Hear 2.0: Find Radio's Future in this Presentation

Hear 2.0: Find Radio's Future in this Presentation

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A Simple Guide To HTML - Cheat Sheet

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As We May Think - The Atlantic (July 1945)

As We May Think - The Atlantic (July 1945)

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Key Discussion Point - #2

Thank you Susan, Laverne, Patrick, and Joshua to your comments on the first discussion point. But - I'm not liking the long string of comments and my inability to respond underneath yours, etc. So I start anew!

I'm working through a current 'education dilemma' and am diplomatically asking for what I need. I was talking to my daughter about the situation and she states, "It's distance learning, what did you expect - something like face-2-face?"

So ... does Vella's principles work in a distance learning setting? Can you really do an adequate needs assessment? Create safety? and accountability?

I'm really curious about this - because no matter your very best intentions, it really doesn't matter if your learners aren't checked in and engaged with the process. And if they're not tuned-in and engaged - then what? You are on-line and without the body language, tone, etc. - how do you know they are checked out?

Boy did I call that right!

I've got some downtime so I'm cruising the EDAE 692 blogs and if you've noticed on the left side I have links to almost all (?) the class' blogs. Some I renamed so I'd easily know who was who.

Anyway - Laverne has this ongoing 'ethical issues' case study (very popular.) On my link for her blog I labeled the link, "Laverne's Ethical Issues". Ya, I know why is that so special? It's the little things in life - like Patrick drumming up business for his blog. Patrick do you have a new survey? I've already voted on the Castaway survey.

It's really creative how Laverne has roped many of us in on her case study (why didn't I think of that!) It's like I knew she was so cleaver as an unfolding case study - thus why her blog link is Laverne's Ethical Issues!!! Stay tune - or better yet, hit her link!

Vella links

Being the somewhat obsessive compulsive individual I am - I have a tendency to do a lot of research on stuff. I'm usually not satisfied to just read an 'educational' textbook - I want more.

This happened with Jane Vella - I wanted more. I've posted some what I found to be interesting links to resources with Vella's 'dialogue education' in practice:

* WIC - Nutrition illustrates a clever 'recipe card' application
* Life Trek - uses a life coaching approach
* Habitat for Humanity/Latin America and Caribbean. Public Awareness Department. (September 2007) - Outlines the design steps
* Global Learning Partners - Vella's own company and a table illustrating 'How Dialogue Education is Different' between traditional training, dialogue education, and informal approaches.

New Day - New Attitude

Amazing what a good night's sleep can do for the ol' troubleshooting skills. I woke up realizing I needed to take all the formatting out of the book analysis post and start over. I'd copied the analysis from a Word document into a Google doc. I attempted to do like Amy had posted in class about uploading the file; but that wasn't happening either (the world kept spinning.)

So first thing this AM I tried something different and republished. The post now appears to have fewer additional lines (??) - but they are still there; definitely not there in the Google doc. I'm to afraid to even look at the 'edit Html'. I'm having my coffee first! Whoa - just hit something on my left-side of the keyboard and a 'developer tools' screen came up in a new window. This learning curve just continues.

Key Discussion Point

Supposing and Proposing

Vella's last chapter of her book has a question which ties this journey together and one I'd like to pose to you:

Suppose you hadn't heard about or read Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach (and many of you haven't) and you need to plan a course for adult learners. What do you do?

I'm so tired of trying :-(

Much apologies on posting my 'book analysis' - the edit Html feature is scaring the you know what out of me! There is so much code and I can't seem to be able to delete the correct line to delete the extra lines??!! What I see in Google docs is not what publishes in blogger :-(

Abstract

As described in the course syllabus, this paper is a personal analysis of Jane Vella’s, 2002 book – Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach. Vella has much to say and share about the implications of incorporating her principles and practices of ‘dialogue education.’ As one who ascribes to a Dewey influenced, constructivist approach to education, Vella’s principles make logical sense to me. It’s an affirming and validating feeling to know I’m not alone in my views towards facilitating learning for adults (and self.) Vella presents her own real life examples to illustrate her principles and practices. They are just that – her own, I need to explore applying the principles and practices to my ‘world.’ This paper is a revisiting of many long-held beliefs I have engaged while wearing the ‘hat’ of teacher, trainer, manager, boss, etc. – (and mother, too.) Vella has provided me a reawakening and mindfulness of just how dynamic ‘dialogue education’ can be and adds another tool to my ever growing toolbox of learning strategies that fit and strengthen my educational philosophy.

