Unit 2 Power, Self-Directed Learning, Transformative Learning
Overview
Teachers have power! Students have power! The dynamic interplay between these in a learning environment can create a positive, safe and authentic experience, or one wrought with tension, confusion and “second guessing.” Part of preparing to be an adult educator is being aware of your power as well as the power among students, and between students and you. Why is it necessary to know about this? Because adults (and that includes both the educator and the participants) have a lifetime of experiences, ideas, prejudices, misinformation, biases and brilliance that they bring to the learning environment, and these all impact learning.
Consider for example how the topic of Women in Leadership might be received by various individuals: a woman from the Global South, a man from the Global South, a pastor, a millennial, a woman who has worked from home/not in the paid workforce, a business person, a health care provider…. There are so many possible receptions to this topic! Navigating the varied possible receptions of any topic when you are planning requires consideration of power dynamics and participants’ realities as far as you know about them. It takes personal research or self-directed learning and if done well, can lead to transformative experiences for both you and your participants. I live a profound and genuine joy when I am learning with my students. This is how I know deeply that teaching is my vocation.
Let me give you an example of power, self-directed learning and transformation that I experienced a few years ago. At the time I was a newly hired faculty member for Trinity Western University and was excited to be invited to speak at an International Leadership Conference on the topic of Women in Leadership. Imagine the challenge before me: a Western woman, all-girls’ school in Chennai, India, where violence against women is rampant, among faculty who were feisty nuns intent on equipping “their girls” to change India and make it more equitable and fair for women, their families and future generations. I embraced the challenge as a personal self-directed learning endeavor, did as much research on the lived reality about who I imagined my participants at the conference to be, and planned to share my story and the research describing women in leadership over the past forty years. A major consideration was social justice and the role of women as change agents. I decided to take my then sixteen-year-old daughter with me for this amazing experience. Having her there also influenced our reception in positive ways (power dynamics at play)! Thankfully, the presentation was well received and my daughter and I learned so much from the research, enjoyed the kind hospitality of our hosts at the College and were astounded that approximately four hundred participants (mostly women) came to listen! Preparing for the conference and taking that trip taught us about power dynamics and the value of self-directed learning, and impacted our worldview. Post-conference anecdotal feedback received from faculty at the college revealed that the participants, too, learned about power dynamics and the possibilities of critical transformation in their own lives and the society they hoped to influence.
You will explore these topics of power, critical transformational learning and prior learning assessment in this unit.
Topics
Unit 2 is divided into 3 topics:
- Critical and Transformative Learning
- Pedagogy and Andragogy
- Prior Needs Assessment
Learning Outcomes
When you have completed this unit you should be able to:
- Define critical transformational learning and its elements in your own words.
- Describe two or three methods used to empower people for quality improvement.
- Explain the difference between pedagogy and andragogy.
- Collect data to inform instructional decisions and planning.
Activity Checklist
Here is a checklist of learning activities you will benefit from in completing this unit. You may find it useful for planning your work.
Learning Activities
- Read Brookfield Chapter 1. Next, read Sandlin, J., Redmon Wright R., Clark C. (2013). Reexamining theories of adult learning and adult development through the lenses of public pedagogy. Adult Education Quarterly 63:3, 14-16.
- Write Part A of your discussion post on critical transformational learning.
- Read Brookfield chapter 4.
- Thinking about your specific organization, take the department team building questionnaire Silberman p. 375 figure 18.4. Write Part B of your Unit 2 discussion post on next steps for quality improvement.
Assessment
- Complete the discussion questions for this unit (Parts A and B). Respond substantively to at least two other classmates’ posts.
- Complete the Reading Response Assignment, worth 10% of your course grade.
Learning Cafe
Before you continue with Unit 2, take a couple minutes to connect with other learners in the Learning Cafe. You were introduced to this cafe in Unit 1 and shared a little about yourself. This week, use the following prompt to get a new conversation going: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
2.1 Critical Transformative Learning
Transformative learning is learning that causes you to change somehow. It is using critical thinking to consider if perspectives and assumptions are accurate. With respect to transformative learning, instructors need to:
- Foster transformative learning through critical reflection; use non-rational media such as storytelling; embodied knowing; and intuitive and affective, emotional, and spiritual experiences. Other non-rational tools are music, poetry, art, photography, literature, dreams, drama, and fiction.
- Engage in/encourage dialogue or discourse and social interaction.
- Create a space that is open and welcoming to this type of learning: safe, open, and supportive.
