks 2. At the end of 4 months 3. Throughout my learning experiences	The diary or log itself, that summarizes my critical reflection on the process and material Write a statement of personal philosophy that represents both my own and my work situation	Ask several colleagues at work for some feedback Ask my supervisor for some feedback

LEARNING ACTIVITY #1: SUPPLEMENT D

Simulation One - Page Two

Learner: John Doe Course: Foundations of Adult Education _

What are you going to learn (objectives)	How are you going to learn it (resources/strategies)	Target date for completion	How are you going to know that you learned it (evidence)	How are you going to prove you learned (verification)
Improve my understanding of how, why, and what adults learn	1.Interview 4 adults using the Allen Tough protocol 2. Analyze and compare the learning involvement among 4 adults in a 5 page paper	1. Throughout the first half of my learning experience 2. At the end of 4 months	Create some tables that portray my findings, write a corresponding report, and share it with some colleagues	Ask my work colleagues for feedback on my understanding and proposed implications

Enhance my understanding of the implications for work from the knowledge about the adult education field (term project)	1. In addition to what is noted in the third section of the previous page, read at least two more books listed in the course bibliography or the equivalent to that in journal articles, monographs, and Web sources I find 2. Annotate ideas, reflections, and new learnings in a reading log	At the end of 4 months	Extensive reading log (15-20 pages or more) where I will both summarize and interact with my readings	Ask my work colleagues for feedback

LEARNING ACTIVITY #1: SUPPLEMENT E

Simulation Two

Learner: Jane Smith Course: Foundations of Adult Education _

What are you going to learn (objectives)	How are you going to learn it (resources/strategies)	Target date for completion	How are you going to know that you learned it (evidence)	How are you going to prove you learned (verification)
The objectives suggested in the workbook for Learning Activities 1-2, 3b, 4, and 6	Engage in the various learning activities 3b - I will begin developing a personal resource file along the guidelines suggested 4 – I will do all the suggested activities and write a personal statement of professional commitment 7 - I will interview at least one community college administrator and talk to at least one teacher and one student there so I can obtain a good understanding of a community college as an adult education agency	At the end of a 4 month study effort	Complete the products suggested in the workbook for each activity	Seek at least two family members or work colleagues to provide me with feedback
Term project: Increase my understanding of the education and training of adults	1. Read at least the material suggested in the workbook for gaining some expertise in this area of study 2. Take notes on what I learn	At the end of a 4 month study effort	Develop a written report that summarizes what I have learned	I will carry out self-assessment and also ask some colleagues for feedback

LEARNING ACTIVITY #1: SUPPLEMENT F - LEARNING CONTRACT SIMULATION THREE

AN ALTERNATIVE VERSION CREATED IN A LINEAR FORMAT

Foundations of Adult Education Edwina Thomas

First Draft of Learning Contract

L.A. #1 - Self-diagnosis and Learning Contract - I will complete the self-assessment form provided in the workbook and draft a learning contract that describes my proposed learning activities. I will have several discussions with colleagues during this process and do a second draft if appropriate.

L.A. #2 - Readings. I plan to read the Merriam and Brockett book and the Hiemstra on-line text on Lifelong Learning. I also will read other materials on the Web, in journal articles, etc. I will keep a log of my various activities that I eventually include in a portfolio.

L.A. #3c - Using the guidelines provided in the workbook, I will begin the process of developing a professional portfolio. I am leaning toward an electronic portfolio, but will be able to judge that better as I proceed through the learninc experience. I will provide a 2-3 page paper that summarizes my construction process, describes the type of materials I will place in the portfolio, and presents some initial ideas on how I will use the portfolio. I will ask some work colleagues to provide me with formal feedback.

L.A. #4 – Using the guidelines in the workbook, I will develop a personal code of ethics statement.

L.A. #7 - As I am very interested in history, I will create a personal vitae of some historical adult education figure. The personal vitae will involve using the format suggested in the workbook. I will develop the final product in a Web format and publish it on my web page.

Term Project - I will continue my interest in history by digging deeper into the person I select for no. 7 above. I will write 10-20 page paper that outlines some of the contributions this person made to the adult education field and talk about the implications of this person’s work. This paper, along with the personal vitae, will be presented to at least one work colleague or family member for their feedback on how well I did in conveying what I learned.

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LEARNING ACTIVITY #2: READINGS

I. Preparation

A. Utilize as resource bases your bibliography, the bibliographic citations in the texts themselves, your own literature searching activities, and the INTERNET based on personal interests or needs.

B. Complete those readings necessary to introduce you to the field of adult education and its literature. At a minimum, this reading effort should include at least one of the two suggested texts, several articles from one or more journals central to the field, and some familiarity with at least eight sources listed in the bibliography or other adult education/training sources you locate.

II. Presentation

A. It is recommended you develop an interactive reading log, theory log, or some similar recording device as a synthesizing tool for your efforts. Such tools are described later.

B. Share the materials you create with a colleague and ask them for their feedback on what you accomplished.

III. Educational Goals

A. That you acquire a broad-based comprehension of related literature.

B. That you become familiar with the different sources of information in the adult education field.

IV. Miscellaneous

A. The final product can take any form that makes sense to you. You can even combine some of those recommended presentation forms show in IIA or develop some technique on your own for portraying what you have learned.

B. Discussing what you find with others can be a useful way of adding personal knowledge by listening to critiques or suggestions and even challenging what others say about your product.

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LEARNING ACTIVITY #3a: ALTERNATIVE ONE:

PERSONAL JOURNAL OR DIARY

I. Preparation

A. Read extensively in areas that you marked low or medium in the earlier needs diagnostic form. In addition to material like the texts and items referenced in the bibliography, be alert to articles in newspapers, in magazines, on TV, in local newsletters, etc.--anything and everything that says to you: "This sounds like adult education!"

B. Throughout your learning experiences, record any findings, insights, or changes in perspective that you have made since the course began in a personal journal or diary (see Supplement G).

C. Here is a related resource that may be of value: /journal1.html

II. Presentation

A. Write the diary or journal (perhaps using Supplement G as a guide for the development of your report). This will most likely as an ongoing activity and you may only get a "start" in this particular learning experience.

B. Share the document with one or more colleagues and ask them to provide you with feedback.

III. Educational Goals

A. That you will attend to the prevalence of adult education happenings in your life.

B. That you will gain skills in categorizing and "finding the big picture" (nature and scope) in a field that is often seen as fragmented.

C. That you will have the opportunity to step back and reflect (cataloguing, synthesizing information, etc.) on the investment in learning you are making by participating in this learning experience.

IV. Miscellaneous

A. The final product actually should take any form that makes sense to you.

B. Discussing what you find with others can be a useful way of adding personal knowledge by listening to critiques or suggestions and even challenging what others say about your product.

LEARNING ACTIVITY #3a: SUPPLEMENT G

PERSONALIZED/INTERACTIVE JOURNAL OR DIARY

The personalized journal or diary is a tool to aid you in terms of personal growth, synthesis, and/or reflection on new knowledge that is acquired. The use of a diary or journal by adults to enhance learning is not a new phenomenon. However, it has been confined until recently primarily to those using such an activity in conjunction with professional writing, for religious, psychological or meditative reasons, or for personal pleasure.

Beginning in 1965, Ira Progoff and colleagues begin seeing the value of personal journals in enhancing growth and learning. He has written several books, but the one most appropriate for this learning activity selection is Progoff (1975), in which he talks about how to teach journal writing. Gross (1977), and Rainer (1978) also talk about the diary as a learning tool for adults and Brookfield (1987, 1995) provides some useful ideas pertaining to critically reflective writing. An additional excellent source is Christensen (1981), in which she describes how a diary can be used as a learning tool for adults. The text of this article is shown in the “Miscellaneous Materials” section of this workbook, and it is highly recommended. Finally, the increasing popularity of on-line BLOGS or Weblogs can provide you with insight on how others have created their journals, diaries, and personal logs for Internet use. See http://www.rebeccablood.net/essays/weblog_history.html for an interesting history of these publications.

Thus, consider developing a personalized journal, diary, or log as a means of assisting you to obtain the maximum amount of interaction, knowledge, and personal growth from your reading efforts.

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LEARNING ACTIVITY #3b: ALTERNATIVE TWO:

PERSONAL RESOURCE FILE

I. Preparation

A. Read extensively in areas that you marked low or medium in the earlier needs diagnostic form. Be alert to articles in the newspaper and magazines, TV news reports and documentaries, in-house newsletters, cartoons--anything and everything that says to you: "This sounds like adult education!"

