Posted on No Comments on How to Navigate the New Norms for Adult Education

How to Navigate the New Norms for Adult Education

by Ron Pirtle, Dean – Belhaven Chattanooga/Dalton

I had the privilege of attending the 2018 Christian Adult Higher Education Association (CAHEA) conference recently. While there were a number of really good sessions, one particularly stood out to me as it related to what we have all seen as the potential new norms for adult education. Dr. Claudia Dempsey reminded us of the traditional attitude toward professors, which is the “Sage on the Stage” and was the standard until the beginning of what we know as the “Computer Age.” Dempsey feels that once the internet became accessible for all, “higher education became a fluid, real-time, globally-accessible, inquiry-based exchange” and if we give careful thought to that statement, I believe we would all have to agree that it is rooted in fact.

Some statistics that Dempsey shared concerning, what she referred to as, the “Brave New World,” are:

  • Distance education has now surpassed six million students
  • The student demographics in higher education are now 73% non-traditional
  • We know have consumer students – meaning that higher education is evolving into a customer service industry. (“How can I serve you” vs. “Come meet our standards”)

While the last statement is difficult for most of us to swallow, I believe many of us would concede that this is the attitude we see displayed by more than one of our students. Dempsey actually refers to this generation as the “Starbucks Generation.” She expounded on this designation by pointing out that our students, generally speaking, are no longer just a coffee generation, but a venti, non-fat, salted caramel mocha frappuccino generation. When we shift our thinking to understand that description is representative of students that we are going to be teaching soon, our attitude towards how we present information to our students must be adjusted. The traditional “lecture” format is not what our students are looking for as they participate in their education.

Dempsey addresses this attitude by referring to what Mats Alvesson calls “The Triumph of Emptiness.” She reveals that Alvesson believes that our pursuit of marketability, superficial shine and branding is allowing us to succeed at the triumph of emptiness. Because of this emptiness, Dempsey fears education might experience the assembly-line mass production that has been avoided for years. Should that happen, she feels it could result in several things for professors:

  • Loss of job security
  • Loss of voice
  • Increased academic work/demands
  • Isolation – smaller/long-distance teams
  • Perpetual upgrades in learning systems, which result in bugs/glitches
  • The need for supplemental income

If we just accepted that this might become the reality experienced in higher education, the pursuit of pouring into our students’ lives would be futile. I, for one, am very thankful that we work at an institution where we do not pursue an assembly-line mass production of graduates.

While the attitude presented by Alvesson could become a reality, students that sit in our classes do not experience the triumph of emptiness. I believe that is based on our pursuit of integrating the Christian worldview into all of our classes, along with what Dempsey referred to as cultivating a climate of C.A.R.E: Compassion/Affirmation/Respect/Encouragement. It is my joy to work with instructors who are committed to investing in the creativity, productivity, and resilience of our students, all while enabling them to deepen their understanding of Christ and his place in their daily life.  So, for those of you who have picked up the mantle of teaching, never underestimate your ability to overcome and help our students overcome the triumph of emptiness!

Posted on 1 Comment on Our “In” is Christ

Our “In” is Christ

by Dr. Kotina Hall, Dean, Belhaven-Atlanta

Never before have universities witnessed such generational diversity inside the classrooms. Such a mix should foster a wealth of exchange and variety, including complex experiences. I personally believe that such settings extend beyond the academic walls, lending themselves to the complexities that exist in our society. Interactive exchange affords students opportunities to not only learn from others and to respect their insights, but it also ignites them to critically think to best ignite the application of their own knowledge, spawning the hope for an environment for systematic engagement. Yet, amid this rich mix, there is also an “increase of failing institutions” (Lederman, 2017). I am deeply concerned.

As I often share, during my daily commute I pass more than six colleges and universities. The average student lives more than 40 miles away and can travel up to one or two hours to attend Belhaven University-Atlanta. These statistics reveal that Belhaven University-Atlanta is indeed a university of choice and have caused me to ponder greatly about the survival of our campus in a mecca of ivy-league schools in the south. What makes Belhaven University unique? What is our “in”?

Our “in” is the fact that we not only have a Christian worldview embedded into our curriculum, but the fact that we have an opportunity to openly and boldly live out our creed throughout the day. All institutions have the same 24 hours, but we are distinct in that we have 24 hours to work where we are equipped to live out, speak out, teach about and meet about an all-knowing, all-powerful and awesome Christ. That’s our “in”! No other institution can say that.

