Showing papers in "Adult learning in 2015"

Transformational Learning: Reflections of an Adult Learning Story.

Abstract: Transformational learning, narrative learning, and spiritual learning frame adult experiences in new and exciting ways. These types of learning can involve a simple transformation of belief or opin...

Supporting Student Veteran Transition to College and Academic Success.

Abstract: Veterans enrolled in college face unique challenges compared with those of traditional students. Their experiences and perspectives, coupled with battling stereotypes and entering an unstructured c...

A Conceptual Framework for Mentoring in a Learning Organization

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to provide a conceptual framework for mentoring as an added component of a learning organization in the context of adult learning and development theories. Mentoring is traditionally a process in which an experienced person (the mentor) guides another person (the mentee or protege) in the development of her or his own ideas, learning, and personal/professional competence. Mentoring uses transformational theory through critical reflection in a non-judgmental manner and addresses the andragogical principle that experience is the richest source for adult learning. In a learning organization, adult development is fostered for both mentee and mentor in a reciprocal and collaborative learning partnership. Critical issues in designing a mentoring program for facilitating the development of a sustainable learning organization are discussed with potential pitfalls. Anticipated outcomes from a mentoring program in a learning organization include application of new knowledge in daily t...

Cuts and Bruises Caused by Arrows, Sticks, and Stones in Academia: Theorizing Three Types of Racist and Homophobic Bullying in Adult and Higher Education.

Abstract: Bullying is a serious problem in contemporary society because it negatively affects not only people who are victims of bullying and bystanders but also organizations and workplaces. It occurs almost everywhere including K-12 education, postsecondary education, and workplaces. Based on the author’s narrative study, this article explores and theorizes three types of adult bullying in higher education from the academic experiences of 19 gay male faculty of color. The data were collected via in-depth individual interviews using a semi-structured interview guide, transcribed, and analyzed. The data revealed three types of bullying: (a) positional bullying, (b) counter-positional bullying, and (c) unintentional conspirative positional bullying. This article will provide a snapshot of each type of bullying through participant narratives and discuss the implications for higher and adult education in the pursuit of diversity and social justice.

An Overview of Cyberbullying in Higher Education.

Abstract: Bullying is a social problem. The proliferation of electronic technology has provided a new forum for bullies to harm victims. That is, bullies can transmit harmful text messages, photos, or video over the Internet and other digital communication devices to victims. This malpractice of technology-oriented phenomenon known as cyberbullying has become a social problem. College students who have been cyberbullied have committed suicide, dropped out, or endured torment while in school. This article provides an overview of cyberbullying among adults in higher education and an examination of the current status of state and federal laws that may serve as deterrents to cyberbullying.

Academic Incivility among Health Sciences Faculty.

Abstract: Academic health centers are under pressure to graduate more health professionals and, therefore, must retain talented faculty members who can educate students in respective disciplines. Faculty-to-...

Academic Incivility and Bullying as a Gendered and Racialized Phenomena

Abstract: The continuum of bad behavior within the academy, from incivility to aggressive bullying, is analyzed using examples that occurred over a two-decade career. The author posits that the cases, which ...

Those Mean Girls and Their Friends Bullying and Mob Rule in the Academy

Abstract: This article highlights the stories and experiences of three White women who were victims of bullying and mobbing in academic settings. Related literature grounds their experiences and offers insig...

From Students to Scholars: The Transformative Power of Communities of Practice.

Abstract: Participating in a doctoral program can be a transformative experience that shapes the identity of the learner. What learning spaces might best facilitate that identity development? This article pr...

A Tale of Two Transitions: Female Military Veterans During Their First Year at Community College.

Abstract: Surprisingly few empirical studies examine the experience of veterans as they transition into community college. Using Schlossberg’s transition model and 4S framework—situation, self, supports, and strategies—this article portrays a subset of findings from a qualitative study involving recent military veterans transitioning into community college. Findings comprise biographical vignettes of two female veterans entering their first year of community college. Although the findings align with some existing research, this study illustrates the complex and nuanced issues that veteran students face, including strained finances and lack of familiarity with college structure. For female veterans, these issues are often further complicated by circumstances such as motherhood and marriage.

