Closure

This has certainly been an interesting semester. I have a background in Psychology and Nursing, but nothing could have prepared me for a semester in an Adult Learning class. The group work was fantastic. I feel that it allowed the class as a whole to come closer. We were forced to work with new people, and look at new ideas. The discussions in class were also great, and I would consider that one big group. I think you can tell by the fact that many of us continued the last class after we were dismissed that we all ended up having a great semester.
The biggest thing I will take away from this class is trying to be open to new ideas and ways of thinking. I have never really looked back at my own learning experiences or those of others. I think by talking about reflection and transformation and the different learning theories, I am more aware of the events taking place in my own life. I love learning and this class has allowed me the opportunity to learn more about myself and my learning journey.

Conscientization

I think most of us can think of a time or find some way to relate to conscientization. There were several key points to the definition of this term given in class. First, you must have a limitation or something that holds you back. Conscietization is when you empower yourself to grow, or move beyond your limits.
I am sure there are many things that are limited or oppressed within myself. The first that comes to mind are the biases I had towards the patient population I would see in Emporia before I started traveling for clinic. I had heard that most were illiterate, didn't understand why they were being seen, and didn't take care of themselves. I had my own empowerment when I began going to Emporia and getting to know the people. Yes, most of them couldn't read, and didn't understand that they had cancer or some illness, but my thinking changed. No longer did I dread going to Emporia and think that I was somehow better than them. I had learned and broadened my views. I was there to help. I had opportunities that they didn't and that didn't mean I was better.
Like we discussed in class, we all have restraints. I think it is hard to look at yourself and criticise yourself so that you have the opportunity to grow.

Reflection of Transformative Learning

I understand transformative learning to be something that takes place at a time in our lives when what we have previously believed comes into question. Some event or discussion or type of learning happens where we tend to change the way we think, we let go of some of our discrimination and take hold of a more open view. I have a hard time thinking of examples where this has happened in my own life. Maybe I am still narrow minded, or maybe my definition of transformative learning is wrong.
One example I can think of is the way I view physicians. Early on in my nursing education, probably in my first semester I began with my view that all doctors were basically rude and condescending to nurses. As I went through school, and began working after graduation, these beliefs held true. They would yell for no reason, make you look like you didn't know what you were doing in front of patients, and act like they had never seen you if you passed them in the halls. I vowed that I would never work in the doctors office. My transformative learning did not come from a discussion, but more from several encounters. I knew a urologist fairly well from the hospital and applied for his nurse position because the office schedule worked better than the hospital schedule for school. After a few days in his clinic, he began talking to me like I was a person. Asked if I was doing anything over the weekend, talked about his family, and told jokes. These few experiences caused me to take a look at the way I viewed physicians. I realized they were human and put their pants on just like I did. I had to make a change in the way I viewed and talked to them. When I work at the hospital now, I find myself engaging the doctors in conversation, and in return they talk and acknowledge me in the halls.

Transformative Learning

I think the discussion in class last night on transformative learning may have been exhausting for many of us. It was interesting to see how passionate we all were. The part I thought was best was that we were all able to share our opinions openly, and it seemed like everyone respected each others ideas.
For me, the whole concept is hard to grasp. I come from an education background that is about 50/50 with behaviorist and cognitivist. In the classroom, you are pretty much fed information. Like an empty vessel, they try to fill you with knowledge. There isn't much thinking or reflecting. In nursing things are pretty much black and white. Again, in the clinical setting, our learning tends to be more behaviorist. You watch someone change a central line dressing, then you are expected to be able to do it.
There isn't a lot of reflecting on your feelings to come to a crossroads in your understanding. I don't really come to conflict with myself about any prior knowledge or ideas I have had, so I don't have that many opportunities in the work place for transformative change. As for learning about myself in my personal life, I have a hard time thinking of an example of this type of learning. Maybe it would be a type of transformational learning if I did realize I had had one of those experiences.

Becoming a Mentor

I never realized how formal and self directing becoming a mentor could be. The articles we read in class seemed very focused on the mentor. There were several steps and self reflection questions that were to be asked of yourself throughout the process. If you look at mentoring by the examples we used in class, then my Dad would not qualify. We did not sit down when I was born and establish a set of goals and objectives. We did not have a period of closure. Although I thought the articles were interesting, I am not sure I agree totally. I think some of the best mentors I have had are informal, and there may be no closure.
I am actually looking forward to our next assignment where we look into our own teaching style and theory. I am going to use two approaches because my experience comes from the classroom and hands on. I think I have a chance to learn a lot about myself, how I learn, and how I teach others.

Pratt's Teaching Perspectives Inventory

I found class very interesting this week. My degree in psychology may have helped with my comfort level on the topic of learning theories. So far, I think I most closely relate or agree with behavioral. This may be due to the fact that I am an apprentice style teacher. Like professor Carter stated in class, we may tend to go to the style we are used to being taught from. As a nurse, much of my learning has been hands on. As the saying goes, see one, do one, teach one. A lot of our schooling is clinical experience where we are expected to go in with the patients and act as a nurse. Learning for this field can not be completed in the classroom alone.

