Comprehensive Essay Linda M. Fossa

November 24,2004

An Introspective & Reflective Look Into My Adult Education Learning Experience

1 started my graduate program at the University of Southern Maine over four

years ago. There was a need on my part to not get stale in my position. AAer all, up to

that point, I had worked for the City of Waterville for almost twenty years. I was

searching for something both personally and professionally. I loved my work as Health

& Welfare Director but felt I needed more education if I were ever to advance into

another position. Some would call me a practioner but I knew that returning to the

classroom would allow me to grow in ways never imaginable. How true that was! This

program will reward me with a Master's Degree in Education but I see this experience as

a spiritual awakening. It is what I have been searching for a long time. This program has

also affirmed my belief and commitment to respect all others even in the wake of

adversity. We are all lifelong learners even if we are not aware of it. My internship

brought my courses to life and confirms my desire to continue working with people in an

adult education setting. If there is one thing that I have learned, it is that adult learners

are unique and special in their own way. Everybody has a story to tell and as an educator

I believe that it is imperative that we celebrate the diversity of learners. Whether it was

Lindeman, Dewey, or Brookfield, each of them had a presence in my thought process as I

came to understand the numerous qualities of an adult learner. I believe that a person's

background such as age, culture, gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity has a huge

impact individually and collectively on their learning experiences. Desi Larson was my

advisor for the internship and she guided me to capture the essence of a self-directed

inquiry. I had the perfect opportunity to get involved with learners and to explore

different areas of interest. The internship exposed me to a work environment where adult

education and human resource skills were put into practice. This experience allowed me

to heighten my confidence in using a wide variety of skills such as training, counseling,

and program development.

The opportunity to do an internship was just one of the many avenues of

exploration that I was allowed to pursue as a student. One of the main reasons that I

enrolled in this particular program was that I was able to devise an individualized

program that suited my unique learning style and needs. On the other hand, throughout

this program I feel I made a connection with other students who were pursing similar

goals. Our classes were often referred to as a community of learners who came together

in many forms of instruction such as live classes, compressed video, and summer

institutes.

This program has contributed a great deal to my understanding of multi-

culturalism. Throughout my studies, I have been encouraged to express my feelings,

opinions, and ideas in an open and trusting fashion. There is much to learn from the

differences that separate individuals. Rather than allow differences to produce barriers;

we can all expect to learn and create something better by embracing those differences.

While this message has been a continued strand throughout my program, I believe the

course "Community Education" encouraged me to take a personal responsibility in

defining multi-culturalism as it relates to community. None of us cannot expect a

community to flourish without a sincere involvement on our part to be an open and

honest individual who puts the importance of community above all else. Scott Peck in

his book, "7he I)~ffererrt Drum " (1987) teaches us that a true community thrives when a

connectedness and wholeness exists between its members. We must learn to celebrate

and experience differences between all people if we want to achieve this definition of a

"true community". A quote in the book sums is all up for me. "In and through

community lies the salvation of the world. The solution lies in learning how to

appreciate- yea, celebrate-individual cultural and religious differences and how to live

with reconciliation in a pluralistic world." Peck's book carehlly illustrates

how we can join together, transcending our differences and learn how to love ourselves

and each other.

From the beginning of this program, I was introduced to journal writing as well as

the professional style of writing called APA. It had been quite some time since I had

used the APA style but I have really enjoyed the discipline it takes to organize my

thoughts. Journal writing has truly become a therapeutic activity for me especially as a

vehicle to express my thoughts and ideas. I really enjoyed reading the book "If Yozr Wmlt

to Write " by Brenda Ueland (1 987). According to her, we are all talented, original, and

have something to say. She has inspired me to trust myself with my writing. Self-trust is

one of the most important things in writing. If I can feel free and not be nervous about

what I write, I know I create something special. When I am honest with myself and

speak the truth, (what is true to me) my writing is so much clearer and richer in content.

However, none of this can happen if I do not practice the art of writing. It takes time to

develop this skill but it is well worth it in the end. If I learn to do this on a regular basis,

my creative abilities will come out and make me feel more confident about myself. I like

to write about the things that really matter to me. Writing about something that you have

passion and enthusiasm for is a very good way to begin your journey. Brenda Ueland

also taught me to realize that inspiration is something that can come slowly for some

people. There is no need to become discouraged especially if you are willing to work at

it. Seeing the words that you put on paper gives you a glimpse as to how you feel about

something. It is one thing to speak about how you feel about something but it takes on a

whole new meaning when you write it down. Writing has become a big part of my

journey in taking care of myself. Whatever I write reveals my personality and whatever I

am shows through in my writings. The goal is to discover myself in a truthful manner. I

constantly remind myself that I need to learn to respect what I have to say and let it out

for the world to see.

