Abstract
The
purpose of this Chapter Review and Final
Project is to discuss the subject of learning by interviewing five adult
learners about their thoughts and experiences around the topic. Eight questions are asked of five adult
learners varying in age from 30’s to 80’s. The complete videos are placed on the blog
site for this class (Allen, 2013). Each subject
provides a unique perspective when asked about his/her educational experiences,
and all five identify similar barriers to learning.
In this report, I supplement the
analysis of the interviews with excerpts from two resources: Daniel Goleman’s
book, Working with Emotional Intelligence
(1998), and chapter 1: For Those Who Need
to Be learners, and chapter 23: The
Meaning and Role of Emotions in Adult Learning, from Sharan B. Merriam and
André P. Grace’s book, Contemporary
Issues in Adult Learning (2011). The
resources identify how emotion, situation, and experience play a part in
learning. The result is intended to be a
report that flows smoothly from question to question, compares and contrasts
learner responses, and is supported by valid resources. I also add my own responses.
The subjects: Bev, age 84,
retired sales clerk at JC Penney; Nancy, in her 70’s, musician and retired
music teacher; Mel, age 54, pre-k teaching assistant; Grace, age 46, recently
graduated massage therapist; Josh, 32, full-time student and part-time driver
for a rental car company, was unemployed for “some time”. (Allen, 2013)
The questions: Why do you learn and what motivates you to
learn? Has your motivation changed over
the years? What do you have a desire to
learn? If there were no barriers, what
would you desire to learn? What keeps
you from learning? What are your
memories from your early educational experiences? How did/does your family view education? If any teachers stand out in your mind, what
are some of their important characteristics as an instructor? If there were a “refresher” class geared for
adult learners who were re-entering college would you take it and what would
you expect to be covered? (Allen, 2013)
Analysis
MOTIVATION AND DESIRE
Why do you learn and
what motivates you to learn?
Wendy: I learn because I am curious. I learn because my family and co-workers
encourage me. I learn because I want to
improve my skills and do something more.
I learn because I love to learn new things. I learn to prove that I can.
For Bev and Grace the drive to
learn is fueled by their curiosity. Bev
states that her age is a factor and she wants to learn everything she can about
people’s lives, fashion, and the world we live in (before she dies). Grace also
wants to learn everything she can about people, but by contrast, she wants to
learn about the mind and what makes people “tick”. Nancy and Mel learn so that they can carry on
conversations with others intelligently.
Josh, the youngest of the group, learns to advance his career.
The underlying emotional motivator
is the need for personal enrichment. All
subjects yearn to be “better” and “smarter”.
Merriam and Grace (2011) explain that, “a deep and abiding search for
meaning is often associated with a process of developing or making explicit a
connection with something greater than one’s self.” They identify alternate ways of “knowing” as
experiential learning (learning through one’s experiences), whole person
learning (learning holistically through one’s brain, heart, body, and spirit),
embodied learning (learning through one’s body), and transformative learning (combination
of experiential, whole person, and embodied learning).
Has your motivation
changed over the years?
Wendy: Yes. When I was
of traditional age I was motivated to learn because that is what you did. I followed in the footsteps of my peers and
abided by the wishes of my parents. Life
got in the way and I was forced to take a break. Now my motivation is self-directed.
All
subjects respond in the affirmative and they describe a shift from outside
forces motivating them to self-motivation.
The motivation to gain knowledge in one’s craft is identified in all
subjects, while intrinsic motivation is more pronounced, as the subjects grow
older. For example, Josh is at first
externally motivated to learn for the purpose of obtaining, or advancing in, a
career. He states that now – after his
mother dies he takes time off to reflect – he finds his “true motivation”
(internally), is to be a “role model” for his daughter. Bev, Nancy, Grace, and Mel state that their
motivation is self-betterment. They
learn because they want to learn, not
because they have to learn. They also identify spirituality or becoming a
better person as motivators.
Goleman (1998) explains that
“given the opportunity, people gravitate to what gives them meaning, to what
engages to the fullest their commitment, talent, energy, and skill”. This is
evident in the data collected from all of the subjects as they identify how
their motivation (given the opportunity) moves toward their commitments (role
model for daughter) and personal interests (talent, energy, and skill). Goleman (1998) explains that the “drive” to
establish oneself is most urgent in our twenties, thirties, and into our
forties (Josh) and by mid-forties and fifties (Grace, Mel) people typically
reevaluate their goals because they “often come to the radical realization that
life is limited” (Nancy, Bev). The trick
is to keep our career decisions in sync with our values and personal goals.
