April Monthly Summary

This month has been busy for not just for our group, but everyone else as well! This is clear when looking at all of the other group projects, and weekly discussions that could be read and that does not even count the work for other courses that needs to be completed. This month our group worked on the final project demonstration that was due on April 18^th, and are separately finishing up our reflection papers. For the project demonstration we initially had some difficulty trying to figure out the overall layout and flow of the paper, as well as who would be completing what.

Amanda suggested that we break the paper/project up into the questions that we need to address in the syllabus, that way the paper would not exceed its page limit. Amanda addressed the first point which was “Summarize what you have done in assignments 1-4”, Lyndsey answered the question “Based on what you have learned from assignments 2-4, in your own words tell us what you have learned about adult education in comparison with assignment 1” and Dan answered the question “What is your image of adult education in the future and how can we make adult education visible and important in the future”. Once everyone had completed their question, we each made a few PowerPoint slides to correspond with our section, which were later combined into the presentation on our blog. Dan also provided to voice recording to enhance the presentation.

Overall we each learned a lot of valuable information that will aid us in any communication situations (either teaching or discussions) with other adults. How each of us was able to incorporate what we have learned from this course into our current work or education fields will be provided in our individual r4eflection papers. Thank you so much for all of the hard work each group has put in!

Group 1 Project Demonstration

Project Demonstration Paper

Lyndsey Hildenbrand commented on Group Blogs 2 and 4
Amanda Campbell commented on Group Blogs 3, 4 , & 5
Dan Royer commented on Group Blogs 2 and 4

Summarize What Have You Done In Assignments 1-4

Through our investigation and exploration into educators, programs, and organizations involved in adult education, we have evolved.  Our first assignment, after submitting our personal stories, focused on leading adult educators.  We focused our attention on Booker T Washington, Paulo Freire, B.F. Skinner, and John Watson.  B.F. Skinner and John Watson were both part of the Behaviorist perspective.  Their backgrounds in conditioning responses were of interest in regards to their current use in the field of audiology, which Amanda and Lyndsey will be working within in two short years.  Both Skinner and Watson believed human behavior is affected by the environment or external forces, and that this motivation could be used to condition humans to respond in specific ways.  Booker T Washington and Paulo Freire both worked to educate minorities.  Washington worked for African American education post-slavery, while Freire focused on illiteracy in Brazil.  All four of these adult educators have worked to build a foundation for both educating and interacting with others and understanding their actions.

After investigating influential adult educators which have made an impact on our present education system, we turned our attention to investigating two adult education programs.  Due to the specific area which two of our members are pursuing, the programs we focused on were audiology related-- a Hearing Health Fair at Irvington Methodist Church in Indianapolis and the Indiana Speech Language Hearing Association (ISHA).  The Hearing Health Fair is an opportunity to teach church members about hearing loss, testing, and treatment (hearing aids).  On the other hand, ISHA is an educational opportunity for audiology clinicians to help and promote best practices in the field of audiology (as well as speech pathology). 

We continued our investigation in adult education by looking into information regarding two adult education organizations: The Highlander Folk School and UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization).  Both of these organizations work to provide education to underprivileged or minorities.  The Highlander Folk school, founded in 1932, helped provide education and training to adult in poverty.  Their influence was not only in the education of poverty-stricken adults, but also helped push the Civil Rights movement and promote desegregation.  UNESCO, founded in 1946, focused on building peace and eradicating poverty by educating underprivileged adults.  These two organizations have helped to promote the idea that all have the right to education—any age, race, gender, and socioeconomic status.  

Based on Assignments 2-4: What Have you Learned About Adult Education

            Each of the individual papers written allowed our group to learn about the many facets of adult education. The previous paragraph provided information on what we did as a group, to complete the assigned papers. However by reading all of the information on adult education groups, leaders and programs one important concept about adult education was made abundantly clear. This message is that adult education is a broad field that participates in many roles to provide opportunities for both learners and the communities they live in. Our group was also able to learn about the historical transition of the field of adult education, which shapes the future of the field as well.

