| Nourishment of a learning
culture |
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Education changes people;
change requires further collaboration, training, and review. To be ready for
the future and inevitable changes, organizations foster a learning culture at
the workplace. In a learning culture, everyone is a teacher and a learner.
Participants in basic skills programs teach us about — their own work
experiences and their life needs. Our learning from them is crucial to a
relevant, flexible, and accessible curriculum. |
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| Engagement of educators in the
workplace culture |
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Workplace educators are asked to intervene in
a complex system of work activities, personal and social relationships,
re-organizations, and visions for the future. We have to be culturally attuned
to hear the different voices and speak to the many people. With flexibility and
inventiveness we can transform our skills from single-discipline (ESL, ABE) to
integrated, linked skills, multiple activities to reach a goal) programs. We
encourage participants to suggest multiple approaches to issues of concern.
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Principles of
adult education |
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Our principles of adult education reinforce
good practice in the workplace and help programs achieve consistency in theory
and practice. |
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| Learning is
self-directed |
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In a supportive learning environment adults
can direct their learning by assessing their own needs, evaluating their past
experiences, and choosing goals for themselves. The basic skills curriculum is
driven by their experiences, their choices, and their issues. Finally, the
adult learner voluntarily engages in change and evaluates the
results. |
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| Content and method suited are
to adult learners |
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What adults learn (the content) and how they
learn (the method) are directly related to their needs and learning styles. The
content is relevant and important to learners. The methods meet their current
abilities and styles. As educators, therefore, we draw on a variety of teaching
methods and a range of knowledge to engage adult learners. |