Philosophical Orientation to Adult Education - Book Report/Review Example

Topic: Philosophical Orientation to Adult Education Introduction: On study of philosophical orientation I have seen it as a very wide study where it has in many ways influenced the behavior of people both in person and culturally. In adult education the educator decides which direction the class takes in terms of learning and the methods used by students of this program lies entirely on what the educator directs. Philosophy has helped the educators learn that it is important to understand Philosophical orientation which doesn’t change with time promoting equality. Zinn has brought this to a wider perspective in her book ‘Philosophy of Adult Education Inventory’ aiming at helping adult learners and educators understand it by relating philosophy to education in Identifying your Philosophical Orientation (Zinn, 1990, p.40-41) a chapter from the book. In the same chapter she states some of the benefits of personal philosophy (Zinn, 1990, p.44). I further discover that in adult education personal philosophy can be identified by following certain stated approaches which relate to the methods used in educating adults. The Philosophy of the Adult Education Inventory (PAEI) measurement inventory goes is a practical way of helping adult’s educators identifies the personal philosophical orientations in adult education. From Zinn I learn the Teaching styles and behaviors as most important in making the students achieve more in relation to philosophical orientation and the outcomes of my personal Philosophy discovered that philosophy makes a more effective adult educator and learner. Philosophical Orientation: While I was doing my Bachelor’s degree I taught ‘introduction of Chinese’ for three Months. I had few students mostly 3to 5 and sometimes 1 of Japanese and Korean origin, at this time i had not identified my personal philosophy as and mostly I used my own methods of teaching where I chose the best way I thought would work. In the chapter Identifying Your Philosophical Orientation (Zinn, 1990, p.40).i learnt the importance of a personal philosophy and discovered much that I didn’t know. I have acquired a lot of adult education information from my parents who both work in universities as professors in China. This information helped me in discovering other material like Adult Education and Lifelong Learning Theory (Jarvis p, 2004,) and Philosophical Orientation to Adult Learning (Erin M, 2009). After analyzing Zinns article and filling in the inventory I scored as follows: Liberal Adult Education (L) 79 Progressive Adult Education (P) 92 Humanistic Adult Education (H) 76 Behaviorist Adult Education (B) 73 Radical Adult Education (R) 86 From the results and according to Zinn’s formulation it occurs that my primary philosophical orientation is Progressive Adult Education. I have mixed reactions about the discovery but still incant deny that I am comfortable with the results my concerns go to the factors that even though I have discovered my designation and the fact that the inventory has not exposed the end results in terms of a learner and educator experiences and interests that are educative stimulates instigate and evaluate learning processes. This brings to question whether the theory of action or theory in use in that people act differently if exposed to different situations. Zinn explains further in a way to prove the theory and what i don’t get is that when asked how I would behave in certain circumstances the answer reflects to the action of the situation. In Zinn’s frame work the it is highly unlikely that you would have high scores in both liberal and radical categories as it is opposite in my inventory where I scored highly in both of them this I would term it as closed thinking where the educator must act in a restricted context. Major influences on adult education practices explain my philosophical orientations in that the goal of progressive education is improvement rather than survival achieved mostly after liberating the learner this proves that education is not restricted to class alone but a lifelong process influenced by many sectors of society and daily life. (Erin m, 2009, p.22). I find myself solidly agreeing with my results because the teaching methods used in this philosophy include the scientific method, cooperative learning and problem solving. While the statement seeks to advance the rights of all adults with respect to education, yet doesn’t seek to impose its own values on people. (Erin M, 2009, p.22) Zinns ‘s inventory as my scores distribute it appears my personal philosophy is very wide and flexible to though informal my philosophy appear to have worked in my experience as a teacher of young students while in the University I was required to educate the students things which came from my experience such experience brought about the use progressive adult education I found that the use of past experience and my diverse reading experience was effective to the kids to the introduction of Chinese to these children from different cultures and backgrounds. I would for example in the introduction I would give the students a set of questions and then we would solve them together then allow them to ask any question s where they did not understand this giving the point that progressive is a problem solving. Behaviourist approach was used mostly because I would repeat the answers and ask previous questions so as to ensure good