 

Vella book analysis

Introduction

The purpose of this analysis is not to discuss Vella’s vast 30-plus years’ experience with ‘dialogue-education’; but to look closely at what she proposes as the framework to her acclaimed twelve principles. Vella’s life work as a community education and staff development educator is a good read in Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach (2002). You are certainly transported to the settings she uses as case studies to illustrate and explain her work; but it can certainly be difficult for some to identify and apply the principles and action to their own work as an educator. I’m seeking a ‘take-away’ from this book; I am the learner seeking to learn.
The true test is putting learning into practice. It is one thing to passively read and at times cognitively reflect; but it is the embodiment of Vella’s ideas into practice. Vella is very deliberate and structured in her delivery; which is somewhat a misnomer because the structure ultimately leads to flexibility within the learning event.

Twelve Principles

Vella presents twelve considerations when designing a learning event – they are known to be called ‘principles of dialogue education.’ For my own analysis, I will review and discuss those I needed a bit more understanding.

Needs Assessment: Vella states, “Doing an adequate needs assessment is both standard practice and a basic principle of adult learning …” (p. 5). The nugget I take away from this discussion is the WWW question: “Who needs what as defined by whom?” (Vella, p. 5).

Safety: Is much more than creating a physically safe environment, Vella on pages 10-11 offers five considerations to create a feeling of safety for the learners:

1. Trust in the competence of the design


2. Trust in the feasibility and relevance of the objectives


3. Allowing small groups to find their voices enhances the power of safety


4. Trust in the sequence of activities


5. Realization that the environment is nonjudgmental

Sound Relationships: Personally, this principal was initially very abstract; although establishing a connection between the educator and learner for enhanced learning is within my realm of understanding. I do like the way Vella succinctly describes on page 85, “…for learning involve respect, safety, open communication, listening, and humility.” Tall order – big dividend.

Sequencing and Reinforcement: Arrange the content from simple to complex and allow for reinforcement of the learning. Vella states, “The more competent the teaching (with sequence and reinforcement), the more capable [fill in the identifier]…” (pg. 232).

Praxis: Learning by doing and reflection. I’d never heard this word until Fall Semester 2008; now it’s emblazoned on my brain. Vella describes praxis as “a collage of efforts: psychomotor, cognitive, and affective” (p. 232). As Vella discusses on pg. 233, praxis is vital in the design of learning tasks, it’s a combination of inductive and deductive learning, and it’s when learners begin asking questions and thinking critically not just about the content but also about the process.

Respect for Learners: Recognize learners as subjects of their own learning. Vella makes two points that I take away from this discussion especially in my work with disadvantaged/low income populations:

1) “Healthy adults desire to be respected as subjects and resist being treated as objects” (pg. 129).

2) “showing … our respect for them as subjects or decision makers of their learning.” (pg. 233).

Ideas, Feelings, and Action: Incorporate the three domains of cognitive (ideas), affective (feelings) and psychomotor (actions) in the learning event.

Immediacy: Design the learning tasks to have immediate usefulness to the learner. In a perfect world this would be the ideal. But as an example of myself as the ‘learner’, I am not in a ‘situation’ to immediately apply my learning; but I am gathering tools and strategies.

Clear Roles: It could be Vella’s word choice – she uses varying descriptors in different sections of the book. I need a few additional ‘cues’. Vella does offer very good examples with this principle in practice, one being of Freire and what I describe as the ‘banking’ concept. Vella also states, “…stresses that the roles must be clear and ambiguity must be avoided” (pg. 237).