            First by learning about the multitude of adult educators we were able to get a sense of fundamental principles of the field. The teachings and other works of these adult educators laid the template in adult education by providing the different styles in which adults learn. By illustrating these learning styles, courses could thus be tailored to adults.  Next, by reading information on unique adult education programs, our group was able to see the different atmospheres that adult education occurs in, as well as the diverse subjects presented. Our group focused on three different programs, but the one thing they had in common is that they used group approaches to facilitate learning. Finally the “important adult education organizations” paper highlighted an important aspect about adult education, which is its impact globally.

            Before completing our assignments, some of our views on adult education were very limited and based on the definition given by Merriam and Brockett, which is “activities designed for the purpose of bringing about learning among those who are defined as adults (Merriam & Brockett, p. 8, 2007). However assignments 2 through 4 have broadened our definition to encompass more information and have taught us the degree of global impact that the field of adult education has.  Thus adult education can teach anything from work-related skills to skills learned for recreation.

Image of Adult Education In the Future

The one thing that has remained true about the world in the 21st century is that it continues to change.  The role of adult education will remain important and central in this rapidly changing world.  The need for adults to be educated and trained will not subside, in fact it is anticipated that it will accelerate as greater levels of technical expertise will be needed to perform high demand jobs.  In addition to this there is a dramatic demographic change underway in the U.S.  At one time, a dominant white western European worldview was dominant, and assumed to be the cultural norm.  As time passes, the demographics are changing and in significant ways.  The growth of non-European cultural groups is outpacing those groups who have made up the dominant culture in the past.  As these groups grow and become more visible and prominent, a change in outlook must take place.  This change will be visible in the move toward the acceptance of a truly multicultural society.  In the past, the individual groups were expected to change and conform to the values of the larger and more dominant group.  However, as time moves forward this conformity will not be the case.  Therefore, it means that the central tenet of adult education must be to treat all students from diverse backgrounds with a proper level of respect.

This future image of adult education should include a highly developed sense of professionalism about the way we practice the education of adults, however, practitioners must avoid the elitism that often accompanies professionalization.  Professionalism requires those who teach do so while adhering to the highest possible ethical standards, while seeking to advance the understanding of adult learners.

Above all else adult education must be flexible to meet the adult learners’ needs it proposes to serve.  This means that adult education will need to be able to function in an on-line environment as well as in an in-seat environment.   It will also need to be able to meet the changing needs of the workplace and provide skills to adult learners.  These skills must have practical application and be useful for adult learners.  This can vary from the needs of an adult learner who desires to learn about ways in which to improve their social standing (Highlander Folk School) or ways in which they can help others find practical ways to apply their education to find a better life (Booker T. Washington).

In the future, the voice of the minority will gradually become the voice of consensus when those living within the majority culture share a perspective of respect and multiculturalism.  This new worldview will treat people with respect without considering ethnic backgrounds or being concerned with the outdated dominant cultural view, working to overturn the oppressive relationship with those outside of traditional boundaries.  Adult education becomes powerful because it will empower those who are least powerful in our current culture.  In other words adult education is important because it does not maintain the status quo, but it advances the needs of the weakest members of society.

References

Merriam, S., & Brocker, R. (2007). The profession and practice of adult                             

education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Adult Education Organizations

Lyndsey Hildenbrand commented on Blogs 4 and 5

Dan W. Royer

Lyndsey Hildenbrand

Amanda Campbell

Ball State University

            Adult education has become the focus of many programs in society. However, it’s not simply programs that have taken an interest in this important group, entire organizations have made their purpose and goal to educate adults.  The Highlander Folk School and UNESCO (The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization) are two such organizations.  These two organizations, which will be discussed at length, both focus on underserved populations, which may have otherwise been overlooked.  The Highlander Folk School and UNESCO have worked to provide educational opportunities for these diverse and underserved groups so that they may use education to advance their lives and the lives of those in their community.  

“The Highlander Folk School”

Background

The Highlander Folk School was established in 1932 by Myles Horton and Septima Clark.  The establishment of the Highlander Folk School came about during the Great Depression.  In its origination, the school was not established with the idea of bringing about interracial cooperation, but rather to deal with the unemployment and hopelessness brought about by the Depression (Hughes, 1985).  According to Hughes, “Highlander was a school for problems.  It taught people how to organize under the Wagner Act, how to get government relief under the New Deal Program, how to better use what they had and how to help one another” (1985, p. 244).

