Foundations
This page covers the foundational elements that support the Design, Deliver, and Analyze sections of this website.
Teaching Philosophy
A teaching philosophy is a statement or document that describes your values and approach to adult learning as an educator.
Defines your preferred approach to adult learning
Serves as a reminder when you are facing challenges
Shareable resource that reflects your educational values
The foremost benefit is that you now have an organizing vision for your practice. With such a vision, it gives you a sense of stability and direction and a greater understanding of self in relation to the decisions and practices you employ in the classroom, training session, workshop or seminar. It serves as a foundation for critically thinking about your practice, ideas and the political and social structure dimensions (Galbraith, 2000, p.13).
Learning Theories
Comprehensive Learning Theory
Knud Illeris’ (2003) Comprehensive Learning Theory attempts to address all factors involved in learning, including making note of the interaction between the learning elements. The backbone to his theory is the three dimensions of learning, which he identifies as content, incentive, and interaction.
Why is it important?
Emphasizes importance of interaction with external environment (physical, social,
Physical, social, and cultural environments
Stresses the importance of learning beyond the content dimension (which is where most theories place their focus)
SOMETHING ELSE
Personal Perspective
What draws me to Illeris’ comprehensive learning theory is that it takes into consideration the balance of content, incentive, and interaction that make up the learning process. Furthermore, I appreciate how he believes that the learning process begins with an external interaction with the learners’ environment and then follows with individual internal processes.
However, I find the diagram of his model challenging, especially for those who have not followed his work closely. Thus, I have created a different version that provides more detail about the dimensions as well as the external and internal processes involved. I believe that this diagram provides a more intuitive directional flow by demonstrating how the interaction dimension is the trigger point for the beginning of the learning process. Additionally, it incorporates the secondary interaction of the individual back to their environment.
Work Sample:
Click to enlarge
Experiential Learning Theory
Kolb and Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory (2017) “…is a dynamic, holistic theory of the process of learning from experience and a multi-dimensional model of adult development” (p.11). A critical aspect of this theory is the Experiential Learning Cycle. Kolb and Kolb’s work has been the cornerstone of experiential learning.
Why is it important?
Provides a comprehensive picture of how an experience has impact on a learner
Acknowledges the importance of the modes beyond the actual experience
Introduces the Experiential Learning Cycle ?????
Personal Perspective
Understanding that the experience is just the tip of the iceberg and that critical elements of learning occur after the experience was a foundational shift for me. I gained a newfound appreciation for reflection-based activities and how useful they are in the learning cycle. (For more about that, please see the Reflection section on the Deliver page).
After contemplating the Experiential Learning Cycle and considering my teaching philosophy, I have an addition that I have incorporated into the model. Prior to the experience, I believe it is important to provide the learners with background and/or contextual information, which in turn could enhance experience. This is optional as in certain circumstances, it is beneficial for the experience to be a surprise. However, I think it is worth noting in the cycle because it emphasizes the importance of foundational information.
Co-Constructed Developmental Teaching Theory
Intro text. In 20XX, Schenck & Cruikshank developed this theory to build on Kolb. They felt there was a short coming or there was more to it or it was too vague…there needed to be more specific something.
Why is it important?
Expands work done from Kolb and Kolb by incorporating research from neuroscience and psychology, in addition to education (Schenck & Cruikshank, 2015).
Includes a framing stage where the educator prepares the learners (consciously or unconsciously).
Incorporates a pause to allow the learners a chance to absorb the experience
Personal Perspective
I was particularly drawn to the framing and pause portions of their model. Although Schenck & Cruickshank envision the framing in psychological terms, I can draw parallels between this phase and my philosophical approach of providing background and context, similar to the way I added a mode to Kolb and Kolb’s experiential learning cycle. The pause phase is aligns with my belief in the importance of reflection (LINK).
(Schenck & Cruikshank, 2015, p.84 )
Adult Learning Considerations
(Wlodkowski & Ginsberg, 2017, p. 98)
Wlodkowski and Ginsberg (2017) developed a motivational framework as a guide to help educators and learners. Below are the four conditions of their framework with my interpretation of each and why they are important.
Establishing Inclusion is getting the learners involved to build a sense of community with each other and with the educator and fostering mutual respect. This is important for motivation because it creates an atmosphere that is conducive to learning: learners are excited to learn and work with people who are also interested in the same topic, it challenges them to think deeply about the subject, and have a constructive exchange of ideas.
Developing Attitude is creating a positive view of the education event through a personal connection. This is important because curiosity about the topic emerges from a positive attitude. A learner with a positive attitude is interested and engaged in the learning process.
Enhancing Meaning is building on the learner's experience to learn new things that relate to the learner. This is important because it provides the learner stepping stones to learn more complex concepts. It is taking the prior meaning (experiences) and enhancing it with new, richer material.
Engendering Competence is ensuring that a learner knows that they are more effective in learning something that is important to them. This is important because it is the entrance into a positive back and forth between competence and confidence. A learner strives for competence and in the (learning) process becomes more confident about their knowledge and abilities. That in turn provides the learner with more competence in the subject, and the upward cycle continues.
Why is it important?
The context of why an adult is engaged in a learning program is an important factor to understand.
The student may be taking a course about a hobby they love and thus will have high motivation to participate and engage.
On the other hand, the student may be enrolled in a specific course as a work requirement (for example), and they may not be very excited to participate.
Stephen Lieb (1991, p.1) identified 6 characteristics of adult learners that I find useful to consider:
Adults are autonomous and self-directed.
Adults have accumulated a foundation of life experience and knowledge.
Adults are goal oriented.
Adults are relevancy oriented.
Adults are practical, focusing on the aspects of a lesson most useful to them in their work.
Adults need to be shown respect.
Certainly, there are exceptions to the above points and I do not identify these characteristics as absolute, but they are good to keep in mind when planning and conducting learning events for adults.
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is getting the learners involved to build a sense of community with each other and with the educator and fostering mutual respect. This is important for motivation because it creates an atmosphere that is conducive to learning: learners are excited to learn and work with people who are also interested in the same topic, it challenges them to think deeply about the subject, and have a constructive exchange of ideas.
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