While there have been difficulties, there were way more learning gained, teamwork developed, and friendships formed. We’ve come to realized that education in the country needs changes that students must adapt. The Psychological foundations of Education are well instilled to us. The theories for human development are all helpful for both teachers and learners to deal in all aspect. Our behavioral aspects affect students learning and by communicating with my group, we were able to finish our tasks. I am sure everyone went through the same journey and in the end, everyone walked out with a value-added. I am just grateful that I belong to a motivated group. Despite our time difference and different responsibilities we manage to complete the task.
Module 5 – 8 Reflection: Module 6, Teaching Adults: Approaches to Adult Education
1. Think of a situation where you used dialogue to educate (whether at home, at work or leisure, or in other places of learning). What were your objectives? How was dialogue received by the participants?
I am currently a trainer in one of the multi-companies here in Pampanga. As a trainer, I used dialogue to educate every time we have seminars and trainings. I’m using all my knowledge I learned from the production and present all the supporting materials as their guide to understand the whole process. My objective is to improve their personal growth and build competent employees that can help company’s productivity in a much efficient manner.
My role is to establish the right program for the newly hired employees and I have to make sure that my dialogues with all my trainees have successfully understand the training program. I can easily evaluate them thru situational questions and I can identify the areas that need to elaborate more so that when they assigned to different areas, they can easily comprehend the system. It is all about constant interaction and engagement to perform well at work.
If you were successful in achieving your objectives, what do you think attributed to the success? How will you apply the use of dialogue in other cases or situations?
If you were unsuccessful, what do you think prevented you from achieving your objectives? What should you have considered? How could you have done it differently? What changes would you make going forward?
I am confident that I demonstrated my objective well. It’s all about recognizing different views from different teams or individuals. I can see all of my trainees doing a good job incorporating what they have learned in the training programs and aligned it with the company’s goal. With all my experiences being a trainer, I can apply the use of dialogue in so many situations because of having the ability to speak and listen as well.
2. What have you found easy/difficult and rewarding/punishing in the practice of SDL in formal or non-formal education? How has the SDL process (or its lack thereof)? affected your motivation to learn, as well as your learning process? How will you use the SDL process in your own places of learning (either as an adult learner or as an adult educator)?
It is easy and difficult at the same time to set a strong goal for motivation especially that I am a working students. To avoid difficulties, I have to manage my time so that it won’t affect both my studies and work. Kegan (1994, p. 232) notes that learning that reflects on itself can only be accomplished through transformational education, “a ‘leading out’ from an established habit of mind,” an order of mental complexity that enables self-direction, a qualitative change in how one knows. This is very true for the working students like me. I have to think of something to solve my dilemmas in accomplishing my school and work tasks. I must plan an action to develop myself further and form my vision/goals in life.
It is very rewarding to know that I am able to cope up with the setting of online lectures, discussions and prioritize tasks so that I am able to complete it on time or else, it will be very stressful when I am behind.
3. Think of courses or activities where advance organizers were used. What did you find interesting? What did you find to be a waste of your time and energy (or of course site space)? Why do you think they were interesting or unnecessary? What can you substitute or change to make learning more relevant, based on the WPW Learning Model?
I am a trainer for more than 10 years now and a lot of instances where advance organizer was being used. I understand, to be able to have a proper dialogue, I should have the ability to listen to many points of view. It is always a good idea to appreciate others perspective that comes from a simple and understandable conversation.
On the other hand, indeed WPW Learning Model is very helpful in shaping the whole skills of the students learning process especially those areas that are completely difficult and weak. I incorporate this model by shadowing employee’s performances which I think essential to make them more relevant and engaging. As a trainer, I love to change my teaching methods based on the needs and interest of my audience. This will prevents gap between us. Each of them has many fruitful activities in a day and in the company, employees have an open line to report something that happened at work. So we have to expand the level of engagement. The talks are always done in a very casual manner so that they will be able to clarify things and get clear about some issues. Mutual understanding is needed to come up positive outcomes over the said issues.
4. How do you feel about the participatory learning approach? What are your strengths and attributes that would make you a good facilitator of this learning approach?
Participatory approach is beneficial for both learners and facilitators. This approach is being used in the discussion to be more interesting and effective. Giving ideas, shares knowledge are one among important aspect in PLA.
