A learner’s motivation to acquire new knowledge is affected by the opportunities that exist, both formally and informally. A learner may be motivated to engage in the educational process in order to improve their own social status or the well-being of others around them, by affecting change in their society. Driscoll (2005) indicated that Vygotsky “believed that individual development could not be understood without reference to the social and cultural context within such development is embedded”(p. 247). This illustrates the complexity of the learner’s mind and how it is shaped by the surrounding environment and their experiences. 

Draper (2001) speaks to the humanist perspective  —“progressivism”, in the development of the social context of education, where value is placed on respecting human beings, equally. He states that “educators saw progressivism as a way of democratizing knowledge: they valued a problem-solving and learner-centred approach to education, valued the experience of learners and placed a great deal of emphasis on the experiential and also the experimental contribution made to education” (p.21). An example of challenging the learner to questions their perspectives and social norms is included in the following research papers:

Social Justice - Food not Bombs vs. City of Kitchener

Critical Discourse in Community Colleges

Conflict, crisis, oppression are these the trigger mechanisms that causes the individual to want to learn ways to overcome this adversity? These crisis situations are not always found within the walls of an institution, in a formalized educational setting. How can we acknowledge that non-formal educational experiences are critical to building the knowledge reservoir?

Stewart (1987) talks to this point, “the adult person “finds himself in specific situations with respect to his work, his recreation, his family life, his community life,” etc. These situations call for adjustments; adult education begins here as the individual’s way of learning how to confront situations” (p.106)

 References

Draper, J. (2001). The metamorphoses of andragogy. In D. & A. Poonwassie, (Eds.), Fundamentals of Adult Education: Issues and practices for lifelong learning (pp. 14-30). Toronto: Thompson Publishers.

Driscoll, M.P. (2005). Radical behaviorism. Psychology of learning for  Instruction (3rd Ed.). Allyn & Bacon.

London, J. (1973). Correspondence between Knowles and London; and Adult education for the 1970s: Promise or illusion? In Malcolm Knowles Papers, box 25, file 13, Syracuse University Archives.

Stewart, D. (1987). What adult education means: Discovering and rediscovering the concept ofandragogy. In D. Stewart, Adult learning in America: Eduard Lindeman and his agenda for lifelong education (pp. 103-112). Malabar, Florida: Robert Krieger Publishing.

Competency Categories Exhibited - 

1. Problem Solving, Analysis, & Decision Making

2. Instructional Design & Development

4. Communication & Interpersonal Skills

5. Research