Teamwork: Involve all the learners by using small groups. Vella states on page 238, “when you invite learners to find their own voice and not listen to only yours, you invite a quantum leap in learning.”

Engagement: Involve the learner in the educational process. Vella states on page 238, “Without engagement there is no learning.” This is the linchpin for me, “In dialogue education we design programs based on a competent learning needs and resources assessment that is engaging.” (Vella, p. 238.) Points directly back to principal #1.

Accountability: A mutual principle – teachers teach what they say they will and learners do the work of learning. If #11 is the linchpin, #12 is the show stopper and Vella provides two excellent quotes to sum up: “Accountability is a synthesis principle—it is the result of using all the other principles (p. 25) and “Dialogue education is as accountable as the design of it.” (Vella, p. 239).

Conclusion

After this process of reading, reflecting, and determining my ‘take-away’ of these twelve seemingly logical principles – I’ve gained some additional strategies to my ‘educational’ toolbox. Though at this time I am not actively able to engage in the application of these twelve principles, this paper has provided me just one more piece to that on-going journey of reeducating Linda. I can envision a time in the near future when Vella’s framework of dialogue education will serve my career endeavors well.

References

Vella, J. (2002). Learning to Teach, Learning to Listen. Revised Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Google Docs - to Blog

This is the link for the HOW TO on publishing a Google Doc to your Blog ...

http://docs.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=37571 

Google Docs supports posting documents to most of the popular blog sites, as well as to any blog that supports the Blogger, metaWeblog or MovableType APIs.

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Vella book summary

Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach is Jane Vella's vehicle to demonstrate through application her belief that adults learn best when engaged in dialogue. She is not the first to pioneer this approach; but her book does clearly explain her thoughts and methods of applying twelve principles and practices of dialogue-based learning.  Vella’s book does not read like a textbook. Her personal multicultural work from all over the world serves as the backdrop to demonstrate the application of her twelve principles through a myriad of situations and settings. The reader is not only taken on a journey of near and faraway places; but also called to engage and analyze the principles along the way.

Vella is also a strong believer that strong design through her ‘seven steps of planning’ (Who, Why, When, Where, What, What For, and How) will enable the ‘teacher’ to determine:

• the needs and experience of the participants
  
• the learning objectives
  
• the topics and activities to meet the objectives
  
• the materials needed for a successful learning experience

This book demonstrates the power and value of dialogue over monologue and active over passive learning when it comes to educating adults. Vella is able to craft a strong case that supports a framework of strong design, coupled with principles for dialogue-based learning equals extraordinary outcomes for all.

What is Brief Book Summary?

I love it - why in the world can I not write a 'brief book summary'? Because nothing I ever do is brief! I liked the book - I want everyone to know everything about the book so they will like it too (or not, I can accept that too.)

I love that Leann has left this assignment open and not put confines around the requirements (well except to just get it done.) Jane Vella would be proud - I'm demonstrating the 'praxis' principle - learning by doing and reflection. What I'm now doing is also a principle in the book - ideas (cognitive, thinking), emotions (what I'm feeling) and actions (my typing.) Vella also believes in affirmation - so I affirm I will select one of my five or six varying length summaries and post tonight.

Zero-scaping

I know the 'blog' is for thoughts, reflections, summary, etc. on our BOOK choice - but hey, I'm different and this is still about 'class' discussion. I might actually become a 'blog native' before this class is over.

The below posts caught my attention because I love landscaping. I'm not a master landscaper, heck I can't even identify half the plantings in my yard; I just like them and that's good enough for me. I'm truly at peace when I'm out-of-doors, far from the city noise. As a city dweller, who at present is not venturing far, I make my own outdoor oasis.



