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Observation of Adult Learning
Aaron Knapp
Educational Leadership 763
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Introduction
The concept of observing an adult learning context and/or environment is one
that is very interesting, unique, and paramount. There is a sort of power that seems to
be in these locations, with knowledge passing from one mind to another in a natural
manner. MacKeracher (2004) states that “like breathing, learning is a normal function of
living” and “like breathing, learning can be hindered by inadequate activities and
impaired resources or enhanced by appropriate activities and adequate resources” (p.
6). Additionally, MacKeracher (2004) states that the activity of learning stems from a
need to make sense of experience, to reduce the unknown and uncertain aspects of life
to a manageable level, and to act skillfully in ensuring one’s survival and security” with
“unexpected conditions [interfering] with the act of learning but not the need to learn” (p.
6). This need seems to be displayed in many different adult learning contexts and
certainly seemed to be displayed in the two contexts that I situated myself in.
First Adult Learning Context – YMCA Cardio Kickboxing
Description
The first context that I situated myself in was that of an YMCA cardio kickboxing
adult fitness course at the Oshkosh YMCA in Oshkosh, WI. This particular class was
held in a second floor gymnasium that had a large number of soft mats in the middle of
the room and a track on the outside of the room. The gymnasium seemed to have dim
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lighting, but there was enough space for approximately 45 learners to attend the class.
The purpose of this particular class was to teach the learners the effective strategies
and exercises of cardio kickboxing and why it is important to isolate particular muscle
groups. This was done through the explanation of the exercises that were conducted
and how they affected the body coupled with modeling of said exercises for all learners
to observe and then engage in. The explanation of the exercises was very interesting to
me, as the facilitator made sure to explain what muscle group each exercise affected
and how the exercise specifically affected the muscle group. In addition to teaching the
affects of particular exercises on certain muscle groups and how it affected the body,
the facilitator also made a point of modeling the exercises to all of the learners,
explaining each move she did and why it is important to have correct form, as it isolates
particular muscle groups. By doing incorrect form, learners may not have gotten the
desired results out of particular exercises, which could act as a hindrance to the
learning. After modeling each exercise, learners would conduct the exercise while the
facilitator would walk around the room and continually remind learners why it is
important to have correct form and how it could be achieved. If a learner was doing the
exercise wrong, the facilitator made it a point to come and talk to the learner during the
exercise to ensure the correct muscles were being isolated. Also, the facilitator would
explain why particular exercises were being used before or after other exercises, as the
exercises would “build” upon each other and create the most desired affect for learners.
The class seemed to not only give learners the chance to engage in cardio kickboxing,
but also helped them learn what the most effective exercises are, what muscle groups
are being isolated with every exercise, why the exercise is particularly useful, what
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exercises to do before or after other exercises and how the exercises build upon each
other, and the why it is crucial to have correct form while engaging in any of the
exercises.
There were a variety of learners at this particular class. There were
approximately 35 women that appeared to be between the ages of 20 and 45.
Additionally, there were about five women that appeared to be closer to the 50 year old
age. Along with this, there were five males in the class that seemed to range from their
early thirties to their earlier forties. All of the learners seemed very engaged in the class,
with none of the learners leaving the class early.
The facilitator approached the task by having a very hands-on approach and
constantly talking through what she was doing and why she was doing it. The facilitator
made it a point to model every exercise, explaining why it is important and what muscle
groups it isolated, along with explaining why it was done before or after another
exercise and the total effect the exercises would have on the body. The facilitator would
walk around the room after modeling exercises and make sure that all of the learners
were following correct form and would correct them if not, reminding the entire class the
importance of having correct form and the affects it would have otherwise. The facilitator
seemed to be very charismatic and appeared to keep all of the learners engaged
throughout the entire class. The learners appeared to respond to this very well, as they
all stayed engaged throughout the entire class period and asked a number of questions
if they were confused about a particular exercise or why something was done before
something else. The learners seemed to get a lot out of the class and worked very hard
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to perfect the form for every exercise. The learners seemed to mesh with the fast pace,
hands-on approach of the facilitator and seemed to enjoy the class immensely.
