Category: Refereed article

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Making connections: A dialogue about learning and teaching in a tertiary enabling program

Authors: Jennifer Debenham and Jo May, University of Newcastle, NSW

Edition: Volume 45, Number 1, April 2005

Summary: This paper concerns the experiences and effects of a tertiary entrance program from two perspectives: that of a former student now engaged in her Honours program and of her enabling lecturer. The main aim of the paper is to present a literature review of published studies about mature women’s engagement with tertiary study at the entry level. The authors utilise their enabling education biographies to connect the review of literature to lived experiences. The study asks: how far does the literature cover their experiences and what gaps, if any, are there? The first section briefly outlines the approach taken in the paper. In the second section the enabling experience is discussed in three parts: motivations to enter, the first assignment and course encounters. The third section examines the wider effects of participation in enabling on the self, family and friends. The paper bears out the findings of recent literature that highlighted the powerful transformative effects of such programs in all spheres of the students’ lives and the importance of making connections in enabling programs. It suggests that more research needs to be carried out in a number of areas, especially gender, race and class.

Keywords: tertiary entrance, literature review, mature, entry level, enabling experience

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Assessing learning achievements and development impact: Ghana’s national functional literacy program

Author: Aya Aoki, PhD candidate, Tokyo Institute of Technology

Edition: Volume 45, Number 1, April 2005

Summary: This paper summarises findings and lessons from a recently conducted evaluation of an adult functional literacy program in Ghana. The study attempted to assess learners’ literacy and numeracy skills, and ascertain participants’ knowledge and skills in various development aspects as well as their impact. The literacy and numeracy skills assessment exercise suggested that the learners are gaining significant reading skills and modest numeracy skills, while achievements in writing appear to remain weak. The findings also highlight the question of sustainability of these skills, which implies a need for improvements in post-literacy programs. The assessment demonstrated significant impact of the program on various areas of development. In particular, the study revealed the program’s strong impact on learners’ and their children’s education and livelihood activities. In addition, the learners gained knowledge and skills in health, environment and civic awareness.

Keywords: adult, functional literacy, numeracy, sustainability, post-literacy

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Lifelong, life-wide or life sentence?

Author: Terry Clark, Charles Darwin University

Edition: Volume 45, Number 1, April 2005

Summary: This paper examines the life-wide dimensions of lifelong learning. Although the benefits of a life-wide approach to learning are well recognised, there appears to be little explicit attention given to the concept of life-wide learning in Australia. It is argued that recent pronouncements by the Australian Government about the challenges of an ageing population would be better informed by reference to lifelong learning that includes its life-wide dimensions, rather than continued concentration on formal learning.

Keywords: life-wide, lifelong, formal learning,

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Epistemological agency and the new employee

Author: Raymond Smith, Griffith University

Edition: Volume 45, Number 1, April 2005

Summary: The necessary learning actions new employees must undertake to meet the performance requirements of their new job may be said to constitute a constructivist epistemology of necessity. This view forms a useful basis of inquiry into new employee workplace learning as it seeks to explicate the significance of what new employees ‘do’ in and through their learning. This paper briefly outlines the rationale and findings of one such inquiry. It proposes that what new employees ‘do’ may be best conceptualised as exercising their epistemological agency. An interpretive analysis of this ‘doing’, through a framework that identified the mediating factors of new employee learning, characterises the new employee-learner as a manager of their personal workplace learning agenda. It gives new emphasis to the role of the individual in the social construction of knowledge. Such an understanding of the new employee-learner suggests possibilities for enhancing a sociocultural constructivist view of learning that seeks to account for the personal purpose and consequence of learning.

Keywords: constructivist epistemology, epistemological, employee-learner, workplace learning

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Interrogating our practices of integrating spirituality into workplace education

Authors: Leona M English, St. Francis Xavier University, Canada; Tara J. Fenwick, University of Alberta, Canada; Jim Parsons, University of Alberta, Canada.

Edition: Volume 45, Number 1, April 2005

Summary: Workplace education’s interest in spirituality is examined, with an emphasis placed on why this interest might be increasing and what challenges it presents. This article interrogates commonplace strategies to integrate spirituality in workplace education, – providing holistic education, creating sacred spaces and mentoring – questions each approach and suggests ways that they might be integrated in an authentic manner into the workplace. The authors then examine how educators might interrogate their teaching practices by inquiring into their own motivations, ethics and values. An attempt is made to stem the flood of spirituality in workplace education by asking: For what purpose is spirituality being promoted in this workplace? And in whose interests?