Here's a cut/paste of the exchange - almost a comedy sketch:

Subject: Re:Greetings from Salida, Colorado
Topic: Week 1: Introductions
Date: June 21, 2009 2:47 PM
Wow! I need some xeriscape help - I need a flowering bush that doesn't need much water and that will grow up big enough to block the view to my neighbor's back yard - any suggestions? Lorrie
___________
Hi Lorrie, Depending on where you live, you might try a Butterfly Bush as they flower in different colors and attract butterflies and hummmers. Start out with larger, vibrantly healthy ones from a reputable nursery. I don't have great luck with Wal-Mart but have had success with a well attended Home Depot nursery. They grow "relatively" quickly and attain some good height. You could even make a privacy panel by planting 3-5 in a row and let their branches intermingle as they grow. Butterfly bushes have good spread and bushiness when mature and flowering. Only problem with any flowering bush used for privacy is that they're usually deciduous so
winter privacy is limited.Happy planting! : )Susan
___________
Lorrie: I do have one butterfly bush now but I didn't realize it could be okay with limited water. It sure has been happier with water!
___________
Susan: Many plants are happier with water but we do tend to overwater most yard elements, especially trees, and plants then have a hard time adjusting to reduced water schedules. Butterfly bushes are used often in water wise gardening. I've attached a pic from my Santa Fe strolling garden (translate: limited water) of a bb next to a croked birch. Soaker hoses and drip systems, organic soil amendments, right plant-right place, and mulching are all part of water wise gardening as well. As we always tell our learners right up front, xeriscape does not mean no watering! Best of luck. Search the CSU Extension website for more!
__________
Patrick: We did xeri in the back yard and you're right--it's not just a matter of plant and forget it (which was what I had been hoping for). We've been using the "survival of the fittest" method of selecting plants. We put in a bunch of plants each spring--if they survive they get to stay.

Susan: I know that method and subscribe too. No time for fussy botanicals anymore. : )

Patrick: Some plants are used to being coddled and have no coping skills.I have no use for them.

Tim: I take that one step further. I let the weeds grow. If they produce some semblance of color on the top, they have just become flowers.

Patrick: That still takes some of your attention that could be spent on other things,like twittering Larry King. My wife vetoed my "dream yard" idea. Imagine a big concrete slab over the entire back yard. I call it ZEROscaping. Maintanance free, and you can roller blade on it.

Tim: LOL!! Zeroscaping. That's clever. I'm all for it. Slowly getting there myself.

-------------
With only 168 hrs./week (shout out to Stacy), I've learned the art of when to be a master procrastinator and when to 'getter done.' Besides all work and no play makes Linda a very dull girl. But I literally had to look up 'zeroscaping' and by God, it is a term that is used - I've already bookmarked the two links below.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-zeroscaping.htm

http://www.learn2grow.com/problemsolvers/water/conservingwater/xeriscapingnotzero.aspx

Thanks to Lorri, Susan, Patrick, and Tim for the diversion - it was much needed.

Chapter 1 and Principle #1

I really need to check out Vella's 1995 book - she named 50 principles and practices that work to make dialogue education effective. Can you image attempting to remember 50??!! I'm just working on the 12 in this book!

First, Vella's basic assumption "is that adult learning is best achieved in dialogue. Dia means 'between,' logos means 'words.' Hence, dia + logue = 'the word between us.' (p. 3.). Vella further quotes from Knowles that "adults have enough life experiences to be in dialogue with any teacher about any subject and will learn new knowledge, attitudes, or skills best in relation to that life experience" (p. 3.)

Sticking with the 12 principles in this book - Vella states all are interconnected and intrinsically related to one another and you cannot exclude any of them. The first chapter briefly discusses each principle.

Principle 1: Needs Assessment. This is the WWW question: Who needs what as defined by whom? That short questions speaks volumes -- who (as needers), what (as needs), whom (as definers.) As Vella states "reveals the political issues involved in preparing a course for adult learners" (p. 5.) Vella also makes another statement that I like, "Remember that needs assessment does not form the course; it informs it" (p. 7.)