Analysis
This particular adult learning observation seemed to relate to the concepts and
idea of adult learning and development. Taylor, Marienau, and Fiddler (2000) state that
“the dynamic intersection between learning and development concerns the fundamental
change in how meaning is made or how we know what we think we know” (p. 13).
Additionally, the ideas of transformative learning can be thought of as “a way of thinking
that is increasingly inclusive, discriminating, and integrative of experience as well as
open to alternative perspectives,” helping to shift values, attitudes, and understandings
of particular concepts (Taylor, Marienau, & Fiddler, 2000, p. 13). An assumption that I
have of the adult learning observation that I have is that learners attended this particular
class as a means to shift values, attitudes, and understandings of the concept of
“exercise” and how it can be conducted. It certainly seems difficult to master any area
without the necessary steps of understanding and building upon this understanding with
experience. This particular adult learning context seemed to couple these ideas
together quite well, with the facilitator not only expressing the concepts of why particular
exercises are important to the body and what they do, but also modeling and integrating
such ideas in class, giving practical application of the concepts to all of the learners that
attended the particular event.
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This example also seemed to fit the concept of learners being self-directed.
Merriam, Caffarella, and Baumgartner (2006) state that “the assumption [that adult
learners are to be self-directed in their learning] is that part of the job of educators of
adults is to help learners, whether they are learning on their own or in formal learning
programs, to be able to plan, carry out, and evaluate their own learning. This was
displayed in the class I observed, as the facilitator explained how to effectively do
exercises, modeled the exercises, explained how the exercises affected the body, and
explained why it was crucial to do certain exercises before or after other exercises as a
sort of scaffolding tool. In this respect, learners are able to plan out their own type of
solo exercise sessions in the future and carry it out, understanding if they are doing the
correct exercises in the correct format with the correct form. If these learners are
making sure to follow the advice and facilitation of the fitness instructor, they will be able
to evaluate their progress through following the “best practices” of cardio kickboxing, as
well as see some form of physical shift. Along with this idea, the concept of self-directed
learning “to foster transformational learning” is put into play, as learners understand new
ways of “being” and can essentially transform themselves from one form of “being” due
to the information learned at the cardio kickboxing session.
The YMCA observation seemed to support the idea of adult learning under the
assumption that learners came to the class to shift understand and attitudes towards the
idea of learning. Coupled with the concepts of self-directed learning, it seems as though
learners engaged in transformational learning as a way of developing themselves and
shifting from one set of attitudes, beliefs, and values to another through the information
provided.
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Second Adult Learning Context – Learning In Retirement
Description
The second adult learning context that I situated myself in was that of a “Learning
In Retirement” course at the Evergreen Retirement Community in Oshkosh, WI that
dealt with the Great Depression in Winnebago County. This session or class was held in
what appeared to be the chapel of the Evergreen Retirement Community. There were a
number of chairs lined up in rows where learners could sit. There was a table in the
back with cookies and other sweets, as well as coffee. The facilitator, Dr. Thomas
Rowland from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, stood at the front of the room
behind a podium and conveyed his messages from there. The purpose of the event
seemed to be to explain the effects of the Great Depression on Winnebago County and
help learners understand how individuals in the community overcame such problems
and issues during this time, along with the types of things that were implemented to
overcome such problems during the Great Depression.
The learners for this particular event were 43 individuals that apparently lived at
the Evergreen Retirement Community, as well as a number of elderly gentlemen and
women from other places. The learners all seemed to enjoy the event immensely and
made it a point to ask as many questions as possible and engage with the content that
was being discussed. A number of individuals stated the things their fathers or mothers
did during these times and conveyed their own experiences to the facilitator. These
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experiences seemed to be both vicarious and lived, as some individuals lived through
the Great Depression era, while others conveyed stories that they had heard from family
members and friends.
The facilitator approached the task of explaining the Great Depression in
Winnebago County through PowerPoint slides, lecturing, and directed
questions/discussion with the learners. Dr. Rowland covered a number of areas of the
Great Depression including how it affected agriculture and business in Winnebago, work
alternatives that individuals engaged in, and social programs that were instituted to help
rebuild infrastructure and boost the economy. All of the learners seemed to be very
engaged in the class and enjoyed discussing some of the issues with Dr. Rowland. Dr.