I will definitely use this approach to further advance my knowledge. I will recognize the voice of others to create a more inclusive environment to accomplish mutual goals at the same time. This will enable me to become a good facilitator.
5. How would you apply Wlodkowski’s (2008) motivational strategies for encouraging inclusion among adult learners in your own workplace/activities/places of learning?
Wlodkowski’s (2008) motivational strategies develop personal growth of each individual. In manufacturing industry, this approach is well observed. We keep on encouraging employees to use the knowledge that we instilled to them and exercise personal responsibility at work at all times. Their knowledge will serve as a guide to do their task properly. Reminding employees that they are the key players of the organization and the company will always be grateful for their hard work. While recognizing their contributions in the company, they have the opportunity to receive rewards/incentives based on their work performances. As a trainer, I always tell them that we do trust them and the line is always open for them to express their thoughts.
a. Recommend activities and strategies for encouraging inclusion that can improve this course or any other course/learning activities/other activities that you have in mind.
Students need to sustain active participation in the learning activities and I would like to recommend integrating a “short reflection” of daily routine to feel more energized. For a working students like me, getting stress out at work is no joke so just a simple reflective writing to reduce stress quickly prior to class discussion or any planned activities.
Reference:
Mezirow Jack (2000). Learning to Think Like an Adult Core Concepts of Transformation Theory. Retrieved: file:///C:/Users/Dell/Downloads/Mezirow,%20J.%20(2000).%20Learning%20to%20think%20like%20an%20adult%20Core%20concepts%20of%20transformation%20theory.%20.pdf
Soul connection…
I would like to reflect on attachment theory of Bowlby during my childhood memories.
According to Bowlby Attachment is important on physical, emotional and social development of a child. So if we have strong attachment with our mother and father we would have a strong bonds would shows to have a good relationship with our family and further attachment towards others connect to other.
When I was little my mother and I would go on a trip, she would leave me and tell the conductor that she just need to buy something and that she will be back in a little while. I was so very nervous back then, I have a panic and anxiety attack whenever the driver would ask me where’s my mother was. I just hate my mom leaving me with a total stranger, I am so scared. Even for a short span of time I feel like I have a separation anxiety back then. Sign of relief when I see my mother on my peripheral view, I am so happy and feel secured again.
At 7 years old, my parents decided that I will be studying in Baguio and will be staying with my grandmother. Again the feeling of being away makes me feel sad since that is the first time that I will be away from my parents. I often go outside the house my grandmas house and cry all day long waiting for my father to go back. After two weeks my father visit me and I am so happy but the sad part is whenever he goes back to La Union. New situation of me being away with my siblings and parents made me feel that I still have a family because my father would visit me once every month. It took me awhile to adjust to my new environment and the people around me. I get connected with my grandmother and I feel that I am emotionally secure with her because she has been there for me to provide the things that I need. We were reunited with my parents a year after, when my father was fully established in Baguio. I don’t remember having hurt feelings from my parents because they let me stay with my grandmother, I think I am still blessed because despite the absence of parents someone like my grandmother has given me the love, care and security. Where I am today makes me think that I am strong person and have a strong emotional attachment with my parents and strong connection with my friends. And I can say that my relationship with my bf was grown stronger because of the strong attachment I received from my family. In my personal point of view regarding Theory of Bowlby’s statement that “what happens to you in the first year or two of life has an effect, yes it does have an effect but it really depends on the culture or how you take things positively.
Image resource: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/talking-about-trauma/201403/early-attachment-leaving-its-mark-across-the-lifespan
EDS 131- Adult Education and Learning (Mod 1)
According to Ahmed, the education of adults is seen as being remedial, supplementary, or complementary to formal education.
As an adult learner, I’ve experienced many of the things that anyone could have. I dropped out my college due to financial crisis and I am certain that this experienced can be linked to Institutional barriers where conflicts arose with home and financial responsibilities. I had to stop college because my parents cannot afford to send us all in school and it was a mutual agreement between me and my parents.
