Philosophical Position on Adult learning.
Introduction p 3.
Identifying my philosophical orientation . . p 4.
Beliefs and aspects that shape my teaching practice . p 6.
1. In order to learn, individual need to have motivation to learn p 6.
2. Learners are all different . p 8.
3. Learning through reflective thinking . p 9.
4. Experiential learning p11.
5. Learning through problem-solving . p13.
Conclusion p14.
References p16.
Introduction.
Human learning is one the most complex areas studied in our academic world. We can very easily demonstrate how little we know, however, we can, on the other hand, acknowledge that we have access to an immense volume of research to draw from. .
It seems essential to have a good understanding of the basis of learning theories to help learn about ourselves, the people we teach, and through this process hopefully make the best choices as part of our continuous improvement as adult educators. .
We, as adults, also come with our own unique life experiences and perhaps preconceived ideas and principles about education. As Sinn states; "Since people enter the field of adult education with widely varied backgrounds, there is also the likelihood that they will hold varied beliefs how to teach, what to teach, and why adults are there to learn (Zinn, 1998, p.40).
It is our preparedness, as educators with strategies that address the 'whats' and the 'hows' in the learning environment that will most likely lead to better results. In this paper, I will begin with a brief discussion on the outcome of my own philosophical orientation using Zinn's Philosophy of Adult Education Inventory (PAEI)(1998). For the remainder, I will explore my beliefs and assumptions as an adult educator.
Identifying my Philosophical Orientation.