Transformative learning is not an individual process but rather a personal process that is carried out in “integrally webbed totalities” (O’Sullivan, 2003, p. 337) O’Sullivan believes we are part of a bigger picture. As I sit here and type this, every decision I made that got me here had an impact on someone else. As a result of this course or program, you may change the way you make decisions which in turn, affects all of the people in this web differently than they may have been impacted had you made the same decision today. For learning to be transformative and effective it needs to be job-embedded, ongoing and with built-in follow-up and support. As was evidenced in the Hui, Snider, and Couture (2016) study, the most effective type of professional development for lasting change in a classroom is not a one-time workshop. Traditional stand-and-deliver professional development was conducted by Leblanc, Richardson, and Burns (2009) with minimal results. Effective professional development is instead an ongoing supportive relationship with in-class follow up and teacher choice and input as to the direction of needed development choice (Hui, Snider, Couture, 2016; Katz, 2013; Katz, 2014). Sokal and Sharma (2014) describe an ideal program as entailing between 30 and 100 hours of training hours spread over a span of six to 12 months, with in-house professional learning communities (PLCs) and coursework as part of the training.
So transformative learning is about change. It’s not easy, can be disorienting, and involves the hard work of critical thinking and consistent, sustained attention.
Activity: Reading
- Read Brookfield Chapter 1. While reading, consider especially how context constantly alters how a practice is put into effect. Teaching is helping learning.
- Next, read Sandlin, J., Redmon Wright R., Clark C. (2013). Reexamining theories of adult learning and adult development through the lenses of public pedagogy. Adult Education Quarterly 63:3, 14-16. (Note: Only certain pages have been assigned for the Sandlin article. You read part last week and focus on a different section this week. Article available through the TWU library.)
2.2 Pedagogy and Andragogy
Creating a good learning experience for adults is what andragogy is all about. It’s important to keep in mind that the resource of highest value in adult education is the learner’s experience.
Knowles (1980, cited in Merriam & Bierma, 2014, p. 47), outlines six assumptions about andragogy:
- As a person matures, his or her self-concept moves from that of a dependent personality toward one of a self-directing human being.
- An adult accumulates a growing reservoir of experience, which is a rich resource for learning.
- The readiness of an adult to learn is closely related to the developmental tasks of his or her social role.
- There is a change in time perspective as people mature – from future application of knowledge to immediacy of application. Thus, an adult is more problem than subject centered in learning.
- Adults are mostly driven by internal motivation, rather than external motivators.
- Adults need to know the reason for learning something.
What is the difference between how children experience something as compared to how adults experience something? In other words, what’s the difference between pedagogy and andragogy?
Children experience what happens to them while an adult’s experience is who they are. For the adult, their experience is what makes them unique and makes them who they are; it is an important part of their identity and self-concept. Children, on the other hand, develop their self- identity in reliance on external factors such as family, community, school, and church. This changes over time as children mature and start to identify themselves based on their experiences.
Check out German professor Jost Reischmann’s website at www.andragogy.net. In particular, explore the understanding of andragogy and professionalism as well as the contributions and critiques of Malcolm Knowles work.
Activity: Reading
Read Brookfield chapter 4. While reading, consider how self-directed learning is at the heart of adult education.
What is the difference between self-paced learning and self-directed learning? How does self-directed learning relate to power? What is the value of a learning audit in self-directed learning?
2.3 Prior Needs Assessment
Before you plan to teach anything, it’s a good idea to find out what your students already know. You can save time (and boredom) by not spending time on topics or skills that they already know and instead plan to enhance their knowledge and take them further. This is a much more motivating approach and one that adults will appreciate. A prior needs assessment is not always a “quiz” though – it can be a discussion, a concept map, a KWL chart (Know, Want to Know, Learned), a ‘Minute Paper’… The idea is to plan a way to learn what the participants already know on the topic. Because they are adults it’s important to recognize their prior life experience. Remember Knowles’ second principle of andragogy as cited in Merriam and Bierema (2014): An adult accumulates a growing reservoir of experience, which is a rich resource for learning. This is the essential reason for prior learning assessment.
Activity: Questionaire & Discussion Post
- Thinking about your specific organization, take the department team building questionnaire Silberman p. 375 figure 18.4.
- Identify two or three TPI items regarding how you can intervene for quality improvement. (You may want to review the Next Steps video from Unit 1).
- In Part B of your Unit 2 discussion post, state your plan to the C-Suite following the guidelines described on p. 387 and p. 388.
