Adult Learning, Peer to Peer Educa3on and Community

Engagement

Lori Brewer & Fiona Doherty

LearningObjec-ves:•Reflectonyourownlearningstyleandhowyoulearnbest.•Understandthebasicprinciplesofadultlearning.•Applybasicprinciplesofadultlearningingarden-basedlearningoutreach.•Createlessonsthatincludenumerousteachingmethodsandencouragepar>cipa>on.•RecognizethatCCEMGVprogramsarepeer-learningnetworksandacri>calcomponentintheexchangeofinforma>onbetweenresearchprac>cesandlocalknowledge.•Appreciatethecharacteris>csofaneffec>vememberofpeerlearningnetwork.•Acknowledgethatcommunityengagementisessen>altoiden>fyingcollabora>vesolu>ons.•BecomefamiliarwithParkerPalmer’sFiveHabitsoftheHeartandhowyoucanprac>cethemincommunityengagementefforts.

Mostindividualsdonotmakedecisionsaboutundertakingabehaviorchangeonthebasisofscien>ficstudiesoftheconsequencesofdoingit.Mostpeopledependmainlyuponsubjec>veevalua>onsofideasthatarenewtothem;relyonotherindividualslikethemselveswhohavepreviouslyadoptedtheideaorbehavior.

Rogers2003

•  Understandthegoals,issues,andpressuresoftheirpeers.•  Areseenascredible,unbiased,andtrustedsourcesofinforma>on.

•  Havespecificlocalknowledge,suchasexperienceswithprofessionalserviceprovidersorsourcesofassistance.

•  Speakthesamelanguageandcanhelpeachotherdis>llinforma>onneededtomakeadecision.

•  Areeasytocontactwhenimportantdecisionsneedtobemade.

PeerLearningNetworks

Whatdoyoubringtoourpeerlearningnetwork?

Consideryourlearningstyleanditsimpactsonyourroleasapeer

educator.

TheBasicPrinciplesofAdultLearning

Asadults,wemaylearnbestinwaysthataredifferentfromourchildhood

learningexperiences.

Andragogyvs.Pedagogy

Howdoyouliketolearn?

Ingeneral,adultlearners…ü  Approachlearningopportuni>eswithgoalsshapedby

theirlivedexperience.ü  Aremo>vatedtofindconcretesolu>onstoreal-world

problems.ü  LiketounderstandWHYtheyarelearningsomething.ü  Aretask-orientedandlikeeduca>onwithaprac>calend

result.

Source:Knowles,Malcolm.andAssociates(1984).Andragogyinac2on:Applyingmodernprinciplesofadultlearning.SanFrancisco:Jossey-Bass.

Adultlearnersareexpertsintheirownlives

AdultLearningEngagementTac>csü  Safety,TrustandAccountabilityü  Think,pair,shareorsmallgroupac>vi>esü  Facilitateddiscussionü  Aimfor“discomfort”ü  MixitUpü  Save>meforreflec>on

Safety,TrustandAccountability

Facilitateddialogue

isamethodofgroupteachingthatinvolvesac>ve

par>cipa>onofboththelearnerandtheeducator.

Sigman-Grant,M.FacilitatedDialogueBasicsASelfStudyGuide.2004

Withfacilitateddialogue,thegardeneducator’sroleistofacilitatemeaningfulconversa>on–nottodoallthetalking.Rather,instructorsshouldbehelpingtoguidetheconversa>onsothat…

…learnersarelistening,sharingandlearningfrom

oneanother.

Facilitating dialogue with open-ended questions

•  donotseekyes/noanswers•  donothaverightandwronganswers•  helppar>cipantsreflectandmaketheinforma>onpersonallyrelevant

…Remembertowaitforaresponse…

Open-endedques-ons:

GeMngdialoguebackontrack

•  Startclassbyiden>fyingobjec>ves•  “Rootcellar”off-topicideasandremembertorevisitwhenappropriate

•  Summarizewhatyou’vecoveredsofartore-focusaken>ononthetopic

•  Make>me-checkannouncements(i.e.“wehave10minuteslelinclass”)andremindlearnersaboutobjec>ves

ImageSourcedFromSpalding’sIntroduc2on

Aimfor“Discomfort”

DavidA.KolbWeathereadSchoolofManagement

Experien3al learning model

Experien3al learning model

TheValueofReflec>on•  Reflec>onisanimportantpartofDavidKolb’smodelof

experien>allearning.Itpermitslearnersthe>metothinkdeeplyabouttheirexperienceandiden>fyareasofchallengealongwithareasofgrowth.

•  Reflec>onpreventsencapsula>onofknowledgeandensuresthenewskillsareu>lizedinthelearner’senvironment.

Garden-BasedLearningOutreachScenarios

InSmallGroups

In this week’s pre-work and in-class materials you learned about the basic principles of adult learning, Kolb’s Experien3al Learning Model, the universal design for learning, ac3ve learning techniques, classroom structures that encourage par3cipa3on along with construc3ng learning objec3ves. Considering each, establish a clear and concise learning objec&ve and create an engaging and meaningful learning experience for the following scenarios:

BREAK

Ac-onProject

Buildingthefounda>onsforsuccessfulcommunityengagement

SmallGroupDiscussions

Evalua>on:TheQuickWhip

Wasthereonethingyoulearnedtoday?Ifso,whatwasit?

-454gramsinapound-aplantcalledparcel-redplantcalledcelosia-realizedI’mgladformylawncarecompany-calmingeffectofsoil-youreallydohavetoplanbeforeyoustartagarden

Whatisonethingyou’llcon>nuetoreflectonorthinkaboutalertoday?

-theimportanceofplanningbeforeyoustartgardening-importanceofenvironmentalstewardship-weallhavearesponsibility-“whatcanIdoinmysmallspace?”

-howtobuildanatmosphereoftrustanddiscomfort-howtoplanmygardentoincreasepollinators-willthinkmoreaboutandragogy