UNDERSTANDING AND FACILITATING ADULT LEARNING

WHEN ADULTS TEACH AS WELL AS LEARN IN ONE ANOTHER'S COMPANY, THEY FIND THEMSELVES ENGAGING IN A CHALLENGING PASSIONATE, AND CREATIVE ACTIVITY.

THE ACTS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING AND THE CREATION AND ALTERATION OF OUR BELIEFS, VALUES, ACTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS AND SOCIAL FORMS AS A RESULT OF THIS -ARE WAYS IN WHICH WE REALIZE OUR HUMANITY.

THE EXTENT IN WHICH ADULTS ENGAGE IN A FREE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS, BELIEFS AND PRACTICES IS ONE GAUGE OF WHETHER A SOCIETY IS OPEN, DEMOCRATIC AND HEALTHY.

IF ADULTS OF WIDELY DIFFERING CLASS AND ETHNIC GROUPS, ARE ACTIVELY EXPLORING IDEA'S, BELIEFS AND PRACTICES, THAN WE ARE LIKELY TO HAVE A SOCIETY WHICH CREATIVITY, DIVERSITY, AND THE CONTINUOUS RE-CREATION OF SOCIAL STRUCTURES ARE THE ACCEPTED NORMS.

BY CONTRAST SOCIETIES IN WHICH INQUIRY, REFLECTION AND EXPLORATION ARE THE PREROGATIVE OF A PRIVILEGED MINORITY ARE LIKELY TO BE STATIC, OSSIFIED AND HIERARCHICAL

IT WOULD BE EASY FOR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS TO TRANSLATE THE ABOVE ARGUMENT INTO A DECLARATION, THAT A SOCIETY CAN BE HEALTHY TO THE EXTENT THAT IT PROVIDES PUBLICLY FUNDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULTS.

THIS MAY BE ONE INDICATER OF A JUST SOCIETY, BUT IT IS NOT THE ONLY ONE AND IT NEGLECTS THE ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF SIGNIFICANT ADULT LEARNING, INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE THAT TAKES PLACE OUTSIDE OF FORMAL EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS.

THE TEACHING-LEARNING TRANSACTIONS UNDERTAKEN BY ADULTS ARE COMPLEX AND MULTIFACETED AND THEY REFUSE SIMPLE CATAGORIZATION.

THEY OCCUR IN EVERY SETTING IMAGINABLE, THEY CONDUCT THEMSELVES AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SIGNIFICANCE TO THE LEARNER, ORIENTED TOWARD VERIOUS COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE, PSYCHOMOTER AND POLITICAL ENDS, AND INVOLVE A RANGE OF FORMATS AND METHODS.

WE CAN ARGUE THAT A T-GROUP WORKSHOP FOR MANAGERS, A VOLUNTEER LITERACY EFFORT, A STAFF DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP FOR SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, A CORSE ON COLLECTIVE BARGANING FOR SHOP STEWARDS, A TENANTS ACTION COMMITTEE PREPAREING SUBMITTIONS TO A RENT TRIBUNAL, A SINGLE PARENTS' SUPPORT GROUP COLLECTIVELY EXPLORING THEIR EXPERIANCES AND A MEN'S OR WOMEN'S CONSCIOUSNESS-RAISING GROUP DEALING WITH SEXISM; ARE ALL ADULT LEARNING EFFORTS.

IN ALL THESE, SEVERAL COMMONALITIES ARE OBSERVABLE.

AT THE VERY BASIC LEVEL; OF COURSE ALL THE PARTICIPANTS ARE ADULTS, THAT IS THEY HAVE ATTAINED THE LEGAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL STATUS OF ADULTHOOD.

SECOND, THEY ARE ENGAGED IN PERPOSEFUL EXPLORATION OF A FIELD OF KNOWLEDGE OR A SET SKILLS OR IN A COLLECTIVE REFLECTION UPON COMMON EXPERIENCES.

THIRD, THESE EXPLORATIONS OF KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES TAKE PLACE IN A GROUP SETTING.

FOURTH, PARTICIPANTS IN THESE EXPLORATIONS BRING TO THE ENCOUNTER A COLLECTION OF EXPERIENCES, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE THAT ARE GOING TO INFLUENCE HOW NEW IDEAS ARE RECEIVED, HOW NEW SKILLS ARE ACQUIRED, HOW THE EXPERIENCES OF OTHERS ARE INTERPRETED.

AS GAGNE HAS OBSERVED, EVERY ADULT'S STOCK OF PRIOR LEARNING AND EXPERIENCE COHERES INTO A UNIQUE IDIOSYNCRATIC MEDIATORY - MECHANISM THROUGH WHICH NEW EXPERIENCES AND KNOWLEDGE ARE FILTERED.

HENCE AS EDUCATORS, WE CAN NEVER PREDICT WITH TOTAL CERTAINTY HOW ONE ADULT (LET ALONG A GROUP) WILL RESPOND WHEN PRESENTED WITH NEW IDEAS, INTERPRETATIONS, SKILL SETS, EXPERIENCES OR MATERIALS.

FIFTH, SUCH PRIOR LEARNING AND EXPERIENCE COMPRISE VALUABLE CURRICULAR RESOURCES.

IN THE EXAMPLES OF THE TEACHING-LEARNING TRANSACTIONS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE TOPICS DISCUSSED, THEMES EXPLORED, EXPERENCES INTERPRETED, SKILLS ACQUIRED AND KNOWLEDGE INVESTIGATED WILL BE INFLUENCED BY, AND WILL DRAW UPON THIS PRIOR LEARNING AND EXPERIENCE.

THE TENANTS, MANAGERS, SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, SHOP STEWARDS, SINGLE PARENTS AND NONREADERS WILL IDENTIFY COMMON PROBLEMS, VOICE COMMON CONCERNS, SPECIFY SKILLS WHICH THEY FEEL THAT THEY ARE DEFICIENT, AND PROVIDE EXPERENCES UPON WHICH OTHERS IN THE GROUP CAN REFLECT.

FINALLY, TRANSACTIONS IN THESE GROUPS WILL BE CHARACTERIZED WITH RESPECT FOR INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS AND WILL MANIFEST IN THE PROCEDURES USED.

THESE GROUPS WILL PROBABLY USE A DISCUSSION METHOD THAT WILL ALLOW INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO BE INTERPRETED AND EXPLORED; AND, IF THE GROUP LEADER IS ACTING AS A GOOD FACILITATOR, NO ONE MEMBER WILL BE CAJOLED,INSULTED OR INTIMIDATED BY PRESSURE OF MAJORITY OPINION.

THE LEADERSHIP OF SOME OF THESE GROUPS WILL BE ROTATIONAL, AND INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS WILL, AT DIFFERENT TIME'S AND FOR DIFFERENT PERPOSES ASSUME TEMPORARY LEADERSHIP OF THE GROUP.

EVEN WHERE AN APPOINTED LEADER IS PRESENT,.

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