Age+and+Stage+Development+Expert

Age/Stage experts
Paul - Article Review (and blue text below) Alison Lindsey

Andragogy
>> Source:[|__http://www.infed.org/lifelonglearning/b-andra.htm__]
 * Andragogy definition: the discipline which studies the adult education process or the science of adult education
 * Malcolm Knowles: at least four crucial assumptions about the characteristics of adult learners that are different from the assumptions about child learners on which traditional pedagogy is premised. A fifth was added later.
 * 1. Self-concept: As a person matures his self concept moves from one of being a dependent personality toward one of being a self-directed human being
 * 2. Experience: As a person matures he accumulates a growing reservoir of experience that becomes an increasing resource for learning.3. Readiness to learn. As a person matures his readiness to learn becomes oriented increasingly to the developmental tasks of his social roles.
 * The next step is the belief that adults learn more effectively through experiential techniques of education such as discussion or problem solving
 * 4. Orientation to learning. As a person matures his time perspective changes from one of postponed application of knowledge to immediacy of application, and accordingly his orientation toward learning shifts from one of subject-centeredness to one of problem centredness.
 * suggests that a reverse argument can be made for adults being better able to tolerate the postponed application of knowledge.
 * 5. Motivation to learn: As a person matures the motivation to learn is internal(Knowles 1984:12).
 * 5. Motivation to learn: As a person matures the motivation to learn is internal(Knowles 1984:12).

Developmental Stages

 * He organized life into eight stages that extend from birth to death (many developmental theories only cover childhood).
 * Erikson's basic philosophy might be said to rest on two major themes: (1) the world gets bigger as we go along and (2) failure is cumulative.
 * While the first point is fairly obvious, we might take exception to the last. True, in many cases an individual who has to deal with horrendous circumstances as a child may be unable to negotiate later stages as easily as someone who didn't have as many challenges early on. But the human spirit can overcome, right?
 * Is the first point obvious?

Source: [|__http://www.learningplaceonline.com/stages/organize/Erikson.htm__]

** __Erikson's Developmental Stages__ ** __﻿__ After reading Erik Erikson's developmental stages I found it helpful to be able to place adults into 3 stages based on where they are in life. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> (1) Young adult - that is where most teachers fresh out of college would be placed (between ages 18 - 35). They are trying to form significant relationships with friends (or dare I say peers??). These adults are trying to find mutually satisfying relationships, a sense of connection. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">(2) Middle Adulthood - that is where I fall, and would be able to more easily connect to teachers/peers in my same stage of life. This stage happens between 35 - 55 (or 65) when you have become the authority figure, you are in control, and you are constantly occupied with work and family with the need to be meaningful and creative in both realms. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">(3) Late Adulthood - this stage falls between ages 55 (or 65) - death. This age makes me think of the teachers who are on the road to retirement. These teachers want to be able to look back and feel like they have made a difference. <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">In each stage, I feel there is a point at whick we can make a connection, and in turn reach the adult learner where it matters to them in their given stage. Before reading these articles, I never considered that there needed to be much thought put into teaching another adult. I assumed that it would be easy, like teaching a friend, but now I realize there is more involved if you want the adult learner to gain meaning and understanding.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Arlene F. Harder, MA. (2009). The Developmental Stages of Erik Erikson. In //Learning Place Online.com//. Retrieved September 14, 2011, from []

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">**Professional Development and its Effect on Teacher Change** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **Abstract:** "The K–12 research indicates that teachers are the single strongest factor in student achievement, although there is disagreement about why this is so: Is it teachers’ background characteristics and education? Is it the teaching methodologies they use? Or is it the alignment of standards, curriculum and assessment that guide teachers? Regardless, teacher preparation and training is critical to student achievement. However, the specific nature of adult basic education teachers work context—mostly part-time, with perhaps higher turnover, teaching multiple subjects without much formal preparation in teaching adults and without consistent access to paid preparation and professional development release time—makes it imperative that professional development for adult education teachers use evidence-based practice to ultimate effectiveness.The authors then review the two main models of professional development in K–12—traditional and job-embedded—and provide an overview of professional development within standards-based reform efforts. Within each model, specific research studies point to principles of effective professional development that are linked to greater teacher change. This is followed by a review of the individual teacher, program, and system factors that influence teacher change, including the relationship between teachers’ working conditions (paid prep time, professional development time, and a well-supported job) and teacher change as a result of professional development.Implications of the research for policy, practice, and research include: teachers’ need for greater access to professional development through well-funded state professional development systems; reducing the incidence of single-session workshops and statewide conferences in favor of longer-term, job-embedded professional development such as program-based study circles, mentoring, distance education, and inquiry projects focused on student learning; and research on the link between teachers’ working conditions, professional development models, and teacher quality in the adult basic education context. The authors conclude that although we need more research to guide decision-making about how to support teachers’ preparation and retention, in the short-term, the field has viable options for improving the current quality of professional development, based on the research evidence."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Smith, C. and Gillespie, M.. (February 2, 2007). Research on Professional Development and Teacher Change: Implications for Adult Basic Education. In //National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy//. Retrieved September 17, 2011, from @http://www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=1175.