understanding and sinking of the lessons in the student’s minds. I also used “education in Radical approach in bringing social changes” (Zinn, 1990 p, 76) to the students in the class and within the school. As a learner I was given a lot of adult reading materials which I used to learn that I needed to choose the type of learning I needed. The Marxist Feminism in adult Education Theory I have understood how gender and ability with race and language bring to light the experiences adult students go through in social situations (Carpenter, 2010 p.20)I believe that most solutions lie when we use theory instead of physical in which it might end up making the student or learner loose interest in what they are being taught. This theory is preferred mostly because adults learning and teaching theory and experiments are the best way or teaching since once you involve the student in the two activities they don’t forget it easily since they understand the lesson deeper The other inventory is the easing of experiments and relation to theoretical knowledge which brings around a relation in which theory merges with experiment to form a very effective combination this promotes mutual dependence and promote growth which proves that the learner becomes more knowledgeable than the one who has done theory only this is very useful to both the Lerner and the educator. Marxists-feminist theory offers different scenarios in the difference of experience in interaction forms of oppression. Freires has an approach which can be used to teach both adults and children he concerns himself mostly with humanity of the learners and understanding their language. I use the theory to regard teacher as a facilitator who is able to stimulate the learning process apart from the one who teaches the learners knowledge that have to be achieved. The main problem for adult education is to deal with the problems that will raise the level of consciousness so to acquire the knowledge of the social and economic issues affecting their lives; (Gagne 1977:284-286) developed a mode of understanding the difference between learning and instruction. As highlighted the phases in instruction in (Jarvis, 2004, p 123) I learn of learning as the operant form at which response is as a result of a reward This, I believe, decision mode-levels. In my opinion constitutes an attempt, , to develop a holistic approach to learning and teaching It would thus appear that in my case, Zinn's Inventory perhaps better reflects relativity in practice and philosophy than her framework allows. It is for reasons such as these, that I personally recognizes that all learning is multidimensional, that “the cognitive, the emotional and the social” all have a role to play. This is personally much more acceptable because it presents and focuses on the complete multifaceted-individual with his or her attendant needs. I feel that more concern should be given to learners Another possible concern that Zinn's Inventory highlighted, is the apparent ease with which experiments can be given with ease, theoretical knowledge. On the other hand, I agree with that a conception of theory and practice that emphasizes their mutual dependence is more useful compared to theory me, theoretical and experiential knowledge are two sides of a single programmer as are teaching and learning, and are related in a way that cannot be driven apart easily. It seems the reflection is intimate fusion when emphasis derives the “theory from both experience and study” as a way of assisting “adult educators to do their work better” (Foley, 2004, P.3). Thus, in my opinion, temperate them, is to ruthlessly divide the cognitive from the practical and introduces what I regard as bad combination, which in my opinion detrimentally elevates one form of knowledge over another. Conclusion: I conclude that there are some advantages in examining one's philosophical orientation, at least as an academic exercise, because I can now argue in the perception of philosophy, itself as an achievement in the other competing philosophies. Zinn's explanations and clarifications to identify one’s philosophy, at this point I remain to be convinced of the practical benefits of strongly identifying myself with any one particular philosophy. I am also, more than ever, committed to the belief that when it comes to education, the learner(s) must always be the primary focus along with the context in which learning occurs prefer Marxists’ over Zinns theory because it provides a dimension with greater flexibility for the educator to work within, and ultimately respond creatively to the student within their particular situation. Zinn's Inventory on the other hand, does not allow for the flexibility needed teaching in the teaching of real time situations. If this inventory is taken as a method of teaching it will not work most effectively. After I graduate I will go back to China and put what I have learnt in philosophy in action I will no longer be ignorant as I have learnt that philosophizing adult education will help me become a better educator. Reference List: Fenwick, Nesbit, Spencer. 2006, Contexts of Adult Learning, Thompson, Toronto. Erin M. 2009 Philosophical Orientation to Adult Learning Minnesota. Jarvis 2004 Adults learning - some theorists' perspectives, in Adult education and lifelong learning, London, pp. 118-138. Zinn, L. 1990, Identifying Your Philosophical Orientation, in ed.Golbraith, Adult Learning Methods, Kreiger, Florida, pp. 39-77. Read More