Why I care that 'Temple Grandin' won big at Emmys

I have not had an opportunity to see the HBO film starring Claire Danes, but I have listened to Dr. Grandin's book, Thinking in Pictures, and found it to be fascinating. I highly recommend it. I learned a lot about myself--how I am similar and different from others, for instance--and about cognitive functions in general as I listened to her story. Perhaps the movie is just as enlightening. Here's a link describing the Emmy win: 'Temple Grandin' wins big at Emmys. But who is she? | EW.com

Kemerer (1991) on Learning Transfer

Kemerer, R. W. (1991). Understanding the application of learning. In T. J. Sork (Ed.), Mistakes made and lessons learned: Overcoming obstacles to successful program planning (New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, vol 49) (pp. 67-80). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Type of Work
Book chapter
Audience

• Performance managers
• Adult educators working in business settings

Purpose / Goal

• Describe what prevents learners from applying what they have learned
• Describe ways to increase the likelihood that learning will be applied “once learners return to their natural environments” (p. 67)

My Critique

• This paper offers a lot of good do’s and don’ts—sound bites of program planning—but, overall, it presents a view of teaching/learning that makes me uncomfortable.
  

Wlodkowski (1997) on Designing Workshops with Motivation in Mind

Wlodkowski, R. J. (1997). Motivation with a mission: Understanding motivation and culture in workshop design. In J. A. Fleming (Ed.), New perspectives on designing and implementing effective workshops (New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, vol 49) (pp. 19-31). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Type of Work
Book chapter
Audience
Workshop providers/designers
Purpose / Topic

• Motivating workshop participants
• Using the Motivational Framework for Culturally Responsive Teaching to guide workshop planning

My Notes

• This work assumes the value of Wlodkowski & Ginsburg’s Framework. I would have liked more information about its development as well as more information about the theoretical constructs that contribute to motivation of students. That, however, was not really the purpose of this chapter.

Hiemstra (1991) on Effective Learning Environments

Hiemstra, R. (1991). Aspects of effective learning environments. In R. Hiemstra (Ed.), Creating environments for effective adult learning (New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, vol 50) (pp. 5-12). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Summary
The first of ten in an edited work, this chapter introduces the topic (learning environments) by chronicling the evolution of Roger Hiemstra’s understanding of it. Though he was originally only concerned about physical characteristics, Rog’s definition is now much broader: “A learning environment is all of the physical surroundings, psychological or emotional conditions, and social or cultural influences affecting the growth and development of an adult engaged in an educational enterprise” (p. 8) Perhaps the most interesting part is the annotated list of works that influenced Hiemstra’s thinking about learning environments (see notes below).

Why I *heart* Illeris (2007)

Illeris, K. (2007). How we learn: Learning and non-learning in school and beyond (M. Malone, Trans.). London and New York: Routledge.

Introductory Review
I first encountered this book in a class on Adult Learning.  I loved it.  Most of my colleagues did not.  As with the writings of many European intellectuals, Illeris is not an easy read.  Phraseology and sentence structures will feel foreign to most American readers, and it is sometimes difficult to identify the common thread that ties the various sections of a chapter together, especially at the beginning of a chapter.  However, readers who stick with Illeris will find that seemingly disparate thoughts come together in creative and convention-challenging ways. 

Notes on Illeris (2007) Chapter 12: Learning in Different Learning Spaces

Illeris, K. (2007). How we learn: Learning and non-learning in school and beyond (M. Malone, Trans.). London and New York: Routledge.

Chapter 12: Learning in different learning spaces (pp 214-233)

Before you begin reading these notes on Chapter 12 , you may want to read my overview/review of the entire book.  Notes for Chapter 13 can be found here.

Key Points

1. Types of Learning Spaces
1. Everyday Learning
1. Illeris prefers this term over “informal learning” and “non-formal learning” because:
1. There is really no distinction between informal and non-formal learning forms
2. It makes clear “unintended, yet omnipresent” nature of this type of learning (p. 216)
3. It implies the importance of context.
   
2. Schools/Educational Contexts

Notes on Illeris (2007) Chapter 13: Learning, Education, and Society

Illeris, K. (2007). How we learn: Learning and non-learning in school and beyond (M. Malone, Trans.). London and New York: Routledge.

Chapter 13: Learning, education, and society (pp 234-252)

Before you begin reading these notes on Chapter 13 , you may want to read my overview/review of the entire book.  Notes from Chapter 12 can be found here.

Key Points

1. Assumptions/Misunderstandings about Learning/Education that are prevalent in society
1. Even those who know they are these conceptions are false tend to embrace them because they are that engrained in the culture.
2. “The key function of the misunderstandings has precisely been to veil the adaptation, disciplining and selection that suited the old industrial society” (p. 238)

Hanson (1991) on Participation

Hanson, A. L. (1991). Understanding participation in programs. In T. J. Sork (Ed.), Mistakes made and lessons learned: Overcoming obstacles to successful program planning (New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, vol 49) (pp. 29-41). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Type of Work
Book chapter
Focus / Goal
Discusses “elements that influence participation in continuing education programs” (p. 29)
Audience

• Program planners, in general
• Special emphasis is placed on planning continuing education events

My Notes
Raises important issues to think about when planning programs. However, because it is geared toward continuing education and approaches this topic from a business-like perspective, it seems a little less relevant to me. All those years of working in churches drove home the message that every participant is important and that programs should continue to be offered regardless of the size of the audience. While I understand that program planners cannot continually operate with negative cash flow, I will never feel truly comfortable with any that smacks of a profit motive.

Sisco (1991) on Effective Learning Climates

Sisco, B. R. (1991). Setting the climate for effective teaching and learning. In R. Hiemstra (Ed.), Creating environments for effective adult learning (New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, vol 50) (pp. 41-50). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Type of Work  
Book chapter
Audience
Instructors working with adult learners
Problem Addressed
Establishing an effective learning climate
My Notes
This article could easily be turned into a checklist for instructors to use when starting a new program. In fact, the appendix contains a checklist created for that purpose, but it is based primarily on Pratt (1984).

Allard (1991) on Program Planning

Allard, P. B. (1991). Why they didn't learn what we wanted them to learn. In T. J. Sork (Ed.), Mistakes made and lessons learned: Overcoming obstacles to successful program planning (New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, vol 49) (pp. 55-66). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Type of Work

• Book Chapter

Problem Addressed

• Planning errors that limit learners’ ability to learn

My Notes

• Great list of things to do/not do.
• Highlights the importance of clarity, buy-in, and keeping the focus on the learning (which requires an understanding of and a commitment to the learner).

Great Quote

• “Education can be imposed, but learning cannot” (p. 65).