Good Ol' Boys, Mean Girls, and Tyrants: A Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experiences and Survival Strategies of Bullied Women Adult Educators.

Abstract: Bullying in higher education is an increasingly common phenomenon that negatively affects organizational climate, completed work’s quality and quantity, and students’ educational experiences. The p...

Culture and English Language Teaching in the Arab World

Abstract: This article discusses the relationship between culture and English language teaching (ELT) in the Arab World. A critical question arises in terms of ELT, that is, whether to teach culture along with English. To answer such a bewildering question, this article presents related literature and studies and discusses a theoretical frame based on experts’ insights and opinions. The article displays various viewpoints concerning this topic, offers different empirical studies in this field, and reaches some valuable conclusions.

Academic Bullying and Incivility in Adult, Higher, Continuing, and Professional Education

Abstract: Bullying and related incivility have become critical social issues influencing not only individual lives but also society at large; yet, extensive research on bullying only began about four decades ago (Randall, 2001; Sanders, 2004). At that time, bullying was understood as a temporary phase in childhood development. Later, in the early 1990s, aggressive behaviors such as bullying became more systematically studied and were found to also be adult issues (Adams, 1992; Leymann, 1996; Randall, 2001). In recent years, bullying, incivility, and violence have gained national attention in the media because of incidents such as Tyler dementi's cyberbullying in New Jersey. News reporters and social commentators discussed how bullying incidents were connected with uncivil and violent acts and behaviors and discussed how incivility and violence affect people, communities, and society. Although an increasingly serious issue in contemporary society, bullying has not been discussed much as an adult problem affecting adults. The 2014 WBIU.S. Workplace Bullying Survey, conducted by the Workplace Bullying Institute, found that "over one-quarter of adult Americans (27%) said they directly experienced abusive conduct at work" (Namie, Christensen, & Phillips, 2014, p. 4), and over one third of adults are aware of incidents of workplace bullying. Bullying in adulthood, therefore, appears to be prevalent in U.S. society and should be addressed as a major social issue. However, as the connotation of bullying is typically regarded as a children's developmental issue, addressing issues of bullying in adulthood is often negatively perceived, avoided, and even taboo (Keashly & Neuman, 2010; Misawa, 2013). Yet, it is a serious problem affecting bystanders as well as victims (Randall, 2001) and must be addressed in the process of planning, designing, and implementing democratic and inclusive learning environments, one of adult education's purposes (Lindeman, 1926). This special Adult Learning issue aims to provide an overview and understanding of historical and contemporary academic bullying and related incivility based on literature and empirical studies, so readers can be better informed about the prevalence of bullying, incivility, and violence. In addition, we hope the contemporary theories and concepts, such as cyberbullying and positional bullying, will enable researchers and scholars to identify these behaviors when they occur and explore them further. Snapshots this special issue's articles follow. In "Cuts and Bruises Caused by Arrows, Sticks, and Stones in Academia: Theorizing Three Types of Racist and Homophobic Bullying in Adult and Higher Education," Mitsunori Misawa discusses how academic bullying, based on the intersection of racism and homophobia, is prevalent in higher education and how adult bullying influences faculty in higher education. He discusses three types of bullying and describes how each manifests and affects participants. Melissa Wright and Lilian Hill, in "Incivility Among Health Sciences Faculty," discuss manifestations of faculty-to-faculty incivility and provide examples of how it affects faculty-to-faculty interactions. The article provides suggestions and strategies to develop policies to deal with faculty-to-faculty incivility. Edwina Washington talks about a new area of bullying in Overview of Cyberbullying in Higher Education and examines the current status of state and federal laws on cyberbullying from a legal perspective. She argues that cyberbullying is a serious social issue due to new technology that enables perpetrators to bully victims using text messages, photos, and videos over the Internet. For prevention, she points out that laws directly addressing cyberbullying must be enacted at a local level in higher education. In "Those 'Mean Girls and Their Friends': Bullying and Mob Rule in the Academy," Audrey Dentith, Robin Redmon Wright, and Joellen Coryell discuss their experiences as adult education faculty targeted by bullying. …

Decision-Making Considerations for Mid-Career Army Officers to Pursue Master’s Degrees:

Abstract: Understanding why military students pursue a master’s degree has become more important as the number of military students taking advantage of education benefits through the Post-911 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 has increased. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how U.S. Army officers attending the Command and General Staff College (CGSC) decided to enroll in a master’s degree program. Four research questions guided the study to determine whether and how career requirements, post-military aspirations, family considerations, and previous academic experience influenced the choice to pursue a master’s degree. A conceptual framework comprised career development, career decision making, and adult development that provided additional guidance. The study used a case study methodology, and 26 military students participated. Data collection comprised interview and surveys, and data analysis comprised coding with peer review and member checking. The findings affirmed the research...