B. Throughout your reading and study efforts, collect relevant readings (journal articles, abstracts, summaries you develop, etc.), notes, information you gather within the community, and contacts related to adult education and training. Develop a filing system for the different content areas that is paper or computer based. See Supplement H for more information on a filing system.

II. Presentation

A. Write a brief report (2-3--or more if appropriate--pages) of the filing system you develop (how you developed it, the categories you are using, your plan to maintain it, whether it will be paper or computer based, etc.). You may wish to use the "Resource File Checklist" shown in Supplement H as a part of or as a supplement to your brief report. The purpose of the checklist is to provide you with some guidelines in evaluating your filing system and its future retrieval potential.

B. Share this report with one or more colleagues and ask them for their feedback.

III. Educational Goals

A. That you will attend to the prevalence of adult education happenings in your life and gain a greater understanding of field’s scope and nature.

B. That you will gain skills in categorizing, synthesizing, and filing information you gather related to "finding the big picture" in a field that is often seen as fragmented.

C. That you will have the opportunity to step back and reflect critically on the investment in learning you have made during the learning experience.

IV. Miscellaneous

A. The final product actually should take any form that makes sense to you.

B. Discussing what you find with others can be a useful way of adding personal knowledge by listening to critiques or suggestions and even challenging what others say about your product.

LEARNING ACTIVITY #3: SUPPLEMENT H

RESOURCE FILE CHECKLIST (Optional Aid)

Excellent	Good	Needs Improvement	Category Description
			I. Content/Categorization Scheme Utility: Easy to reference, easy to file, mutually exclusive categories for indexing or retrieval
			Clarity: Communicability – easy for others to understand
			II. Quality/Comprehensiveness Scheme Class Notes: Notes, handouts, and personal materials included
			References: Useful references, agency information, people information, bibliographic material, professional contacts, etc.
			Reviews: Annotated reviews, reading log materials, personal diary or journal information, etc.
			III. Miscellaneous/Personal Categories
			1.
			2.

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LEARNING ACTIVITY #3c: ALTERNATIVE THREE:

PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO

I. Preparation

B. Begin a portfolio of articles, notes, paper or products you develop, information, references, and contacts related to adult education and training. Develop a system for creating, recording, and storing the material you gather (it can be paper or computer based—see Supplement I for more information on the portfolio and this web page /seminar.html).

II. Presentation

A. Write and submit a brief report (2-3 or more pages) that describes your portfolio, the system you have developed, the nature of the materials you are placing in it, etc. The purpose of the portfolio is to provide you with a means for recording, storing, and making available to yourself or others key materials you gather, write, or develop during the course of the degree program.

B. Share this report with one or more colleagues and ask them for their feedback.

III. Educational Goals

A. That you will attend to the prevalence of adult education happenings in your life and gain a greater understanding of the nature and scope of the field.

B. That you will gain skills in compiling, cataloguing, and synthesizing material that represents the growing you, especially as it relates to "finding the big picture" in a field that is often seen as fragmented.

C. That you will have the opportunity to step back and critically reflect on the investment in learning you have made during the associated learning experiences.

IV. Miscellaneous

A. The final product actually should take any form that makes sense to you.

B. Discussing what you find with others can be a useful way of adding personal knowledge by listening to critiques or suggestions and even challenging what others say about your product.

LEARNING ACTIVITY #3c: SUPPLEMENT I

PORTFOLIO GUIDELINES

Introduction

The portfolio experience holds great promise as a tool for promoting personal growth and self-initiated learning during an educational experience. The majority of people learn most naturally when they solve problems that are tied to relevant, real-life issues. Critical to such learning is skill in purposeful reflection. As Jones (1984) notes: "By viewing learning as a construction of the individual, not something to be absorbed from teachers and texts, they are experimenting with a 'portfolio assessment' approach to education. In this approach problem-solving and student reflection, and their appropriate portrayal or documentation, receive primary attention" (p. 23).

The portfolio can take many shapes and forms. In addition to the notion of critical and purposeful reflection noted above, Paulson, Paulson, and Meyer (1991) describe the portfolio as follows:

A portfolio is a purposeful collection of student work that exhibits the student's efforts, progress, and achievements in one or more areas. The collection must include student participation in selecting contents, the criteria for selection, the criteria for judging merit, and evidence of student self-reflection. (p. 60)

There also are several approaches common to many portfolio experiences:

• Establishing personal assessment criteria, often in conjunction with a peer, supervisor, mentor, or academic teacher

• Keeping a portfolio of all work, including preliminary work and reflective writing, to be used as a reference point throughout a series of learning activities

• Individual and peer reflection (oral or written), often with guiding questions from a supervisor, mentor, or teacher

• Checklists of project criteria with space for student and teacher evaluations and comments

• Journals in which students frequently record their reflections, sometimes with guiding questions, at both a scheduled time and on their own time (see Hiemstra, 2001)

• Oral presentations to a significant other (such as a teacher, supervisor, peer, relative, or friend) of student-selected items and portfolio reflections often including listener feedback via a questionnaire or some other written form

• Formal portfolio review usually on selected projects

• The actual completed portfolio typically includes an annotated table of contents, student background information, project work or products (including preliminary and trial work), journal entries, and records of any assessments or reflective overviews by others

Self-reflection, core to the portfolio process, requires careful attention. It can be difficult to write self-reflective statements and to avoid superficial or unconnected comments (see Brookfield, 1987, 1995). Thus, it is always important to look for examples of good and bad work to build a basis for assessment comments. Finally, the portfolio can be an enjoyable process that enables you to gain "extra" insights, knowledge about who you are, and a deepened commitment to being the best person you can be. Good luck with the process.

Guidelines for the Final Portfolio

The portfolio is meant to demonstrate mastery of knowledge, skills, and understanding within the broad field of adult education including teaching and training of adults. In essence, it should include a demonstration of the following:

• What you have learned during your study efforts

• A demonstration of personal growth during various learning activities

• A demonstration of mastery or competence in one or more specialized areas of interest (i.e., Training of Trainers, Career and Professional Development, the Adult as Learner, etc.)

• Information (products, papers, written statements, etc.) that demonstrate the professional context in which you see yourself currently or in the future (this will serve as a "grounding" mechanism to connect the skills and knowledge you have achieved to a work or productivity context; for example, if you plan to set up your own consulting business, at least one piece of evidence, such as some related readings, a business plan you have developed, or a report of a mini-internship in a consulting firm should be included)

You should demonstrate that the bulk of the materials, written statements, and actual products resulted from your participation in various study efforts. Otherwise, the portfolio process might unfairly favor individuals with long work histories and penalize those who do not have such experiences.

What should you be doing during as you begin your various learning experiences? Begin to conceptualize what you want your portfolio to look like. You might choose to develop a box or folder of material. You could decide to develop the material primarily in an electronic format such as on a disk. You could create your own web page and store your material there. The choice is yours but remember there are at least two uses for the portfolio. One is what you might include as part of the evidence that demonstrates your growth and development during your various study efforts. Additionally, you can use the portfolio as an evaluative tool for promotions or salary reviews in your current job or as an important vehicle in seeking new employment.

Following is a description the type item, checklist headings, and/or statements it is recommended you include as part of your final portfolio:

Current resume

An autobiographical statement to include future plans and/or career goals and a statement of what makes you unique, interesting, employable

A personal statement of philosophy

A list of your various study efforts completed (credit courses, non-credit courses, workshops, conferences, individualized study efforts, etc.), in progress, or planned

A brief statement of the professional context in which you see yourself currently or in the future, including information on how this context ties to at least one of the items included in your portfolio

5-7 items which reflect your professional growth and ability (include a written summary or statement of critical reflection and/or self-assessment on each item as an advanced organizer for any reviewers). Indicate your preferred criteria for judging the merits of the included items and describe any assessments you received from others (peers, supervisors, mentors, teachers, etc.). Include any relevant passages from a personal journal if you kept one during the process. Describe any goal setting you undertook (perhaps as part of a learning contract) as a prelude to development of any included material. Such items could include but are not restricted to the following:

• any mini-internship or independent study documents or products

• learning activity projects, products, or papers

• articles you have published or manuscripts you have submitted for publication

• work-related products or materials you created

• conceptual or theoretical materials you developed as a result of your various study efforts.

You also can consider developing an electronic portfolio. Here is an on-line example: /eportfolio.html. Other information related to portfolio development can be found at /seminar.html.