What do you have a
desire to learn? If there were no barriers, what would you have a desire to
learn?
Wendy: I would love to teach - with or without barriers - I
have always wanted to teach.
When the subjects are asked the
first question the older two respond with past longings and prefaced their
answers with “I’ve always wanted to”.
For example, Bev “always wanted to” be a hairdresser, Nancy “always
wanted to” try law school. The others
answer in the present; Mel wants to perfect her sign language skills, Grace
wants to learn about the human brain, and Josh wants to study sociology. Once I remove barriers with the second
question, such as lack of finances, physical constraints, situational
considerations, and family commitment, the answers are split: Grace and Nancy have the same answer, Josh
changes slightly to the sociology of religion, Mel suddenly thinks that running
a business sounds interesting, and Bev wants to be a nurse. For Grace and Josh, their formal educational
experience is recent. Grace seems
satisfied with her new career, while Josh is in the middle of his studies and
seems to be still figuring it out. The
older subjects seem more wistful.
No
matter where they are in their journey, life-long learning is certainly astir
in these subjects. This inclusive “whole of life” learning called
adult education begins where vocational education leaves off (Merriam and
Grace, 2011). Merriam and Grace (2011)
call it “the modern quest for life’s meaning”.
One must be open to a quest, of course, and not be encumbered with
self-doubt or negativism. Unencumbered
life-long learners seek intelligence, power, self-expression, freedom,
creativity, appreciation, enjoyment and fellowship (Merriam and Grace 2011).
BARRIERS
What keeps you from
learning?
Wendy: Time, money, job and family keep me from going
full-time. Earlier in my career, my lack
of self-confidence held me back. Once I
was able to gain some success in college (as an adult learner) I regained vigor
and persevered.
All
subjects identify time as a barrier. For
most, “time” translates to time management – fitting in school with their
already busy lives of career and/or family obligations. For Nancy and Bev time also means age – not
enough time to start something due to years left. All but Nancy identify money as a barrier, and
only Mel and Grace identify technology as a barrier. Bev identifies physical constraints and Josh
identifies a life tragedy (mom dies) as barriers to learning.
The
most interesting barrier the subjects identify is fear. For Grace fear translates to fear of failure
and being judged by others. By contrast,
Mel is afraid of expectations such as passing finals, placement testing, and
fear of the unknown (school is different now). Goleman (1998) states, “For those who lack
self-confidence, every failure confirms a sense of incompetence.” Later on, this theme of fear in Grace and Mel
is further described as they relay their early educational experiences.
The
barriers identified by the subjects are some of the same ones I hear as I work
with students in academic decline. The
most common excuses for not meeting class expectations are financial (my
financial aid didn’t come in and I couldn’t buy the book, a bus pass, etc.),
outside commitments (I had to take my mom to work, babysitter didn’t show, they
changed my hours at work), and physical constraints (I hurt my back and can’t
sit that long, I have a cold/flu, I am too tired).
Life can get in the way of
learning. In a formal setting, this can
be a domino effect; student is over extended, falls asleep in class or misses
class, fails the test, fails the class, loses financial aid, loses academic
standing, and withdraws from school.
Adult learners are vulnerable to “life” and many times they have an
ethical dilemma, which “right” answer is “right”? They must decide between school obligations and
family obligations. Emotions are in high
gear. Instructors are bound by the
expectations on their syllabus and can be unbending with their grading rubric.
Merriam and Grace (2011) explain that emotions “have for many years been
regarded as largely undesirable within teaching and learning settings, that is,
as obstacles to reason and the development of knowledge”.
Goleman (1998) says the emotional
intelligence “gut feeling” grows stronger with each accumulating experiences
life brings. He goes on to say
“intuition and gut feeling bespeak the capacity to sense messages from our
internal store of emotional memory”. Depending
on what type of emotional memory we have, we make our decisions.
And, finally, the fear of
technology is alive and well in the adult learner. In our changing world, gone are the days of
handwriting papers and turning them in at the professor’s office. We are in a world where e-mail, blog, wiki,
and google docs are the norm. For the
adult learner who had been removed from the technology “creep”, this can be a
roadblock.
THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE
What are your memories
from your early educational experiences?
Wendy: I loved school.
I was the teacher’s pet, very lovable, and a “joy to have in
class”. I value education and
teaching. My memories are all positive. I missed school when I had to quit to have
children, and was thrilled to go back.
