INTC 5110 Presentation Class: March 19, 2012

 

          Jane, Colleen and I presented our lesson utilizing Adult Learning Theory. We worked together on the project without ever meeting face-to-face. We touched base at least once a week through Wimba and Skype. On the day of the presentation, I went to Southern Regional High School to meet Colleen and Jane for the first time. Jane and Colleen are two great ladies and I was glad to meet them in the real world. The school is beautiful and the people in the class are very warm and inviting. The presentation went pretty well. We had some technical glitches which we never had any of the times that we practiced our presentation previously.  Colleen and Jane were able to clear up the problems as I started the first part of the project.  All in all, things went well and it is a relief to complete our work for class!

          Our project was about Adult Learning Theory. We created a lesson on using portfolios taught with adult learning theory. This is the link to the portfolio we used to collect and access all of the information we used during our presentation. ALT presentation site 

          I relate a lot to this theory. It offers many of the same ideas that I have used when working with adults as a manager. I did not know that I used any learning theory when I worked with my associates, but in retrospect, I was a big proponent of the concepts used in Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory. I have listed some of my ideas and how they relate to Knowles’ theory.

• ·         Everybody in an organization has a niche, in that they are good and like some work responsibilities, really good-at and love others and not so good-at and don’t like others. This relates to how experience plays a role in ALT.
• ·         People have diverse backgrounds, different cultures, different ideas, all of which have value, and should be respected. This relates to how adults require respect for their ideas and self-identity.
• ·         You can’t do everything yourself, so delegate to the associates who work for you; explain what you want and need, then let them do the work, checking on them occasionally to allow for questions and fine-tuning.  This refers to self-direction and autonomy.
• ·         Give your associates guidelines that allow them the flexibility to make a decision and then support that decision. This also refers to autonomy in adult learning.
• ·          When explaining what tasks and projects need to be done, explain how completing the tasks will make things easier, more efficient or produce more income for the associate.  This refers to the practical nature of adult learning.
• ·         Be patient when working with employees. This again refers to respect. Everyone learns differently.

                These are some of the ideas I have used when coaching and training my staff. A lot of the thoughts I had about how to work with people were similar to how Knowles viewed teaching adults. I shared our graphic map above.