Adult Learning Structure by DrRobbins

Adult Learning Structure by DrRobbins https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au Why might his approach work? Has it worked for you? What are its strengths? Its drawbacks? en-us 2018-09-25 20:12:31 UTC 2018-10-01 06:59:42 UTC hello@padlet.com ALS Response (Travis Kim) https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/286259466 I think "asking not telling" could work because it almost forces students to pay attention. There is of course the situation where they zone out and when they are asked a question, they have no idea how to respond. In my opinion, it still is helpful because it actively checked the student on their awareness of what was going on in the class. Additionally, if a question was asked to the general audience, they may notice the silence that consequentially snaps them back into the classroom.
There have definitely been moments where I have been in class and the teacher asking a question prompts a response from the the students. More often than not, this triggers me to formulate a response to either start or add to a conversation. Additionally, this past academic year, I taught Precalculus to high school students. I noticed when students seemed to be off topic or not on the same page as everyone else, when I ask a question directed towards them, it either brings them back on task or affirms that they indeed were paying attention to begin with.
As mentioned before, I believe a strength of this method is to actively check on students to see whether or not they're paying attention, but also if they're understanding and processing the material being taught; however, I imagine that if some students are more outgoing than others, it might lead to only a small group of students answering the questions. Therefore, I think it's important for the instructor to be aware of this, and make sure everyone is actively participating. A potential resolution could be to say "I love the participation, but I'm going to call on someone else just so we can try and hear from everyone."]]> 2018-09-26 20:34:17 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/286259466 Cené Tamashiro tamashi5 https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/286332869 From a student perspective I've always enjoyed an interactive classroom but I feel like it would be easier on teachers as well. It makes me wake up and engage with material instead of letting my mind wander off. One of the biggest strengths is that it creates an environment in which students interact with each other. I have found that the better I get to know my classmates, then the better I do overall in the class. My grades improve as well as I get to make new friends in a class. There are very few times that I felt that I would prefer a complete lecture style class. Overall, I feel like that teacher/student active engagement is the best kind of classroom both socially and academically.]]> 2018-09-27 03:47:56 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/286332869 Alexander Tang alexxtango https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/286343838 I find that the video brought some insights I have already experienced as an adult learner in my graduate program. An instructor who engages students by allowing group work to happen typically is successful in getting the idea or concept across, since passive learning rarely ever yields any type of retention of knowledge. In my personal experience, my professor who has taught the majority of courses is very engaging and allows plenty of time to work with my peers in pairs or in a small group, which allows students who are shy to speak. After spending time formulating an answer, this would allow us time to synthesize our thoughts into information to share with other groups. However, there may be students that are used to learning passively culturally, so it is important to consider these students through a needs analysis to cultivate culturally responsive learning to all types of populations. ]]> 2018-09-27 05:16:47 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/286343838 Carine Suacillo https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/286681945 The video reminded me of student-centered approach in teaching because students are more involved in the learning process by asking them rather and letting them construct the knowledge rather than telling them.

In my experience as a student and a teacher, ALS and student-centered approach work because students play an active role in the learning process. Their cognitive abilities are tapped to work and senses are used to process information whereas when the teacher simply lectures, the information simply goes in and then out of the brain.

ALS approach works best when students have knowledge on the topic as they can provide workable input, but if the topic is completely foreign to the students, they might provide some input but they will need more resources and more assistance from the teacher. In addition, I think ALS can also be a form of diagnostic and/or formative assessment which can help the teacher strategize how to go about the lesson.

]]> 2018-09-27 18:12:29 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/286681945 Syd Arrojo https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/286731861 This video reflected my approach when leading trainings and workshops. I believe the ALS approach is imperative for successful learning because of the engagement it involves learners to undergo. From my experience, engagement induces the most learning and retention of it. There is also a huge connection piece when it comes to this approach which I believe adds to the effectiveness of it. Both as a facilitator and student, I have observed and experienced the loss of connection with the learning material when one is just being talked at. There is a disconnection from the audience because their is an assumption of where everyone is in their learning process. As learners, we are all in our own journeys with different experiences, forms of knowledge, and array of independence. The creation of a space which allows others to interact and learn from everyone in a space, not just the teacher, is a powerful tool.]]> 2018-09-27 20:03:29 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/286731861 Matthew LeBleu https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/286781162 While watching 0:30-0:50 I had horrible flashbacks of my formal education experience when I was pursuing a bachelor's degree in Turkey.