Spanning
eight decades, from a two-room schoolhouse to online learning, and from
penmanship to religion, the subjects relay their varied experiences. Positive encounters with educators and the
educational system abound. Their experiences
are rife with energy so real you can visualize them. Bev remembers everyone getting along and taking
turns on the swings. She identifies Spelling
and English as her favorite subjects. Bev
names her teachers and classmates and is proud of the fact that at her 20-year
reunion she recalled everyone there. Math
is not a popular subject for Bev, Nancy, Josh, or Mel, but all four recall energetic
and patient teachers to help them get through.
By contrast, Grace recalls math as the fun subject and English as the
tipping point to quitting school. Nancy
identifies typing (taught to her by her father) as the most valuable skill
learned. And Josh admits he was the teacher’s pet.
Bev, Nancy, and Josh seemingly breeze
through their formal education while Mel and Grace describe stumbling blocks
incased by fear. Mel tells two stories
that shape her feelings about learning.
First, she tells of being bullied by boys who punch her in the arm so
hard that she finally goes to the nurse (she admits that the bullying nowadays
is much more intense). The nurse informs
the Principal, who immediately takes action, confirming Mel’s trust in authority. Another story she tells is being hit in the
head with a chalkboard eraser thrown by her teacher. Although a humiliating
experience, the act encourages respect and immediately stops the disruptive
behavior of Mel talking with her friend during class. As she tells her stories, I asked if the
experiences prompted Mel to be discouraged and she said that it actually
motivated her to do better. Mel
remembers her friends and teachers from her early schooldays and, although
stressful at times, she has a respect for teachers and enjoys school. By contrast, once Mel’s family moves to the
city schools (previously in a suburban environment) she is engulfed with
insecurity and anxiety. She recalls her
high school senior year without being able to recall anyone’s name. Mel spends a lot of time discussing her
current classroom parents and students vs. her memories stating, “it’s a whole
different level of troublemaker; there is no respect”. Her memories include leaving school at
lunchtime when threats of violence were imminent.
This trust in authority is not
found in Grace’s experience. Grace describes
her experience of being bullied, but not by boys in her class but by her
English teacher. As she tells her story,
I can visualize this young girl seeking encouragement only to receive
humiliation and condescension in response.
It is no wonder Grace feels hopeless and decides to give up on school. Later, once she has experienced life a bit,
Grace rebounds by attaining a GED. This
mends her self-esteem somewhat, and the accomplishment seems pivotal to her
future successes.
We
all have emotional “baggage” as a result of negative experiences that we carry
around affecting the way we think about learning. Merriam and Grace (2011) place the learner’s
experiences as the highest value in adult education, “if education is life,
then life is also education.” Learning-related emotional issues affect how
adult learners respond to their educational environment. Goleman (1998) explains, “Helping learners
understand and make sense of these emotion-laden experiences within the context
of the curriculum represents one of the most important and most challenging
tasks for adult education.” Often, the
experiences are impenetrable barriers that the learner can’t overcome. When this occurs, learners sustain a “can’t
do” attitude and often make excuses that are not valid. “I have no time” really translates to “I am
afraid to try because I’ll fail, and then what will they think of me?” As we grow older, we put the experiences into
perspective. “Life becomes rational,
meaningful, as we learn to be intelligent about the things we do and the things
that happen to us.” (Merriam and Grace, 2011)”
How did (does) your
family view education?
Wendy: My parents encouraged education. My father had his doctorate and was a
life-long learner. My mother hangs
papers on the fridge, shares in my accomplishments. She is very proud. My father, deceased now, is smiling
somewhere.
Education
(meaning attending school) was important in all the subjects’ families to
varying degrees. The times (society)
certainly speak as each describes their family’s value of education as well as
if the parents were college graduates themselves.
1940’s: Bev’s father was a
Justice of the Peace, and her mother a clerk (doubtful she went to
college). Education was valued and
respected. She was encouraged, but the
timing was off (war?). There was no
question that they would finish high school and there was “no skipping”. It was assumed she would attend “normal”
school (to be a nurse), but when the time came they couldn’t afford it. Her older sister was able to go to college and
be trained as a stenographer. Her much
younger brother went to college and into the state troopers. Bev never went to college.
1950’s: Nancy’s parents were
college graduates as well as her aunt.
Her mother taught art and music, and her father was a business teacher
in the high school. Education and family
legacy were valued. There was never a
question; you went to college. Her
parents had a say in her career and encouraged her music career (you don’t want
to teach English and grade papers all day!).
Nancy continued the legacy and attended the same college as her mother
and aunt had. According to Nancy, her
parents worked so that they could put their children through college. Nancy
completed her degree in teaching.