Myles Horton was a white male from Tennessee who studied at Union Theological Seminary and the University of Chicago. When he traveled to Denmark to study their folk schools, he was looking for elements he could bring back to apply in the Appalachian Highlands (Hughes, 1985).  Septima Clark was a black female who was from South Carolina and who had been a long time teacher, also worked with the NAACP prior to her work with the Highland School.

At the conclusion of World War II and prior to the 1948 Presidential Election, the Democratic Party adopted a series of stances based on findings from the Truman Commission.  Based on these positions, President Truman pressed for a national civil rights agenda which included making certain crimes violation of federal law.  Included in this agenda was a plan to make the lynching of African Americans in the south a violation of federal civil rights, because local law enforcement often looked the other way in cases of racially motivated crime.  This agenda was opposed by many of the southern conservative democrats, including future President Lyndon Johnson (Congress, 1948).  Based on Truman’s electoral victory, the agenda survived and a new focus was established to press for desegregation and integration.

Work began at the Highlander School in anticipation of the Supreme Court decision in the Brown v. Board of Education case which struck down the previous practice of racially segregated schools.  The Highlander school went to work training leaders, both black and white, in ways to implement the court’s decision between 1953 and 1957.  The change in emphasis which the Highlander school brought was an insistence that blacks would lead the struggle against social injustice and avoid placing reliance solely on white liberals who might not truly be engaged in the cause (Hughes, 1985).

The work of the Highlander School included assisting minority students to prepare for and successfully pass voting tests and register as citizens.  This forerunner of the Citizens Schools brought the school under increased scrutiny from the authorities in Tennessee, at which point the work of these schools were turned over to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) (Hughes, 1985).

The school’s nonprofit charter was revoked and the land was seized in 1959 based on charges and allegations which appeared as the result of the school ignoring the state’s segregationist laws, as well as its early involvement in the civil rights movement.  In 1961 a new charter was formed and the school relocated, additionally, the nonprofit was granted tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service (MacLean, 1966).

Roles and Responsibilities

The role of the Highlander Folk School originated with them providing economic relief and hope to a group of people who were forgotten and overlooked in the southern culture of that day.  In this initial role of educating workers was emphasized along with connecting them to the resources available for them.  Additionally, with the advancement of civil rights issues to the forefront of the national stage, the school began hosting workshops focusing on desegregation, along with collegiate workshops which annually addressed many of the issues involved in doing away with racial discrimination (Hughes, 1985). 

The school also hosted a workshop which helped the students and activists opposed to racial segregation solidify their thoughts and philosophies when they coalesced around a nonviolent approach to promoting cultural changes.  The choice of using a nonviolent approach meant that when violence was used against the demonstrators, they would choose a nonviolent approach based on a chosen moral principle.  Hughes (1985) quotes John Lewis who said, “If we are going to use a moral principle I think the issue should remain a moral issue . . . to carry love and nonviolence to extreme, it means going to jail and staying in jail and refusing to pay the fine (p. 247).  Hughes (1985) also quotes James Bevel who argued on the grounds of faith, “But wherein a person submits himself as Christ did, you see, and say whatever happens to one just let it happen.  And of course, the idea is that the man who is perpetuating the evil will eventually begin to rethink the situation (p. 247).”

In addition to the issues of desegregation and integration, the Highlander School addressed the question of the role of Southern whites in this movement.  These workshops were led by Septima Clark at the Highland Folk School and concluded that white southerners should become an active part of the movement.  They should, according to these workshops, focus their efforts on building positive relationships with their black participants to build and establish trust.

Impact

To discuss the impact of the Highlander School, it is necessary to reflect on the contributions of Myles Horton, and one particular quote in a memorial dedicated to Horton on his passing.  In Susan O’Malley’s (1991) memorial, she quotes John Lewis who said the Highlander experience “was one of the few places in the South where blacks and whites could come together in an open and free atmosphere and learn.  I’m not so sure we would have had a Southwide movement of voter registration or of nonviolence if it had not been for Highlander (p. 49).”

