What's Adult Learning Got To Do With it?
February 26, 2021
Hopefully it goes without saying that schools are institutions of learning. This is particularly true for students. But what about adult learning?
In order to improve student learning, adults, too, must be learners. And in order to build a collaborative workplace environment, the learning needs of adults have to be front and center on the hearts and minds of school leaders.
Unbeknownst to many of us at the time, when we got our degree and first job, our education was just beginning. The long and arduous task of going from novice to expert in our profession had just begun.
Hence, Element Four: Principles of Adult Learning.
Principles of Adult Learning
The Principles of Adult Learning can be grouped into three broad categories:
- The role of external trainings and job-embedded professional learning
- The characteristics of a Knowledge Worker
- Professional learning designs
External Trainings and Job-Embedded Professional Learning
External trainings are of limited usefulness.
The challenge in most schools is to implement what we already know.
Some say “we know enough.” Other’s that “the answers are all in the room.”
And the research bears this out–with a few exceptions, the trouble with our inability to improve student learning isn’t that we don’t know what we need to do. It’s that we don’t do what we know.
So while external trainings have a place in our learning, they have a limited role. And, I might add, that role has to be targeted, sustained, and take into consideration the other principles of adult learning.
How do we level up to what works best alongside targeted trainings? Enter job-embedded professional learning.
This term, unfortunately, has been thrown around a lot. Let’s clarify what this means.
I like this simple definition: “learning activities that occur during work hours and that support instructional needs” (Mullen and Hutinger, 2008).
Job-Embedded Professional Learning:
“learning activities that occur during work hours and that support instructional needs”
Mullen and Hutinger, 2008
Please note several key phrases:
- Learning activities. Not management stuff.
- Occur during work hours. Educators do plenty on “their own” time. If we truly value professional learning, these learning activities need to be scheduled as part of work hours.
- Support. It has to be helpful.
- Instructional needs. This implies that we know student needs, and then have thought about what we need as adults to meet those student instructional needs.
So what learning activities are we engaging in, as adults, to support our own learning needs? The designs shared below can be helpful, and the other nine elements of building a collaborative environment, of course, also play an important role.
The Knowledge Worker
Knowledge Workers have unique characteristics and needs, according to Peter Drucker (@DruckerInst). And aren’t educators the ultimate knowledge worker?
As Knowledge Workers, we require three things to feel valued in our work:
1) Autonomy, 2) Complexity, and 3) a Connection between effort and reward.
Aren’t Educators the Ultimate Knowledge Worker?
First, autonomy: This is reflected in the responsibility that we take for student learning. It’s not the responsibility of parents, or the community, or any other organization or entity. Student learning lies with us.
Second, complexity: No two students are alike. No two teachers are alike. This reality makes our work complex, and this recognition manifests in some simple ideas: There is no formula, no magic wand, no easy answer, no directive, to solve every issue that arises. Our work is complex and requires accessing our knowledge and expertise to confront and address the daily issues before us.
Finally, connection between effort and reward: Can I see the fruits of my efforts? When I change my practice, does it result in improvements? Is there a direct line between what I do and changes in student learning? What is more exciting than to see a student in that “light bulb” moment?!
Professional Learning Designs
There are many professional learning designs that will facilitate adult learning (see Powerful Designs for Professional Learning, edited by Lois Brown Easton). I have identified seven that seem to be particularly helpful in building a collaborative environment. These are:
- Assessment as professional learning
- Curriculum as professional learning
- Data analysis
- Lesson study
- Instructional coaching
- Professional learning communities
- Visual dialogue
Linked to each is a tool that explains a little about the design and provides some resources and reflective questions that may be helpful for you.
Principles of Adult Learning
As educators, we are in the learning profession.
To meet the needs of students, we as adults must also engage in and be enthusiastic about learning.
Take these principles of adult learning into consideration. It will go a long way in creating collaborative environments.
Questions for Reflection
- To what extent does our school/district access our internal expertise?
- Which professional learning designs do we rely more heavily on?
- In what ways might we more intentionally honor our work as Knowledge Workers?
- How can I help with your desire to level up your instruction and your school(s)?
Do you have a story you’d like to share?
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Exciting to see this post. Succinctly captures many important points about adult learning. (and the title just makes me love Tina Turner all over again)
Parker Palmer: “the tragic gap between knowing and doing.” Absolutely! InsideOut Development (https://insideoutdev.com/) is a potentially powerful coaching methodology that started in the business world and is now moving into education. It is philosopically aligned with these principles of adult learning and uses a reasonable coaching framework (not a set of tools too complicated or complex to consistently use) for school leaders.
https://images.app.goo.gl/xhEto1uLEBFtzfq76