1970’s: Mel’s father, a music
teacher, had his doctorate in education and her mother (Bev) had no college and
worked as a sales clerk. Teachers were
respected and education was valued. It
was expected that the children would go to college. Her parents were very
supportive and extremely proud of their girls’ accomplishments. They did not have a lot of money, but helped
out financially where they could. Mel
completed some college.
1980’s: Grace’s parents placed a
higher priority on making a living (supporting the family) than on getting an
education. Family (not education) was
valued. She was encouraged to support
herself and her family. Grace (after
some time) completed her massage therapy degree.
2000’s: Josh’s mother had a
liberal arts degree and his father was a tradesman (although he had some
college). Education was valued. Josh explains that it was a given that they
would finish high school and college was encouraged, but not pushed. He adds that by his parents helping him and
his sister financially, it was like their nonverbal “incentive”. His parents are very proud of his
accomplishments. Josh (after some time)
completed his associate’s degree and is working on his bachelor’s.
Those
families who have previous successes and accomplishments tied to education seem
to encourage and expect subsequent generations to have the same. Likewise, those families who were primarily
focused on working and supporting the family expect the same from their
children. In the five subjects, only
Grace breaks the cycle of her family by going to college to get her massage
therapy degree. The other four follow
what their family prescribes. Barriers
to learning are played out in this question, too. For example, lack of money supersedes desire
and expectation in the case of Bev and possibly Mel. Time and family obligations stand in the way
of Grace, and Josh. Only Nancy sails
smoothly on.
If any teachers stand
out in your mind, what are some of their important characteristics as an
instructor?
Wendy: “Phip” was my 12-grade English teacher. He inserted personal stories and encouraged
hands-on learning. Likewise, my social
studies teacher (current events) had the class do a mock UN where we debated
issues. In college, the teachers who
took an interest in my stories, my situation, and my learning made all the
difference in the world (current instructor included!!).
In
all subjects experiential and hands-on or “self-directed” learning are important
characteristics of “great” teaching. Josh
describes his online teacher as responsive and how his religion teacher “wowed”
him because she read and commented on all his posts. Mel describes her “team” teachers who took
them all to a site where they built a cabin.
The students and teachers all worked together as a team. Nancy describes her mentor who introduces her
to “Self Discovery” learning and encourages her to motivate her students by
keeping up on the latest pedagogy. Grace
describes her massage therapy teacher who is relaxed and made it ok to make
mistakes. Bev remembers her math teacher
who is patient and caring – even when she has to take the class twice.
All subjects identify teachers
who make learning “fun” as those who stand out in their mind. Interestingly, the subjects didn’t
necessarily get “A”s in these classes and often the “stellar teacher” teaches a
subject that would otherwise be undesirable.
Yet, even in dreary curricula the individuals describe these teachers as
ones who take an interest in their students, enthusiastically encourage them to
participate, and exude a “passion” for what they are teaching. It is
easy to see that when these productive characteristics are absent in the
instructor, such as in Grace’s earlier story of her English teacher, the educational
experience is lackluster at best.
COLLEGE READINESS
If there were a
refresher course geared toward the returning to college (adult learner) would
you take the class, and what would you expect to be covered in such a class?
Wendy: Absolutely.
Time management, intro to how college has changed, technology, career
paths would be covered.
The
responses from the subjects vary with the first part of this question. Grace and Josh would take the course (in a
heartbeat) and even thought it should be required. Mel wouldn’t pay for it, and neither she nor
Nancy would take the course at all unless it was worth their while. They would, however, take specific
theme-based workshops that covered topics as refreshers. Bev is concerned about her health and wasn’t
sure she could devote what time she had to it.
All
felt that refreshers on technology are a must, and some felt time-management
was a key component. Grace, Mel, and
Josh think a refresher of what it was like to be back in college is an
important topic, and Grace wants a recap of the resources available on
campus. Mel wants a clear understanding
of what is expected of the student “nowadays”, while Grace wants a “career
pathways” segment.
Traditional
students entering college have certain needs that should be addressed in a first-year
experience or seminar; will they succeed, how will they pay for it, what will
they choose for a career. Non-traditional
students have some of the same needs and anxieties as their younger peers coupled
with having been out of the educational environment for a period of time. In
order to compete with new technologies and expectations, adult learners need to
re-discover their strengths and “catch up” with the times.
References
Allen, Wendy L., (2013). Interviews with Adult Learners: Bev,
Grace, Josh, Mel & Nancy, Retrieved from http://inputgonewild2.blogspot.com/p/interviews-with-adult-learners.html
Goleman,
Daniel, (1998). Working with Emotional
Intelligence, New York: Bantam Dell
Merriam,
Sharan B. & Grace, André P., (2011). Contemporary Issues in Adult Learning, San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
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