Applying quantum theory to a needs assessment may open a plethora of alternatives to capture this information. Vella is not short on offering ideas that have been used. One that caught my attention was contact with participants prior to the learning event. Now some of the naysayers might be saying, 'how the heck can you call every student?' - but I follow the path 'if there's a will; there's a way'. I just have to spend more time figuring out the way!

Learning Curve Continues

I'm so impressed with myself, I had to share :-). The last post included a 'blockquote'; but the end of the post wasn't suppose to have the 'block' and I couldn't figure out how to change it. Luckily for me I'm from the era of DOS prompt, Word Perfect and 'reveal codes'. I was able to edit the code in 'edit html' and problem solved in under 5 minutes.

Newtonian and Quantum Paradigms

Earlier in my 'research' I posted on June 6 that I was more mature and could decipher metaphors - well I was wrong. I truly represent Dewey and Constructivist Theory - I've got to build the foundation before I can critically reflect on the BOOK.

Since I never took Physics or even had a passing interest (that I know of); I had to go a searching (thank goodness for the Internet!)

This will be somewhat brief, but it provides me (and maybe you) with the background I need to explain what Vella is talking about when she compares dialogue education with quantum thinking - I'm actually taking this information from an article I found on-line, An Additional Way of Thinking About Organizational Life and Leadership: The Quantum Perspective.

This is where I wanted to insert a table; but couldn't figure it out - so I'll include the link below if you would like more information:

http://www.umanitoba.ca/publications/cjeap/articles/fris.html

My business and HR background seems to always draw me back to organizational thinking, I'm not one to look to the science world for explanation. The article quotes Zohar (Vella does too),

According to Zohar (1997, p.9) the two sets of general beliefs that are now driving theories and research contrast in the following fundamental ways:

[Dang, this is when I wish I had two monitors - or at least a really big monitor so I could easily read a split screen!]

Newtonian belief:
Absolute truth
Absolute perspective
Uniformity
Certainty
Simplicity

Quantum/complexity belief
Multiple possibilities
Contextualism
Pluralism, diversity
Uncertainty, ambiguity
Complexity

So visualize the two groups above in a table - I needed to know where Vella was starting from to fully understand where she was going - it's the context. Similar to what I had to do when writing the Dewey paper - I had to understand from what context Dewey was viewing. Now I can read and view the book from Vella's context.

Now the above is not an either/or - they are complementary - it's dependent on the situation.

Good Day for Blogging

To all those that wear the hat and have the role.

For me it's a good day for blogging - uncooperative weather for gardening, dust up of pollen, allergy-sinus - yep, a good day for blogging :-)

The Book - for real! Well sort of.

Now that you know I'm taking a circular approach to Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach, I'll update you on what I've been reading. It seems Vella has come up with a method for success in educating adult learners. This book contains 12 principles for effective adult learning. Remember in an earlier post I mentioned Vella had been introduced to quantum thinking and now she incorporates the two.

The book has three distinct parts - from the publisher's web site the book outline:

Part One: A Process That Works and Why.
1. Twelve Principles for Effective Adult Learning.
2. Quantum Thinking and Dialogue Education.
3. How the Principles Inform Course Design: Two Examples.

Part Two: The Principles in Practice: Across Cultures and Around the World.
4. Learning Needs and Resources Assessment: Taking the First Step in Dialogue.
5. Safety: Creating a Safe Environment for Learning.
6. Sound Relationships: Using the Power of Friendship.
7. Sequence and Reinforcement: Supporting Their Learning.
8. Praxis: Turning Practice into Action and Reflection.
9. Learners as Decision Makers: Harnessing the Power of Self Through Respect.
10. Learning with Ideas, Feelings, and Actions: Using the Whole Person.
11. Immediacy: Teaching What Is Really Useful to Learners.
12. Assuming New Roles for Dialogue: Embracing the Death of the Professor.
13. Teamwork: Celebrating Learning Together.
14. Engagement: Learning Actively.
15. Accountability: Knowing How They Know They Know.

Part Three: Becoming an Effective Teacher of Adults
16. Reviewing the Twelve Principles and Quantum Thinking.
17. How Do You Know You Know? Supposing and Proposing.