Rather than using any concepts and interacting with students, I had a few professors that would read out of the textbook, word for word, and end the class once the chapter was read entirely.

Honestly, I believe this approach can be quite useful as it advocates students to be active learners. As it is through collaboration and discussion, they will be able to use their critical thinking and problem-solving skills and connect newly learned material with their own lives. Most learners, like myself, prefer active learning as it is easier for us to have a deep, conceptual understanding of the topic.

A drawback to this approach is that it could cause shy students anxiety if they are called upon or when collaborating with others. For example, in EFL/ESL, students who aren't proficient enough in English typically prefer being passive in a classroom as it means they won't have to speak English and possibly make a grammatical mistake. However, I believe student-student and teacher-student interaction creates the best classroom environment as it will break down a lot of student's walls and open up with each other.]]> 2018-09-28 00:47:12 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/286781162 Meggie Stafne stafnem https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/286823231 I think this video reflects the why all of my graduate level course have been taught. This approach works especially well with graduate levels course because you have students anywhere from the age of 22 and up. It is the complete opposite of your traditional undergraduate level courses. This really works well for me because after working all day long then sitting in a 3 hour long night class I can easily get lost in the never ending to do list I have created for work. It forces me to engage and insert my thoughts on a topic or ask clarifying questions on topics I didn't understand. My undergraduate education was very hands on and interactive so I have been receptive to this type of learning in the past. The strengths of adult learning allows for engagement and to actively check-in on all students on where they stand in the learning process. I think the downside is that everyone's learning preference are individualistic. So this way of adult learning might not receptive to them. ]]> 2018-09-28 06:53:40 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/286823231 Jiayu Zhao https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/286828196 The approach from the video will work because I have experienced the same style of teaching (asking questions, divided into group) when I was in the university, and the classes were highly useful and effective to me. The strength of "Don't Tell, Ask" can bring students into the instruction together, and the strength of "break into groups" can let students ask questions with each other, so students can come out most of the content that teachers plan to teach by themselves. Depending on the 85% rule, teachers can fill-out the rest content that they need to bring up after the question-discussion part of class. However, I think it also has drawbacks: What if no one from the class is willing to answer or ask a question? How can a teacher use this approach on a group with passive attitude. As we know, this situation can be possible in an Asian group of students(not all of them). Some of those students are very shy to share their own opinions, don't even talk about asking a question inside the class. Usually, it also takes long time to guide and encourage them to fully take part into the group discussion. I had this situation happened before when I taught Chinese elder students (60-70 years old), and I am not sure if this approach can be effective to them. ]]> 2018-09-28 07:14:53 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/286828196 Andrea Saldana saldanaa https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287246562 I think the approach described in the video “Don’t tell, Ask” works well because it allows students to be more involved in their learning process and feel more ownership of it versus listening to a two hour long lecture and having more of a massive dumping of information that the students are expected to absorb and retain. I think this approach offers the students the opportunity to meet the instructor half way, with a healthy combination of some short lecture, discussion and activities. I think this would work extremely well in an education setting because everyone is there to learn but may learn best in different ways and this approach offers students to not only listen to material but really engage with asking questions and participating in small and large group discussions so that everyone gets involved in the process. This method works well for me because I need to be active in my learning in order to retain and learn as much as possible. Through the usage of asking questions I think you engage and are able to really see what students know which a strength would be the method has. I think one of the challenges of this method would be that your relying very heavily on student involvement and participation in the class which depending on level and overall comfort of those in the class may be straining on the instructor to try to get participation out of them.

]]> 2018-09-29 19:08:51 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287246562 Nicolas Lee https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287252163 This approach works because it helps to move past the passiveness of lectures or traditional learning styles. Adult learners come in with experiences where the topic you are teaching, they already know and have learned about or have had experiences that have taught them these things. Like the video said, students will know or figure out 85% of what you are trying to teach. I have definitely used variations of this approach before as well as had this used in classes I have taken as a student. I think it can be very useful because by asking the students questions and having them be active in their learning, it draws their attention as well as gives them buy in to find answers and really learn. One drawback I have seen is that there maybe times where students don't want to participate or aren't able to get to that 85% threshold. This in turns means that an educator may not take the time to give context or catch all of the class up to speed and it can create this divide between students who can engage and learn and students who are engaging but aren't getting to the right conclusions. If you can't create a clear path to the knowledge you want students to find, then they can get lost and eventually disengage.]]> 2018-09-29 20:16:40 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287252163 Measovannary Pen pen_meas https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287278048 Hello Everyone,

I think adult learning is fascinating. The reason I said this because I believe students are teachers as we work and teach them concepts and new materials/skills in class; I believe we can learn from our students, that learning goes both ways.

