Analyzing Style

The elderly population in the community has some areas that they need to overcome to be a successful learner. The limitations of the teaching and learning identified the following barriers.

“Cultivate Positive Identities.” Laura M. Roberts. How to be a Positive Leader: Small Actions, Big Impact. Jane E. Dutton and Gretchan M. Sprieitzer. San Francisco: Berret-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 2014. 54-63.

Abstract Aimee Horton and Malcolm Knowles were giants among lifelong learners and had many similarities as well as several contrasts. Their passion was adult learning. Both spent their career passionately facilitating learning for adults while achieving advanced degrees. The two scholars were very similar in their desire that all adults wanted to and could learn. They saw a rapid ever-changing world and the need to adapt to ensure that adult learners was not left behind or taught like children.

When did adult learning begin to take a stance in the field of Education? Adult Learning started to be considered a professional career in the early 1920 's. The basis of the adult Learning method cannot be summed into only one Theory of how Adults Learn . We can however, note the similarities and differences of adult learning based on relevant information that compares and contrasts how individuals act and react to different theories . Many different theories exist in the Adult learning world although there are two theories that will be compared. These theorists are, Malcolm Knowles and David Kolb. Although differing in theory Knowles and Kolb bring uniquely different insight to the Adult Education world. Exactly what is the Adult learning theory ?

Today's workers need to prepare with continuous job training, growth and development. Given the increased age, experiences and diverse lifestyles of the working population, it is understandable that adult education practices must move beyond the traditional model of teachers and learners, while new skills, working with local companies to match their needs and sending staff into factories and other workplaces to spread the word about state and federal retraining assistance. While trying to decide how to rebuild your life after loss of employment and lack of job opportunities following the current recession, or devastated from a divorce? Adult students faced with other struggles; studies have shown that older adult students face different hurdles, family problems, and poor self-image. These along with poor time management, weaker academic preparation and a need for remediation an increased focus on adult learners and their needs can help. (armour)

The purpose of this 10 minutes interview with three different individuals in age ranges of 20’s, 40’s, and 60’s is simply to give me a better understanding of how and where adult education practices. With the use of some questionnaires, the three interviews have shown that in different age ranges view learning differently. Everyone can learn new ideas and concepts even with age differences and economic status but, what needs to be learned and the purpose of learning are different depending on the age of an individual. The ability to keep information within an individual also differs due to aging. The interview clearly shows that as an individual age, the ability to remember facts, dates, and names decline and memory storage is not functional as it used to be. Therefore, one needs to understand the age range of people encountered in life especially in regards to learning so that effective strategies could be implemented.

It is not necessary to be afraid of the ageism or become un-confidence, because all of us will become older as time goes by; it is a social problem we need to face. In order to solve both positive and negative ageism, senior adults would have to know themselves better. Physical and psychological changes will be happened in different degree; even so, older adults can change their strategies of learning and ask for more supports, they also have advantages, like more spare time and less pressures from family and work. A part of old adults persist learning after retired because they need the knowledge or skill. According to the needs assessment, seniors who have more previous learning experiences are more likely to ask questions, discussions and practice; they also proactively to involve in social activities instead

I really enjoyed taking the Leaning Style Inventory survey to get a better understanding of my form of writing. I learned that my preferred level of interaction is independent, while, my whole life I thought I was social. The only trait that I am already aware of being, is emotional. I do not think that there's a rational bone in my body. Sadly, that is something I certainly need to work on. I would hope that by the end of this course, I am confident enough to voice my opinions and overall have a better understanding of

I agree with you that the authoritative style is the best style to be used on children for disciplining children. In the same way, effective educators encourage children to be responsible by giving them reasonable expectations and by teaching them social skills. Who does not want to have the result of such style knowing that over time such children will be happy, friendly, goal oriented; in simple words better

Adult learners use their life experiences and knowledge to make connections which allows adults to have a better understanding of a specific concept. " Adults have lived longer, seen and done more, have the tendency to link their past experiences to anything new and validate new concepts based on prior learning" (Pappas, 2013). As a teacher, I am constantly asking my students to make connections so they can relate to what they are reading or learning about in class. This is a skill. Adult learners have had the time to develop this skill and master it. This is yet another concept children must learn so they can use it in their adult life to effectively learn.

Basically, this article by Malcolm Knowles is a conglomerate of all aspects of adult learning. It outlines aspects of adult learning, theories of adult learning, and expands on them. The main idea of this article is to create awareness on the existence of adult learning, and to help instructors of adult learning to know how to go about it successfully. Additionally, the article is of help to adult learners to enable them to learn the most they can (Knowles, 2007).

My impression of adult education has changed immensely. First and foremost, the first lesson learned that teaching adults are a separate, intensive, and long debated process. Portions of certain theories learned illustrated below. I have extended knowledge about Meizrow (Transformational Learning) and Knowles (Andragogy). The six key features of Adult Learners are:

Gadbow believes it is the duty of adult educators to instill a life-long love of learning into their students, "helping adults learn how to learn is the most important thing a teacher ever does" (p. 53). The first responsibility of educators working with adults is to help them identify their learning styles and differences as well as other special learning needs, and then provide effective strategies to adapt to these individual learning needs (53). The author's contention that all learners are special means seeing the possibilities as well as the problems or particular needs of each student as they present themselves.

“Emerging theories of adult learning are based on unique characteristics of adults as learners” (Knowles, 1970, section 1, para 1). As the theoretical framework for my research, adult learning theory incorporates the basic concepts of behavioral change and experience in learning.

Many times, in life, opportunities present themselves in the least likely of places. As a young boy growing up, I witnessed various examples of the ways people interact with one another. While some people seem to be very pessimistic, there are others that exemplify acts of change that generate positivity amongst collections of individuals. I believe, one must embrace change, seize opportunities, and always look for the greater good to become an effective leader in society.