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LEARNING ACTIVITY #4: DEVELOPING A PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT, CODE OF ETHICS, OR PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENT STATEMENT

I. Preparation

Personal Philosophy Statement

A. Read the material pertaining to philosophy and personal style in this workbook (Supplement J) and/or any other related materials that you can locate. In addition, examine the power point lecture shown at /philosophy.ppt to obtain a working knowledge of various philosophical models. Finally, complete the Zinn Philosophy of Adult Education Inventory (Supplement K) of obtain a knowledge of your own philosophical preferences.

B. Think about what you read or observed in terms of the following questions:

1. What was the message for you?

2. How might the information be of use to you as an educator or trainer of adults?

3. With what parts do you agree and with what parts do you disagree?

4. How can your own personal teaching or training style be determined?

Personal Code of Ethics

A. Read the material pertaining to a personal code of ethics (Supplement L). Examine a web page site dedicated to ethics (/ethics.html) and any other sites on the web related to ethics, code of ethics, moral standards, etc. Search the Internet, any public or college libraries, and other sources for books, journal articles, web pieces, etc. related to developing a code of ethics.

B. Talk with others about the notion of developing a personal code of ethics.

Professional Commitment Statement

A. Read the material pertaining to a professional commitment statement (Supplement M). Examine any sites on the web related to professionalism. Search the Internet, any public or college libraries, and other sources for books, journal articles, web pieces, etc related to what it means to be a professional. Examine the material related to professionalism in either of the two suggested text books.

B. Talk with others about the notion of developing a professional commitment statement.

II. Presentation

A. Prepare a brief report (500-1000 words, including information on how you went about developing the statement and the statement, itself) of one of the following: (a) your own philosophy and style related to work with adults as learners; (b) a personal code of ethics; or (c) a professional commitment statement.

B. Ask one or more colleagues to read your report and provide you with feedback.

III. Educational Goals

A. That you will gain an awareness of various philosophies, codes of ethics, or professionalism concepts and their potential for guiding your current or future professional work with adult learners.

B. That you will gain more understanding of your own philosophy, code of ethics, or views on professional commitments.

C. That you will be able to develop a personal statement and describe it to others.

IV. Miscellaneous

A. The final product actually should take any form that makes sense to you.

B. Discussing what you develop with others can be a useful way of adding personal knowledge by listening to critiques or suggestions and even challenging what others say about your product.

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LEARNING ACTIVITY #4: SUPPLEMENT J

Translating Personal Values and Philosophy into Practical Action

Following is a description of three items that may be of value as you create your own philosophy for working with adults as learners. Some sources you also can study to help in this process are Brockett and Hiemstra (2004), Elias and Merriam (1980), Hiemstra (1988)¹, and Hiemstra and Brockett (1994)².

The first item is a portrayal of several philosophical orientations or models (Figure 1) that will be helpful in understanding how you compare to others. The second is a worksheet (Figure 2) you might consider using as you create your own statement of philosophy. The third item (Figure 3) portrays a philosophical statement that you can use as a model or against which you can compare your own views, values, and beliefs. Each of these figures are found at the tail end of /philchap.html.

You may want to examine Brockett's (1988) excellent book on ethical issues. He believes that ethical and philosophical behavior are predicated somewhat on the personal, professional style that you develop and that differentiates you from another professional. For example, culturally you will have certain beliefs and will have had unique experiences. Such beliefs and experiences impact on your philosophy and ethical behaviors in very unique ways. You might attempt to think through how your philosophy affects your personal style as a professional as you develop your philosophy statement.

______________________

¹This resource is available on-line at the following url: /philchap.html. It is a chapter on how to develop a personal statement of philsophy.

²This resource is available on-line at the following url: /human.html

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LEARNING ACTIVITY #4: SUPPLEMENT K

PHILOSOPHY OF ADULT

EDUCATION INVENTORY©

Lorraine M. Zinn, Ph.D.

August, 1983

[original edition]

The Philosophy of Adult Education Inventory© is an assessment “tool” developed to assist the adult educator to identify a personal philosophy of adult education and to compare it with prevailing philosophies in the field of adult education. The PAEI was designed to be self-administered, self-scored, and self-interpreted. The necessary scoring and interpretation information is shown at the end of this supplement.

The validity and reliability test data are summarized in Dissertation Abstracts International, 44, 1667A-1668A (Zinn, 1983). Additional information can be found in Zinn, L. M. (1990). Identifying your philosophical orientation. In M. W. Galbraith (Ed.), Adult learning methods (pp. 39-78). Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing Company. It is reprinted here by permission and it is for use in a class setting only.

Copyright 1983 by Lorraine M. Zinn. All rights reserved. This material is not to be copied, disseminated, or reused without written permission of the author, Lorraine M. Zinn, except for a one-time use in a graduate course.

To complete the instrument go to the following web site and print out a hard copy of the instrument: /zinnpaei.pdf. Complete the form and note that the scoring instructions and a form for tallying your score are shown at the end of that web page. The instructions shown below may present a clearer description for scoring the instrument and interpreting the results.

Instructions for Scoring the Inventory

Now that you have completed the inventory, look back at your responses and notice the small letter in parentheses at the far right side of each rating scale. This is a code letter for scoring the inventory. For example, you will find that for each set of responses for inventory numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 there is one of the rating scales with (f) as a code (they are not in the same order each time—the copy of the original instrument is somewhat blurred in places, so occasionally the f looks like an l). These are code letters for scoring the inventory.

First, transfer each of your numbers on the rating scale to the sheet entitled “scoring matrix.” For item #1, if you circled 5 for option (h), write the number 5 in the box for 1-h (row 1 column h). Item #1 has five different responses: a, c, d, f, and h. Record all five of your responses for item #1, then go to #2 and continue through #15. When you finish, there will be numbers in every other square in the matrix (like a checkerboard).

Now, add all the numbers by columns, from top to bottom, so you have ten separate sub-totals. None of these sub-totals should be higher than 56; nor should any be lower than 8. For your FINAL SCORE, add the sub-totals from the columns as shown in the box below:

Final Score

a ____ + v ____ = L ____ Liberal Adult Education

c ____ + w____ = B ____ Behaviorist Adult Education

d ____+ x ____ = P ____ Progressive Adult Education

f ____+ y ____ = H____ Humanistic Adult Education

h ____ + z ____ = R____ Radical Adult Education

Each of your scores reflects a particular Philosophy of Adult Education, as follows:

Liberal (Arts) Adult Education¹(Education for Intellectual Development

Behaviorist (Education for Behavioral Change)

Progressive (Education for Practical Problem-Solving)

Humanistic (Education for Self-Actualization)

Radical (Education for Major Social Change)²

Your highest score reflects the philosophy which is closest to your own beliefs, your lowest score reflects a philosophy that is least like yours. There is no “wrong” or “right” philosophy. See the table below entitled, “Five Philosophies of Adult Education,” to read more about each of these philosophies. Note that a score of 95-105 indicates a strong agreement with a given philosophy; a score of 15-25 indicates a strong disagreement with a given philosophy. If your score is between 55 and 65, it probably means that you neither agree or disagree strongly with a particular philosophy.

Most educators have a clear primary philosophical orientation, or share two that are stronger than others. Typical combinations are Liberal and Behaviorist, Progressive and Humanistic Progressive and Radical, or Humanistic and Radical. On the other hand, it is quite unlikely that you would have high scores in both Liberal and Radical or Behaviorist and Humanistic philosophies. These philosophies have key underlying assumptions that are inherently contradictory. For example, the primary purpose of Behaviorist Education is to ensure compliance with expectations or standards set by others, whereas Humanistic Education is intended to enhance individual self-development, which may or may not meet anyone else’s expectations or standards.

______________________________

¹Note: Liberal Adult Education does not necessarily reflect “liberal” political viewpoints; the label is derived from the “liberal arts” approach to education.

²Descriptions adapted from J. Elias and S. Merriam (1980), Philosophical Foundations of Adult Education, Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing Company.

Table 1. Five Philosophies of Adult Education (Developed by L. M. Zinn and Elias and Merriam, 1980).

