Hi Scott! First I want to thank you for all of your outstanding discussion points and thought-provoking questions, and for your initiative in stimulating discussion. I have been following the posts and appreciate the time and work you have put into ED106.
To your question, "Is higher education for everyone?," please let me say that I don't think higher education is for every adult, but the opportunity of higher education should be.
In that sense, it may be more of a disservice for adult learners to not have the opportunity for a chance to try and excel than to be at a potential competitive disadvantage in the workplace because of a learning challenge.
That said, as we have referenced before, the workplace is far less forgiving than our educational environments. My hope is that if our career institutions are doing their jobs well, when students are overly challenged with certain disciplines, whether a misalignment of skills, aptitude or abilities (mental and physical), they are collaboratively guided to other opportunities within the parameters of legality.
From the employment side, I have seen many employers happy to work with graduates who once they have it, they have it, even though it may have taken them longer to get there.
All that said again, I think we still run the risk of sometimes overemphasizing our accomodations to our students.
True, we must adapt our teaching styles and delivery techniques to the learning styles, diversities, challenges, characteristics and diasabilities in the classroom, or lab, as well as go the extra mile for those adult learners who, whether diagnosed with a learning disability or not, need our extra time, expertise and support.
Yet learning is a partnership and our students must play their parts as we work to teach the skills we must teach among all of the diversities. We have often said that it is important to take students a little outside of their comfort zones and have them engage in learning styles that may not be a preference. Visual students still need to listen to instructions, auditory learners must read policy manuals and kinesthetic learners may not always have the chance to demonstrate a skill.
I suppose in summary, the challenge for educators is to keep the balance - knowing that our task is not only be to teach the necessary skills for the workplace, but to also help further prepare our students for the workplace, a marked difference beween the two.
Perhaps amongst all of the ideas and strategies, it comes down to getting to know our students professionally, being flexible and creative in our instructional delivery, taking a little extra time with students when needed, respecting all the wonderful experience and abilities they bring to the table, knowing that we must teach a certain level of skills that some students will not master, and accentuate the difference between being judgmental and honest.
Thanks again for all of your contributions to ED106!
Jay Hollowell
ED106 Facilitator