So, I have looked for a job in order to support my family. I don’t want to be a service crew for the rest of my life so I took initiative to end some uncertainties in my mind. Saving money was the best decision I made. I’ve always expressed interest in getting a degree. A lot of opportunities came and I immediately enrolled a short term course in one of the best computers school in the land and took computer programming that I can be used as my stepping stone to get a stable job in the future. The course served to deepen my interest in computers which I am constantly connected in my present job right now. Most of my classmates back then had just graduated from High School and majority of the class is on their mid-20’s. Like me, they wanted to graduate and have a decent job. I am so hesitant back then because I am not sure if I can cope up to deal with the young ones but luckily, I was able to finish the course with an award and my parents are so proud of my achievement. My motivation for learning?, well, I just love my family that much that’s why I have to think of other ways on how to get out from poverty.
God hears the prayer of a poor as they say. After many years of struggling, I was fortunate enough to work in a Semiconductor Company. To be honest, I had no idea what to do but as I continued learning about it, I started growing and expanding my knowledge on Bump Process. Training and researching in Texas Instruments incredibly shaped me independently and I became more interested on its substantial benefits not only for myself but for every member of TI. I feel more receptive to the whole process, more aware of what I am learning and why. I am also far more directed in my purpose.
As of the moment, I am currently studying at UPOU to pursue a field that I am actually interested in. I wish I had this kind of insight 5 or 10 years ago? However, it came at the right time. It is indeed difficult to juggle work and school but when you are motivated-driven regardless of what people say, you will still have to keep moving and learning. I consider myself as a self-directed learner because I study on my own pace and also goal-directed learner.
I often reflect on the theory of Knowles about andragogy and pedagogy. I tend to facilitate my own learning process as I tried figuring out what can be done and things I cannot do. Through practices and principles, I am applying my experience and push this knowledge I have in my day to day living. I can use this to teach basic education in children soon.
I consider myself as an adult learner, and also challenging at the same time. I went through the readings on Patterns of adult learning and development. As what Cattell defines about Fluid intelligence, I can evaluate some unknown situations on my own and get a solution to a problem and I can rely on my learned knowledge/experiences to get the right solution like what Crystallized intelligence means. As we age, we can acquire these types of intelligence through experience as we expand our knowledge and our own capacities. There are both important in our daily lives. There are also a memory recall levels at some point. Fluid intelligence tends to decline when they reach late adulthood while crystallized intelligence throughout adulthood, the intelligence tends to increase via lifelong learning and experiences.
To sum, adult education is a sense of achievement and fulfillment. There are many platforms that adult learners may take advantage in today’s learning environment. According to the Mahatma Gandhi, adult education can be said as education for life, through life and throughout the life. The world is changing fast, the “in” thing today might “not be” the “in” thing tomorrow. Adult education is important and continuous cycle.
Resources:
Arinto, P. and Bandalaria, M. (2009). Lifelong learning. EDDE 211 Course Manual: Module 4 – Adult education and learning, Sections 1 and 2, pp. 1-3. University of the Philippines Open University.
Cross, P.K. (1981). Patterns of adult learning and development. In Adults as learners: Increasing participation and facilitating learning, Chapter 7, pp. 152-185. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Inc., Publishers.
Hansman, C.A. and Mott, V.W. (__). Adult learners. In The centrality of the adult learner and adult learning, Chapter 1, pp. 13-23. Sage Publications. Available at http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/34503_Chapter1.pdf
Mind & Senses…
I’ve experienced confusions regarding the theories of both Piaget and Vygotsky and I had to gather other sources to support my materials. My understanding is far better now. So Piaget has four (4) distinct stages which involves assimilation and accommodation while Vygotsky has MKO, ZPD and language.
Piaget’s theory is true because children between 2-6 years old start to use the primitive reasoning as part of their Pre-operational period. I can still remember my friend’s daughter who was able to identify insects at the age of three (3) years old. She can easily remember the lists of insects in the book. When I visited her, there was an instance where a mosquito went on my hands, and then i started clapping my both hands to catch it. She asked me why do I want to kill the mosquito?, I told her that they might bite me and sucked my blood and i might get sick and then she asked me again as to why mosquito need to suck blood from me? Again, I answered her right away that blood helps them get certain protein for their eggs and they also hunt foods like plant nectar.
A lot of why’s was raised where I need to simplify my answer for her to understand well. Sometimes kids simply want to ask, to give sensible questions as long as they want but honestly, there were questions which can’t even answer. This is one of the examples how children thinks. Probably because on what they see on their environment and of course the advancement of technology.
