Road Scholars Demonstration

Summary

22 April 2013

Amanda Bolin, Andrew Buckle (responded to Groups 4 and 6), Sara Pratt, Scott Rafalski (responded to groups 5 and 6), Paul Starr (responded to group 1 and 4)

Introduction

                The purpose of our project was to investigate, study and apply a theory from this course, our group selected Andragogy as the theory for our focus.

The purpose of our project was to investigate and learn an adult learning theory which we selected Andragogy. We were able to link it to a pre-existing educational program, The Road Scholars Program stood out as an applicable choice.  This allowed us to design and create our own learning course based on this adult learning theory and research into various educational avenues .  Once we created our program, it was then evaluated by two educators for review and critique.  We used this information to re-evaluate our design and make the necessary changes to better serve our adult education population.

Our program design was meant to provide elderly learners the opportunity to engage in the learning process in a low cost, local and interest based format.  This can be done through self-directed learning in which individuals take the initiative, with or without assistance, in diagnosing their learning needs (Corporate Training Partners, 2009).  Additionally, this program seeks to partner with local community businesses, senior centers, and neighborhoods. Utilizing local community or senior centers creates a low cost and engaging atmosphere to the demographic and minimizes planning on the student’s part, freeing them to engage in the learning process more.  

Findings

The literature review allowed us to really get an in depth understanding of andragogy.  This allowed us to grasp and understand the key components of andragogy.  A common theme within the literatures reviews was that this theory was based on a set of assumptions.  The six assumptions are adults need to know the reason for learning something; experience provides the basis for learning activities; adults need to be responsible for their decisions on education; adults are most interested in learning subjects having immediate relevance to their work and/or personal lives; adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented; and lastly, adults respond better to internal versus external motivators.

Our two programs we reviewed were Road Scholars and Corporate Training Consultants.  Road Scholars offer learning adventures in all 50 of the United States of America and over 150 different countries around the world. Scholars are educated by local and renowned experts, experience in-depth and behind-the-scenes learning opportunities, from cultural tours and study cruises to walking, and biking.  Corporate Training Consultants Inc. was created in 1992 and is based out of Chicago, Illinois.  The targeted learners for the program are individuals in the field of retail, manufacturing, financial services, transportation, utilities, non-profits and adults seeking higher education.  The program uses self-directed learning in which individuals take the initiative to diagnose their learning needs, formulating their learning goals, identify human and material resources for learning, and choose and implement appropriate learning strategies.

Application

Our group sought to create a learning environment that took the elements of Andragogy to a specific group of people we felt were often left out of educational opportunities. Our response to this, was a community centered, interest based learning environment through partnerships with other local services and businesses to create a low cost educational based program to further the skill sets of the aging population.

The program is housed in local community centers and can utilize local garden centers, nutritional clinics, recreational businesses and much more. These business partnerships are able to present their products to students and share their expertise knowledge with participants creating a learning opportunity for further skill development and knowledge attainment. Students then are provided peer collaboration and workshop time to use these newly learned skills with the support of the local expert and peers

Evaluation

With the support of two adult education representatives, we were able to get useful critiques of our original program design. One concept that became apparent in our planning stages is that we made several inferences about what we believed students in our target group would want to learn, yet did not use them as a resource in the planning stages.  A second critique came up that our focus was potentially too small, and that our design could be utilized in more than one venue. Both evaluators saw partnerships with community centers, but also with k-12 school systems as well as health centers such as hospitals and dieting clinics for these partnerships. This provided our target students more avenues to engage the community, as well as improve their own quality of life from the education they received from the events.

Implication

After reviewing and having our program evaluated, we concluded that this program could have the ability to branch out to other community networks, such as daycare programs for elderly to give back to the community by educating children.   Also, we felt from our evaluation we could enhance our program with more nutrition topics or meal service programs. The elderly population is often at nutrition risk due to decrease in appetite, change in taste buds, possibly living alone, and may be challenged with complex health issues.

Conclusion

Our group feels that we have a great avenue for building up the community and allowing for a lifelong learning model directed toward a population that is often not thought of, the elderly.  Initially looking for business and community partnerships, we discovered we missed one of the biggest partnerships of all, having someone in our target demographic be a part of the planning stages. In Knowle’s Andragogy theory it is important that the students in a program feel as though they are connected with the content and learn it for the sake of learning, not because it is dictated to them.

Therefore, for our final design, we are offering a program collaborated with a daycare service for seniors to spend time with children to enhance their learning and share their wisdom. Also, provide a meal service program to offer social support and meal time together, along with preventing nutrition complications.  With these additions, we feel our program design will boost the morale of the community for senior living.