3. Question 1
What
do you like about teaching adult
learners?
She responded by saying it is always
engaging. She thinks of her students as
colleagues instead of the teacher-student
relationship and loves the experience adult
students bring to the class.
4. Question 2
What are the challenges you face in your
job?
This instructor feels that an exciting challenge is
keeping up with all the new technology as it
relates to learning and determining what is shiny
and new from what is actually useful for the
learning environment.
All her students strive to balance work, family
and school and weave that into a six week class
format which makes it challenging.
5. Question 3
What differences do you see in the way
adults learn, compared to how younger
students in the 18-22 age group learn?
The instructor stated that the younger group’s
experiences are not as rich so they do not draw
from as many perspectives. Additionally she
has noticed that the younger age group is used
to a lot of technology and are exposed to such
abbreviated grammar that it is challenging for
them to adjust to writing and communicating at
the colleges level, for example using APA
format.
6. Question 4
What
have you learned in your position as
a teacher of adult learners?
Never take anything for granted was her
first response.
She has learned to become a stronger
facilitator than teacher.
She also has learned to have a presence in
the class that is not intrusive but supportive.
7. Question 5
Do
you feel there are teaching methods
that work better than others when it
comes to teaching adults?
The instructor did not feel there were any
methods that worked better than others,
stating that each student is individualized in
their learning and no one method was
influential in the way she teaches.
8. Question 6
What advice do you have for someone starting out?
Know there are many ways of teaching inside an
organization –learning is comprehensive and just doesn’t
occur in the classroom.
She further explains that most learning occurs outside the
classroom and gave examples of tutoring, faculty
interactions, and student groups as other places for
learning
“Learning can occur in 100 different spaces and it’s wonderful
to know all these opportunities for learning exist”
She also advises not to be afraid to try anything new.
“Think of the world as your opportunity –not just the
educational institution.”
9. Summary
This interview reinforced what a rich and
rewarding, but challenging job it can be
educating adults. I can see evidence of
Knowles assumptions on andragogy at work.
For example, part of what the instructor loves
about teaching adults is the experience they
bring to the class and Knowles says adults use
their experiences as a valuable resource in
learning. We are learning that adult learners
are unique in they way they learn and how
they should be taught and this is even more
clear after doing this interview.