Your Final Score	L =	B =	P =	H =	R =
.	Liberal Adult Education (Classical, Traditional)	Behaviorist Adult Education	Progressive Adult Education	Humanistic Adult Education	Radical Adult Education (Reconstructionist)
Purposes:	To develop intellectual powers of the mind; to make a person literate in the broadest sense—intellectually, morally, spiritually, aesthetically	To bring about behavior that will ensure survival of the human species, societies, and individuals; To promote behavioral change	To transmit cultural and society structure; to promote social change; to give earners practical knowledge and problem-solving skills	To enhance personal growth and development; to facilitate self-actualization	To bring about through education fundamental social, political, and economic changes in society
Learner(s):	“Renaissance person;” cultured; always a learner; seeks knowledge rather than just information; conceptual and theoretical understanding	Learner takes an active role in learning, practicing new behavior and receiving feedback: strong environmental influence	Learner needs, interests, and experiences are key elements in learning; people have unlimited potential to be developed through education	Learner is highly motivated and self-directed; assumes responsibility for own learning	Equality with teacher in learning process; personal autonomy; people create history and culture by combining reflection with action
Teacher:	The “expert,” transmitter of knowledge; authoritative; clearly directs learning process	Manager; controller; predicts and directs learning outcomes	Organizer; guides learning through experiences that are educative; stimulates, instigates, and evaluates learning process	Facilitator; helper; partner; promotes but does not direct learning	Coordinator; suggests but does not determine direction for learning; equality between teacher and learner
Concepts/Key Words:	Liberal learning for its own sake; rational, intellectual education; general education; traditional knowledge; classical humanism	Stimulus-response; behavior modification; competency-based; mastery learning; behavioral objectives, trial and error,; skill training; feedback; reinforcement	Problem-solving; experience-based education; democracy; lifelong learning; pragmatic knowledge; needs assessment; social responsibility	Experiential learning; freedom; individuality; self-directedness; interactive; openness; authenticity; ambiguity; feelings	Consciousness-raising; praxis; noncompulsory learning; autonomy; social action; deinstitutionalization; literacy training
Methods:	Lecture; didactic; study groups; contemplation; critical reading and discussion	Programmed instruction; contract learning; teaching machines; computer-assisted instruction; practice and reinforcement	Problem-solving; scientific method; activity method; experimental method; project method; inductive method	Experiential; group tasks; group discussion; team teaching; self-directed learning; individualized learning; discovery method	Dialogue; problem-posing; maximum interaction; discussion groups
People/Practices:	Socrates, Aristotle, Adler, Kallen, Van Doren, Houle; Great Books; Lyceum; Chautauqua; Elderhostel; Center for the Study of Liberal Education	Skinner, Thorndike, Watson, Tyler; APL (Adult Performance Level); competency based teacher education; behavioral modification programs	Spencer, Dewey, Bergevin, Sheats, Lindeman, Benne, Blakely; ABE; ESL; citizenship education; community schools; cooperative extension; schools without walls	Rogers, Maslow, Knowles, May, Tough, McKenzie; encounter groups; group dynamics; self-directed learning projects; human relations training; Esalen Institute	Brameld, Holt, Kozol, Freire, Goodman, Illich, Ohliger; Freedom Schools; Friere’s literacy training; free schools

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LEARNING ACTIVITY #4: SUPPLEMENT L

A Personal Code of Ethics

As an adult education professional, I recognize the importance of codifying and making known to my profession and to the general public the ethical principles that guide my work. I understand that ethical dilemmas will occur as I conduct my professional activities but am committed to a set of values and philosophical beliefs that embody my ethical responsibilities as a professional.

I declare the following principles to represent my personal code of professional ethics.

1. I am committed to developing the highest educational and quality of life potential for all individuals with whom I come into contact as a professional adult educator.

2. I will attempt to exercise objective and non-partial judgment as I practice my profession.

3. I will constantly strive to advance my knowledge and skill regarding the education of adults.

4. I am committed to sharing such knowledge, skill, and corresponding experiences with others through publications and presentations.

5. I will always strive to work within the accepted standards and policies of the adult education profession.

6. I will seek to uphold and improve where necessary any laws, regulations, and policies governing the delivery of educational programs to all adults regardless of their background, current situation, economic status, age, gender, sexual preference, religious beliefs, or racial derivation.

7. I will not condone or participate in any unethical or illegal acts.

8. I will constantly strive to be the best possible teacher of adults.

9. I will seek to treat co-workers and other colleagues with respect, fairness, dignity, and good faith.

10. I will take all reasonable steps to inform myself, all students with whom I work, and the community at large of any consequences stemming from professional work with which I am involved.

11. I will look forward to and accept any evaluative feedback provided to me by others and constantly attempt to incorporate appropriate changes into my professional work.

(Back to Table of Contents)

LEARNING ACTIVITY #4: SUPPLEMENT M

A Statement of Professional Commitment

(A 1993 issue of the Journal of Extension

provided ideas and words for this statement of commitment)

Change due to technological development, constant knowledge expansion, and ongoing experiences with the teaching and training of adults has always been an integral part of being an adult education professional. However, it seems that today changes are occurring faster and from so many different directions. Thus, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to determine which change to react or respond to first.

At the same time, in the field of adult education new clientele, new needs, and new situations constantly emerge. This necessitates that the adult education profession must continuously prioritize and re-prioritize time commitments. Often this means "letting go" of old activities or "ways" and becoming involved in new ventures and new clientele. This frequently creates an angst on the part of not only the professional, but also current clientele or students who may feel they are being abandoned or short-changed.

Thus, as a professional I recognize that I must continually face many changes that affect both me and the people I serve. This means I am required to implement programs and services that must change over time, too. This also requires that I constantly find ways to coordinate and collaborate with others, explore partnerships with various groups, and upgrade the content of programs with which I am involved.

I also am committed to using new and emerging technologies in the delivery of such programs but must be diligent in assuring that by so doing I do not inadvertently eliminate or greatly reduce the accessibility of such programs for people who have limited access to these technologies. This will take constant examination of delivery modes, materials utilized, and access routes made available. I am especially concerned that my increasing use of the World Wide Web as a resource storehouse and instructional delivery tool make more difficult my efforts to be diligent.

Above all, I am committed as a professional to helping develop a greater appreciation for those common goals and values that make our society a healthy place in which to live and in which the constant need to learn throughout life is recognized as vital to a community's development. This requires championing excellence in all programs with which I am involved and fostering the professional development of all colleagues with whom I have a relationship. In essence, this means creating an environment for innovation and professionalism in what I do as a professional.

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LEARNING ACTIVITY #5: ADULT LEARNER INTERVIEWS

(Choose Learning Activity #5, #6, or #7)

I. Preparation

A. Familiarize yourself with the learning projects interview procedure developed by Tough, the interview questions displayed in Supplement N, the interview questions shown on /contemp.html, or some other interviewing techniques that you could use to find out about another person's learning endeavors or experiences.

B. Become familiar with one or more of the following sources if at all possible: Brockett and Hiemstra (1991); Candy, (1991); Tough (1971).

II. Presentation

A. Complete an interview of at least two adults (more if possible) to determine what you can about their learning activities during the past year.

B. Obtain information relative to their learning activities, learning interests, self-directed learning preferences, etc.

C. Summarize your findings in a manner similar to how other learning projects information has been reported (see Supplement O) or in some other manner that makes sense to you.

D. Derive a statement of personal reflection and assessment based on the findings. This could be a 3-5 page paper or report of this information that you share with one or more colleagues and seek their feedback.

III. Educational Goals

A. That you will improve your understanding of adult learners and the self-directed learning phenomenon.

B. That you will be able derive some personal reflections on the implications of your findings.

IV. Miscellaneous

A. Remember to keep this activity very informal, as the intent is to help you obtain a greater appreciation for the field of adult education and adults as learners.

B. Discussing what you develop with others can be a useful way of adding personal knowledge by listening to critiques or suggestions and even challenging what others say about your product.

LEARNING ACTIVITY #5: SUPPLEMENT N

INTERVIEW SUGGESTIONS

Interviews with adult learners will provide you with an opportunity to apply the information from class discussions and your readings to the "real world." You might decide to do in-depth interviews as Tough used to uncover information on adults' learning projects, or you may wish to use the suggestions below to guide your questioning.

Suggested topics:

1. Reasons for learning - Why do you learn? What motivates you to learn?Is your motivation to learn now the same as it was 5, 10, 15, or 20 years ago?

2. Areas of learning - What do you want to learn? If your "basic" leaning needs were met, and there were no constraints, what would you want to learn?

3. Amount of learning - What have you learned during the past year? How many different learning projects or activities have you undertaken? Approximately how many hours have you spent in learning activities of all types during the past year?

4. Preferred learning style - How do you learn? Do you learn most things in the same way? Where do you prefer to learn? When do you prefer to learn?

5. Self-directed learning preferences - What are your expectancies regarding control of learning decisions? Do you consider yourself a self-directed learner?

