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.