Assessment
Unit 2 Discussion
Part A
Write 300 words (approximately) on the following:
- Define critical transformational learning in your own words.
- How can you as an adult educator foster critical transformative learning in your context?
Part B
- Thinking about your specific organization, take the department team building questionnaire Silberman p. 375 figure 18.4.
- Identify two or three next steps regarding how you can intervene for quality improvement. (You may want to review the video from Unit 1).
- State your plan to the C-Suite following the guidelines described on p. 387 and p. 388.
After you have finished your discussion post, be sure to respond substantively to at least two other classmates’ posts.
Grading Criteria
The following rubric will be used to assess your responses. Note that you can save/print this rubric for your reference.
Discussion Rubric (Click to expand)
| Discussion Rubric | |
|---|---|
| 9 - 10 | Identifies information from the assigned reading and viewing that resonates or is |
| striking and clearly explains the reason for their choices. | |
| The responses show superior depth of knowledge on the topic, clear synthesis and | |
| analysis of the content, and provide depth, breath, or new insight to the topic. | |
| Demonstrates an accurate understanding of this chosen information. | |
| Uses information from the text to interpret chosen concepts or make connections to | |
| other situations or contexts logically through analysis, evaluation, inference, or | |
| comparison/contrast. | |
| Defines uncommon or challenging words and shows evidence of doing the intellectual | |
| work necessary to understand challenging text. | |
| Identifies points of view and implications in the text and critically analyses own | |
| response to these. | |
| No errors in grammar or composition. Word limit and format followed. Posted on | |
| time. | |
| 6 - 8 | Identifies information from the assigned reading and viewing that resonates or is |
| striking but the reason for their choices is not completely or clearly explained. | |
| The responses show adequate depth of knowledge on the topic, a good synthesis but | |
| may lack in evaluation of the content read, and providing new insight to the topic. | |
| Demonstrates a partial understanding of this chosen information in the text or | |
| viewing. | |
| Uses information from the text/viewing to interpret chosen concepts but does not | |
| make connections to other situations or contexts. | |
| Partially integrates interpretation of the text with text-based support. | |
| Does not define uncommon or challenging words necessary to understanding the text. | |
| Does not identify points of view and implications in the text or critically analyze their | |
| own response to these. | |
| Fewer than 3 errors in grammar or composition. Word limit and format not | |
| followed. Not posted on time. | |
| 3 - 5 | Demonstrates insufficient understanding of the chosen concepts. |
| Responses show inadequate depth of knowledge on the topic, a synthesis that misses | |
| key concepts, and is not a critical analysis. | |
| Uses information from the text to make simplistic interpretations of the text without | |
| using significant concepts or by making only limited connections to other situations or | |
| contexts. | |
| Does not integrate interpretation of the text with text-based support. | |
| Does not define uncommon or challenging words necessary to understanding the text. | |
| Does not identify points of view and implications in the text or critically analyze their | |
| own response to these. | |
| More than 3 errors in grammar or composition. Word limit and format followed. Not | |
| posted on time. | |
| 1 - 2 | Demonstrates little or no understanding of the text; may be inaccurate. |
| Responses are superficial and do not include critical analysis. | |
| Little or no interpretation of the text. | |
| Response is insufficient to show that criteria are met. | |
| More than 5 errors in grammar or composition. Word limit and format followed. Not | |
| posted on time. | |
| 0 | Response is absent or does not address the task. |
| Response is insufficient to show that criteria are met. |
Submission Instructions
All assessments, including discussions, reading responses and other assignments will be submitted here in Moodle. Please see the tabs at the top that corresponds with the assignment type.
Reading Response Assignment (10%)
Based on the assigned reading for Units 1 and 2, you are encouraged to carefully read and think about the course material in order to answer the following key questions:
Sandlin article:
- Do you agree that public pedagogy reproduces hegemonic practices? Why/why not? Give examples.
- Define transformative education in your own words. How is identity foundational to transformative adult education?
- How does relational learning figure into critical transformational learning? Give an example from your context.
Silberman text:
- What is the difference between covering material and discovering material? Explain how the methods differ in each approach and why the distinction is significant.
- Comment on this quote from Eric Jensen, author of Brain Based Learning cited in Silberman p. 5: “The traditional stand and delivery approach is antagonistic. The brain is not very good at absorbing countless bits of semantic (factual) information”.
Brookfield text:
- What are three connotations of power? Why is this information helpful to you as an adult educator?