Additionally, MacLean (1966) quotes Rosa Parks as saying, “Without education and without being able to vote I tried to be a good citizen.  I did attend a workshop at the Highlander School, and I want to tell you that the only reason I don’t hate every white man alive is Highlander and Myles Horton (p. 487).”

These are very powerful statements when given the nature of racial segregation for the decades which this work covers.  Not only was there an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding at the Highlander school, but there was also an underpinning principle of facing down the violence against blacks in the south through nonviolent and peaceful protest.  This civil disobedience was promoted by the teachings of the Highlander school.  Its impact can be witnessed in the ways which civil rights were acknowledged and established legally with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the follow up Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Implications

The Highlander School illustrates the importance of understanding people who are different from our own experience.  It illustrates the power when people treat each other with respect and dignity.  It also illustrates the power in nonviolent protest.  This means that these approaches can transform the culture in which we live.  Through adult education we can promote nonviolent transformation of the social order into a more just and fair society.

“UNESCO”

Background

The second adult education group that we would like to discuss is the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization or more familiarly referred to as UNESCO. UNESCO was founded following World War II in order to reconstruct the educational systems in Europe, once peace was obtained. These countries originally met at the Conference of Allied Ministers of Education during wartime and created the educational and cultural organization on November 16, 1945. This eventually led to the establishment of UNESCO on November 4, 1946. The original founders of UNESCO were Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, France, Greece, India, Lebanon, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States. As a result of other wars and social issues, countries such as Germany and Spain later joined. UNESCO has many notable milestones that they have met since the UNESCO constitution was first signed into effect on November 1946. A few of these milestones are; Recommending that member states make free primary education compulsory and universal in 1948”, in 1990 The World Conference on Education for All launched a global movement to provide basic education for all children youth and adults, and in 1998 UNESCO developed and adopted the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights. The goal of UNESCO is to “achieve global visions of sustainable development encompassing observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty by creating conditions for dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values” and the mission of UNESCO is to “contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information” (“Unesco: Building peace,”).

Roles and Responsibilities

            The organization focuses on five main issues, which are education, natural sciences, societal and human sciences, communication and information, and culture. They focus on these objectives to attain quality education and lifelong learning for everyone, mobilize a knowledge of science for sustainable development, address social and ethical challenges, foster cultural diversity, and build inclusive knowledge societies. By focusing on these areas UNESCO can facilitate the development and promotion of adult education by serving others.  According to our class text UNESCO has had a lot of impact on adult education through supporting four international conferences on adult education and has also focused some of the organizations attention on nonformal education for international understanding, retraining, and continuing education (Merriam & Brocker, p.180, 2007).  UNESCO promotes lifelong learning by trying to constantly reconstruct and further the educational system by extending the process throughout life and by teaching skills and knowledge through various facets and allowing learners to better themselves and fully develop their potential (Merriam & Brocker, p.13, 2007). A book was produced by the organization to explain their visions in adult education from 1946-2005 explaining that adult education attempts to prepare individuals so they can perform multiple roles and functions both in their community as well as the international community, with the appreciation of cultural values. The text also points out that adult education also favors the progress of UNESCO, which shows that the development of both are intertwined and that UNESCO has a large role in adult education (Sebastian 2006, p. 120).

Impact

            UNESCO is involved with Leading Education for All via global coordination to promote and reach education-related goals. For example, the international community has pledged to achieve Education for All by 2015 by reaching six goals. These goals are to expand early childhood care and education, ensure that all children can access free primary education, increase access to learning and life skills programs for youth and adults, improve literacy rates by 50%, eliminated gender disparities in education, and improve all aspects of education quality. UNESCO is working to achieve these six goals through political routes as well as the efforts of stakeholders. The steps the organization has taken include assisting countries in formulating and implementing educational policies, directing attention to underdeveloped countries in need that contain more than two-thirds of illiterate adults and 40% of children not in school, targeting AIDS and HIV through education, and encouraging special measures to provide education in situations of conflict or emergency. UNESCO is also developing best practices, manuals and teacher training packages for adult education, supporting the development of technical and vocational education and training programs for work-ready adults, creating quality standards on the recognition of qualifications in higher education, and brokering partnerships between private and non-government bodies. Although UNESCO promotes education for all (adults and children), by targeting the child population they create a greater interest in adult education.