From my HRD 600 class, I made a connection between Brenda Ueland and Carl

Rogers. It is Rogers who in "breedom to Lean1 for the 80 '~"(1983) enlightened me and

other readers with real suggestions as to how learning takes place. Rogers felt that the

only learning which significantly influences behavior is that which is self-discovered and

self-appropriated. So much of what he has to say links back to the Ueland book. While

reading the Merriam & Caffarela book, ''Learnit~n in Adtilthood "(1999), I underlined

much of what was said about the humanist orientations. Why? So many of the humanist

theories consider learning as the potential for growth. Like them I believe that all people

are inherently good. The humanist orientation tells us that a person's experience is

centered in who they are as an individual. As a result, an individual should exercise the

freedom and responsibility to become all they can be. I particularly agree with Rogers

who said that in both education and therapy; significant learning leads to personal growth

and development. With this theory, the learner becomes the focus and is seen as more

important than the content. Also, in this setting, the educators act as a facilitator or a

guide in the learning process.

Another book that I really enjoyed reading was the "The Menrlir~a ofAdlrlt

I<ducntior~" by Eduard Lindeman (1961). This is an excellent book to read especially for

a student new to the field of adult education. Lindeman both articulated and

implemented a vision of adult education which still constitutes the conceptual

underpinnings in the field of adult education and its practice today. The book is difficult

to read at times but it is inspiring and speaks eloquently about the history of adult

education. Lindeman had such great vision and presence when he preached that

education was a lifelong process. To those who would listen, he said that teaching should

emphasize situations and not the subjects. If teaching is done in this manner, then the

learner's experiences will be most important. I liked Lindeman's choice of a "discussion

group" as an ideal way to learn. With a good facilitator leading the way, an individual

can learn to understand and interpret their experiences in a group setting. This discussion

format is also useful in helping someone develop his or her analytic skills, which can be

used in every day life. Throughout his book, he wanted us to hear the words that if your

education is life; then life is also education. This is different to seeing education as only

a preparation for future life. If education is our life, then it should have no ending. I

agree with Lindeman's criticism of regular curriculum based learning which is built

around an established curriculum that students must conform to. It is a challenge for

teachers to work under a system where their ability to interest students is the only

criterion for success. What is appealing about USM's adult education program is that the

curriculum is built around the needs and interests of the learner. There are so many other

ideas and concepts that fill the pages of this important book. I like the saying that implies

that "experience is the adult learner's living textbook". Another sentence implies that

"no human being can safely be trusted with power until he has learned how to exercise

power over himself'. Lindeman's presence can still be felt in the field of adult education

today.

Lindeman's book influenced me to reflect about my liberal arts education. I

define a liberal arts education as providing a broad perspective on learning in the areas of

the arts, sciences, and humanities. Studying the liberal arts taught me to feel passionately

about the world. It helped develop my reasoning, communication, and social skills.

There are other benefits associated with a liberal arts education. It can encourage

problem-solving abilities and stir one's imagination. Because of it, I now realize that a

liberal arts background was a guide in helping me to organize and communicate my

thoughts in a clear and concise manner. The educational experience I had helped me to

learn the social skills of getting along and cooperating with other people. I am so glad

that one of the first courses that I took touched upon this topic. It was critical for me to

understand my educational experience in context of a liberal arts education. As a result, I

have moved forward which a wealth of information that has complimented my work in

this graduate program. Finally a liberal arts education can encourage all of us to view

experiences in a larger context of history and social change; encouraging us to consider

which values we would like to express through a good and decent life. I see men such as

Lindeman, Myles Horton, and Paulo Friere as individuals who believed that one of the

primary purposes of adult educations was to change the world.