I believe active learning starts/begins with the students, who often help shape the curriculum/class' daily lessons and activities. From my experience, I usually like to ask students as a prompt to begin/a way to open up discussion on the topic, and help them define what it is we will be learning. Most often their definition is more relevant and more meaning to them and their experiences, which provides their understanding of the concept.

I also agree with the video about the vary of methods and ways to demonstrate learning. I usually begin my class with a warm-up allowing the students to work out any problems and/or definitions on their own before having a class discussion followed by real-life application and practices.

]]> 2018-09-30 04:20:46 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287278048 Izzy Wroblewski https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287278078 I believe this approach works because it allows students to have a voice and come to a conclusion on their own that can be much more memorable and satisfying. While watching this video, I had a bunch of flashbacks to really great course exercises in undergrad and in the first year of grad school that directly used these tools that were touched upon in this video. I remember feeling super accomplished and rewarded when being able to get to a conclusion in a small group and teach others in the class or by diving deeper into a subject because a professor is asking stellar questions that lead us to an enlightening point. I believe some strengths is being able to give student agency over the way they learn and come to conclusions within a knowledge base. Students also create memories for courses with more create problem solving and learning that may not be acquired through lecture. I believe some drawbacks include the fact that this may not apply to all subjects. I was thinking about how this could be applied to a math class and I feel like i hit a dead end. When a specific and "hard" tangible skill needs to be taught, it may be difficult for students to come to conclusions on their own, even based on resources supplied. ]]> 2018-09-30 04:21:04 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287278078 Catherine Carrera cat_carrera https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287311758 I believe that this approach works best for all ages to varying degrees. The 85% rule is very useful especially if the information is dry and uninteresting. Asking questions allows the learners to actively be engaged in the lesson and may also make the topic more relatable and relevant for the learners. I find that asking questions throughout the class and planning activities related to the lesson helps the learners participate in a smaller group setting for those who are uncomfortable in large group discussions. I even incorporate ALS in my EFL classes and my students are 5 to 6-year-olds. It also helps to incorporate past knowledge or previous lessons related to the topic.

The strength with ALS is that students are actively engaged and when the right questions are asked, allows the lesson to have relevancy. Also, ALS allows students interact with other students and hear different perspectives and viewpoints.

The only drawback is when the class requires a lot of information or concepts that students are required to know in a short span of time. Also, if the class contains a lot of new information where the learners have no background knowledge or experience in the topic, it may be difficult to get a response.

