Essay on Adult Education Teaching Philosophy

Introduction

Curiosity has led me to a love of learning and to share what I have learned. My belief that interests and experiences play a key role in learning and my openness to learn and grow, might be why I lean into the progressive and humanistic philosophies both as a learner and an educator (Spencer &Lange, 2014). Most of my adult ‘teaching’ experience is in the field of crafting – I have taught painting, sewing, and card making. The context of this learning is primarily traditional, providing an end product. The instruction follows a sequential pattern that builds on knowledge and requires the learner to listen, observe a demonstration of techniques, and then apply this to their project (Reid, 2020). My goal is to teach early childhood educators (ECEs), and parents about outdoor education, forest school, and the benefits of time in nature. My passion for sharing, encouraging, and promoting time in nature has influenced my beliefs, values, and attitude towards an emphasis on a holistic, experiential approach. I am only at the beginning of my journey as an adult educator. I will share my philosophy of learning and teaching, my journey from a learner, early childhood educator to adult educator utilizing The Story Model (Drake, 2010), and explore curriculum models that fit within the context of outdoor education.

Old Story

My experience as a learner followed the traditional curriculum model, complete with summative assessments of learning. from Kindergarten to College. The teachers set out the expectations, lectured, and demonstrated what we needed to know. We then applied our knowledge and were assessed based on summative assessments such as exams, essays, and lab work (Drake, Reid, & Kolohon, 2014). Our grades and learning outcomes were based on provincial, institutional, and program discipline objectives (O’Neill, 2015, p. 14). During my ECE studies, I was introduced to hands-on learning and applying theory to practice through practicums in the ‘real world’. The college believed that as ECE we would learn best by doing. I didn’t realize at the time that I was part of a movement in adult education that was applying the cognitive theory of constructivism. I took the knowledge that I learned and applied it in the field. These experiences challenged my learning and my beliefs.

When I started college, I believed that I would be filled with a wealth of knowledge that would enable me to go out into the world and be an amazing teacher. At graduation in 1991, I was challenged by the changing landscape of education, reflecting on how and where I fit in, and what I valued as an educator. I found myself looking at the dual role I played, a learner and an educator, and the shift from traditional to constructivist instruction.

Filled with knowledge, excitement, and a diploma in hand, I landed my first job teaching at a private education center as a JK teacher. There I was, in front of the children, sharing all I knew, rewarding positive and negative behaviors, and assessing children’s knowledge with worksheets and drills. The Traditional curriculum model in action! It was a tall order and one I struggled to fill. It wasn’t until I moved to another location that I realized the struggle to fit in was due to the misalignment of beliefs. While I found some comfort that it was measurable and predictable, and expectations were clearly defined, there was a nagging inside me that longed for extended periods of outdoor play for exploratory learning, trial and error, and teaching the whole person. Looking back, it is this reflection that was a catalyst for change, both as a person and an educator. I was beginning to view my role as an educator beyond the traditional model and leaning more toward a holistic, experiential approach. At this time in my career, I was not familiar with the research that was happening in the field of education. I felt a great conflict between the expectations of an educator at the time and how I believed that all learners should be seen as capable, competent, curious, and rich in potential (Ministry of Education, Ontario, 2007). I began to question my career choice and so I left the ECE field and education for five years. But what I didn’t realize, I never really left teaching behind.

My first brush with adult education was as a creative instructor. My role as store manager was to promote and create classes based on customer’s interests. I had to ensure that the classes were project-based: relevant, engaging, hands-on, and provided an opportunity to master skills. Utilizing the concept of backward design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005), I looked at the big picture: what outcomes did the students want to learn, and what skills and knowledge did students need to have before attending the class? Secondly, embedding formative assessment throughout the instruction provided valuable feedback to the students to understand what concepts they were grasping and which ones they had to practice. Lastly, I had to think of what activities were needed to achieve these goals. Throughout my years in retail, I led on-the-job training and led several work-related workshops. I felt energized in the workshops. I felt I was providing an environment for adults to learn that was comfortable, recognized their apprehension at learning new skills, and encouraged them along the way by providing positive feedback. I understood that some of the principles I learned working with children, worked with adult learners as well. I wanted to go back to get further education, but after much research, it appeared my only option was to quit work and go back to school full-time. I groaned about the lack of online options – how can I support myself and go back to school? I parked that idea for a very long time!

Present Story

In 2018, I had the opportunity to attend a Forest and Nature School Practitioners Course (FNSP). I continually reflect on the five-day in-house training and online self-directed learning modules that followed. I find myself using the experience as a meter stick to measure my role as an educator with children and adults. It follows the instructional design principles of effectiveness in the delivery of skills and knowledge, appealing in capturing the learner’s interests and enduring in the ability to apply the knowledge in the future (Gagne, R., Briggs, L. & Wager, W, 1992). This experience was life-changing for me and is what led me to complete my Adult Education degree (and the fact that I can complete all or most of my courses online and still work). FNSP encompasses the theory of social constructivism, evident as we worked collaboratively in groups to understand and apply the principles of forest school and learn from one another. FNSP incorporated experiential learning as the best method for learning and sharing new skills (O’Neill, 2015, p. 22). I found this way of learning built on my experiences as a creative instructor and made the connections of experiential learning as a student and educator. I reflected on my old story of struggling with the strict implementation of the traditional curriculum model in my JK classroom and realized that the adults, myself included, in this course seemed motivated, engaged, and validated.