The Highlander School is an excellent example of an organization that brought

about social change in this country. What an incredible contribution this school has made

to the field of adult education. The movie "You Got to Move" stirred up so much

emotion inside of me. I did a lot of thinking after witnessing that movie. It left me with

asking the question: Am I doing enough? "Am I afraid to take risks"? I was happy to

hear that Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. both attended sessions of the Highlander

School. Seeing that movie reinforces my belief that I need to do what I can do to make

this world a better place to live and the work that I do every day gives me that

opportunity to prove it. I need to continuously look at creating opportunities for people

who are in danger of "falling between the cracks". I have to take a stand in what I

believe in no matter what the consequences. There is a line from the movie that I found

to be quite profound. It goes something like this, "When you put your life on the line,

you do not always get attacked. You must offer your life for what you believe in to enjoy

the fruits of your labor." The movie proves to all of us that nameless and faceless people

do make a difference. The Highlander School was the only place where BlacksIWhites

could come together and talk about what was going on in their communities. It was a

place where people could find power within themselves and could help invoke change.

While in this peace&] setting, people could speak about their problems and figure out

different ways to deal with them. The workshops helped to bring out someone's full

potential and assisted them in learning the skill of listening to others. As a result of their

participation in these workshops, people felt more unified. They developed the will to

make life better in their own communities. I saw so many similarities between the

Highlander philosophy and the work of Paulo Friere. I believe that one key principle of

the Highlander School was that if you wanted to invoke social change; you had to be

willing to be in it for the long haul. Social change is the outgrowth of people doing a lot

of things. But remember what you may be doing right now might not be realized for a

very long time until the building blocks are put into place. Friere mentioned in the book

"l'edagogy o f the O~~pre.s.~ed" (1970) said that social change was equal to a critical

consciousness. Often time's social change comes about because people are brought

together through a collective struggle rather than through one person's action. The

Highlander philosophy and the work Paulo Friere thought it was important to stop the

injustice in the world. I admire Friere's contribution to the field of adult education as his

ideas came to light out of framework of poverty, illiteracy, and oppression. In Friere's

mind, the processes of personal empowerment and social transformation were

inseparable. Furthermore, his idea on consciousness raising and empowerment is a big

part of the theory of transformational learning. His approach to learning gives emphasis

to the need for inner meaning in a learning experience. Ultimately reflecting on an

individual's assumptions, beliefs, and values beings about change.

The work of Friere led me to discover the work of Jack Merizow and his theory of

transformational learning which he states it is the learning that produces change.

However, the change is deeper and more far-reaching than ordinary day-to-day learning.

In actuality, the actual structure of our thinking changes and the shift in learning is

profound. One of the goals of transformational learning is to become an autonomous and

socially responsible thinker and human being. In one of the courses that I took, I read an

article written by Patricia Cranton. It is entitled "Understanding Transformative

Learning" (1994). This article is very insighthl as it describes the development and

overview of the Transformative Learning Theory. As a result of this article, it led me to

do more research on the work of Jack Mezirow and Stephen Brookfield. Mezirow feels

that much of transformational learning takes place through a series of stages or processes.

In 1975, Mezirow coined the phrase "personal transformation" to describe the process of

studying eighty-three women returning to college in twelve different reentry programs.

The steps in the process are : experiencing a disorienting dilemma, undergoing self-

examination, critical assessment of internalized role assumptions and feeling a sense of

alienation from traditional social expectations, relating one's discontent to similar

experiences of others or to public issues, recognizing that one's problem is shared and not

exclusively a private matter, exploring options for new ways of acting, building

competence and self-confidence in new roles, planning a course of action, acquiring

knowledge and skills for implementing one's plan, making provisional efforts to try new

roles and to assess feedback, and reintegrating into society on the basis of conditions

dictated by the new perspective In dealing with a life-changing event, he suggests that

we can debrief it through five stages. In one of my journal summaries, I wrote to my

advisor about the untimely death of my sister. I wrote about my experience in order to

trace my own transformational journey. It became a very thoughtfbl process to write

about during my quiet times. A deeper awareness of transformational learning guides

me in my work.

