KNOWLEDGE

Experiential Learning and Required Knowledge



Experiential Learning and Required Knowledge

Introduction

Over the past 30 years there has been worldwide growth of interest in teaching and learning, plus the rapid growth of knowledge in the form of new disciplines in higher education (Beard and Hartley, 1984). Add to this the Government's commitment to ensuring that by 2010, one of two people in the age of 30 will have the opportunity to study in higher education (HE) level, it emphasizes the importance of the role of universities (Weatherald and Taylor 2002). Kennedy and Dearing report was discussed Summer (2002) was to provide a path for further education and wider participation.

Discussion

Students who come to adult education to do so with different life experiences. They have different life and professional experiences, and each with their own personal strengths and weaknesses, anxieties, hopes, and more importantly culture. For all these reasons, adult learning and teaching is complex, but useful.

Many adults reflect back to childhood education teaching "class", but today reflect the theory of adult learning. Bigge and Shermis (1999) talked about these theories of learning and there is no definitive answer. Thinking and reflecting on the nature of the learning process should enhance the ability of that teacher.

Lifelong learning (Wallace 1999;. Jarvis et al 1998) fits into the adult type of continuing education. Education and instruction theories are many, and it underlines the fact that no one theory fits all. Fry et al (1999) questions if the theory of adult education there, but said they may affect learning in higher education, unless the reason for teachers to review their facilities and change some of their views.

There seems to be the difference between children and adults. Andragogy was defined as the art and science of teaching adults as compared with the pedagogy, art and science of teaching children. There are various assumptions, processes and methods (Gibbs and Habeshaw1989) between pedagogy and andragogy.

Knowles (1984) theory of andragogy was an attempt to develop a theory specifically for adult learning. Knowles emphasizes that adults are independent, and we expect to take responsibility for their decisions. He made several assumptions about design education. In practical terms, andragogy means that instruction for adults should pay more attention to the process and teaching strategies. Instructors take the role of facilitator or resource rather than lecturer or grader (andragogy Knowles 2002).

Fry et al (1999) discussed how the pedagogy and andragogy should be seen as parallel, rather than the opposite, and that both may be appropriate, depending on the circumstances. Also note that Knowles himself has changed its definition and the validity of this has been questioned.

Attempt to summarize the main different theories of learning, Roger (1996) put them into three main groups - the behaviourist / cognitive / humanist. And yet among them are numerous variations and different values. Practical training is an important learning model the learning process. Jarvis et al (1998) describes experiential learning as

"The process of creating and transforming experience into knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, emotions, beliefs and ...