< http://www.josseybass.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0787959677,descCd-tableOfContents.html>

I'll admit I've read the Amazon reviews and other reviews of this book and though I can appreciate Vella's beliefs - I too got a bit tired of her 'rah rah', 'everything works out' writing style. I'll keep to the 12 principles (or may be not!)

The assignment

Eventually I'll get to the book; but my brain works in mysterious ways. This assignment is approached differently by each of us. My first AET class during Fall '08 required reading Dewey's Experience and Education and writing a reflection paper. I wrote a research paper because my brain was on overdrive with all the newness of the program. I had to take that long journey to connect the dots and I've been connecting dots ever since.

I already know about the book I'm reading - the newness has worn off. I specifically chose this book because of a connection I made last semester and my belief that all good learning takes 'DIALOGUE'; which doesn't necessarily mean 'yak, yak, yak'.

I'm very inquisitive by nature - and though I know about THIS book, my mind wonders to the history of Jane Vella - why this approach of dialogue education. I'll revisit and go back to THIS book.

Foreword and Preface

I know - many don't read the Foreword; but I do :-). As the book title implies, this is a 2nd edition. The first edition was published in 1994. Vella wrote a revised edition in 2002 to share what she has learned since the first edition (that all make sense?) The 2nd edition includes the 1994 Foreword from Malcolm Knowles; which is a good starting point and considering Knowles died in 1997, he couldn't write a revised Foreword anyway.

The revised edition has a Preface written by Vella - quite lengthy at 13 pages. But in the Preface Vella describes what prompted her to write a revised edition - quantum thinking. I don't know if you are having the same feelings as me; but 'quantum' sounds like SCIENCE. Science is a subject (along with Math), I try really hard to stay away from.

But I'm more mature and can face my fear and it helps greatly that Vella writes in an easy to read style. Vella references two books that sparked her interest: Danah Zohar's Rewiring the Corporate Brain (1997) and Margaret Wheatley's Leadership and the New Science (1999). Vella made a connection between the authors' research of physics, psychology, and organizational behavior and her own research on learning. Vella writes that Zohar "describes quantum thinking as a new-paradigm thinking: holistic, integrated, spiritual, energetic" (xi).

Vella also discusses in the Preface What is Old, What is Special, the intended audience (anyone in an educational setting), the potential of the book (growth as an educator), the approach (both deductive and inductive), an overview of the contents, and ends with acknowledgements.

Word Verification

Is it just me, mature eyes and all, that sometimes I can't decipher the 'word verification' to post??!!?

The Author

Bio on the back cover of the book - picture from GLP website:

Jane Vella is the founder of Global Learning Partners, Inc., and is former adjunct professor at the School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She has designed and led community education and staff development programs in more than forty countries around the world. She is currently retired and living in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she continues her research on adult learning.

The Book

Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach: The Power of Dialogue in Educating Adults

Jane Vella June 2002 Jossey-Bass ISBN 0-7879-5967-7

In this updated version of her landmark book Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach, celebrated adult educator Jane Vella revisits her twelve principles of dialogue education with a new theoretical perspective gleaned from the discipline of quantum physics. Vella sees the path to learning as a holistic, integrated, spiritual, and energetic process. She uses engaging, personal stories of her work in a variety of adult learning settings, in different countries and with different educational purposes, to show readers how to utilize the twelve principles in their own practice with any type of adult learner, anywhere.

<http://www.globalearning.com/book_LTLLTT.htm>

Choices, Choices, Choices - The Winner is

This hasn't been an easy week and the semester hasn't even started :-(

After much deliberation - I thought I was ready with my book choice (drum roll please): The Tao of Teaching by Greta Nagel. I seem to be on a zen - ageless wisdom track. I seem to have gotten better at figuring out metaphors or have I just stopped overanalyzing and followed my gut reaction?