Rowland did his best to answer any questions individuals might have regarding the
Great Depression and give insight to why things might have happened the way they did
and how things could have been different or how he felt that Winnebago County, and by
extension the United States of America, came out of the Great Depression.
Analysis
This particular adult learning context seemed to relate to the ideas of both
constructivism, education therapy and restorying. Taylor, Marienau, and Fiddler (2000)
state that “when adults realize they construct their ideas and beliefs-and that they can, if
they choose, reconstruct them-they experience themselves and the world around them
differently” (p. 17). The information that was provided for this particular session seemed
to possibly deal constructivism in the sense that individuals at the event could make
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sense of their own lives through history and what has been conveyed to them. The
ideas that were discussed at the event dealt largely with social programming and how
they helped, by some accounts, push the United States out of the Great Depression. An
assumption that I have regarding this process is that learners may have seen the
benefits of social programming for the United States during the Great Depression and
made the connection of that with the United States’ present day economic crisis. It could
be possible that the construction and perception of the idea that social programming
helped the economy could have changed an individual to seek out possible candidates
that want to implement similar social programs. Through this assumption, learners could
interpreted the events that aided in the Great Depression as possible solutions to
today’s economic crisis, which could have practical application if the learner decides to
become an advocate for social programs. Again, this is an assumption of what could
have happened from the event, which led to a construction of meaning through the
information conveyed.
The idea of education therapy and restorying applies to this particular
observation in a similar fashion to the idea of constructivism. Randall (1996) states that
education therapy is “a revisioning of the story into a more intelligent, more imaginative
plot” (p. 239). Additionally, Polkinghorne via Randall states that “we live immersed in
narrative, recounting and reassessing the meanings of our past actions, anticipating the
outcomes of our future projects, situating ourselves at the intersection of several stories
not yet completed” (p. 230). The session that I attended seems to relate to the idea of
that the learners of this particular session wanted to advance themselves through the
understanding of the Great Depression in Winnebago County and how it can reshape
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their lives through a better understanding of such a large event. Additionally, the ideas
conveyed within the presentation could lead to a different outcome of a particular project
and how one may want to conduct himself or herself. Again, a possible assumption from
this session could be that individuals see the worth of social programming from this era
and may become advocates of it.
The second observation seems to support the idea that constructivism,
educational therapy and restorying have all occurred during the event. The idea of
transforming or changing perceptions, values, and beliefs out of vicarious experience
and education as therapy seem like they could be in play with this context. If an
individual is executing their civic duty of voting, they may feel inclined to vote for a
candidate that supports economic social programming that is designed to do something
similar to the social programming that was implemented in the Great Depression.
Furthermore, the learners of this event can reshape and restory their lives due to the
information provided and view their Great Depression experiences, may they be
vicarious or lived, through a different lens.
Conclusion
The concepts explained in both of the analysis sections of this paper seem to
connect with the adult learning contexts that were observed. While it is hard to
definitively say that transformational learning has taken place, it seems that both of the
contexts had intense engagement and the content was very riveting, which leads one to
the assumption that transformation learning has occured. Both observations led me to
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believe that the concepts discussed were indeed supported by both events. It is
important to note that that both events had great attendance and that both populations
stayed engaged throughout both classes. Learners in both situations continually asked
questions and wanted to learn more about each respective area. Both adult learning
observations, after analysis, seem to support the concepts, ideas, and assertions that
have been discussed in this paper and more broadly, those described in the course.
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References
MacKeracher, D. (2004). Making sense of adult learning (Second ed., pp. 5-15).
Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Merriam, S. B., Caffarella, R. S., & Baumgartner, L. M. (2006). Learning in adulthood: A
comprehensive guide (Third ed., pp. 105-129). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Randall, W. L. (1996). “Restorying a life: Adult education and transformative learning.”
In Aging and biography (pp. 224-247). New York, NY: Springer Publishing
Company.
Taylor, K., Marienau, C., & Fiddler, M. (2000). Developing adult learners: Strategies for
teachers and trainees (pp. 8-20). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.