The Wisdom of Tacit Knowing-in-Action and Mission Command.

Abstract: Adult learners regularly confront complex and dynamic challenges in moments of crisis that require self-efficacy of intuition and immediate decision. Such “snap decision-making” requires highly dev...

Information Literacy and Adult Learners: Using Authentic Assessment to Determine Skill Gaps.

Abstract: Information literacy (IL) skills are essential for adult learners in higher education, especially those unfamiliar with information systems. Citing a lack of literature assessing such skills in adu...

Teaching Writing in Adult Literacy Practices to Foster Motivation and Persistence and Improve Learning Outcomes

Abstract: Writing is critical to success in education, the workplace, and everyday communication yet receives limited attention in the research, particularly the topic of writing instruction in adult education. Adult literacy practitioners frequently lack training in writing instruction and must rely on a confusing array of information, primarily derived from K-12 pedagogy. This literature synthesis investigates findings from studies of writing focusing on adult literacy and explicates specific instructional practices and strategies for teaching writing to adult learners. Findings highlight the importance of fostering motivation, persistence, and self-efficacy and indicate motivation and achievement increase when instructors introduce specific writing micro-goals, share explicit feedback, and provide evidence of progress. Classrooms should incorporate opportunities for creative expression, authentic materials and communication, writing task contextualization, explicit strategy instruction, regular journaling and pe...

Academic Learning Teams in Accelerated Adult Programs: Online and On-Campus Students’ Perceptions

Abstract: This article reports adult students’ (N = 632) perceptions of long-functioning academic learning teams in accelerated online and on-campus business cohort groups in six constructs: attraction to te...

Army Civilian Leadership Development: Self-Efficacy, Choice, and Learning Transfer

Abstract: The mission of the Army Management Staff College (AMSC) is to provide leader development educational experiences for Army civilians. To develop as leaders, students must recognize they have a choice to take action that influences their work environment. The authors suggest the learning environment at AMSC is intentionally designed to be paradoxical to the work environment in an effort to promote student leadership self-efficacy beliefs. Faculty use a facilitated student-centric approach to create a learning environment that promotes self-efficacy and learning transfer; however, other factors such as feedback, coaching, and peer and organizational support also affect learning transfer and should be considered in curriculum design and delivery.

After Incarceration and Adult Learning A Collaborative Inquiry and Writing Project

Abstract: Mass incarceration in America is a moral, economic, and societal crisis with serious implications for many men of color and high school non-completers who are incarcerated at proportionally higher rates than Whites or college graduates. For the formerly incarcerated, engagement in adult learning, whether high school equivalency (HSE) or college, decreases the likelihood that they will return to prison, increases opportunities for employment, and serves as a powerful re-integration tool in society. This article describes one community college’s collaborative inquiry and writing project that uses archival, auto-ethnographic, and interview data to explore how formerly incarcerated students might be effectively engaged in adult education and offers this inquiry project as a potential model for this engagement. Through the voice of the faculty/instructor, this article conceptualizes the inquiry writing project process using a two-part framework: Chevalier and Buckles’ five stages of collaborative inquiry and c...

Men Learning through Life (and Men's Sheds).