During my studies in the Adult Education Program, I picked up three books that

have given me ideas for fostering a transformative environment. The names of these

books are "Under.staizdiiig aizd PromotiiigLearniiig A Guide-for k;d~ccators o f Ad1ilrlt.s"

(199_3) by Patricia Cranton, "ki,,c.tering Critical Heflectioiz in Adulthocul- A (;mide to

Ilh~sfi~rmative and Iharlciptory Learning" (1990) by Mezirow and Associates, and

"Beco~miiig a C'riticallv I<<flective 7eacher "(1995) by Stephen Brookfield. In my

opinion, if an adult educator successfblly fosters transformative learning in themselves;

then they have an opportunity to foster it in their students. What I mean by this statement

is that my own experience allows me to better understand what others are going through

and to supporting them in any way that I can within an organizational framework. All of

these years I have approached life with the attitude that fostering the empowerment of

other people is key to my life's work. I pride myself in listening to other people and

helping them bring out their inner voice. But an interesting thing happened along the

way. Through my work, I have come to hear and value my own inner voice. I try to

create an environment that is safe and where there is trust between all of the participants.

It is important for individuals to feel respected and to have the ability to tell their story in

any format that is comfortable to them. I often employ the use of writing as a usefbl tool

to accomplish this task. While some people feel comfortable with journal writing, others

enjoy telling their life story to someone whom they know is interested in what they have

to say.

A Comprehensive Essay would not be complete without mention of the

gerontology courses that I took as part of this program. I have a concentration in

gerontology and I know that it will serve me well in the years to come. Each course was

rich in material and provided me with an emotional outlet to deal with the issues of Death

& Dying and Life Review. In particular, "Death & Dying" and "Life Review" came at a

time in my life where I needed to reconcile my thoughts with the issue of death. The first

course I took was "Gerontology for Educators" and it provided me with an excellent

overview of the field. I have always honored and respected the elderly and accept a

personal challenge to appreciate their contributions to society. That course taught me that

partnering and collaboration of resources will make the difference in hearing the concerns

of the elderly. I believe that some of my best work in this program was done in my

concentration simply because I know that I can and will make difference in this venue.

One of my first projects was to interview the elderly regarding their educational

needs. I did this at a Health & Wellness Fair that was held by Senior Spectrum in

Waterville. I designed a questionnaire that was brief and to the point. Two of the five

questions that I asked were "What are the most important needs of the elders that might

be addressed by an Adult Education Program"? and "Why are the elderly not more

involved in an array of educational programs"? I had a fabulous time at this health fair

and had no problem with the elderly answering my short survey. The responses that I

received were useful in designing hture programs at Senior Spectrum. Another idea that

came out of this service learning project was to invite the Director at Senior Spectrum to

a meeting of the minds with the local Adult Education Director. Much to my surprise

neither one of them knew the other. I knew the Adult Education staff wanted to offer

more programs and or activities for the elderly. Thus, a meeting between these two

separate but similar entities began with the question "Is my own agency and or program

doing enough to satisfy the needs of the elderly." My belief is that all of us need to see

the importance and ultimate reward of working together in making the lives of our elders

richer and more hlfilled. I considered this meeting to be somewhat of a milestone

because both organizations's wanted to offer lifelong learning activities to the community

at an affordable price. The three of us developed a "Lunch & Learn program that was

held at Senior Spectrum. The program was entitled "Navigating the Maze of Services"

and it still is being offered at this senior citizen center today. In fact, a support group has

evolved as a result of this initial workshop. I am so proud of my involvement with this

project. 1 am equally gratehl to my advisor Michael Brady for suggesting a "service

learning project" as part of the the Gerontology for Educators class.

Another project that 1 am quite proud of is the development of a life review

program that can be done in health care facilities for the elderly. My goal was to have the

residents of a facility view reminiscing as an important part of healthy aging. Such

activities can help the elderly get in touch with their feelings and with times in their past

that are important to them. Recalling memories helps people to improve their mental,

emotional, and social well-being. Activities of this nature will enable elderly people to

recognize that they are a powerful resource. By definition, reminiscence is recalling

events or periods of one's life. It is only one aspect of a life review and although it can

be therapeutic it is not evaluative. There are many benefits to an individual such as

increasing feelings of self-esteem, increasing overall satisfaction with life, improving

cognitive hnctioning, decreasing levels of depression, increasing a sense of meaning and

purpose in life, improve problem solving skills, helping resolve past conflicts, providing

opportunities for enjoyment, pleasure, and social contact, and helping to heal loneliness

and isolation. A reminiscing activity can also provide benefits to the listener. In fact,

reminiscence has many rewards. There is the general satisfaction of being able to help

someone and the warmth that develops in getting close to them. In addition, a listener

can even learn form the wisdom and life experience of older persons. Throughout this

process, the listener can see hidher own past in this journey called life. They also have

many roles and they are: to encourage memories and to listen to the elderly as they are

being told the stories, the ability to take a real and genuine interest in people's life stories,

to phase your questions clearly and sensitively, to ensure that the questions are relevant

and help to evoke memories, and to look to past skills and achievements for leading

questions. I learned that the following media can be important aids in reminiscing: arts,

crafts, journal writing, music, games, old photos, or sharing recipes.

