Category 1:
“There are few educators who would disagree with the principle that lifelong learning is a good thing but the important questions are about the types of learning that the concept promotes, the life that it encourages us to lead, who benefits from this and the nature of the society that it upholds.” (p. 20/21)
Objective:
After pondering this quote for some time, I have come up with the notion that lifelong learning may not always be our choice and instead be forced upon us. For example, dental hygienists are self regulating and part of that means we have the responsibility to enrol in continuing education and ensure that our skills and knowledge are continuously updated. Sometimes it is not a personal choice to attend lectures about new research findings but in order to get our licence from the college we need to obtain a certain number of credits. The public obviously benefits from our lifelong learning as it is a way to ensure safety and competence. It would be interesting to see how many dental hygienists would do additional continuing education if given the choice and their licence was not dependent on it.
Reflective:
I realized that teaching will not be an easy task with learners who will come for a multitude of reasons. Finding out the reasons and which ones make up the bulk of the class would help to set the direction and tone of the classroom accordingly. So, if the learners are there because of pure interest this would permit further class discussions and allow more freedom to explore other areas of the course. However, if it is a class there to get what they need then ensuring that their objectives are met would be my main concern as a educator.
Interpretive:
My “Aha!” moment came after reading this quote a couple of times and recognizing that some lifelong learning may be mandatory but I should try to balance it out with other lifelong learning pursuits that I can do for my own personal interest. Lifelong learning does not always have to be in a formal classroom but it can take the shape of informal learning through Internet searches, conversations/interviews with people and podcasts. Today’s technology has opened so many doors that allows us to continue our life learning journey based on our own personal interests. The possibilities are endless and hopefully as a future educator being aware of this can help me in the classroom.
Decisional:
I think that moving forward, I will need to remember that not learners in my future class will be there because of pure interest but because they have to be there. Identifying those who have the goal of getting through the class/program may encourage me to help them try to see the benefits they may get from trying to enjoy the experience. For example, my younger son currently attends Chinese school but hates to go. At this point he does not see the benefit of learning Mandarin. I continue to encourage him to try and enjoy the experience as maybe one day he will see the benefits and understand the importance of learning this language.
References:
Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2014). Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
The “lightbulb” moment when I read this quote was understanding that it is those individuals who continue to learn that will truly stay ahead. I realize that as a future adult educator there will always be continuing education or lifelong learning to do. Even if the information does not change such as human anatomy, there will always be new things causing an educator’s role to change. I should embrace the change and be prepared for it as things will not always remain the same. For example, the work that I did regarding Social Media in the classroom was a real eye opener for me and learning how it can be used in the classroom was so beneficial. I learned how the role of educator has changed due to the role Social Media plays in today's world.
Category 2:
“an educated person is one who has learned how to learn…how to adapt and change.” (p. 31)
Objective:
Upon reading the quote a couple of times, I have learned that we all require lifelong learning because of technology and globalization. With the world changing so quickly and information being constantly updated it is impossible to remain current. There will come a point where we will all need to do some formal learning at a learning institution for further studies or informal learning such as a google search in order to keep up with the changing world. For example, smart phones have drastically changed how we do things in today’s world. For the generation that was not raised with this technology, they have been forced to learn how to use it or risk being left behind. I love seeing people from the older generation who have made the conscious decision to adapt and learn how to use the new technology in order to function in today's world.
Reflective:
I realized that it is not only learners that will undergo lifelong learning but also educators as they will need to stay current in their field. Educators will assume the role of learner and then revert to their role of educator. Another point is that there will always be a need for teaching as we will always require someone to help us learn something new especially in this day and age where things are changing so quickly. I believe that it can sometimes be the learner who can teach the educator something new.
Interpretive:
Decisional:
I would say that in the future I would want to ensure that my students get the message that the learning journey does not end because they have finished the course or the program. I would want to take away with them that there will always be a constant need to learn so that you can be better or keep up with the changes.
References:
Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2014). Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
