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.
Part Two: The Principles in Action-Across Cultures and Around
the World
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."
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