WASs' knowledge and abilities

Photo taken over the Gulf of Mexico on August 15, 2016 by Jonathan Acuña

Combining WASs’ Attitudes with Teaching Strategies

By Prof. Jonathan Acuña-Solano, M. Ed. School of English Faculty of Social Sciences Universidad Latina de Costa Rica Saturday, September 17, 2016 Post 294

As it was previously introduced in the former post (293), Working Adult Students have a series of attributes (or traits) that comprise the kind of learner s/he is, the essence of who they really are in terms of learning and motivation.

Recounting a bit of what this WAS’s description includes, the following attributes are to be borne in mind: Knowledge and Abilities, Self-Concept, Expectations, Needs, and

Attitudes. As suggested by Laureate Education (2016), there are different ways to capitalize from all these abilities if the instructor is able to envision the kind of strategy or strategies that can accompany it to have the WAS fully profit from his or her experience.

The following chart intends to explore on the possibilities of adding teaching strategies for the WASs’ knowledge and abilities attribute. Though this is not a conclusive set of strategies, three are correlated with the chosen attribute: schema activation, case studies, and project-based learning (PBL) tasks. Each one will be outlined individually for a better grasp of the possibilities behind each teaching strategy.

Name of the The WASs' knowledge and abilities are a set of attribute: characteristics related to the learning processes acquired along the WAS's life.  Some research makes clear that the WAS, before entering a study program, has developed a set of knowledge and abilities based on their work and life experiences and, that they wish to relate these to the contents proposed so as to find them meaningful and useful, for a rapid application and transfer to their real context.

Strategy 1: Since WASs come to class with specific knowledge rooted in Schema their work practice, and abilities based on previous experiences, Activation the activation of their prior knowledge or schema activation is necessary.

“The purpose of activating schema is to have the learner recreate an experience so new information can be associated with what is already known. Since students come from different backgrounds with different experiences, the past becomes the glasses in which learners view the world and what they are learning” (Activating Schema, n.d.).

Schema Activation’s Benefits: 1) Setting the mood for deep learning 2) Having students remember past work experiences linked to course content 3) Helping learners relate new content with information they handle at work or work practices

Strategy 2: A case study is defined as a “documented study of a specific Case Studies real-life situation or imagined scenario, used as a training tool in business schools and firms. Students or trainees are required to analyze the prescribed cases and present their interpretations or solutions, supported by the line of reasoning employed and assumptions made” (Cased Study, n.d.).

This strategy for instruction can help learners fill in the lack of theoretical knowledge of the knowledge and abilities required through their work practices and the lack of an organized structure of knowledge and abilities. The exercise can supply these for them.

Case Study’s Benefits: 1) Helping learners analyze work-related situations to provide them with theoretical knowledge 2) Aiding students to support their line of reasoning with an organized structure of knowledge and abilities

Strategy 3: “Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional method of PBL hands-on, active learning centered on the investigation and resolution of messy, real-world problems” (Problem-Based Learning (PBL), n.d.).

In the WASs’ classroom it can server lots of pursposes to help them learn more actively and deeply. By means of PBL the instructor can get a high level of participation and communication, clarity in study objectives, experience acquired in the work area, expressivity and spontaneity, and practical use purpose.

PBL’s Benefits: 1) Contextualization of learning in real-life working situations 2) Increasing the participation of students by bringing them situations they experience at work 3) Point out the purpose and practical use of approaches

and methods presented by theory in real contexts experienced by learners

To conclude, any of the WASs’ attributes (Knowledge and Abilities, Self-

Concept, Expectations, Needs, and Attitudes) can be used in combination with learning strategies or teaching method. What is suggested here are three different strategies that I have found useful among the English Teaching Learning major students, who also happen to be sitting in any regular course at the university and mostly at night. I am almost certain than more approaches to teaching can be used with the attribute I decided to work on, and needless to mention that you are bound to find more to say in regards the other attributes that were not taken into account for this reflective exercise.

Based on my personal experience with language learners and content courses, using schema activation as a simple prior knowledge enlivening technique, lots can be gained with WAS. Cases studies and PBL tasks are wonderful to prompt learners to start using what they are learning in combination with their empirical expertise gained at work.

Happy teaching!

References

Activating Schema. (n.d.). Obtenido de TesolClass.Com:

http://www.tesolclass.com/lesson-planning/activating-schema/

Cased Study. (n.d.). Retrieved from BusinessDictionary.Com:

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/case-study.html

Problem-Based Learning (PBL). (n.d.). Retrieved from Learning-Theories.Com: https://www.learning-theories.com/problem-based-learning-pbl.html