Vygotsky on the other hand is a tutor-centered. His MKO approach that a child cannot do things alone instead with appropriate assistance. It needs to find the ZPD in order to know the level of the child’s knowledge with proper guidance. Through this social learning is where the theory of language developed. One of my experiences before when I started working in the company. I used to know the basic Microsoft excel command. However, there are times that my boss need a certain types of data in a span of 20 minutes and since I only know the basic, it took me longer to send him what he needs so I asked help from my colleagues to teach me about spotfire, vlook up and SQL.
To sum up, I also believe that Piaget’s and Vygotsky combined theory will both foster the learning development of one’s child. By using effective learning materials, they will discover many of the things on their own and a constructivist teachers do strategies to make something easier for them to come up with their owned assumptions. It is also the role of parents to give proper guidance to help achieve and improve learning capabilities of their child.
My Mother, the person that breathes within me….
My mother used to work in a Pharmacy during her mid 20’s. She got pregnant at 32 years old and had me after a year. I have 6 lovely siblings. A lot of changes happened because my mother had to stop working and dedicate her time to our growing family. She is an excellent multitasking mom, our Superwoman in the house. I think that’s the trait I got from my mother of being “aligaga” just like her, I make sure that I finished my task compare to my brother who does nothing all day but that’s fine with me because I could still ask him to do some basic chores around the house. My friends would always tease me that “parang nasisilaban ang pwit mo” and I cannot stay on one place so I always do my shares and have to keep moving.
Another good trait that I got from my mother is being bubbly, friendly and very outgoing person. She has a good sense of humor. She laughs at the top of her lungs whenever you crack a joke on her even if it’s not that funny. There is history of diabetes in my father’s side. My grandma and my other aunts and uncle were diagnosed as diabetic. My parents would always remind us to be very careful with the foods we eat in order to stay healthy.
I think that’s how my parents teach us about life, being simple and grateful on what we have that makes you a contented person. We may not have all the material things in life but we have a happy and healthier family.
Indeed, there’s nothing like a mother’s love and compassion. All traits has molded and shaped well through her love. My mother gives me life and flows within me, like a river. We are the ground that she flows through. Throughout life, she has taught me and my siblings do many things that I wish to teach my own children. Like a river, the water continuously flows within us and will never stop.
Di na gaya ng dati….
At 7 years old, my Grandma used to let me read the Abakada Yellow leaflets. I could still remember that my Grandma easily gets irritated whenever I can’t read complex words. There were nights that I couldn’t help but cry. I was thinking that my parents should be on my side to help me learn to read. But as months go by, I was able to read on my own. When I reached High school, I promised to myself that I will strive more. I enjoyed high school and I think my way of thinking has been developed. Memorizing mathematical and science formulas has been an easy task for me. I was very active in school activities and enjoyed reading books. I became more aware of what is happening on my surroundings and even became competitive in terms of class standing.
But as you enter the middle adulthood, I sometimes feel that I am a slow learner. Part of me feels that my mind and physical body has changed through time, that is why it became very difficult for me to concentrate. There are times that I have to re-read the module several times or read out loud so I may be able to comprehend the topic. Probably, we just have to accept things that everything will change eventually, and that change is constant. If I were to describe my learning development from childhood up to this moment, it’s like candle. For as long as the candle is burning, I will continue to push myself and learn new things with my own pace. Allow ourselves to be more productive at the end of the day.
My Last Saga…
Finally!
Hats off to my entire classmate, we made it! This semester has been very challenging for me as a full time employee because I have to juggle work and acads, but I know everyone feels the same regardless if you’re a full time employee or full time student and everything in between. Lockdown has given me the opportunity to catch up some activities and omg! Mission accomplished!
During lockdown, I am pretty sure, everyone made time to go through the readings, provide the class with their take on the content of the module, and share their opinions and ideas. In spite of having health crisis, we are still very active in the class.
However, despite the challenges, everyone finished the course, made last-minute posts, and wished everyone good luck in the days to come.