The online learning component lends itself to the product model that is illustrated in The Product and Process Models of Curriculum Development (O’Neill, 2015, p. 27). The curriculum has thirteen learning modules, that clearly define learning outcomes, the layout of how the assignment is to be completed, and how it will be assessed, and resources related to each module. The learner is expected to share a proposed work plan and check in with the facilitator every month to discuss progress or challenges. The modules are self-directed learning and require a lot of self-motivation. The only deadline we were given to complete the thirteen modules was one year from the start of our course. Working through the modules, I realized that I worked better with consistent deadlines. For example, in my current coursework, we expect to complete our critical discourse work on Wednesday and Sunday. I find it helps me to plan my time more efficiently and to get the work in on time. Whereas the FNSP’s one-year deadline was so far in my future that it was difficult to manage the time and order in which to complete the assignments.

The process model was evident in my training, taking into account skills acquired, critical thinking, social interaction, and collaboration (O’Neill, 2015). I feel this is important to incorporate within an adult learning setting as it places value on past experiences and knowledge and builds on them to formulate new learning. The training involved hands-on skills that we would use with children in our programs. There were opportunities to explore the forest school principles and how they fit in with our views of nature education. One aspect of the curriculum that I found informative was when we were put into groups based on how we would be implementing the program: as an administrator, a field educator, or an educator within the school board. The opportunity to interact with one another, discuss what we are learning, and how it can be applied when we return to work was valuable in gaining insight into differing perspectives.

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A holistic approach to curriculum has been developing in my field as an ECE through inquiry-based, student-led learning. In a recent forest school workshop that I co-facilitated; I was able to observe adult learners leading their learning through the choice of activities that sparked their interest. They gained new skills and knowledge that could be used in their classrooms. I am starting to see how my values, beliefs, and experiences both past and present are influencing my teaching philosophy.

In a previous course, I participated in Pratt’s Teaching Perspective Inventory (Pratt, 2000). The developmental perspective, suggests I am looking through the learner’s lens to promote complex thinking and connections. The apprenticeship perspective implies that I have a strong knowledge of the skills, as learners gain confidence in their skills, I become more of a guide and encourage more independence. The third perspective, social reform, talks about fostering critical thinking that may promote social change (Pratt, 2000). reform. These perspectives combined with progressive humanistic philosophies fit with the context of outdoor education and my teaching philosophy statement (so far):

I feel that my holistic experiential approach to curriculum allows me to look at the learner as multi-faceted, complex, capable, and curious. I believe that learners bring their own set of beliefs, interests, needs, and experiences. It is important to be mindful of this and offer a variety of delivery methods to aid the learner in developing to their potential. I believe learners are independent, self-motivated, and ready to be challenged through relevant, engaging, hands-on experiences.

Emerging New Story

A new story is emerging. One that is built upon learning within a traditional curriculum model in my youth and moving towards a more holistic approach that incorporates project-based and experiential learning. Much of my experiences teaching have been with children. However, upon learning a few key principles of andragogy, I can see how my past experiences, willingness to learn on my own, understanding why I am learning, and being an active participant in the process can connect to adult education. The student is part of the learning process, working as partners to set goals for acquired learning. This assessment for learning is one way to promote collaborations and to view the student through a multi-faceted lens.

I feel that as an adult educator, it is important to understand the old story, the history, and the theories that are the foundation of adult education that help form the basic building blocks for the future. As Reid (2019), states in her PowerPoint presentation titled What is Curriculum, “the past is always part of the present”. I feel this understanding helps us to connect to the learner, in knowing they will also come with their stories.

Conclusion

The process of learning about adult education has started a new story in the way I view teaching from the perspective of the learner and the educator. I am comfortable with the principles of student-led, inquiry-based learning styles as they closely align with my experiences and philosophies. I wonder if we are drawn toward certain disciplines based on our beliefs. I have discovered that self-reflection plays an integral part in success as an adult educator, as we must continually reflect on what we are teaching, how we are teaching, who we are teaching, and why we are teaching.

As I pack for my journey ahead as an adult educator, I reflect on how my early experiences as a learner helped me to formulate an opinion of what I liked and did not like. I feel this insight can help me consider what learners may be carrying with them. I can see how my range of opportunities as an adult educator, as limited as they may be, is helping to guide me toward understanding what kind of educator I would like to be. The knowledge and theories that I have learned have challenged my practice and my perspectives. The new story that is developing is changing my view on education, both as a learner and as an educator. I am excited to see that as I continue to follow the path of adult education, it is taking into account learner’s needs how best to deliver programs to meet their needs, and how the learning can be relevant, effective, and meaningful.

References

1. Drake, S. M. (2010). Enhancing Canadian Teacher Education Using a Story Framework. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 1(2)., 1-15.
2. Drake, Reid, & Kolohon. (2014). Toward a New Story of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. In Interweaving curriculum and classroom assessment (pp. 13-23). Don Mills, ON. Oxford University Press.
3. D. Pratt, D. (2000). The Five Perspectives. Retrieved from Teaching Perspectives Inventor: http://www.teachingperspectives.com/tpi/#/reflect-items
4. Gagne, R., Briggs, L. & Wager, W. (1992). Principles of instructional design (4th ed.). Fort Worth, TX: HBJ College Publishers.
5. Lange, E., Spencer, B. (2014). The Purposes of Adult Education. Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing.
6. Ministry of Education, (2014). How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years. Ontario, Queen’s Printer for Ontario.
7. O’Neill, G. (2015). Curriculum Design in Higher Education: Theory to Practice. Dublin: UCD Teaching & Learning.
8. Reid, J. L. (2020, January 2). What is Curriculum? Retrieved from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXqYoKrYy6k&feature=youtu.be