6. Barriers (situational, dispositional, institutional barriers) to learning - What keeps you from learning?

7. Role of past educational experiences - What are your memories of your early education in school?

8. Role of others - How did your family view education? Do any of your teachers at any level stand out in your mind?

9. Potential for change - What would you like to change in relation to your own learning?

LEARNING ACTIVITY #5: SUPPLEMENT O

SUPPORTIVE MATERIALS RELATED TO TOUGH’S LEARNING PROJECTS RESEARCH

Table 1. Sources Preferred by Adult Learners (by rank and age)

[Adapted from various learning project studies]

Resources	25-54 (N=775)	55-78 (N=712)
Books, articles, newspapers, etc.	1	1
Expert	2	6
Friend, relatives, peers	3	5
Group, group instructor	4	3
Personal experiences, observations	5	2
TV, radio, recordings, films	6	4
Travel	7	9
Displays, exhibits, museums	8	8
Programmed or self-study learning materials	9	7

The following three tables are from Hiemstra (1975).

Table 2. Older Adults’ Learning Projects: General Information^a

Informational Description	Hours	Projects
Average Per Person	324.56	3.33
Standard Deviation	296.05	1.95
Median	237.43	3.04
Range	12-2300	1-9

^aBased on 214 adults (average age = 68) with one or more learning projects.

Table 3. Number of Learning Projects Conducted in One Year

Number of Projects^a	Number of People	Percent of People^b	Accumulative Percent
0	41	--	--
1	46	21.4	021.4
2	43	20.0	041.4
3	34	15.8	057.2
4	38	17.7	074.9
5	26	12.1	087.0
6	14	06.5	093.5
7	05	02.3	095.8
8	06	02.8	098.6
9	03	01.4	100.0

^aSee Tough (1979) for comparable data.

^bBased on a base of 214 individuals.

Table 4. Frequency of Type of Primary Planner of Learning Projects

Primary Planner of Project	No. With At Least One Project	Average No. With Planner
A group or its Leader/Instructor	086	1.69
One Person in One-to-One Situation	048	1.52
Material/Non-Human Resource	022	1.27
The Learner Him or Herself	183	2.14
Mixed (No Dominant Type)	046	1.57

Table 5. Learning Projects: Supportive Information

Informational Description	Number of Projects^a	Percent of Projects
*Current Status of Project:*	--	--
Inactive	176	24.79
Active	534	75.21
*Reason for Doing Project:*	--	--
To Obtain Credit	027	03.84
For a Test or Examination	009	01.28
For Job Improvement/Acquisition	106	15.08
Enjoyment	485	68.99
Mixed Reasons	076	10.81
*Primary Planner of Project:*	--	--
A Group or Its Leader/Instructor	145	20.45
One Person in a One-to-One Situation	073	10.30
Material/Non-Human Resource	028	03.95
The Learner Him or Herself	391	55.15
Mixed (No Dominant Planner Type)	072	10.16
*Subject Matter Area:*	--	--
Occupational/Vocational	115	16.17
Personal/Family	144	20.25
Social/Civic	067	09.42
Self-Fulfillment	385	54.15
*Source of Subject Matter:*	--	--
Group/Group Instructor	086	12.11
Expert	032	04.51
Books/Pamphlets/Newspaper	222	31.27
Programmed/Self-Study Materials	020	02.82
TV/Radio/Recordings	066	09.30
Displays/Exhibits/Museums/Galleries	008	01.13
Friend/Colleague/Relative/Neighbor	053	07.47
Mixed Source	223	31.41

^aProject totals for each major category are not always equal because of occasional non-responses.

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LEARNING ACTIVITY #6: AGENCY STUDY

(Choose Learning Activity #5, #6, or #7)

I. Preparation

A. Select at least one adult education agency (see the information on adult education programs, organizations, and agencies contained in Supplement P for ideas on places to visit in any location).

B. Learn about the agency's (or each agency's) operation and activities with reference to such factors as clientele served, nature of the adult education programs, status of the staff, philosophical rationale adhered to, constraints under which the agency operates, etc.

C. The agency should be one that you can visit and carry out an on-site study (see Supplements Q, R, and S for ideas on what you might do or look for during a site visit). An agency can be studied through library research if it is impossible to obtain information in any other way.

II. Presentation

A. Summarize your findings in a manner that makes sense to you.

B. Derive a statement of personal reflection and assessment based on the findings.

III. Educational Goals

A. That you will gain experience in analyzing an adult education agency, its purposes, its programs, and its personnel.

B. That you will become more familiar with various adult education agencies as a prelude to further study of the field.

IV. Miscellaneous

A. Consider selecting an agency with which you are not familiar and/or interested as it will make it more meaningful.

B. Discussing what you develop with others can be a useful way of adding personal knowledge by listening to critiques or suggestions and even challenging what others say about your product.

LEARNING ACTIVITY #6: SUPPLEMENT P

ADULT EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES IN A TYPICAL COUNTY

Health Related

Home Aides

Visiting Nurses Association

Caring Coalition

Holistic Medicine Association

YMCA (health & recreation)

YWCA

Red Cross (CPR, etc.)

Hospitals Continuing Education Activities

County Health Department

Basic Adult Education

ABE Center

G.E.D. – Vocational/Technical Centers

Literacy Volunteers of America

Pro Literacy

The Learning Place or Learning Place East

Employment Needs

Career Centers

State Employment Office

Rehabilitation (Ability Associates)

Any College's Career Counseling Program

Jobs Training Centers

Professional Organizations and Associations

Business & Professional Women

A.I.A. Occupational Therapists

American Society for Training and Development (ASTD)

Local Adult and Continuing Education organizations

Senior Citizen Needs

Golden Age Club

Retired Seniors Volunteer Program

Senior Centers

Gerontology Centers

Adopt A Grandparent Program

Elderhostel

Coping Skills

Cooperative Extension

Planned Parenthood

Rape Crisis centers

Computer Literacy programs

Elder Abuse Projects

Displaced Homemakers programs

Alzheimer's Organization

Continuing Education

County Libraries

County public and private schools (not all will have continuing education program)

Continuing Education Division of a local Community College

Any College's Continuing Education Programs

Other

Parent-Teacher Associations

Churches

Various Neighborhood Centers

Proprietary Schools

Conventions Centers

Alcoholics Anonymous

Catholic Charities

Cooperative Extension

Various out of town colleges with extension programs

Continuing Medical Education for Doctors

Planned Parenthood

Churches/Religious Organizations

Rescue Mission/Goodwill

LEARNING ACTIVITY #6: SUPPLEMENT Q

ADULT EDUCATION AGENCY SITE VISIT SUGGESTIONS

One way to approach this learning activity would be to interview a staff member and take a tour of the facility. If possible, you may even be able to observe education in progress. Two questions should guide your inquiry: (a) What is distinctive about this agency? (b) How does this agency work?

1. In interviewing a staff member (an administrator or key teacher), you should attempt to identify the following:

× the agency's mission and goals (why the program exists and what it hopes to accomplish)

× the educational content (what is actually taught or what kind of programs are offered)

× the educational structure (scheduling, mandatory versus voluntary attendance, etc.)

× staffing (size, credentials, assignments)

× budget (amount, source, stability from year to year)

× relationship to the larger institution (if applicable)

[Some of this information will be available in literature about the agency as well.]

2. Touring the agency will give you a chance to see the facilities provided and to get a feel for the atmosphere of the agency.

3. If you can observe a class in session, you might talk to two or three adult learners to discover why they are attending (what they hope to accomplish) and their opinions about the program (degree of satisfaction, strengths, and weaknesses).

LEARNING ACTIVITY #6: SUPPLEMENT S

POTENTIAL LEARNING AIDS, RESOURCES, AND ACTIVITIES IN AN AGENCY

Following are lists of potential learning aids, resources, and activities that can be used to enhance adult learning activities. Analyze the agency in terms of whether or not any of these seem to exist or are used in any way. This can be through interviews, observations, reading of available documents, assessing of learning resources used by the agency, etc. Add to it other aids, resources, and activities the agency uses.

Mediated Resources

_____ Journals/Magazines _____ Television

_____ Programmed Learning _____ Radio

_____ Cassette Tapes _____ Learning Modules/Kits

_____ Computers _____ Films/Video Tapes

_____ Workbooks _____ Conferencing Software

_____ Interactive Video _____ Elect. Networks/web pages

Individualized Resources

_____ Travel _____ Self Talk

_____ Competency Ratings _____ Learning Projects

_____ Gaming Devices _____ Personal Journals/Diaries

_____ Observations _____ Internships

_____ Personal Inventories _____ Stimulated Recall

Agency/Group Resources

_____ Classes _____ Inter-Agency Exchanges

_____ Free Universities _____ Conferences/Workshops

_____ Libraries _____ Museums/Galleries

_____ Proprietary Schools _____ Discussion Groups

Mentored Resources

_____ Peer Reviews _____ Learning Partners

_____ Modeling _____ Counseling/Testing

_____ Mentors _____ Information Counselors

_____ Personality Analyses _____ Networks/Networking

Other Resources You Can Identify

___________________________________________________

Adapted from Hiemstra and Sisco, 1990, pp. 172-173.

