A Bit of What I Learned

Discover Students’ Learning Preferences Before Curriculum Design
The internet can tremendously empower students to expand their horizons in a short time. In fact, some things are impossible to learn without hours of travel, study, book purchases, phone calls, correspondence, and lectures.

I designed the take-home portion of the class curriculum with this in mind. Each handout gave the learner opportunities to discover a broader context for the following week’s class or tour.

Yet, only three members had any desire to use the internet. They just did not want to use it and did not know much about how. If I had known this beforehand, I would have developed another strategy.

Because membership characteristics vary widely from center to center, it is critical to understand who will be taking your class and how they plan to learn. Will they use the internet? Travel to libraries? Do any kind of out-of-class activities or reading?

The experience of this course shaped my strategies as program director of a new lifelong learning center. As we are designing our first basic computer courses, I designed a survey that each person who enrolled on the first open enrollment days completed. The survey inquired about internet usage, expectations for homework, and willingness to buy a book. The results have the potential to shape each instructor’s approach to designing their course.

Respond or Create: Assignments Must Have Intention
I could not figure out how many of my fellow learners were actually doing and enjoying the out-of-class exercises. From the evaluations, at least two of the students seemed like they might have been doing them. One of them said he found them so helpful that he was able to prepare for leading a group discussion about organic food and its costs at the local library. The other said she would have appreciated a set time to come together with others for discussion about the assignments.

The class time was only one hour. It was absurd to think we could discuss the assignments in that time period. When we took trips together, we all wanted to get to know one another informally. The assignments did work themselves out as a class endeavor.

What is the best way to empower students to take part in the learning process and class experience, to expand their learning beyond the lecture, and to rediscover the ability to learn on their own?

Even though assignments might not be customary in lifelong learning centers, I think that there are ways they could prove invaluable.

• Find a better name than assignments. It might be “Learning Challenges” or “Take It Outside” or “Discussion Points.”
• Create a class environment that offers the opportunity to just enjoy the lectures or to also dig deeper through out-of-class experiences. After receiving a packet describing these assignments, learners would sign-up for one option or the other. Those who desire the out-of-class exercises would find a time to meet beyond the class time. Together they would choose what assignments they would do, when and how they would share their experiences and reflections, and how to share what developed with a wider audience (the rest of the class, the entire senior center, the city newspaper).
• Create some assignments that invite learners to challenge the intellect, other assignments to engage in action, some to express opinions and feelings, others to interact with people, some to be creative, and others to read.
• Choose assignments that bring learners into direct contact with knowledge, people, organizations, skills, and places.

Character a Central Theme: Intergenerational Learning
In guiding this group of learners, I became acutely aware of the mature characters of the elders surrounding them. At each gathering, I witnessed interactions that reproved me directly or indirectly. Did I consider others as more important than myself in small ways? How much thought did I give to others? Did I show this by opening doors, giving up a portion of food, and joyfully and patiently helping those with less physical ability?

As I watched elders at the farm lead one another arm-in-arm as I just focused on all I wanted to experience, I saw how much I needed to learn! When the gentlemen among us kept active to take care of details in the class setting, I saw how lazy I was becoming in treating the women around me with honor.

The intergenerational learning happens both ways in a class led by a younger person, especially if the younger person is keenly aware of the equal give-and-take. A younger person can bring fresh energy in bringing together resources and people. The elders offer both knowledge of the subject from a lifetime of learning as well as mature convictions on the life that is larger than any subject.

The Surprise of Civic Engagement
As I developed Stories from the Table, I did not create it with thoughts of how learning and civic engagement were related. But, after watching the responses and listening to the dialogue of the learners in this class and in the computer classes I was also teaching, I began to see the potential.