STUDY GROUP OUTLINE
Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach: The Power of Dialogue
in Educating Adults
by Jane Vella, published by Jossey-Bass, Inc., Publishers, c 1994.
Chapter 13 - Engagement: Learning as an Active Process
- Ms. Vella describes "power of engagement" as a principle of adult learning - a principle that " enables learners not only to take part in learning but also to practice learning as subjects of their own lives." (pg 159) In your own words, explain what "power of engagement" means to you.
- In the story of the hospice program in North Carolina, the executive director had the single deliberative voice; in other words, she made the final decision about what would and would not become hospice policy. The hospice management team (directors of all departments) served as a combined consultative voice. The unique part of that program was that employees at every level were involved in making suggestions via a community survey form and members of the local community were also included in the information gathering stage. (pgs 160-161) How could a similar process be applied to the school in which you teach? Who would be involved? At what stage in the process do you see yourself becoming involved?
- The comment, "... the shorter the time frame for a task, the higher the energy," (pg 162) is used to describe the excitement and high energy of the workshop members. Have you ever realized - after the fact, perhaps - that you allowed an activity, project, or even instructional unit to continue after your students had lost interest? Make some estimates about how long different types of activities should last and how to complete your instruction if the length of time, with interest, is less than the amount of information you need to communicate or less than the amount of time needed to bring students to the point where "they know that they know."