- What is Brookfield’s simple definition of what teaching is. Comment on the significance of it.
- What four methods make teaching adults distinctive?
- Based on Brookfield’s definition (ch. 4 pp. 90-95), describe a self-directed learning project you have done and how it made a difference to your self-confidence and understanding of yourself.
Grading Criteria
The following rubric will be used to assess your responses. Reading Response Rubric
Reading Response Rubric (Click to expand)
| Reading Response Rubric | |
|---|---|
| 9 - 10 | Reader identifies information from the assigned reading that resonates or strikes them in a personal way |
| and clearly explains the reason for their choices. | |
| The responses show superior depth of knowledge on the topic, clear synthesis and evaluation of the | |
| content read, and provide depth, breath, or new insight to the topic. | |
| Reader demonstrates an accurate understanding of this chosen information in the text. | |
| Reader uses information from the text to interpret chosen concepts or make connections to other | |
| situations or contexts logically through analysis, evaluation, inference, or comparison/contrast. | |
| Reader defines uncommon or challenging words and shows evidence of doing the intellectual work | |
| necessary to understand challenging text. | |
| Reader identifies points of view and implications in the text and critically analyses their own response to | |
| these. | |
| No errors in grammar or composition. Page restrictions and format followed. Submitted on time. | |
| 5 - 8 | Reader identifies information from the assigned reading that resonates or strikes them in a personal |
| way but the reason for their choices is not completely or clearly explained. | |
| The responses show adequate depth of knowledge on the topic, a good synthesis but may lack in | |
| evaluation of the content read, and providing new insight to the topic. | |
| Reader demonstrates a partial understanding of this chosen information in the text. | |
| Reader uses information from the text to interpret chosen concepts but does not make | |
| connections to other situations or contexts. | |
| Reader partially integrates interpretation of the text with text-based support. | |
| Reader does not define uncommon or challenging words necessary to understanding the text. | |
| Reader does not identify points of view and implications in the text or critically analyze their own | |
| response to these. | |
| Fewer than 3 errors in grammar or composition. Page restrictions and format not followed. Not | |
| submitted on time. | |
| 2 - 4 | Reader demonstrates insufficient understanding of the chosen concepts. |
| The responses show inadequate depth of knowledge on the topic, a synthesis that misses key | |
| concepts, and is not a critical analysis. | |
| Reader uses information from the text to make simplistic interpretations of the text without using | |
| significant concepts or by making only limited connections to other situations or contexts. | |
| Reader does not integrate interpretation of the text with text-based support. | |
| Reader does not define uncommon or challenging words necessary to understanding the text. | |
| Reader does not identify points of view and implications in the text or critically analyze their own | |
| response to these. | |
| More than 3 errors in grammar or composition. Page restrictions and format followed. Not submitted on | |
| time. | |
| 1 | Reader demonstrates little or no understanding of the text; may be inaccurate. |
| The responses are superficial and do not include critical analysis. | |
| Reader makes little or no interpretation of the text. | |
| Reader’s response is insufficient to show that criteria are met. | |
| More than 5 errors in grammar or composition. Page restrictions and format followed. Not submitted | |
| on time. | |
| 0 | Reader’s response is absent or does not address the task. |
| Reader’s response is insufficient to show that criteria are met. |
Resources
- Hui, C., Snider, L., & Couture, M. (2016). Self-regulation workshop and occupational performance coaching with teachers: A pilot study. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 83(2), 115-125. doi:10.1177/0008417415627665
- Katz, J., Porath, M., Bendu, C., & Epp, B. (2012). Diverse Voices: Middle Years Students’ Insights Into Life in Inclusive Classrooms. Exceptionality Education International, 22(1), 2-16.
- Katz, J., & Sugden, R. (2013). The three-block model of universal design for learning implementation in a high school. Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, 141, 1-28.
- Leblanc, L., Richardson, W., & Burns, K. A. (2009). Autism spectrum disorder and the inclusive classroom: Effective training to enhance knowledge of ASD and evidence-based practices. Teacher Education and Special Education, 32(2), 166-179. doi:10.1177/0741932507334279
- Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2014). Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 9781118130575
- Merriam, Sharan B., & Grace, Andre P. (2011). Contemporary Issues in Adult Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass ISBN: 978-0-470-87356-4
- Sokal, L., & Sharma, U. (2014). Canadian in-service teachers’ concerns, efficacy, and attitudes about inclusive teaching. Exceptionality Education International, 23(1), 59-71.