As we go out into the fields to create maximum shareholder value, we must do more than post billboards and pass out postcards or heavy-weight business cards; we must boldly share our “in!’” We cannot sell our curriculum if we do not mention Christ. We cannot build solid alliances if our stakeholders do not understand our mission. Our unique and diverse student body cannot appreciate and value our differences if they do not understand the foundation upon which our great institution was built.

The world is constantly changing. Too many are hungry for short-term solutions and less concerned about the welfare of humanity; and sadly, many institutions have moved from “ministry to business” in order to survive. In doing so, they have taken their focus off of Jesus Christ and placed it into systems and business practices.

I am praying that Belhaven University will not change. It is my hope that Belhaven University will continue to promote diversity and encourage heightened, differentiated thought, and transformation learning. In doing so, it is my belief that Belhaven University will posture herself to continue to reevaluate her organizational focus – stand in righteousness, stand up for excellence, stand out from the crowd and stand firm for Christ. Each stance will continue to be our hallmark, but the latter will always be the one to take Belhaven University to unanticipated levels as we follow His prescribed plans.

 

Posted on 3 Comments on Grading Classroom Participation

Grading Classroom Participation

Grading classroom participation, if you are like me, has always been somewhat subjective. I start out with the best intentions of keeping good track of participation, but get caught up in the teaching and quite often drop that ball.

I’ve just added a new section to the Faculty Development Canvas course which specifically addresses this area of instruction, titled “What is the Best Way to Grade Participation.” You can find it in the OnSite section of the Development Modules. I think there are some good ideas there that should help in this area.

There has also been some confusion regarding how participation grades are to be recorded in the on-ground courses for Adult Studies. After receiving some clarification, the process going forward is to consider each week to stand on its own and mark participation for that week. If you have any questions about that, please get with your Dean or contact me at rupchurch@belhaven.edu

Blessings,

Rick

Posted on 2 Comments on Reflections from CAHEA – Teaching practices with Adult Students

Reflections from CAHEA – Teaching practices with Adult Students

by Dr. Larry Ruddell, Dean Belhaven-Houston

Dr. Joseph Flowers spoke on “Basic principles and practices for teachers of non-traditional adult students” at the annual Christian Adult Higher Education Association (CAHEA) conference. We have several good articles on instruction in this blog, but it always good to review and remind.

Dr. Flowers started by emphasizing that our roll in teaching is not necessarily to “teach” students but to “create an environment for learning.” Thus, people with different strengths and gifts can “help students learn.” A small few have the gift of teaching and can lecture effectively because of that gift. Others bore students after ten minutes of lecture but can help students learn through a number of other class activities.

Flowers reviewed the basics about andragogy but went further to introduce three “radio stations” (two of which are pertinent) that helped explain adult learners and their perspectives.  The first station is “WII-FM” which stands for “What’s in it for me?” It highlights the importance of relevance in instruction, answering questions like; “why do students need to know this information, how will it benefit them, how can they use it in practical ways, and do students know what to expect?”

In other words, students need to see value in what they are learning, so as instructors, we always need to be building bridges between the course material and how the knowledge can impact students. As Flowers points out, “adults feel the application of information is the primary motivation for undertaking the learning project.”

The more the instructor has experience in the topic covered and relate professional experiences and evaluate course content based on actual professional experiences, the better for students. So, we as instructors should bring this experience into the classroom each week.

The second channel covered by Flowers is “MMFG-AM” which stands for “Make me feel good about myself.” In other words, “instructors should value the learners’ life experiences.” So, as instructors, we must walk the line between covering the course material and valuing and encouraging the individual student. Respect is critical. We must always keep in mind that advanced degrees don’t make us better than anyone else. We must value the experiences of our students whether working in major corporations, small businesses, non-profits, churches or educational settings.

Part of making “students feel good” is mentoring them in personal responsibility and confidence in their ability to perform. A “well done” when a student knows a professor maintains high expectations for performance actually means something versus a platitude for “participating” by submitting an assignment. In fact, when I’m fishing for something positive to say about a lackluster paper, I’ll write at the end of the comments, “glad you were able to submit something.” It sounds trite but depending on the week, it may have been all the student could do to just submit their assignment so even that effort, even though not highly lauded, should be acknowledged.

You want students to complete assignments but hopefully can give them flexibility in how they handle assignments based on their own interests and goals for learning. As Fisher points out, “adults need to be independent and direct their own learning.”

Finally, make sure to chunk material together so it can be memorable. Do not rely too much on PowerPoints. Include three modes of learning; auditory, visual, and tactile. And “tell, show, and experience.”

So, we removed some basic principles of teaching adults from Dr. Joseph Flowers who presented at this year’s annual CAHEA conference. Hopefully some of these points are good reminders for continued success!