**Adult Learners: Considerations for Education and Training**
In this article, Mr. Kistler discusses Malcom Knowles' core principles of adult learners. These principles should be used in creating and cartering to adult learners. These core principles are:


 * 1) The Need to Know - It is very important for adults to know WHY they need to learn something before they will try to learn it. Instructors and mentors need to show adults the value of their learning.
 * 2) The Learner's Self-Concept - Adult learners "need to be seen and treated as being capable of self-direction and resent when others impose their own will onto them" (29). It is extremely important for educators to build trust and respect among the learners in their classroom. Mr. Kistler also states that "It is the role of the educator to make an effort to create learning experiences whereby they help adults transition from this role of dependency to become self-directed learners" (29).
 * 3) The Role of Learners' Experience - Adult learners have a great deal more of experiences and expertise than younger learners. These experiences allow the educator a greater resource to use in their classrooms. It is imperative for educators to use these experiences in the classroom. They will allow the adult learners to have more success and meaning with their own learning. The educators should also value these experiences in order to create an environment of acceptance and trust. Because of these experiences and differences among adults, Kistler states that it also is necessary for educators to use "more individualized methods and techniques" in the classroom. One thing that really rang true with me is the idea that adult learners need to "examine and reflect on their habits and mental models, and find ways to open their minds to new ideas, approaches and ways of thinking" (30). I experienced this with a teacher I taught with a couple of years ago. She was older and more experienced (set in her ways) and was not really open to new ideas and approaches. That severely negatively affected the students in her classroom.
 * 4) Readiness to Learn - Adult learners are ready and eager to learn ideas and topics that will help them in the real-world. Kistler refers to "teachable moments" in this section and also discusses the idea of stimulating the adult learners eagerness and readiness to learn (by career counseling, simulations, or role playing).
 * 5) Orientation to Learning - Adult learners are "motivated to learn when they perceive that learning will help them to address their own problems, needs, or concerns and ultimately, improve their quality of life" (30). Kistler states that, in order to achieve the most successful learning, a change in behavior is "presented in the context of their application to their own life" (30). It is imperative that educators make the learning meaningful and applicable to the adult learners by using real-world examples and scenarios that they "can understand and relate to their own life situations" (30).
 * 6) Knowledge is Key - The final idea Kistler talked about is the idea of the educators themselves. It is essential that they understand how adult learners will function in the classroom (this includes characteristics of adult learners). It also is necessary for educators to devise their own philosophy that provides guidelines to help with planning and teaching adult learners.

Just like the education of younger children, the ultimate goal of adult education is to give the adults the best learning environment in which they can be successful.

Source: Kistler, Mark J. "Adult Learners: Considerations for Education and Training."//Association for Career and Technical Education//. 86.2 (2011): 28-30. Web. 15 Sep. 2011. <www.acteonline.org>.

According to an FSU internet site, many factors can affect learners as they age.


 * 1) As adults get older, their reaction time gets slower. Adults need more time to learn and master new things than younger students due. It is important for the educators to set an appropriate pace for learning in the classroom.
 * 2) Vision tends to also decline. As long as adults keep up to date on their prescriptions this should not be a problem (compared to younger students who do not get glasses right away and have a hard time seeing the board).
 * 3) Along with vision, hearing tends to steadily decline as people get older. This can cause adult learners to have a difficult time hearing the professor and other classmates. It is important for the educator to remember this hinderence and apply skills to accommodate adult learners in their classrooms. It was stated that this hearing loss can negatively impact the adult learners by making them feel embarrassed and less confident.
 * 4) Long-term memory also declines. “Older adults have a harder time acquiring and retrieveing information and they experience difficulties in organizing and processing new material”. It is important for educators to make the learning meaningful and appropriate to the adult learners. This will help them to process and internalize the material.

Vella’s 12 Principles for Effective Adult Learning were listed at the end of this webpage. I thought they were interesting and some ideas that haven’t been discussed yet.

Vella's 12 Principles for Effective Adult Learning


 * 1) **Needs Assessment**: Participation of the learner in naming what is to be learned.
 * 2) **Safety** in the environment between teacher and learner for learning and development.
 * 3) **A sound relationship** between teacher and learner for learning and development.
 * 4) Careful attention to **sequence** of content and **reinforcement**.
 * 5) **Praxis**: Action with reflection or learning by doing.
 * 6) **Respect for learners** as subjects of their own learning.
 * 7) Cognitive, affective, and psychomotor aspects: **ideas, feelings, actions**.
 * 8) **Immediacy** of the learning.
 * 9) **Clear roles** and role development.

10.**Teamwork**: Using small groups.

11.**Engagement** of the learners in what they are learning.

12.**Accountability**: How do they know they know?

From: Vella, J. (1994). //Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach//. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 3-22.

Source: []

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