Fortunately as an AET student entering my third semester, I really do know that Leann is reasonable. When she states in the course syllabus, "Select a book from the list below, or if you have a recommendation based on your area of interest you can submit the title and a brief abstract to the instructor for approval." she really means it :-).

My prior coursework to date has highlighted the importance of dialogue in the exchange between teacher and learner. I've skirted around the idea; but have not delved deeply into the realm of dialogue and its implications on learning. I'd begun a book by Jane Vella that was on a reading list from last semester. As with similar earlier blog posts - it was added to my 'will read later' list. Later is now - and with Leann's permission I will be using Learning to Listen Learning to Teach as my book selection.

As the syllabus states, "Your written analysis of the book should discuss the relationship between the book content and adult education. The requirements for the analysis are purposely open-ended in order to allow you to think and write about an area that is the most useful for your own situation." My own situation to further my understanding and application is delving deeper into 'the power of dialogue in educating adults'.

Pick a book already!

I've spent the week gathering information on the book selections; what I have left:

Feminist perspectives with . . .

In a Different Voice by Carol Gilligan
Woman’s Ways of Knowing by Belenky, Clinchy, Goldgerger & Tarule

I'm familiar with both books from prior coursework and recommendations; but is this the time/place for either book to further my own learning?

The others . . .

Ethical Issues in Adult Education by Ralph Brockett

I’m very familiar with Brockett as an adult education textbook author/editor. I’ve had a very difficult time finding any real information on this book. From Amazon it has been cited in 19 books (that must be a good thing – right?).

What Amazon provides:
· Paperback: 224 pages
· Publisher: Teachers College Pr (April 1988)
· Language: English
· ISBN-10: 0807729094
· ISBN-13: 978-0807729090

Since I'm always a believer in ethics - this one will need to be added to future reading.
_______

Honky by Dalton Conley and The Education of Hyman Kaplan by Leonard Q. Ross.

First impression – autobiographical . . . how close am I to that first impression?

Google search of Honky – I should have placed a big bet :-).

I like Random House’s description the best

http://www.randomhouse.com/%20catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780375727757&view=rg

I’ll need to revisit this book … looks like a very good read.





The Education of Hyman Kaplan by Leonard Q. Ross – maybe I ought not be a betting person – this is a work of fiction by Leo Rosten who used the pseudonym Leonard Q. Ross. Wikipedia and other sources provided necessary background info for this book.

The Jewish Book Center provided the following book description:
Hyman Kaplan, the irrepressible student with ostentatious pride at the American Night Preparatory School for Adults, has captivated readers ever since he first appeared in the pages of the New Yorker. Few immigrants have prepared themselves for the responsibility of citizenship with such high spirits as Kaplan, unrestrained by the pedantic guidance of Mr. Parkhill, who suffers as his student skews the English language with a zany logic all his own. His original treatment of speech recitation and composition irritates his classmates and tempts his teacher to promote and be rid of him prematurely, but in this compassionate classroom of misadventures, Hyman Kaplan is unmistakably at its heart.
http://www.jewishbookcenter.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=437

Another good read for another time.

Learning curve continues

Seems I have way too many gmail accounts and I must remember (i.e., write down) which one I am using for this blog and class assignment! Sorry Sarah - I need to go back and unfollow your blog on the gmail account I'm not using for this class!

Anyone who is interested in program design and needs a true guinea pig, I volunteer my uneducative stumbling, tripping about in this medium :-)

"The Learning College for the 21st Century "

Terry O’Banion: An Idea Champion Directs Walden’s Community College Leadership Program

“Community colleges are America’s affordable colleges in everyone’s backyard,” says Terry O’Banion, director of Walden’s Community College Leadership program and former president of the League for Innovation in the Community College. “They provide a second chance for students who never dreamed of attending college, and they require strong leaders who can help students navigate through the social and economic challenges of the 21st century.”

May 2008

<http://impacteducation.waldenu.edu/25067_25121.htm>

Since O'Banion's book was published in the late 90's - I wanted to find something a bit more recent. There are a lot of web sites with a diverse mix of information/application on O'Banion's work with community college administration/curriculum - “The KAM (Knowledge Area Module) framework is an innovative model of learning-centered education."

