Exploring Adult Learners' Rationales for Course Interaction Preferences

Tracy, Saundra J.; Schuttenberg, Ernest M.

doi:10.1177/0001848186036003003

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…They were quite satisfied to let "the instructor do the decision-making work." Similar results were found in a study by Tracy and Schuttenberg (1986) which examined adult learners' preferences for involvement in curriculum decision making. Categories labeled "Instructor knows best," "Instructor should be authoritative," and "Students need structure" received 39.1% of the responses from a population of learners with a mean age of 34.8 years, and 59.3% of responses for learners 60 years of age and older.…”

Section: Implications For Staff Developmentsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…Workshops can be designed to introduce staff to the variety of options available when sharing planning and instructional decisions with students. Tracy and Schuttenberg (1986) have suggested five approaches to planning for teacher-learner interaction that reflect Knowles' (1984) elements in the andragogical process. These may be conceptualized as a continuum from instructor-centered to learner-centered planning, When sharing instructional decisions with students, the teacher may initially choose to maintain total control of the setting.…”

Section: Implications For Staff Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Educational Climate In Elective Adult Education: Shared Decision Making and Communication Patterns

Ennis

Mueller

Hettrick

et al. 1989

Adult Education Quarterly

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Abstract:Educational climate represents the social and contextual qualities of an organization as perceived by the participants. The theoretical construct of educational climate encompasses a range of variables which have been categorized as ecology, milieu, social system, and culture (Tigiuri, 1968). These categories are similar to the elements of the andragogical process described by Knowles (1984). In this research, the theoretical climate category of social system emerged as influential in an ethnographic study of an elective university program. Findings revealed that shared decision making and communication patterns were instrumental in the quality of the adult learning experience. Article:Researchers studying educational effectiveness in traditional school settings have long acknowledged certain characteristics which contribute to student achievement. Components related to curricular and instructional planning, teacher and student behavior, and student attitude have been addressed extensively in the educational literature (e.g., Gage, 1978;Rosenshine, 1979). Rosenshine (1979), for example, characterizes effective classrooms as those employing direct instructional techniques such as teacher control of content and space, immediate focused feedback, and frequent monitoring of student performance.Other researchers have looked beyond instructional components to identify social and cultural variables which contribute to the overall educational environment. These variables have been conceptualized into models of an affective construct termed educational climate (Getzel & Thelan, 1960;Moos, 1974;Tagiuri, 1968). Climate is a component of the total environmental quality within an organization. In an extensive review of literature, Anderson (1982) has described the current status of school climate research and the theoretical and methodological problems involved in the delineation of this construct, A similar review by Randhawa and Fu (1973) has focused primarily on classroom climate variables.Most climate research has been conducted within elementary and secondary programs. Only two studies were found which investigated social climate in adult education settings. Darkenwald and Gavin (1987) examined the influence of social climate on dropout behavior, while DeYoung (1977) investigated the effect of climate on class success at the university level. The extent of the omission of climate as a variable in adult education research is surprising when one considers the potential impact of the educational environment in the attainment of content proficiency (Knox, 1980), self-directed learning (Brookfield, 1986;Spear & Mocker, 1984), and andragogical theory (Knowles, 1970).While it is a simple matter in climate evaluation to calculate student-teacher ratios or to survey teachers to determine their years of experience, it is much more difficult to map social systems and belief structures which play a major role in student and teacher perceptions of climate (Tagiuri, 1968). In these latter instances, it is the nature of the c...

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Section: Implications For Staff Developmentsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Implications For Staff Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Educational Climate In Elective Adult Education: Shared Decision Making and Communication Patterns

Ennis

Mueller

Hettrick

et al. 1989

Adult Education Quarterly

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Many researchers in the field of adult education have recognized that student age along with life experience impacts judgment of certain teacher characteristics (Beer & Darkenwald, I989;Scheckley, I988;Spitzer, 2000;Thoms, 200 1;Tracy & Schuttenberg, 1986). Prensky (2001aPrensky ( , 2001b, in his two-part series entitled "Digital Immigrants, Digital Natives" suggests age and correspond ing life experiences even lead to different thinking patterns or brain development.…”

Section: Instructor Communicationmentioning

confidence: 99%

We Don't Need The Same Things! Recognizing Differential Expectations of Instructor Communication Behavior for Nontraditional and Traditional Students

Houser

2004

The Journal of Continuing Higher Education

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“…A study conducted by Tracy and Schuttenberg (1986) analyzed responses from adult learners on their choices of .. preferred classroom interaction patterns" (142). The purpose of this study was to answer questions on what type of instructional methods adult students said they preferred.…”

Section: Chapter II Previous Research In Adult Education and Composimentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of on-the-job writing experiences on the audience adaptation strategies of adult learners in a community college setting

Smith

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Exploring Adult Learners' Rationales for Course Interaction Preferences

Cited by 8 publications

References 10 publications

Educational Climate In Elective Adult Education: Shared Decision Making and Communication Patterns

Educational Climate In Elective Adult Education: Shared Decision Making and Communication Patterns

We Don't Need The Same Things! Recognizing Differential Expectations of Instructor Communication Behavior for Nontraditional and Traditional Students

The effects of on-the-job writing experiences on the audience adaptation strategies of adult learners in a community college setting

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