The courses "On Death & Dying" and "Life Review" are classes that I

recommend students taking even as an elective. While the classes elicited much emotion,

I have no regrets. Opening one's heart can be most revealing and empowering. The

knowledge I gained allowed me to see tings differently, live differently, and be in life

differently. Death was never a subject that I liked to discuss openly and freely with other

people. However, I can truthhlly admit that my attitude towards death has changed. I do

not remember who mentioned this quote but is well worth repeating. "To practice death

is to practice freedom". No discussion about the topic of death & dying would be

complete without mentioning the work of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. She has made a

tremendous contribution in the field of death education. I believe that her work is

important for understanding the dying process. Her descriptive words helped to break

down old stereotypes of grief and encouraged people to take charge of their grief. She

helped foster a greater understanding of the grief process for the medical world, mental

health organizations, and the public. I am particularly fond of her book "OH Death K-

I)Yir1g"(1969). I realize that some of her critics say that the five stages of death are too

rigid. However, her model has been widely adapted by other professionals who are

employed in the bereavement field.

There is one last item that I would like to include in this Comprehensive Essay

and it is the inclusion of bit and pieces of my learning autobiography. Initially the task of

writing my learning autobiography seemed daunting. However, I now see that it was an

exercise of great reflection and empowerment. I high recommend it to anyone who wants

to get closer to answering the questions, "Who am I as a learner? and How do I learn?"

It is clear to me that writing my learning autobiography allowed me to gain a deeper

understanding and fbller appreciation of other adult learners. While writing this

assignment, I was able to incorporate some of the adult learning theories that I have

studied in this program and that were reinforced in our group discussions. Furthermore,

through this assignment I was able to visualize how some of these theories have been

interwoven into my life experiences. As I started to write this autobiography I could

help but see the relationship between this work and Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger and

Tarule's (1996) "Worner~S Ways o f K i ~ o w i r ~ ~ . " Over the years, I have seen myself as

having a "voice" that is true to my own spirit. It is a "voice" that has experienced many

milestones whether good or bad. My "voice" has and will continue to be influenced by

my life experiences. I believe that I am a graduate of the many schools of learning

theories. Merriam & Caffarella do an excellent job in their textbook summarizing the

different theories of learning. Overall, I feel that the school of constructivism, which

represents a lot of different perspectives, describes much of my lifelong learning

experiences. I say that because the constructivist position states that people learn by

making sense of their experiences. However, I also had plenty of experience in self-

directed learning, situated cognition, and reflective practice.

References

Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger, and Tarule. (1 986) Women S W q s of Knowing. Perseus Books Group.

Brookfield, Stephen D. (1 995). Becoming A Critically Reflective Ilkacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Caffarella, Rosemary S., and Merriam, Sharan B. (1 999) 1,earning in Adillthoc~d San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Cranton, Patricia. ( 1 994). I /iider.~tandig and l'romoting Learning: A Guide. for 1."d11cator.s c1fAd11lts. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Cranton, Patricia. (1994). Iltru'erstanding Transformative 1,earning. In Understanding and Promoting Learning: A Guide for Educators of Adults. (pp 23-42). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Dewey, John. ( 1 93 8). kixperience and h,iZzication. New York: Collier Books

Friere, Paulo. (1 970). Pedagogy qf the Oyyressed. Seabury Press

Lindeman, Eduard C. ( 1 961). The Meaning of Ad111t Edircation. Canada:Harvest House Ltd.

Mezirow, Jack & Associates. (1 990). Fo.stering C'ritical l<eflection in Ad~rlthood - A Guide to Yran.s$ormative and Lmancipatory 1,eanitig. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Peck, M. Scott, M.D. (1987). The Different Drum. Touchstone

Rogers, Carl. (1983). Freedom to Learn for the 80's. Columbus, Ohio: C.E. Merrill Pub Co.

Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth. (1 969). On Death & Dying. Touchstone.

Ueland, Brenda. (1938). If You Want to Write. Saint Paul, Minnesota: Graywolf Press.