"Mentor"

Google Laurent A. Daloz and a mix of hits come up. I'm very impressed with his quote, "Mentors give us the magic that allows us to enter the darkness; a talisman to protect us from evil spells, a gem of wise advice, a map and sometimes simply courage." – Laurent Daloz, author & educator; which is on the Marylhurst University Alumni Mentor Program page <http://www.marylhurst.edu/careerservices/mentor.php>

Not sure if he is still an adjunct professor at the Teachers College - Columbia University; but I like his scholarly interests posted on the website:

Adult Development
Transformative Learning - especially in relation to formaton (sp) of commitment to the common good, bioregional citizenship, and the leadership of emergence.

<http://www.tc.columbia.edu/faculty/index.htm?facid=lad2003>

Checking another site for a book review - Daloz is an associate director and faculty member at the Whidbey Institute, a learning center on Whidbey Island, Washington. My home state :-). This site - wiley.com's (owns Jossey-Bass textbook publisher) description:

Revised and updated from the award-winning classic Effective Teaching and Mentoring, this second edition is a practical, engaging exploration of mentoring and its power to transform learning. Filled with inspiring vignettes, Mentor shows how anyone who teaches can become a successful mentor.

"Nowhere else are learning, development, and mentoring so vividly and engagingly written about than in Daloz's book. . . . Already a classic in the field, this second edition updates us all on the awesome power and responsibility inherent in the mentor's role."--Sharan B. Merriam, professor, Department of Adult Education, University of Georgia

"Essential reading.... This book will help more of us grow into one of the most life-giving relationships we can have with another person, one that will bring deep fulfillment to our own souls. Daloz has given a great gift to all who teach and learn."--Parker J. Palmer, author of The Courage to Teach

http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0787940720,descCd-description.html

Two heavy-hitter adult ed authors. Two down - eight more to go . . .

"From Telling to Teaching"

A bit of research will be necessary for this book - I've not heard of it or the author.

First hit from Google is National Conference for Catechetical Leadership <http://www.nccl.org/mc/page.do?sitePageId=70664&orgId=nccl>

First, what the heck is Catechetical?!?!? Checking Merriam-Webster Online - it's 'oral instruction'. I've learned something new. The web page above is for Resources that Touch on Ideas for Facilitating Groups and Various Creative Methods within the Adult Faith Formation Setting. Quite a lengthy list with quite a few authors I recognize - no specific info on Norris' book except: Norris, Joyce A. From Telling to Teaching: A Dialogue Approach to Adult Learning. Learning by Dialogue, 2003. Need to remember this - may be along the lines of Jane Vella.

A bit further down on the Google search . . .

http://www.learningbydialogue.com/book.htm looks promising . Sure is - I hit the jackpot. "Learning By Dialogue was created by educator and trainer Dr. Joye Norris" and she studied with Dr. Jane Vella :-).

I may need to save this one for another time since I'm currently reading Vella's Learning to Listen Learning to Teach.

Sweet Smell of Success

A graduate level class I will be taking this summer semester requires creating a 'book blog.' My learning curve is somewhat wide - so I'm starting early. Special thanks to my husband and daughter for possible blog titles. It appears I lead a very boring life - nothing jumped or screamed PERFECT, totally fits you. Oh well - in time.

My book options are:

From Telling to Teaching, by Joyce A. Norris
Mentor, by Laurent Daloz
The Learning College for the 21st Century by O’Banion
In a Different Voice by Carol Gilligan
Woman’s Ways of Knowing by Belenky, Clinchy, Goldgerger & Tarule
The Tao of Teaching by Greta Nagel
Ethical Issues in Adult Education by Ralph Brockett
Honky by Dalton Conley
The Education of Hyman Kaplan by Leonard Q. Ross

I'm familiar with three of the books from prior coursework ... so a bit of research will be necessary to narrow down my book selection.