Abstract: This Futures column shares insights about men's learning beyond work, based on several decades of research in men's learning in international community contexts, summarized in our recent book, Men Learning Through Life (Golding, Mark, & Foley, 2014). In the final chapter, we ask why men's learning and men's sheds have recently been widely embraced in places like Australia but not in the United States and Canada. In the 1960s and 1970s, Australian masculinity was defined by dominance and athleticism; yet, by the 1990s, Australia led a critical examination of masculinities. Weaver-Hightower (2003) provided clues why this perspective tends not to be heard in the United States. He pointed out that gender studies often exclude the male perspective and take place within an ambivalent culture that feels threatened by a critical look into the traditional masculine role. This point is pertinent to our careful attempts in our book to validate some men's learning places and spaces, such as through men's sheds, within the context of these contradictory ideologies. In Australia and many other developed nations, adult and community education has tended to be a women's sector, where many older men do not feel welcomed: Indeed, some men feel patronized. Veronica McGivney (1999) documented the nature and extent of missing men in adult education and training. She found that although the percentages of men and women involved in education are similar in most developed nations, older men are largely absent. In essence, when learning becomes more discretionary and less hands-on or vocational, many older men tend not to participate. In most developed nations, the overwhelming emphasis of adult education is on vocational training. Very little thought is given to what people, particularly men, want and need to learn to re-create and broaden their identities beyond their working lives. Learning Needs of Older Men Beyond Paid Work Although Schuller and Watson (2009) noted research on gender differences in adult education is scarce, my research suggests that any educational system that operates from a deficit model, treating older men as students, clients, or customers, is at best, insensitive and, at worst, patronizing. Most educational programs do not account for personal, social, and community interests and needs of the learners (including their diverse masculinities). Many adults with limited education or resources cannot find appropriate education programs. Adult education often reinforces inequalities through hierarchies, formal assessment, and work- or market-based approaches. Older people have different learning needs: to cope with new non-working identities, changes in mobility, health, financial, and living arrangements, as well as changes in personal and family relationships. As Schuller and Watson (2009) put it, "[T]here can be few more important learning tasks than learning to make sense of the life you have lived" (p. 109). While older men have much they need to learn to cope with radical changes as they age, they are much less likely to participate in formal educational programs provided to teach skills. In essence, older men tend to avoid programs that patronize or shame them for their lack of knowledge. Off the shelf vocationally oriented adult education and training programs are often perceived by many older men to be unattractive and totally unsuited to them. When I first naively grazed as a researcher into the area of men's learning, which McGivney accurately describes in the foreword of our book as a minefield, I was assured older men were missing because they were reluctant to learn, and there was nothing they needed to know. Our Australian research shows most men need and want to learn, but not necessarily in formal, cognitive, literary, and decontextualized ways. Older men in Australia generally prefer to learn in familiar places and spaces, working hands-on with regular groups, focused on what they know and can share with other men. …

Military Students and Contexts in Adult Education

Abstract: Selecting representative articles for a military-related special issue of Adult Learning was a daunting task Even the term military student could mean a member of the active duty, Reserve, National Guard, or retired military population, a spouse or primary dependent of one of these students, or all of the above (Militarycom, 2008) In addition, military-related education occurs in a variety of settings, both military and civilian The articles in this special issue demonstrate the range of contexts, programs, and issues related to the military student, including developing leadership skills in civilian members of the military community, developing intuitive decisionmaking skills in actively serving military mid-level leaders, choosing to pursue a master's degree while on active duty, easing veterans' transitions and adjustment to the classroom, and highlighting two female veterans experiences during their first year of community college More specifically, this special military issue begins with civilians working with the military, specifically civilians selected to attend the Army Management Staff College's (AMSC) program in leadership development, which addresses working within the military culture Godinez and Leslie, in "Army Civilian Leadership Development: Self-Efficacy, Choice, and Learning Transfer," note such civilians work closely with the military and are valued members of the military community To develop as leaders, civilian students in this military context must recognize they have a choice to take action that influences their work environment The authors suggest AMSC's learning environment is intentionally designed to be paradoxical to the work environment in an effort to promote student leadership self-efficacy beliefs The next two articles situate in the Army's Command and General Staff College (CGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, an active duty military school focused on developing critical thinking skills for mid-level officer leaders In "The Wisdom of Tacit Knowing-in-Action and Mission Command," Moilanen details a research project conducted at CGSC examining officer perceptions of intuitive decision making in times of crisis According to the author, adult learners regularly confront complex and dynamic challenges in moments of crisis that require self-efficacy of intuition and immediate decision He concluded an after action review process can elicit perceptions of tacit prompts that compel action In the third article, "Decision-Making Considerations for Mid-Career Army Officers to Pursue Master's Degrees," Vance explores how US Army officers attending the CGSC decided to enroll in a master's program The study determines if and how career requirements, post-military aspirations, family considerations, and previous academic experience influenced officers' choice to pursue a master's degree In addition, findings identified four themes related to the choice, specifically self-efficacy, goal setting, persistence, and time management Moving to the higher education context, implementation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill Veteran's Benefit Program has increasingly affected institutions, educating active duty military and those separated from the military Kirchner, in "Supporting Student Veteran Transition to College and Academic Success," notes that more than 73% of all separating service members plan to use their student benefits (Student Veterans of America, 2015) …