While there have been difficulties, there were way more learning’s gained, teamwork developed, and friendships formed. From differentiating between evaluation and assessment, to the components aspects of the said subject, and down to the strategies using these tools, everyone went through the same journey and in the end, everyone walked out with a value-added. Knowing the importance of assessment cycle is also important to me. I am more confident now on leading teams in my department/job due to what I have acquired in this course.
On this note, I believe it is essential to give due credit to the professor, Dr. Lou, for putting up with us, the students, and for making the course easier to understand. We saw how you worked on developing your own module for each topic and it was really great reading each and every module and understanding each and every word. Concepts and its content may be confusing at times but the modules you prepared were specifically designed for learners like us and for that, I really would like to thank you. Thank you for making it easier for us.
Lastly, I would also like to thank my group and the whole class because each one put something on the table. I learned something from each one of you. Thank you for a wonderful semester and I hope, we all get the grade that we are aiming for.
Smile God bless us all.
The art of feedback….
Grades means a lot to the students because it can easily recognize their position in the class. If the student gets lower grades, some would tend to work hard to achieve higher grades but how about students who are demotivated because their efforts go awry?
Focusing on the measurement of giving grades do matters actually. It has a major impact on their future so students are eager to do their best. While grade becomes motivational tool for students, whether or not they’re succeeding, it is clearly the result of how learning has been taught. Whether positive or negative, feedback are always the major tool to make or break the student’s learning. It is vital to develop student’s learning and skills.
Feedbacks were made to identify issues that need to be improved. Positive feedback can give students a sense of evaluating their own works and identify where your attention should be focused. Additionally, this could be used as a guide for the students about what they have done. While students have their own weaknesses and strength, giving positive criticism is a great way to fulfill self-development and as the students are receiving and reviewing feedbacks, it can give positive changes to make their focus and results improved and to be able to produce higher quality learning.
Rubrics will always have a special place inside the class. Rubrics are used for grading or scoring academic activities. It should be match the performance to the description.
To sum up, rubrics are the best way to assess the types of performances whether it could be from curriculum goals, instructional goals. This is used as indicator of learning outcomes. Educators are more focus on the performances instead of judging them. That is why rubrics are essential for both students and teachers. Students will know to what extent their performance must do to reflect, analyze and improve the quality of their work. Using rubrics gives opportunity to use the feedback and grades can create transparency based on the evaluation of the teachers through student’s end product of assignments and projects.
Pursuit for an Effective Assessment
Assessment has always been the big picture in how students learn. I believe it is the most reliable tool of the teachers to be able to measure the knowledge acquired by the students. My thoughts regarding this topic gave me a full understanding what assessment really is and how this motivates learning.
As a student, aside from what I have learned during the course, measuring our performances in the class can help develop our personal skills and abilities too. I enjoyed the teachers-students engagement because I know it is the most essential tool to be a good learner. There are a numbers of different ways of assessing us to get better and their feedback becomes my source of strength to be more attentive and focus to my learning objectives whether traditional or non-traditional assessment. Feedbacks may sound negatively but it works a lot to improve the process of learning
I remember how I started working my personal difficulties. There are some factors influenced how I chose to prepare for an upcoming assessment. My fear is when I can’t cope up with all the readings, schedules and deadlines and be left behind because of the hectic schedule of trainings I have to attend at work. I know how difficult it is for me to balance my work and my studies but I tend to manage it positively especially when exams and activities are nearly coming. I prepared my notes by summarizing it all and focus on my study habits. For this course, at this point, I am a bit intimidated and that I might fell short of the teacher’s expectations. But anyhow, I will do my very best.
Any new activities that are given to the students are out weighted by the feeling of excitement and the eagerness to learn something new and some of it may be threatening to learners especially when the students are not feeling prepared to answers all the questions being raised by the teachers.
As a future educator, I would rather use a variety of assessment types to get the most accurate evidence to assess the student’s level of understanding. I will also provide some activities that will help me easily to recognize their strength and weakness. From this, I could assess them depending on how well they are aligned with circumstances. I will use non-traditional assessment to measure what students learn, what their interests are without giving a variety of questionnaires or having quiz or exam. I will focus to their responses because I know it will lead to overall improvements in the learner’s knowledge, skills and self-confidence. I fervently hope that this course will help me gain more which shall be a guide and useful in my future pursuits.
Marie Paz's Journey 