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LEARNING ACTIVITY #7: PERSONAL VITAE OF AN ADULT EDUCATION HISTORICAL FIGURE

(Choose Learning Activity #5, #6, or #7)

I. Preparation

A. Read the description of a personal vitae (Supplement T) and examine the following Web site devoted to personal vitae (/vitae.html).

B. Select an historical figure (living or deceased) from the table of names the above Web site who does not already have a personal vitae.

C. Carry out the necessary research and develop the personal vitae. It is suggested you use the format shown at this Web site as a model: /hymvita.html. If possible, find a photo to be utilized with the vitae as a means of personalizing it for yourself and any others you share it with.

II. Presentation

A. Develop the personal vitae.

B. Share the vitae with colleagues and solicit their feedback.

C. If possible, upload this to a Web page so others can see your work.

III. Educational Goals

A. That you will explore in greater depth a specific area in the history of adult education.

B. That you will gain greater understanding of one of the field’s historical figures.

C. That you will be able to share your knowledge with colleagues.

IV. Miscellaneous

A. Consider selecting a person in the adult education field with whom you are not familiar and/or someone with a connection to adult and continuing education that you have always wanted to find out more about as it will make it more meaningful.

B. Discussing what you develop with others can be a useful way of adding personal knowledge by listening to critiques or suggestions and even challenging what others say about your product.

LEARNING ACTIVITY #7: SUPPLEMENT T

PERSONAL VITAE

A particular format has been developed for recording and displaying historical or bibliographical information so the uniformity facilitates comparisons when people examine the personal vitae website. Following is an outline for the format. See /vitae.html for additional information and for examples on how the format has been used with other people. The Adult Education History Project contains some information on various people that may of assistance.

FORMAT FOR PERSONAL VITAS

Introduction

1. The purpose of this exercise is to both help you obtain a greater appreciation for the history of adult education and knowledge about the field.

2. It will not always be possible to obtain accurate information for each of the suggested categories. Be as comprehensive as possible, but recognize some categories may need to be left incomplete.

3. Data sources always need to be recorded to allow others to evaluate them, follow up leads, or compare sources that disagree. This format design, therefore, requires not only facts, but sources of those facts. Thus, annotate all sources and cite specific facts appropriately.

4. Helpful sources: Social Sciences Citation Index and other index sources; Who's Who type of publications; journals in which the person may have published; relevant archival collections; and text books in the field. Most librarians can help you find potential materials.

The Format

NAME

This is where to record the preferred name format. However, also record variant formats (nicknames, initials, etc.) so all the AKA's (also known as) as they actually occur in various sources can be understood.

SEARCH STRATEGY HINTS

Include any known places where more information can be obtained.

BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL NOTES

Put here any other information about people, places, events, projects, and organizations important to the person being profiled. Include the birthplace and death place.

BIRTH DATE

Be sure to record the source information and include any reported discrepancies from one source to the next.

DEATH DATE

Be sure to record the source information and include any reported discrepancies from one source to the next.

EDUCATION

Record here the degrees held, in what subject, institution, and date. Add information on the major advisor, if available, for any advanced degrees. You also can include fellowships held (name of award, dates).

WORK HISTORY

Include job title, place of employment, and dates for each position.

PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS/ASSOCIATIONS

Record whatever appropriate information here that you can find in five separate categories, associated subjects, people, organizations (membership years, offices held, etc.), events, and places.

PUBLICATIONS

You need to include a full citation--author, title, publisher, place, date. If journal articles are included, include the usual serial citation (volume, number, page). Include the dissertation information, if applicable. Web sources are welcome. Select the most representative sources.

REFERENCES TO/SUPPORTING BIBLIOGRAPHY

Provide any related references or supporting bibliography.

MISCELLANEOUS

This would include any information that seem important about the person but that was not captured anywhere else.

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TERM PROJECT: TERM PROJECT ALTERNATIVES

I. Preparation (any one of the following - 15 to 25 hours of total study, reflection, and sharing with others would be expected as a means of achieving adequate proficiency)

A. Complete an extensive paper on some topic related to the course content such as an elaboration, discussion, and/or analysis of some current issue, the examination of an international adult education issue or program, etc.

B. Acquaint yourself with the literature of the field by carrying out some reading activity that goes beyond that described in #2 above. This would include reading of a fairly broad, overview nature and would result in an interactive reading log, diary, journal, etc. (see Supplements U and V).

C. Carry out an historical/biographical study of some adult education person, agency, movement, etc. (see Supplements W or X). You can use various types of materials, but it is recommended you use the OCR’ed material shown in the Adult Education History Project).

D. Negotiate an activity of your own choosing as a means of acquiring some in-depth knowledge on adult education.

II. Presentation

A. Develop the materials in whatever style or fashion that works for you. You might use narrative with footnoting, general discussion, step-wise discussion (1, 2, etc.), fictional narrative, etc., depending on what choice you make.

B. Prepare a 5-25 page (or more) typed or word processed (double-spaced) report of your discussion and information unless some other type of product makes more sense.

C. Share your information with a colleague and ask for feedback on your work.

III. Educational Goals

A. To facilitate your carrying out some in-depth study, acquisition, and comprehension of knowledge related to some course content area.

B. To enhance your analytical skills in comparing, contrasting, and critically reflecting on various sources of information.

IV. Miscellaneous

A. Consider selecting a person, topic, or agency related to the adult education field with whom or which you are not familiar as it will make it more meaningful.

B. Discussing what you develop with others can be a useful way of adding personal knowledge by listening to critiques or suggestions and even challenging what others say about your product.

TERM PROJECT: SUPPLEMENT U

THE INTERACTIVE READING LOG

The interactive reading log is an assignment designed to give you a thoughtful exposure to a broad area of subject matter. It is intended to place relatively greater stress on reading and less stress on intensive writing related to a limited topic. A log is not an outline and except for the suggestions given below, it is not a summary. On the other hand, it is essentially a series of reactions to those elements in your readings that are particularly meaningful and/or provocative.

The items selected for reaction may include books, media, or professional journal articles. They may be part or all of a pamphlet or book. You may skip some sections, skim others, read others at a normal rate, or read some passages more carefully and in depth. The spacing and number of reactions would depend on the scope of your reading and purposes. It might involve the selection of sentences and/or longer passages striking for their clarity, insight, stimulation, and usefulness. It might include items that you regard ambiguous, exaggerated, poorly reasoned, insufficiently supported, or with which you disagree. But, in essence, your reaction calls for a comment explaining why you believe the item is stimulating, exaggerated, useful, etc.

Also it may be related to and combined with other ideas or illustrated by references to research and practical experience. More specifically, you might ask, "if this fact, point, or idea is true, then what does it mean for other facts, points, or ideas, and/or what does it mean for practice?" Another appropriate question might be "can the idea be operationalized for purposes of research?" The preceding suggestions include a similar treatment of longer units of subject matter such as an article, chapter, or even a whole book in which the reaction is less itemized and more global in character.

The length and scope of the log would vary with the type of reference selected and the intensity of treatment given to each item. In one case the log could consist of widely spaced reactions to a variety of selections. In another case the log could consist of longer reactions to fewer references carefully selected for reading in depth. You could even write one or more book reviews (Brockett, 1985).

In general the format might consist of one or two paragraphs as an introduction explaining the reasons for your choices of the subject area covered, the log of reactions (which would constitute the bulk of the report), a two or three page retrospective overview of the effort as a whole, and conclude with a list of references utilized. Some people enjoy reacting to the readings by using some color coding system, by placing personal comments in one column and direct quotes or summaries in another column, or by "dialoguing" as if face-to-face with the author. The idea is to read and react letting the experience help you to grow in knowledge, to think, and to express your thoughts as a synthesis of the reading experience.

TERM PROJECT: SUPPLEMENT V

A THEORY LOG

I. Preparation

A. The assumption serving as a basis for this activity is that you need to "learn to think" its terminology, theory, and knowledge and to make application to a current or proposed vocation.

B. On your own, discover what is meant by "theory," at least in terms that are meaningful to you.

II. Activity and Presentation

A. Throughout your learning efforts make notes to yourself regarding what you perceive to be theoretical concepts, salient points, truths, bridges to known theory, ideas to be tested, gaps in the knowledge, etc.