UNESCO is also the lead agency for the UN Literacy Decade and the UN Decade for Sustainable Development. The UN Literacy Decade creates awareness for literacy to improve the literacy programs that are currently offered, so that the number of illiterate adult and children is reduced. The UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development helps pursue sustainable development. In 127 countries UNESCO was able to create facilities for research, training and international cooperation for adult education. These laboratories develop programs to promote quality education. Today UNESO has a total of eight institutions or networks that are focused on specialized education, and how to better it.

Implications

            UNESCO was originally founded to create a balanced education system, for a new emerging world, during chaotic and trying times. Over time the organization has highlighted the importance of offering free and equal education to both children and adults to maintain peace. This education covers a span of cultural relationships, scientific knowledge, and environmental sustainability. UNESCO has also had a large role in creating and developing best practices, manuals, teacher educations and research on all aspects of education, for both children and adults.

As has been discussed, The Highlander Folk School and UNESCO both have worked to advance the lives of those in underserved populations.  Their efforts have not only changed the lives of those involved, but the effects can be seen worldwide in the interpersonal relations between cultural groups, educator best practices, manuals, along with educational research.  The two organizations have proven to be exemplary examples in regards to their success in working to change the world, one adult at a time.  

Highlander Folk School

Area	Highlander Folk School
Year it was founded	1932
Missions and Goals	Provide education for adults trapped in poverty which would help them to connect with resources available to them and provide them with the skills to become voting citizens
Roles and Responsibilities	Teaching and training workers who were disadvantaged in the midst of the great depression, eventually focusing on desegregation and civil rights education in the South
Impact	Can be seen in the way the Civil Rights Movement followed a path of nonviolent protest and civil disobedience.  Can also be seen in the way the individuals could identify with the founder Myles Horton (a white man)
Other Important Information	A lasting impact through Civil Rights Legislation and equal treatment under the law.  An end to states discretionary disobedience of constitutional amendments granting equal treatment.

UNESCO: United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization

Year it was founded	1946
Missions and Goals	contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information
Roles and Responsibilities	focuses on five main issues, which are education, natural sciences, societal and human sciences, communication and information, and culture. They focus on these objectives to attain quality education and lifelong learning for everyone, mobilize a knowledge of science for sustainable development, address social and ethical challenges, foster cultural diversity, and build inclusive knowledge societies.
Impact	assisting countries in formulating and implementing educational policies, directing attention to underdeveloped countries in need, targeting AIDS and HIV through education, and encouraging special measures to provide education in situations of conflict or emergency. Developing best practices, manuals and teacher training packages for adult education, supporting the development of programs for work-ready adults, and creating quality standards on the recognition of qualifications in higher education.
Other Important Information	Implications: Creating the provision of equal and free education for adults and children.

References

Congress, U.S. (1948).  The outlook for 1949.  Congressional Digest, 27, (12), 291-292.

Hughes, C.A. (1985). A new agenda for the south:  the role and influence of the highlander folk

school 1953-1961. Phylon, 46, (3), 242-250.

MacLean, K.T. (1966).  Origins of the southern civil rights movement: myles horton and the

highlander folk school. Phi Delta Kappa International 47,(6), 487-489.

Merriam, S., & Brocker, R. (2007). The profession and practice of adult                             

education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

O’Malley, S. (1991).  In memoriam for myles Horton.  Radical Teacher 40, 49.

