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.
Showing posts with label book choice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book choice. Show all posts
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
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!
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!
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),
Now the above is not an either/or - they are complementary - it's dependent on the situation.
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),
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.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
Now the above is not an either/or - they are complementary - it's dependent on the situation.
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.
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.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, June 15, 2009
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.
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
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.
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.Friday, June 12, 2009
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'.
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'.
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