B. During and/or toward the end of your study efforts attempt to organize your notes and thoughts into some cohesive format. This can be in the form of a log, a statement, an outline, or whatever else seems appropriate in expressing whatever grasp you have of the theory (or theory pieces) providing a foundation for the course content, including the absence of theory, needed theory, gaps, etc. This does not have to be a long statement unless you so desire. The purpose is to communicate some of your conceptions regarding short-term meeting planning and management.

C. Share your report/log/paper/etc. with colleagues and seek their feedback.

III. Educational Goals

A. To assist you in gaining experience in analyzing or deriving the theory underlying a content area, i.e., the body of basic knowledge.

B. To facilitate your obtaining experience in stating the theory, making contributions to the theory, and determining where an understanding or determination of theory is still needed.

IV. Miscellaneous

A. Discussing what you develop with others can be a useful way of adding personal knowledge by listening to critiques or suggestions and even challenging what others say about your product.

B. The following statements about theory may be helpful:

Theory—a generalization or series of generalizations by which an attempt is made to explain some phenomenon in as systematic a manner as possible.

Theory – set of assumptions from which can be derived a set of empirical laws or principles (that can be tested).

Theory can be used as a guide to action, a guide to collect data, a guide to new knowledge, or a guide to explain.

Theory is not a philosophy, a taxonomy, a dream, or something personal.

You don't prove a theory – you build a theory by empirically testing a variety of related assumptions (expand, clarify, build).

TERM PROJECT: SUPPLEMENT W

HISTORICAL STUDY FORMAT

I. Preparation

A. Review such journals as Adult Learning, Adult Education Quarterly, and/or New Horizons in Adult Education (the latter is an online journal). Skim some of the history of adult education books listed on the bibliography (Fieldhouse, 1996; Grattan, 1955; Heller, 1990; Horowitz, 1974; Knowles, 1962; Stubblefield, 1988; Stubblefield & Keane, 1994).

B. Select a specific person, institution, or program important to adult education from an historical viewpoint (see Brookfield, 1988; Cochrane & Associates, 1986; Stewart, 1987 for biographical models).

C. Complete a study of the selected person, institution, or program utilizing such guidelines as the following (you may wish to add many more):

1. What was the time period?

2. What prompted the emergence of the person or program?

3. What was the impact on the field of adult education?

4. What vestigial elements related to this historical person or program still remain?

II. Presentation

A. Prepare a 10-25 page (word processed, double-spaced) report on your efforts in C1-4 above. See /hofpaper.html for a possible model.

B. You may wish to use the personal vita format suggested in Supplement T.

III. Educational Goals

A. That you will gain an understanding of and appreciation for some of the history important to the adult education field. Evidence will be obtained through the written report.

B. That you will gain an awareness of the many and varied resources available on adult education.

IV. Miscellaneous

A. Consider selecting a person or organization in the adult education field with whom or which you are not as it will make your learning effort more meaningful.

B. Discussing what you develop with others can be a useful way of adding personal knowledge by listening to critiques or suggestions and even challenging what others say about your product.

TERM PROJECT: SUPPLEMENT X

HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHY GUIDELINES

This is a general outline that you may use as a guide in researching and writing a biography of some historical person in adult education. You are free to modify it according to your own style and the information available about your subject.

1. Introduction. Provide some opening remarks about the individual and any contributions to adult education in order to "set the stage" for the rest of the paper.

2. Societal Context. Include a brief overview of the social conditions during the individual's life and career as an adult educator, with particular emphasis on factors that influenced the nature of adult education at the time. Also describe the general condition of adult education during this period, noting any especially distinctive trends or programs.

3. Personal History. Describe whatever information is available about the individual's background, education, family life, non-adult education work, and avocational activities.

4. Major Contributions to Adult Education. This is the heart of the paper. Describe the individual's professional activities and publications related to the field of adult education. You may wish to summarize the topics of the individual's most important writings.

5. Conclusion. At this point, review the most interesting, meaningful, relevant, and otherwise noteworthy aspects of this person's life and work. Your own opinions are especially appropriate and valuable here.

6. References. In addition to listing the sources cited in your paper, you may provide a separate list of other material by or about the subject of your paper.

7. Model. See /hofpaper.html for a possible model.

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MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS

Dear Diary: A Learning Tool for Adults

By Rachel S. Christensen

Lifelong Learning: The Adult Years, 5(2), 1981, 4-5, 31

(Printed here by permission of the senior editor)

The adult learner is here to stay. We know from studies exploring the extent of adult learning what a high percentage of adults are actively involved in learning projects. Observers of these learners are recommending that tools be developed to assist lifelong learners in accomplishing learning tasks more effectively.

A particular tool, which has been serving adult learners for centuries, yet about which little is known, is the diary or personal journal. Its most familiar form is as a chronological record of personal or historical events. It is also commonly used as a trip or project log. However, another form of journal recording has emerged in this introspective 20th century in which the content emphasizes one's feelings and reflections on an event, rather than stressing the factual information. It is this approach that can have relevance for lifelong learners.

The Interest in Diaries and Journals

The writing of diaries and journals has been frequently practiced by those involved in a religious life or in the creative arts. We can also turn to such pioneers of modern psychology as Freud, Jung, and Adler to learn from them the significance in recording one's dreams, fantasies, inner thoughts, and feelings. In recognizing the subconscious as an influence in human development, they opened a door for new exploration of personality.

Journal researcher, Tristine Rainer (1978), identifies four pioneers of psychology and literature in this century who helped conceptualize the principles of modern journal writing: Carl Jung, Marion Milner, Ira Progoff, and Anais Nin. These writers and thinkers believed that the personal journal permits the writer to tap valuable inner resources by recording dreams, inner imagery, intuitive writing, and even drawings.

There have been an increasing number of seminars and workshops available to adult learners on journal writing. What is it that is being described? It is, as Rainer titles her book, The New Diary. In other words, it is something beyond the popular notion of diary as a chronological entry of events usually made on a daily basis. In this newer form there are no rules of composition. The content, structure, and style are up to the writer. No one will judge or grade this paper and the degree of sharing and privacy is left in the writer's hands. As Rainer (1978) states, "For some people learning to be free in their diaries is a way of learning to be free with themselves." This may explain the current interest in journal writing. The experience of journal keeping frees people to explore and develop their potentials and abilities. These are goals which have been strongly encouraged by the human potential movement and which have foundations in the current interest in self-directed adult learning.

Finding the Inner Self

This tendency toward continued growth and self-actualization is part of the evidence uncovered by Canadian researcher, Allen Tough (1971) in studying the learning projects of adults. He went beyond the initial surveys of adult learning projects to look more closely at how adults approach these projects, what resources they use, and what problems they encounter. His interviews and the subsequent interviews of other researchers with adult learners tell us that self-teaching is the method most often used. Tough and many others have also found the qualities of self-reliance and self-awareness prevalent among active adult learners.

As we assess the needs of lifelong learners, the journa1 or diary should be considered as a resource which encourages and enhances self-reliance and self-awareness. It is in the solitude of blank pages that adults can reflect on their life experience, contemplate future directions, and come to trust more deeply their own answers.

Finding the inner self is not an easy task when the modern fast-paced culture provides little space for contemplation. Like the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, we're often in too great a hurry to listen to our inner wisdom. Encouraged by the values of a technological age, we try to produce more at a faster rate. So too in education, where some say, "How can we help adults learn more and how can they learn faster?" Yet isn't there a sacrifice made when you travel by superhighway and miss the beauty of country roads?

Thus, the journal is one means for providing a safeguard against this tendency in our culture. The outer-directed emphasis in our lives can be countered with an emphasis on inner direction by taking time to write and reflect in the journal. As we become better listeners to the inner movement of ourselves, we become less dependent on external definition or advice from the experts, and more affirming of our unique resources and abilities.

Much of our creativity is seeded in unconscious parts of the personality. It is in moments of solitude that insights are able to float to our consciousness and be recognized. In his book The Courage to Create, Rollo May (1975) writes of the hesitancy people have in being quiet and alone long enough to listen to inner levels. They are wary of what might be heard. Yet, May finds a "fascinating relationship" between creativity and unconscious phenomena. It is in those moments away from rational thinking that the intuitive self can break through with creative insight. Unconscious dimensions of experience are always at work; still there is reluctance to pause and listen to the messages. If creativity can be tapped from the deeper levels within, then adult learners need to be introduced to ways of using the journal as a means of recording these connections.