I think from an early age we learn through behaviorism. I know in my family poor behavior was never rewarded. We received money for A's in school, and were punished when we disobeyed. I don't think we are as simple as teaching a dog to salivate, but on some level it is similar. A perfect example comes from my own family. My brother is trying to potty train my nephew. They are rewarding him by giving him M&Ms. He learned quickly that peeing in the toilet would give him chocolate. Soon he was peeing very small amounts every 5 or 10 minutes to get more M&Ms. Pretty smart if you ask me.

Self-directed Learing

This weeks class focused on adults as self-directed learners. We broke into groups and discussed an example of a time that we participated in a self-directed learning activity. At first, I had a hard time trying to think of some type of learning I had done outside of the classroom. It seems like I have been in school for so long that I do no other types of learning. The first thing that came to mind was golf. I had no formal lessons, but learned from my Dad and brothers. They were my mentors. I also watched some golf programs on TV, and practice, practice, practice. I did not do any research like some of the other members of my group did for their learning project. This was the only experience I could think of over the last year that I had tried to learn independently and outside of a classroom.
After the group session was finished, we came back together as one large group, and I realized that I was very much a self directed learner. I bought a house on my own last year. They should really give you a first time home buyers manual to help you out. Man was that a learning experience. I installed landscape lights at my house. Hung new light fixtures. Planted new types of flowers that I had to figure out how to take care of. To top off all of that, I had to learn to work a new surround sound and a blackberry. This class made me realize how just how much adults participate in self directed learning. I think technology has played a huge role in expanding the types of learning we can do without a formal setting.

Story Circle

Walking into class this past week was an experience. This is the first time I have been in a class in college where the desks are pushed to the side, chairs are set in a circle, the overhead lights are off, and lamps are being used. This is how the story circle went on Thursday night. Once I got over that shock, I had to read my educational biography to people I didn't know. For someone who likes to talk, it seemed exceptionally hard to read that private information about myself.
The most interesting part for me, was the discussion on the brain. I felt the class as a whole had some good comments and good theories. It also made me wonder if I would ever be a good golf player. I only started last year, and hardly get to practice. So, yeah I pretty much stink. If I had started before the age of thirteen, I wonder if mastering the skills would have been any easier. I know the saying goes that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but I think we are capable of learning a great deal even as we age.

Kolb Learning Style Inventory

I think this was the most difficult class for me so far. I have a hard time talking about myself and trying to figure out why I do things the way I do. I have never really thought about my learning style before, so I really enjoyed this activity. It was determined that I was a Converger. I don't think I would have ever considered myself to be a converging learner, but that description seems to fit me pretty well.
I need to know why I am doing something in order for it to make sense. Some people get really frustrated at me because I will pick and pick at this until I know why. I don't like to consider different view points. I want the facts. I learn best by hands on, not lecture.
After our class discussion, I do not think that learning for me goes in a continual circle from concrete experience to reflective observation, to abstract conceptualization and finally to active experimentation. I tend to start in between reflective observation and abstract conceptualization. Depending on what I am trying to learn, I may need to go back to concrete experience to reflect, or may have a drive to move straight towards active experimentation.
My background in psychology has drilled into my head that our personality is pretty much set and there is not a lot we can do to change it. I know we discussed this in class in regards to our learning styles, and I think these could change over time. I don't think a person would do a total change from one extreme to the other, but I think the older I get and the farther I advance in education, the more I like to sit back and reflect or put the pieces together before I just jump in.

Globalization, Demographics, and Technology in the Work Place

Health care is a changing field and globalization, technology, and demographics plat a bug role in those changes. I work in a physician office and hospital both owned by HCA, and it is easy to see how the three factors just mentioned affect my work.
Every Monday, I pack up a miniature office and my physician and I head to Emporia for clinic. This is a perfect example of globalization on a small scale. We are able to provide medical care to those in a remote area. It is sometimes difficult however, due to the different demographics in Emporia. Many people are unable to read and write, and have a difficult time understanding their medical diagnoses and treatment. With ever changing technology we can still access information via our Blackberry which means we do not rely on a computer for emails and Internet.
On a different note, is my job in the hospital. Here, technology is always changing my duties and role as a nurse. As we learn more, procedures and equipment are continually being revised in an effort to improve patient safety and outcomes. The computer program EMAR is one example of this. Making sure you have the right patient, right route, right dose, right time, is the purpose of EMAR. In regards to demographics, both staff and patients are affected. With a larger Hispanic population, communication often becomes difficult. The use of the language line is one means to overcome this obstacle, which takes us back to technology. Globalization is also a factor in the hospital. With ease of travel, if one hospital does not provide the service you desire, you you can simply choose another. I take care of Kidney Transplant patients, and they come from all over the world. Distance is no longer an obstacle for medical care.