Learning at the Center: A Proposal for Dynamic Assessment in a Combined University and Community Adult Learning Center Course.

Abstract: We ask the reader to consider a proposal for cooperative renewal in the evaluation of a course (OurU) offered in partnership between a university and community-based adult learning center. This pro...

The 21st Annual AERC African Diaspora Pre-Conference: Reflecting, Relating, and Reshaping the Community

Abstract: After attending the 21st Annual Adult Education Research Conference (AERC) African Diaspora Pre-Conference, the authors present their reflections on the significance of the pre-conference.

Sometimes, It Takes a Village.

Abstract: In 2012, West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) began to work on a groundbreaking program, Accelerating Opportunity (AO), which targeted students who are deficient in math, reading, or writing. What is different about the AO program is students work in a cohort, with one advisor and strong support services. The program uses Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges' (2013) Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) model of instruction, as well as a success coach to assist students in overcoming obstacles to their education. A team-teaching approach allows students in the AO program to bypass some, or all, of their developmental classes. The program's success coach component supports the student during the enrollment process by assisting students with financial aid, admission, assessment, and advising. In addition, a career center provides coaching to students for job placement, resume writing, and interviewing skills, as well as a basic skills instructor who serves as a success coach once classes begin by using intrusive counseling in the classroom. Intrusive counseling is preferred because the student is not only advised on academic issues, but life issues as well, with the hope of building comprehensive success strategies. Potential road blocks to student success are addressed by the coach and the student who work together to find solutions. Adult Learner Realities In her 2013 article, Amy Milshtein states, "adult learners bring life experiences, commitment, and eagerness to share their life skills" (p. 20). In the same article, Julia Hood, academic chair for organizational management at Nyack College, suggests, "to be a success, we have to treat adult learners differently" (p. 22). Although concurring with both statements, we have found that adult learners in the AO program at WKCTC bring a multitude of real-life struggles into the classroom with them. Issues of attendance due to a sick child or lack of transportation aside, students in the AO program also struggle with concerns of what to cook for dinner or what clothes need laundering. Once home, helping children with homework and getting baths, while somehow finding time to work on their own homework, are but a few of the WKCTC adult learners' daily struggles. It takes tireless effort and hard work, on the part of the student and the team of faculty, staff, and community partners associated with the AO program, to find success for students facing these real-life hurdles. As coordinator of the AO program, I, Gwen, have encountered many students dealing with these issues. For example, I once ran into a student I knew near the advising center on campus. She told me she had just taken the placement exam and was going to meet with an advisor to register for nursing classes. I congratulated her, wished her success, and we parted ways. A week or so later, I saw her again and asked how things were going. She burst into tears and told me her lifelong dream had been to become a nurse. However, her placement scores in language were low, as English is her second language, and she would not be able to get into the nursing program. I asked her whether she had heard about the AO program and explained the opportunities the program could provide in helping her achieve her goal. She was excited she would have a chance to earn a certificate as a nurse aid, while receiving help with her language skills. I let her know she would read books related to health care in the program, and the AO program would provide supports to help her achieve her goal. She cried again, but this time, tears of relief. The student has since enrolled in the AO program, earned two certificates (Medicaid Nurse Aid and Advanced Nurse Assistant) with a 4.0 grade point average (GPA) and tested out of all developmental classes. Adult Learner Choices At WKCTC, the AO pathway is Health Science Technology (HST). Health care is a demonstrated need in our local community, and HST provides a pathway that allows students to earn certificates stackable toward an associate of applied science degree. …