Using Journal Writing

How does one begin? My own experience started in high school with a bound book entitled "My Private Life." It still sits on my bookshelf and I treasure the contents, chuckling each time I read it. Perceptions I now hold firmly were taking root at that time, as evidenced in the entries. Following is a recording made in 1959:

It seemed like going steady was a fad in the winter of ‘59. Everyone was attached except me. Sometimes I'd wish to be able to go steady with someone, but it would soon pass. Someday I'll find my man; he won't be perfect, but he'll be what I want. If I don't find him, who cares? I will be a rich old maid English teacher.

My interest in journal keeping was not revived until 10 years later when I began a career transition. The approach I took then was to use the pages of a spiral bound notebook as space to develop a "roadmap" for myself during that time of ambiguity and uncertainty about my future direction. The journal served as a place for me to organize my learning activities between jobs and to evaluate what had been accomplished at particular intervals.

As I became more comfortable in writing these objective entries, self-consciousness waned and there appeared to be more description of feelings and personal reactions to people and events in my life. The realization that my journal would not be open to outside scrutiny also lowered inhibitions. Entries were not made frequently, but often enough to benefit my personal growth. Following are more recent entries from my journal:

(Portion of a letter to friend, 1971)

This is the first time I've had so much unstructured time that it is somewhat frightening; because it is I that must take responsibility for structuring my time and not some outside factor, i.e. school. Needless to say, it is exciting to begin to shape some creative form in the open "canvas" of time that I call mine this year.

(excerpt from 1973)

God, this has been a depressing year at times. Fortunately the waves have gone up as well as down, so my strength and sense of self returns once again with courage. But it seems my lows have been deeper than I've ever known. Yet I think in coming so directly in contact with my fears, I come out with more courage. I wish my identity and life would hurry up and take more form.

(excerpt from 1974)

Looking through this journal for a few minutes each morning is a way of reminding me of my Self–my soul, my ref1ective, creative part–in the midst of tasks, errands, chores. To keep in touch with Me a bit each day keeps creative energies growing.

Understanding the variety of ways to maintain journals has expanded with each new resource I discover –friends who utilize particular techniques or those who have organized a framework for teaching and encouraging others in the practice of journal work.

The most thorough and concise framework has been developed by Ira Progoff, a psychologist and founder of Dialogue House in New York City. His perspective on the human personality is influenced by C. J. Jung with whom he studied in Europe. His approach to journal work is based on 10 years spent as Director of the Institute for Research in Depth Psychology at the Graduate School of Drew University, where he and his staff collected the life histories of a wide spectrum of persons in order to study adult development. He also drew upon his experience and experimentation with the use of journals, both for himself and in his therapeutic practice.

Having tested, expanded, and refined this framework in hundreds of journal workshops, Progoff's Intensive Journal method allows people to start wherever they are and begin to bring focus and clarity to their lives. He describes it as "a method of working privately at the inner levels of our life" (Progoff, 1975). The method is referred to as the Intensive Journal in that it is not simply a passive record of events, but rather an active system of dialogue and feedback among the various sections.

Progoff is critical of the spontaneous method of journal work, the danger being that a person could keep "eloquently moving in circles" forever if the contents are not used in such a way as to bring new self-understanding and forward momentum. He also finds a journal can be limiting when it is used only to reach a pre-decided goal, in that it is "not related to the large development of life as a whole." When an individual's attitudes are fixed and inflexible, and the goals already chosen, a journal then becomes a "static tool . . . not an instrument of growth but of self-justification" (Progoff, 1975).

It is important to Progoff that this tool be as free as possible from imposition of others' values and that it be used by the learner without assistance from any outside authority, once the method is understood. Diarists must be able to dialogue among the journal sections with only themselves as guides.

Tristine Rainer, mentioned earlier, is less critical of spontaneous entries. She sees the diary as a place for the intuitive and rational to form creative fusion.

She has discovered among all the journals she has collected and read some techniques and modes of expression utilized by the diarists. Many examples are included in her book (Rainer, 1978), illustrating such tools as guided imagery, dialogue, a list, the unsent letter, a map of consciousness. An entire chapter is devoted to dreamwork and what it can tell us about ourselves and our future directions. Rainer points out that re-reading past journal entries can illuminate patterns of development and give us important clues to our interests and desires.

She is especially helpful in identifying common blocks in beginning to write and suggests ways of dealing with them. The judgment we bring to our writing is an important inhibitor. She emphasizes that the diary is no place to be perfect. The less shy we can be about writing our true feelings, the more intimate we can be with ourselves. Which will remove another inhibitor–the fear that what we say on paper will be boring. Over time the diarist will reveal his or her natural writing style and will allow a natural voice to be heard in the contents.

Rainer encourages diarists to use what they already have–their own experience–and get at this in whatever way is easiest. As more is learned about the continued developmental growth of adults, the journal becomes an excellent means for adults to observe and better understand the stages of their own adult development.

Implications for Adult Education

In reviewing literature in the adult education field, emphasis and value are given to one's life experience. Writers such as Ron Gross and Allen Tough are interested in helping adults learn how to learn better. The first step Gross recommends is to Know Thyself. He tells his readers, "Begin to pay attention to yourself as a changing, developing and growing person. Notice how you behave in different situations, how you respond to different people and problems," (Gross, 1977). With this knowledge adults become more clear on what concerns them most, particularly as a learner.

Gross considers the learning log or diary as the most important tool for the learner, especially the learner who perceives his or her learning as lifelong and chooses to pursue learning in varied ways. The journal can be started with whatever is of most interest to the learner at the time–planning career goals, understanding personal relationships, or exploring unconscious realms of experience.

The individual's learning process becomes more apparent as experiences related to a learning project are recorded. Idea fragments swimming around in the head find connections on paper and grow into other new and better ideas. In addition, the diary can be used as an evaluative tool for the learner to review past activities and project future directions.

Although Tough doesn't write directly about a learning log, he does describe effective lifelong learners as being self-aware, self-reliant, and self-directed (Tough, 1971). He recommends that resources and assistance be designed to support these qualities in all adult learners. Tough is quite concerned that adult learners become more competent and confident in their learning. Many of them are excessively modest about their learning as well as weak in self-planning skills. He indicates that further study is needed to help people develop skills at planning and conducting their own learning projects.

The personal journal is one learning tool which can be an integral part of this process. Its application needs to be encouraged among learners as a means for stimulating thought and for planning and evaluating learning projects, as well as an enrichment for one's whole life. In addition, the journal serves to keep adults connected with a true sense of self. In a pragmatic way, the journal never becomes obsolete; it is flexible, inexpensive, and uses what the learner already possesses–his or her own life story.

References

Gross, Ronald. A Handbook for The Lifelong Learner. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1977.

May, Rollo. The Courage to Create. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 1975.

Progoff, Ira. At a Journal Workshop. New York: Dialogue House Library, 1975.

Rainer, Tristine. The New Diary. Los Angeles: J. P. Tarcher, Inc., 1978.

Tough, Allen, The Adult's Learning Projects. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, 1971.

(Back to Table of Contents)

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In addition, following is a list of journals you should consider reviewing to enhance your overall knowledge base.

Adult Education Quarterly: A Journal of Research and Theory. Published quarterly by Sage Publications.

Adult Learning. Published eight times annually by the American Association for Adult & Continuing Education.

The Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education.

Human Resource Development Quarterly. Published quarterly by Jossey-Bass Publishing for ASTD.

International Journal of Lifelong Education. Published six times a year by Taylor and Francis, and is available online: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/tf/02601370.html

The Journal of Continuing Higher Education. Published three times a year by Kent Stat University for the Association for Continuing Higher Education.

New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. Published quarterly by Jossey-Bass Publishing.

New Horizons in Adult Education. Published two or three times by Nova Southeastern University and available online: http://education.fiu.edu/newhorizons/.

The PAACE Journal of Lifelong Learning. Published annually by the Pennsylvania Association for Adult Continuing Education.

Perspectives: The New York Journal of Adult Learning. Published twice a year by NYACCE and Fordham University.

Training and Development Magazine. Published monthly by ASTD.

The following are no longer being published, so look for past issues:

Adult Basic Education

Adult Education

Adult Leadership

Adult Literacy and Basic Education

Convergence

Lifelong Learning: An Omnibus of Practice and Research

Lifelong Learning: The Adult Years

Mountain Plains Journal of Adult Education

The following are journals related to gerontology or educational gerontology, but occasional they will have articles of interest to teachers and trainers of adults:

Educational Gerontology

Gerontologist

International Journal of Aging and Human Development

International Journal of Lifelong Education

Journal of Gerontology

Perspectives on Aging

(Back to Table of Contents)

Updated June 1, 2012