| Myth Number Four |
| Adults come to class waiting for the instructor to "teach" just like they have always been taught, since they are accustomed to basic teaching and learning styles. |
| Most of us are products of those great (or less than great) teachers who exacted specific performances such as memorization, map recognition and other perfunctory tasks. Yes, we learned some things, but most of it, like square root, has dimmed over the years. No wonder! How many times have you been asked to tell someone the square root of 4590? Unlikely. So, what kind of methods work best? Here are a few to think about: 1. A round table discussion relating a concept to something that occurs frequently at work or at home. 2. A deliberate debate regarding a controversial issue. Some, however, may have difficulty espousing a view they do not believe in. Get lucky,but do not force sides. If there is only one side represented in the group, let them present it, and integrate opposing views in the discussion. Do not urge them to search an opposing viiew on the Internet; sensitive subjects may cause unwanted search engine results! We will explore more about that situation in the page marked "Pit Vipers in the Learning Process." 3. Assigned paper sharing--this activity involves an oral sharing of views expressed in papers that may be submitted during a session. No judging here, though; simply let the participants speak their views and let the fur fly. It will. But, be careful of "group assignments." Sometimes, adults simply cannot get together to work on your assigned project; doing so will require a major effort. Allow group meeting time during class; do not require them to meet outside the parameters of the schedule. If you do, you will incur their wrath, and gain very little in the long run. Adult learners like to take charge of their learning, thereby promoting a "buy in" to the process. How many techniques that you use promote total learner involvement? |
| There is more to come regarding this principle; stay tuned! |