]]> 2018-09-30 11:56:15 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287311758 Alex Brookhart https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287361728 I find a lot of value in the 'don't tell, ask' approach. This approach allows for a great exchange of learning and information sharing amongst students in small groups. Further, allowing students to work in groups and share out provides a potentially more comfortable learning space for students who don't learn and engage well in large group discussion. This has shown up in several grad courses I have taken, and I have found it to be very beneficial and helpful to my learning process. There is definitely a sense of accomplishment that comes along with accomplishing the task/questions/etc. posed by the professor within the small group. I also enjoy learning from my classmates in other groups and find it interesting how each group often times operates a little differently and offers new knowledge. In terms of drawbacks, it's possible that conflicts within groups may arise, students may take awhile to warm up to each other and could struggle to take initiative. ]]> 2018-09-30 18:24:46 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287361728 Cindy Zhang https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287407230 This approach would work because it allows students to have a great sense of learning and exchange information among each other. I agree with working in groups can be helpful for those who don't engage well in big crowd like in the classroom. It's important for students to feel accomplished, and some students succeed in a more "intimate" environment aside from the large group of students. However, this approach is flawed in terms of drawbacks, because students have to be willing to engage in the first place, thus, it would be challenging for those who have a passive attitude and unwilling to collaborate. ]]> 2018-10-01 00:50:28 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287407230 Edgar Rodriguez https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287419972 This approach aligns with how I approach adult learning. I personally have used this approach in my workshops and training facilitations with my student leaders on campus. I believe that this is the best way to get the engaged and invested in the content. I also think that this can cater to different learning styles and different personality types. Some people prefer small group work while others prefer large group discussions and in my opinion this allows for both of those things. A drawback could be student investment. If students aren't invested then this system may not work. Especially if students are used to being talked at and not engaging or participating in their own learning. I also think there needs to be community standards set in place so everyone feels like the space is one in which they can engage intellectually and if that isn't done properly it could potentially be a drawback to some people's learning]]> 2018-10-01 02:36:36 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287419972 Alli Botelho https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287429612 I think that this approach could work because it allows students to participate in their own learning. It provides them with the opportunity to be active learners and engage with the content. Students are provided with a sense of responsibility in their own learning. This approach could help cater towards students with different learning styles as there could be both large and small group discussions. Creating groups for students to discuss could be helpful in the future because within the workplace, individuals will have to converse and collaborate with others. These group discussions can allow individuals to learn from others and gain new perspectives that they may have not thought of otherwise. Personally, I have been in settings that used this approach and it really allowed me to better understand the material as I was actively involved in my learning. A drawback is that the results of this approach can rely heavily on the motivation of the student. If an individual refuses to participate, then they may not benefit as much from this approach. Some students may feel uncomfortable speaking in front of a class or within a small group. ]]> 2018-10-01 03:55:09 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287429612 Chia-Ling Chi (Lydia) https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287446357 In my opinion, I think the approach will work. I also believe that most of the adult learners will be more engaged and learn better this way. Social interaction is very important in adult learning, since most of them communicate and learn in the social environment (such as in the workforce) on a daily basis. Sharing personal experiences create meaning in learning and it also makes sense of personal experiences. I agree exchanging ideas and working in groups can be very helpful, especially for those who are timid in front of a big group of people. However, for those who are not as involved, the approach will be a drawback. The approach will work wonderfully for those who like to participate, share and engaged with others.

It works for me because I enjoy the idea of exchanging information, communicating and getting to know who your are talking and learning from. I personally learn a lot this way, and it makes me less nervous because I get really uncomfortable talking in front of a class or in front of a larger group of people. Even though some of the conversations and interactions may seem informal, I think I engage and warm up to people a lot more in a small group setting and this helps me respond and learn better.

]]> 2018-10-01 06:21:27 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287446357 Erick Yanzon https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287446514 I agree with this approach in so many different levels!! As scholar Paulo Freire frames it, the banking model of education refers to the metaphor of students as containers into which educators must put knowledge. As educators, it is important for us to recognize that students are not just there to listen to the professor talk and intake all the information they hear and see. Instead, we should allow them to have a voice, because their knowledge contributes as much as the professor's and their lived experiences should be highlighted throughout this learning process as well. I think its strength is that it allows students learn interactively with their instructor and peers, which allows students to digest the content more than just direct listening and taking notes. A drawback that I can think of is because sometimes there are too much content to go over that providing a lengthy lecture is more efficient for the class, and discussions may take too much time out of the limited hours they have. ]]> 2018-10-01 06:22:20 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287446514 Will Radcliffe https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287448579 I believe this approach works well because it gives students/learners agency in a way that allows them to participate more actively in a discussion. It makes learning more engaging instead of being the opposite.]]> 2018-10-01 06:33:37 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287448579 Kenton Westerfield https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287452370 The Adult Learning Structure, as described in this video, poses a both understandable and effective method for engaging learners in the learning process. I feel that this approach to education does indeed work, and it has for me, because of how it inherently values the learner as a part of the learning process, not simply a depository for information. When learners are involved in their own learning process and feel as though they can take ownership over the content they are engaging with, they should be much more likely to retain that information. I’ve seen this as very true in the work I do currently with high school juniors and seniors, educating and supporting them around the college application process. In workshop sessions where I've made sure that they are an active participant in their learning, I have always seen greater retention of information and excitement about content than when I am taking more of a “lecturing” style. The strengths of this approach are clear in that it seems to help learners engage more authentically with the material. The only drawback I can consider is that often this approach might be more time-consuming than a simple lecture and therefore it might take longer for all content to be covered.]]> 2018-10-01 06:50:14 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287452370 Alli Bautista https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287453911 I believe and agree that the majority of what he shares would work well in most classrooms. Students might feel more involved and take more ownership over their own learning, and learn that it’s not only the professor that has answers but that they and their classmates might also have valuable information and experiences to share. I can think of a few classes that this might be difficult however - such as mathematics. ]]> 2018-10-01 06:57:04 UTC https://padlet.com/robbinst6/mnvf6vw9b5au/wish/287453911