Sunday, July 3, 2016

Week 1


What are the primary criticisms of Andragogy and where do you stand on the issue(s)?

The primary criticisms of Knowles theory or concept of Andragogy is that Knowles’ six key assumptions of adult learners do not apply to equally to adult learners and that Andragogy seems to focus on the age of the learner instead of where the learner lies within the six key assumptions continuum.

In regard to the criticisms of Andragogy, or the definition of Andragogy for that matter, I find myself leaning away from a thought process in which learners are so specifically classified as either pedagogical learners or andragogical learners. The way that I see it is that each of the six key assumptions can be seen as a continuum from pedagogical to andragogical and that each learner will have a unique placement on the continuum for each assumption. This thought process allows for a more accurate understanding of the learner which can lead to a richer, more differentiated learning experience that is catered to the learner’s needs. Additionally, such a thought process does not seek to discount the uniqueness of all learners. For instance, younger learners have experiences, although they may not be as extensive as adult learners, but they have experiences none the less that can be used to make instruction more meaningful. Discounting young learner’s experiences can actually minimize their understanding or conceptualization of instruction presented. 

In my view, the principles of andragogy are simply best practices in teaching and should be incorporated into instruction, regardless of the age of the learner (within reason, of course). 

Instruction that:
  • Allows self-direction in the learning experience
  • Incorporates the learner’s experiences
  • Seeks to illustrate the relevance of the content to the learner
  • Uses real-world problems
  • Provides frequent, timely learner feedback
  • And more…
is simply good instruction and all learners should be privy to good instruction regardless of their age or grade. In fact, many of the tenets of andragogy are making their way into pedagogical practices – effecting K-12 learning in a positive way. In fact, in Alber's 5 Highly Effective Teaching Practices, Alber highlights the findings of John Hattie's Visible Learning for Teachers - a research-based look at effective teaching practices and student achievement. Of those practices mentioned in Alber's summary, it is clear to see that some practices closely align with principles of Androgogy; particularly: teacher clarity (the teacher's ability to relate the content's relevance to students), feedback, and metacognitive strategies (student's ability to direct their instruction) (Alber, 2015).   

Where are you on the Grow's Staged Self-Directed Learning Model described in Ch. 2 of Stavredes? What is the implication of this model for you as an online teacher?

Upon review of Grow’s Staged Self-Directed Learning Model, in reference to this particular course, EDTECH 522, I believe I am in Stage 3. I have skills and knowledge regarding the topic and I am confident in my ability to be successful in the course. And thus far I have enjoyed the discussion prompts provided in the course as they have truly allowed me to reflect on my experiences to better understand how my knowledge of the topic directly relates to the course curriculum. The reflection process has helped me to rate my level of understanding of course subtopics – allowing me to focus my instructional efforts on subtopics that are not clear or that I have not fully comprehended.

While Grow’s Staged Self-Directed Learning Model is a helpful tool for determining the self-directedness of learners, it is important to understand some of the limitations of the model.
  • Limitation #1: A learner’s stage may vary from instructional situation to instructional situation. For instance, I listed myself as a Stage 3 for this course, but in the past I have been a Stage 4 in EDTECH 502: The Internet for Educators due to my experience with HTML and a Stage 2 in EDTECH 503: Instructional Design due to my lack of knowledge of the course topic at the time of enrollment.
  • Limitation #2: A learner’s stage may change throughout a course as they become more confident (say with the content presented or with the instructional environment) or become less confident (say when confusing information has been presented or tasks seem insurmountable).
As an online teacher, it is important to continually gauge the self-directedness of learners. We can use the understanding gathered to tap into learner potential by providing the appropriate scaffolding needed for learner success.

~Rachel

Reference
Alber, R. (Feb 2015). 5 highly effective teaching practices. Retrieved July 3, 2016 from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/5-highly-effective-teaching-practices-rebecca-alber

No comments:

Post a Comment