Sebastian. (2006). What is adult education? unesco answers. (1st ed.). UNESCO Training

Centre-Florida Eskola. Retrieved from

http://uil.unesco.org/fileadmin/keydocuments/AdultEducation/Confintea/en/WhatIsAdultEducationUNESCOAnswers.pdf

Unesco: Building peace in the minds of men and women. (updated in 2012). Retrieved from

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/

March Monthly Summary

Lyndsey Hildenbrand commented on Groups 2 and 3
Dan Royer commented on Group 3 and Group 5 

At the beginning of this month our group started out collaborating on our ‘Unique Adult Education Programs”. Instead of writing about only two specific programs each member of our group decided to write about their own personal experiences or programs of interest. Dan’s experience was with the Peat Marwick Facilitation Training and the purpose was to prepare and equip leaders to facilitate workgroups as a part of a total quality environment initiative and it helped individuals to become group facilitators. Lyndsey discussed a program that she is holding at the church she attends. The purpose was to instruct about the difficulties faced with hearing loss and ways to learn better communication strategies. The main implication of the class is to empower individuals with hearing loss, so they can crate better communication environments. Amanda discussed ISHA and the purpose of ISHA is to promote best practices in the fields of audiology and speech pathology and to provide the most up to date information for professionals.

The assignment for this week is to write about at least two adult education organizations. Our group has been discussing the various roles that each group member will be taking during this project. Instead of each of us individually writing about our own group or personal experience (like the previous assignment), we decided to designate two group members to write about adult education organizations and the third member to compile the paper. Lyndsey and Dan are going to write about the two organizations. Dan is going to write about the highlander movement while Lyndsey is going to write about UNESCO. Amanda is going to compile the overall paper. As a whole our group was interested in discussing organizations that serve others, and more specifically the underserved. We look forward to reading all of the other groups plans for this month.

Unique Adult Education Programs

Dan Royer commented on blogs 2 and 5
Lyndsey Hildenbrand commented on blogs 2 and 5

Unique Adult Education Programs

Dan W. Royer

Amanda Campbell

Lyndsey Hildenbrand

Ball State University

Introduction

Our experience with adult education stems from varying backgrounds. However this in essence is what the concept of adult education encompasses. Adult education is defined as “activities intentionally designed for the purpose of bringing about learning among those whose age, social roles, or self-perception define them as adults” (Merriam & Brocker, 2007).  Through the readings assigned in class it is evident that adult education can take on many shapes and sizes whether that be the purpose, content, or structure that it pursues. Adult education can facilitate social growth and personal relationships, empower individuals to live better lives, or help facilitate community growth. The reasons above briefly touch on the reasons why each of our experiences with adult education is unique and different. The following accounts for the different forms of adult education that we are or have been involved with.

Dan Royer’s Personal Story

My career working at Blue Cross of Illinois introduced me to the world of continuing professional education.  This consisted of a number of different training classes and assignments.  The most unique program in this setting was a one day training seminar at the CPA firm of Peat Marwick.  A group of employees were being trained to become facilitators for workgroups.  During the day we participated in learning exercises which included working in groups to solve problems, role playing and conflict management.

Peat Marwick Facilitation Training

The first program to be described here is the one day program at the Peat Marwick CPA firm in Chicago, Illinois.  The training program was in response to an internal initiative to launch a concept called Total Quality Environment.  The point of the Total Quality Environment was to work on internal issues and involve employees throughout the division to identify problems and seek solutions.   The training was called Total Quality Environment Facilitators Training.

The learners in this training were all from the Medicare Audit division of Blue Cross of Illinois, and were considered to be good candidates to lead facilitation groups.  With that in mind, the individuals who participated in the training were selected based on several criteria, which included their leadership experience, whether they were officially a part of management or not.

To begin with we were divided into groups and as groups we were given information, principles and assignments.  The point was to work together in a group to identify problems and find solutions.  Issues addressed included how to facilitate a team with diverse personalities and different priorities.  Many of the sessions involved practice with cases where the individual group worked on identifying a problem, finding possible solutions, and dealing with conflict management issues.  The session lasted approximately six hours and at the end of the day each group was given a role play assignment.  Each individual was given a particular character/personality which they had to portray in the group activity.

The implication from this training was to develop individuals who demonstrated leadership skills; equip them to lead a team; and utilize the facilitation skills provided in the training.  As a result of the training, every participant was involved in facilitating a fully functioning team which worked together to identify problems and propose solutions to these issues.  Each of the facilitators worked together with several teams and presented their findings in a management meeting at the conclusion of the work of each group following a period of approximately three months.

