Reflection on Adult Learning

                I love the phrase used by Merriam and Baumgartner (2020), “free agent learner”. Self-recognition hit me when I saw it. That’s me! I believe that anything worth doing is worth doing well. Investing the time to better understand the project or job you are doing just makes sense to me. And I very much appreciate environments where I have input and freedom. I am self-directed and will access books, websites, and experts to learn more about the topic at hand.

Part of the reason I am committed to learning is my grandmother. She was born in the late 1800s. Her father and grandfather were attorneys, and she wanted to be one as well. She even clerked for them as a child. But they would not allow her to go to college because women should “stay at home”. It was a struggle for her to be allowed to complete high school. She was a brilliant woman and valued learning. As an adult, she joined book clubs and “science groups”. She wrote weekly to politicians, newspapers, and service people. She was a woman of letters and instilled that value in me. Her advice to me was: “Anytime someone wants to teach you something, the answer is always yes!” I took that advice to heart.

                About ten years ago, I was appointed to manage a discussion-based curriculum for a non-profit group serving Georgia, Florida, and the Caribbean. I declined, pointing out that I had no background or experience. The gentleman on the other end of the phone laughed and said, “Figure it out,” and hung up. Given no choice, I sought and found 6 people who wrote curriculum professionally and recruited (begged) them to help me. They were amazing. They reviewed everything I did and gave me actionable feedback. They assigned reading to help me understand more about the process. And they encouraged me to go back to school to learn more.

I still work with them today. Because of them, I am now the curriculum chair at the international level. And my team has expanded to almost 50 people, including translators. It is all volunteer work, but it is exhilarating, and I want to be the best I can be.

While I enjoy learning for learning’s sake, I know some people do not. I believe some of that attitude is tied to high school experiences, an opinion shared by the authors of several adult learning books. Lecture is unpleasant, even for high schoolers. Being able to interact with the material, ask questions, and voice opinions allows the learner to internalize the information in a way they can use it. Brockett (2015) pointed out that acting as a guide rather than an instructor is more effective with adults because of their life experiences. Adults are not a clean slate. Adults must find a space to incorporate new information so it works with their worldview. And sometimes, they must change their worldview to fit the new information. In either case, interaction (discussion) is the key.

I have had to step outside my enthusiasm for learning and accept other viewpoints to be effective (Knowles 2020). Without understanding the needs and wishes of the participant, I can’t be effective, and the knowledge is wasted. I have always liked the quote attributed to Tom Hopkins (2005, p. 9): “Unused learning is like fertilizer left in the sack.” I don’t want to waste my participant’s time. I don’t want to sell “fertilizer”. Attendees should walk away feeling like they have new knowledge and tools they can use to achieve their goals. This means I must understand their motivation and objectives. For me, it is just another opportunity to learn.

References

Brockett, Ralph. (2015). Teaching adults: A practical guide for new teachers. Jossy-Bass

Hopkins, Tom (2005). How to master the art of selling. Warner Business Books. P. 9

Knowles, Malcolm; Holton, Elwood; Swanson, Richard; Robinson, Petra. (2020). The adult Learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development (9^th ed.) Routledge.

Merriam, Sharan B; Baumgartner, Lisa M. (2020). Learning in adulthood: A comprehensive guide.  (4th ed.) Jossy-Bass