How do we Define and Serve the Adult Learner in the 21st Century?
For 15 years I have been defining and serving adult learners. So far, only a year and a half have been in the 21st century but let me offer my prospective on how and why we as educators need to move forward. We need to encourage an environment conducive to success for adult learners. We need to develop a new mind set. It is time to eliminate the politics and private agendas that stop us from supporting and serving the adult learning community. It is time that we recognize two things: the status quo is insufficient; and business as usual will not allow us to evolve.
Avoiding risk is not a solution. In higher education, as in life there are no guarantees. The only guaranteed result from doing nothing is that nothing will happen. We cannot be complacent and unwilling to take risks; we must make student oriented changes that nurture adults. If we are committed to serving adult learners then we must attempt to serve them on their terms and not with inflexible institutional policy. We must offer more than talk and glitzy advertising; we need to act with surety and speed to provide viable student centered solutions.
We live and work in a rapidly changing global environment that presents unique challenges to the students and employers that we serve. We must meet these challenges to capture today's and tomorrows opportunities. If we do not, there is one sure thing; other organizations will. Ignoring these challenges because they are difficult will result in lost opportunities. What we sow today will determine our future as educators and the futures of those we serve.
1) Defining
a) Changing face - not student but institution &
delivery
b) Traditional - fresh out of HS, living in dorms/home full
time not working, graduate 4 years
c) Non-traditional
1) NCES - 25 or older or life
circumstances
2) 22 to 25 year old first time
student
3) ex-Military
4) Very diverse group
d) New-traditional
1) 18 - 22 working attending less
than average student load
2) 22 - 24 lacking significant life
learning experience
e) Stats
Enrollment in H.E. is expected to rise by 2008. The most significant factor in the expected rise is the projected 18% increase in the historically defined traditional student population. The historically defined non-traditional student population is projected to decrease by 10% between 96 & 02 and then increase by 13% between 2002 & 2008. Projections indicate that by 2008 traditional students will make up 60% and non-trads 40%. However, we all know that many factors influence NTS attendance such as the economy, unemployment rate, and life changes to name a few, so we can't wholesalely accept that these percentages will hold true. We must also consider that the stats reflect the HISTORICALLY traditional student population and not the New-Trads which are more like the Non-Trads and thus require different types of programs and services. Currently we provide specialized programs and services for a multitude of student populations - resident students, international students, minority students, so there's no logical reason why we can't provide flexibility in delivery to the Non-trad & New-trad populations as well.
In addition to defining students by age and life circumstance we must also look at how students identify themselves. Many colleges and universities allow students to self identify. How a student identifies themselves and how they relate to the campus and its= culture have a direct impact on their success and retention rate.
e) Stephen Brookfield
1) Student
Types - Impostership & Cultural Suicide
Paraphrased, Brookfield defines Impostership as the deep-seated, often terrifying and often times self fulfilling belief that the NTS can't make it in college - they are not smart enough, not prepared enough, and certainly a fraud. Cultural Suicide is most often associated with 1st generation students. When these students leave their homes and communities which are radically different from a college community, they are Aforsaking part of their identity, rejecting how they defined themselves previously, (poor, uneducated, from a farm, a gang, etc.). The Asuicide part comes in when they feel isolated and as strangers on campuses.
2) Serving
In order to better serve NTS we have to understand the student and their learning needs and styles.
a) Skillful Teacher - pg. 36
Brookfield in his book "The Skillful Teacher" cites several studies regarding learners and their perception of their learning experiences. In fact many researchers have concluded that it is just as important to study learning from the learners viewpoint as it is to study how teachers view their students= learning.
b) Student testimonials
Sometimes we
depend too much on market analysis instead of listening to our students and
front line staff....
c) ALFI
d) Strategies
1) Changing
face
A) Changes in learning theory due to underdeveloped adult learning experience
1) Can group be combined effectively?
2) How do we adapt?
2)
Flexibility/Adaptability
A) programming
B) faculty
1) policies
2) attitudes
3) knowledge/training Adult Learning Theory
4) Sacred Cows
People are the gatekeepers of change. The way that you approach change
dictates what will or will not happen.
A) Sacred
Cows Make the Best Burgers by Robert Kriegel & David Brandt
Change readiness is an attitude that is: OPEN - EXCITED - CHALLENGED &
COMMITTED
Change readiness is taking actions to: ANTICIPATE - CHALLENGE - CREATE &
LEAD
Kriegel & Brandt have a 5 step process to effect change
Organizations that are good react quickly to change. Organizations that are great create change.
So, let's talk about some Sacred Cows that students often encounter.
3) Institutional/Classroom
policies
A) What kinds of decisions do we FORCE students to make. Don't make them deal
with "kid" issues
1) attendance
2) "busy work"
3) acknowledge prior learning/knowledge
A) Life experience
B) Ability to learn differently and independently
4) Active involvement in their learning
5) Consumer attitude
6) Student needs
A) A dedicated contact person not glitzy advertising
1) Use High School Counselor Analogy
B) Extended or flexible hours of service
C) Materials designed for NT's not adapted from T materials
D) Celebrate NNTSW - November 4-11, 2001
AND
3) Arthur C. Clarke in "Technology and the Future" has this to say
and I think it's worth remembering:
Quote:
"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is
to go beyond them into the impossible."
-- Arthur C. Clarke, "Technology and the Future"
However, nothing is truly impossible...after all Snowmen fall from Heaven completely unassembled.
Gabe DeGabriele
Keynote Speech
[email protected]