Lyndsey Hildenbrand’s Personal Story

Although my background with adult education is very limited, this course is showing me that I have been influenced by adult education more than I previously realized. I was recently involved in an adult education class that served as more of a social opportunity for personal growth. The experience would most likely be considered nonformal education, based on the definition of such being “ any organized educational activity outside the established formal system…that is intended to serve identifiable learning clienteles and learning objectives” (Coombs, Prosser & Ahmed, 1973). The purpose of this class was to learn how to paint a canvas picture. The group involved one facilitator who was the professional artist and then five adults. This class was held in the facilitator’s home, not only did the group learn techniques specific to painting but it also facilitated the opportunity to meet and interact with new people.

            The case study I would like to discuss is an adult education class that has not in fact happened yet. The class is one that I will actually be teaching to members of my church located at the Irvington United Methodist Church. The purpose of the class is to educate those interested on hearing loss, hearing aids, and communication strategies. The class is a health fair that will be held monthly. My field of study is related to helping others, by holding this class I am able to contribute the knowledge that I have to improve the quality of life that others experience. Those attending do so because they have questions regarding hearing loss and the way it affects their livelihood. There are three main goals that I plan to accomplish during these health fairs. The first goal is focused on hearing aids. I plan to clean and check learner’s hearing aids to ensure that they are functioning properly and also to teach proper maintenance of personal hearing aids. Along with cleaning I will also answer questions about hearing aids to those who may be interested in them but have not purchased any. The second goal of the class is to perform hearing screenings to any who is interested or concerned about their hearing status. The third goal is to discuss communication strategies for individuals with hearing loss. The strategies will be provided to those who are hearing aids owners as well as non-hearing aid owners. The communication strategies are meant to provide the ability to improve listening in environments that make this difficult. The educational perspective that this class is mainly related to is the humanistic perspective. The focus of this perspective is developing the learner in terms of the potential to do so (Merriam & Brocker, 2007). This class is meant to empower those living with hearing impairment to use the tools provided to improve their quality of life.

Amanda Campbell’s Personal Experience

Education has been a large part of my entire life; however, adult education has not been something I have been involved with (aside from being a college student).  As a future audiologist, practicing in our university clinic, adult education is a part of each and every patient appointment when we counsel patients on hearing loss, ways in which to prevent further damage, and overall hearing health.  Additionally, as an audiology doctoral student, a myriad of continuing education opportunities have been provided on campus in which I have been involved in.  Although I have been involved in these two adult education activities, I do not consider either of these as major adult education programs, per se.  Therefore, I will focus on an adult education program which I have not been involved in as of yet, but plan to in the future—Indiana Speech Language Hearing Association.

The Indiana Speech Language Hearing Association (ISHA) is the state level professional organization for speech pathologists and audiologists.  ISHA is the state level of the nationwide professional organization, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).   The ISHA headquarters are located within Indianapolis, as that is a centralized location within the state, but their involvement and influence is seen throughout the entire state.  Per their mission statement on their website, “The mission of the Indiana Speech-Language-Hearing Association is to advance the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology through a commitment to advocacy and professional development,” (Indiana Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2013) .

As the mission statement implies, the purpose of the organization is to help promote best practices within the fields of speech pathology and audiology.  The organization achieves this by providing current news, licensing information/help, research, continuing education, and other events related to speech pathology and audiology. 

ISHA works as a professional organization that is led by professionals for professionals of the field, working from the perspective that best practices in the field come from having the most knowledge and research possible.  Therefore, the focus of the organization is to provide information, using a variety of modes of presentation.  The educational perspective of the organization is that of a humanist perspective.  Humanist perspectives described by Merriam and Brockett applied to adult education, “focuses on developing the potential of the learner,” (Merriam & Brockett, 2007).  The opportunities provided by the organization, which will be discussed next, work to promote the best practices within the field and therefore exemplify what the humanistic perspective describes.  Additionally, Merriam and Brockett continue to add that the humanistic perspective is “learner-centered because the view assumes that learners are internally motivated,” (Merriam & Brockett, 2007).  Since membership and participation in the organization is completely voluntary, it is assumed that all professionals and students involved in the educational opportunities are doing so voluntarily and are therefore internally motivated to learn about and implement the best practices. 

