Informal Theories:

• "the premises we come up with that shape our understanding of how to do things".

• reinforced by our own experiences and socialization.

• not always well-articulated or clearly defined.

• ex: language learning; learning "by doing" and immersion versus other learning models for second-language acquisition.

Formal Theories:

• "have evolved within particular academic disciplines and have gained credibility" through academic discourse and literature.

• written & published.

• incorporated in research analysis.

• shared among researchers and scholars in communities of practice.

• "the residue of multiple experiences and an aid to interpret new instances" .

Relevance to Adult Education (FT):

• In North America, adult education theory has undergone cumulative building of knowledge and "scientific revolutions". In its early years, psychological theories (behaviorism) were foundational and prominent, whereas later on sociological theories became more widespread, demonstrating that the theoretical foundations of adult education are based on other disciplines, such as psychology, sociology, and philosophy.

Important Quotes:

• "theory can help us build sound teaching practices and should inform the empirical research that we do in the field".

• "theory is important for understanding both broader social contexts and the development of the individual adult".

• "through theory we can better understand...the social, political, and cultural contexts within which we work".

Challenges to understanding theory:

• Graduate students and faculty often find theory to be A LOT.

• Extensive range of theoretical content.

• Interdisciplinary nature creates overlapping boundaries.

• Complex language can be off-putting to practitioners.

Resistance to Theory:

• Students often prefer "practical" skills over theoretical understanding.

• Resistance to investing time and energy in complex theoretical concepts.

• Practitioners may not find theoretical language useful for their goals.

• Folks often resist learning that conflicts with their values/understanding.

Theory vs. Experience Tensions:

• Formal theories may either...

  • Resonate with existing experiences

  • Create "disjuncture" (Jarvis) or "disorienting dilemma" (Mezirow)

• And with critical theory...

  • Requires painful self-exploration.

  • Demands engagement with abstract concepts.

Academic Pressures:

• Competition for academic jobs intensifying.

• Pressure to publish early in career.

• Risk of scholars narrowing focus too early.

• Less time for broad theoretical reading.

• Grant-based research demands limiting time for theoretical study.

Important Quotes:

"learning to be critically reflective is harder than many students anticipate because it often entails a combination of painful self-exploration and difficult academic learning."

"theorizing about one's world view can be an alienating activity."

in adult education, a challenge for many learners and educators is how to reconcile experience with theory."

Context of Neoliberal Impact:

• Diminishment of liberal arts.

• Emphasis on narrow accountability metrics.

  Reduced appreciation of education's role in democracy.

• Results in "theory-lite" writing in adult education.

  • Example of Transformative Learning Theory:

    • Shows "stuckness" and stagnation.

    • Lacks theoretical progression.

    • Need to return to primary sources (Mezirow).

    • Important to understand theoretical complexity.

Role of Primary vs Secondary Sources:

• Secondary sources valuable as introduction.

• Secondary sources shouldn't be sole reference.

• More engagement with original texts.

• View secondary sources as a bridge to deeper understanding of theoretical concepts.

Importance for Professional Practice:

• Theory provides foundation for professional methods.

• Essential for understanding complex teaching scenarios.

• Helps make sense of teaching challenges.

• Encourages deeper reflection on practice.

• Supports better-informed teaching decisions.

• Helps justify pedagogical choices.

• Provides framework for understanding complex situations.

• Enables better response to learner needs.

Important Quotes:

"as neoliberal values have pervaded the academy, we have seen a diminishment of the liberal arts, an emphasis on accountability and narrowly construed identifies of productivity, and a lessening of appreciation for the value of education in supporting a vibrant democratic society."

"becoming a good adult educator involves being able to delve into assumptions (theory) that we have about teaching and learning, and helping learners reflect on their beliefs as well."

"so within a neoliberal framework, where the language of the market shapes all interchanges, we begin to position students as 'customers' or 'consumers,' educators as "providers,' and teaching and research as 'outcomes' or 'deliverables.'"

"within a neoliberal context, technical-rational knowledge is privileged, because it is easier to measure and does not raise the possibility of social change."

"reading theory helps us to name or rename aspects of our experience that elude or puzzle us."

"'and yet, what is education for if not to change people?'" (Hoggan et al. 2017).