Keywords: workplace education, spirituality, holistic, sacred, mentor

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A case study of a volunteer-based literacy class with adults with developmental disabilities

Author: Jacqueline Lynch, York University, Toronto, Canada

Edition: Volume 53, Number 2, July 2013

Summary: The purpose of this study was to examine participants’ perspectives on how a volunteer-based adult literacy class supports the learning of adults with developmental/intellectual disabilities. Interviews were conducted with four tutors, three adult learners, and two coordinators and observations of the class occurred over a 6-month period during which the author was a tutor. The focus during this time period was on health and mathematics. Three major categories were identified: class organisation (goals and structure), teaching strategies and behaviours, and class activities. Based on these findings, several recommendations are presented including the need for further integration of adult learners’ out-of-school literacy activities into the class and for increased tutor knowledge of the adult learners’ disability.

Keywords: adult education, developmental disability, volunteers, literacy, health

 

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This article is part of AJAL, Volume 53_2. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.

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Predictors of attrition and achievement in a tertiary bridging program

Author: Robert Whannell, University of New England

Edition: Volume 53, Number 2, July 2013

Summary: This study examines the attrition and achievement of a sample of 295 students in an on-campus tertiary bridging program at a regional university. A logistic regression analysis using enrolment status, age and the number of absences from scheduled classes at week three of the semester as predictor variables correctly predicted 92.8 percent of participant attrition. It was concluded that attrition is largely a phenomenon associated with younger students between 18 and 24. While the quality of academic staff support was found to be strongly positively associated with the emotional commitment and academic identity of the participant, it was also negatively associated with scheduled class absence for those participants who dropped out. Intervention to address attrition of these young students is recommended to involve the selection of appropriate academic staff and a comprehensive orientation process which allows the development of supportive peer and staff relationships. The purpose of the orientation would be to facilitate the development of a robust sense of emotional commitment to a positive academic identity prior to the completion of the initial assessment tasks.

Keywords: bridging education, attrition, emotional commitment, identity.

 

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This article is part of AJAL, Volume 53_2. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.

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Humanities education as a pathway for women in regional and rural Australia: Clemente Ballarat

Authors: Ann Gervasoni, Australian Catholic University; Jeremy Smith, University of Ballarat; Peter Howard, Australian Catholic University

Edition: Volume 53, Number 2, July 2013

Summary: This paper provides insight into the experience of Clemente humanities education for six regional and rural Australian women living around Ballarat. Each took part in an audio-taped semistructured interview which explored the impact that university study had on their lives. Their responses suggest that Clemente Ballarat was life-giving. The student insights identified the critical importance of: providing a supportive learning environment for people lacking life opportunities and routine; students feeling better and happier with themselves resultant from personal learning achievements; doing something that was about ‘me’; support from others including Learning Partners and the program’s counsellor; students appreciating their academic and inner strengths; rekindling dreams and hope; seeking ways out of poverty for their family; finding friendships and connection; appreciating the academic disciplines; improvements in well-being and mental health; and pride in achievements. Students also were apprehensive about what the future may hold after completion and graduation. These insights highlight the treasures that students found when engaged in humanities education based upon community embedded socially supported structures that enable learning. Further, these insights provide contextual outcomes for the Clemente program, which could be implemented across regional and rural Australia for people experiencing multiple disadvantages or social exclusion.

Keywords: social inclusion, equity, disadvantage, transformation, humanities education, community engagement.

 

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This article is part of AJAL, Volume 53_2. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.

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Effectively teaching diverse student groups: a reflection on teaching and learning strategies

Author: Kathryn Trees, Murdoch University

Edition: Volume 53, Number 2, July 2013

Summary: This paper discusses facilitating student collegiality within diverse student groups. It argues that diverse student groups of international, domestic, mature age and Gen Y students often have similar difficulties and strengths although they may occur for quite different reason and understanding this is useful when deciding on teaching and learning strategies. It describes several teaching and learning strategies and explains the outcomes of using these with diverse student cohorts.

Keywords: diversity, effective communication, critical reflection, teaching strategies

 

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This article is part of AJAL, Volume 53_2. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.

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A learner perspective on barriers to e-learning

Authors: Karen Becker, Cameron Newton, Sukanlaya Sawang; Queensland University of Technology

Edition: Volume 53, Number 2, July 2013

Summary: This study aims to identify and categorize barriers to e-learning adoption and the relative impact of those barriers on learners. It contributes to the understanding of learner perceptions of barriers, the different types of barriers and their relative importance. This study used a quantitative methodology grounded in previous literature. The study is based on a self-administered questionnaire conducted with employees in a rail organisation. This research demonstrates there are three key factors that represent barriers to e-learning: the nature of e-learning as a learning approach, the use of technology, and concerns about lack of time and potential interruptions when trying to complete e-learning.

Keywords: e-learning, learning barriers, learning technologies, e-learning adoption

 

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This article is part of AJAL, Volume 53_2. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.