While ISHA is considered a professional organization, there is some student involvement in the organization.  The main audience for the information presented by ISHA is professionals within the field.  Information is centered around licensure or current topics related to practicing within the fields of speech pathology and audiology.  Since these topics are most relevant to those already professionally practicing, professionals are the target audience, as the information provided can more directly affect the practice of those in the field.  A smaller audience is that of the student.  Undergraduate and graduate students in speech pathology and audiology can join the organization as a student, and many colleges and universities have student chapters of ISHA (the student ISHA/ASHA chapters are referred to as NSSHLA—National Student Speech Language Hearing Association).  As students this organization can help in preparing for licensures, aid in networking with current professionals, and enhance the education obtained in the classroom at the university. 

A large part of the professional development provided by ISHA comes once a year at the annual ISHA Convention, which takes place in Indianapolis.  This event brings together students and professionals from around the state for three days of networking and presentations on topics of interest in the fields of speech pathology and audiology.  This year I will actually be participating in this program by presenting at the ISHA Convention.  My presentation is an example of a way in which students can participate and have an influence within ISHA, as I will be presenting on current research I am working on along with my professional supervisor.  The research being conducted can not only help in further understanding the ear and the auditory system, but can help understand other disorders and the way they are treated.  This type of presentation provides new information that practicing professionals can use to implement in their practices and intervention strategies. 

            ISHA approaches adult education in a multi-modal format.  This is of great importance in order to reach the largest possible audience.  Much research has been done on multi-modal presentation of information, especially for those with learning difficulties.  However, it has also been found that a great deal of variability is seen in the way in which students learn.  Because of this, in order to attract the largest possible audience, information cannot only be presented in a single printed document on a website, or only via a web video.  ISHA provides a great example of how to offer information in different formats.  Throughout the year, articles and videos can be seen on their website, as well as sponsoring events and hosting the large annual convention. 

Table 1  Adult Education Programs: Dan Royer

Area	Peat Marwick Facilitation Training
Locations	Chicago, Illinois at the offices of the CPA Firm
Educational Purposes	To prepare and equip leaders to facilitate workgroups as a part of a Total Quality Environment initiative
Educational Perspectives	The educational perspective was to equip and prepare specific individuals to facilitate workgroups in order to address problem areas.
Learners	Members of the Medicare Audit Division of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois.  Leaders who were selected to participate.
How was the program organized	The program was built around group work, facilitation exercises and role play
Implications	Develop individuals to become group facilitators

Table 2. Summary of Unique Adult Education Programs: Lyndsey Hihldenbrand

________________________________________________________________________

                                                                                    Hearing Health Fair

Locations                                                                    Irvington Methodist Church

Educational Perspective                                              Humanistic

Educational Purpose                                                   Teach about hearing loss

Learners                                                                      Church Members

Organization                                                               3 main goals; hearing aids, hearing

                                                                                    Screening, communication strategies

Implications                                                                Empower individuals with

                                                                                    Hearing loss

Table 1. Summary of Unique Adult Education Programs

________________________________________________________________________

                                                                                    ISHA

Locations                                                                    HQ-Indianapolis (but statewide)

Educational Perspective                                              Humanistic

Educational Purpose                                                   Promote best practices in the fields of

                                                                                    Speech pathology and audiology

Learners                                                                      Professionals and Students

Organization                                                               multi-modal

______________________________________________________________________________

Implications                                                                Provide most up to date information and

                                                                                    Research to continue best practices in the

                                                                                    Fields of audiology and speech pathology

References

Coombs, P.H., with Prosser, R.C., and Ahmed, M. (1973). New paths to learning for        

children and youth.  (p. 11). New York: International Council for Educational Development.

Indiana Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2013). Retrieved February 26, 2013, from  http://www.islha.org

Merriam, S., & Brocker, R. (2007). The profession and practice of adult education. (p. 8). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Merriam, S., & Brocker, R. (2007). The profession and practice of adult education. (p.p.40-42). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.