Reflection paper # 4

Marina Ferreira de Melo

University of Wisconsin—Stout
Educational Psychology of the Adult Learner
EDUC 403/603
Dr. Jerrilyn Brewer
April 20, 2019
 This reflection is based on Brookfield, S. (2015).The skillful teacher: On technique, trust, and
responsiveness in the classroom, with emphasis on chapters 6 through 17.

- Lectures or Discussion boards?

When addressing the decision teachers/ instructors should make regarding using lecture or discussion
board methodology the first aspect to be observed is related to the discipline itself, once it has pre-
determined standards that should be respected. Lectures have naturally been the go-to option in
education for so long that, in certain way, gives the teacher/instructor a sense of comfort. Though,
Brookfield seems to defend the idea that lectures must be rethought, designed and aligned with
students’ expectations at play. "The question is not banking lectures or no lectures, because traditional
teachers will make reality opaque whether they lecture or lead discussions. A liberating teacher will
illuminate reality even if he or she lectures. The question is the content and dynamism of the lecture,
the approach to the object to be known. " (p 70)
It is interesting to observe that this responsibility is, up to a certain extent, the instructor’s. The concept
of being a liberating teacher instead of a traditional one is a quite relevant discussion in Andragogy.
Teachers who facilitate adult learning must be equipped to adapt and become more flexible when
deciding on the best methodology that truly fosters students’ engagement and motivation.
After reading this chapter, I personally became more aware of the fact that it is possible to
promote great learning experiences in both contexts, lecturing and utilizing a discussion format, once
the needs of students are being met and that these learners feel they are participating in their own
learning process, by being heard when needed, by being able to think critically, and having a greater
sense of self-direction.
My own practice has been impacted by this idea especially because discussions have been my
methodological choice in the ESL/ELL classroom. I had been reluctant to utilize lectures as my
preferred methodology for years, nevertheless, I believe that I will have opportunities to practice
lecturing that is aligned and shaped to fulfill the needs of adult learners with a more dynamic and
interactive approach.
It is also important to consider if the delivery format is face to face or online when taking the
decision on the most appropriate methodology. Discussion boards are crucial in online delivery and a
major component of most courses. In chapter 7, Brookfield offers us excellent models on how to build
and calibrate discussions so that they provide meaningful content, which is key in this approach. "Good
discussions are not mysterious or serendipitous. They depend on good planning and preparation, not
personal chemistry." (p 96)
- Diversity
This is not just a buzzword any longer, and Brookfield demystifies this theme throughout
chapter 8. It is unrealistic to expect classrooms where diversity does not exist, be it face to face or
online, diversity is and will more than ever evolve to become the norm. Therefore, Brookfield points
out that "Any attempt to work with diversity begins with accurately gauging its presence so we know
what we’re dealing with. " (p 99). Teachers must be prepared to accurately diagnose diversity in their
classrooms before taking decisions that will impact their students’ learning. After the diagnostic phase,
teachers should consider relevant factors, such as the many facets of multiple intelligences, individual
expectations, educational background and multiculturalism, personal experiences and their relation to
previous learning, personality traits related to learner’s attitudes and what each individual brings to the
table when we consider the three domains of the learning process, affective, cognitive and psychomotor
and their impact on how students learn best.
My take away from these readings is that diversity must never be regarded as a negative aspect
of teaching, on the contrary, it is a chance for teachers/instructors to implement new strategies and
techniques (such as team teaching or mixing student groups) aiming at achieving the best outcomes,
which might not be the same for all students, outcomes will vary as well as the ways to get there. A
good initial assessment, careful decision making and accurate implementation of learning techniques
should compose the framework in which to work with.

- Evaluations
Standards, validity and reliability are key elements when evaluating students’ progress.
Standards refers to being able to utilize an evaluation instrument that can be broadly utilized as well as
designed to facilitate operations. Validity relates to building an assessment instrument that will measure
what it is supposed to measure, while reliability guarantees consistency and is intended to measure how
much students actually learned. In chapter 14, Brookfield proposes thinking about what he defines as
helpful evaluations. "A helpful evaluation provides clear directions for the future and instills in the
learner the desire to engage in further inquiry. It is written understandably and invites the learner to
discuss with the teacher anything that strikes her as unfair, unclear, or unjustified." (p 186).
Undeniably, evaluations have been a point of severe struggle for so many, for so long.
Outcomes that reflect one’s poor performance might scar this individual and cause extreme emotional
reactions which can lead to lack of engagement and, in the worst case scenario, even evasion from
education. Teachers/instructors must be aware of all these aspects and develop ways in which, even if
the expected outcome is not reached, feedback should be informative of any good work done by the
learner while establishing future goals, and a step by step guidance to achieving them.
Brookfield provides a clear explanation of the aspects that build helpful evaluations, such as
having criteria clearly communicated (which helps avoid confusion), providing specific examples of
what is expected, immediacy (tackle problems in a timely manner), future oriented guidance and
feedback, regularity, accessibility and educative. Having this set of criteria in mind is definitely going
to help me more effectively assess my students while still respecting evaluation principles as well as
make me feel more prepared to deal with learners who need extra support.

- Resistance
Brookfield introduces the issue of resistance in chapter 16 and one particular point stood out to
me, "The ground zero of resistance to learning is the fear of change." (p 213). This is so painfully true
and affects all of the individuals involved in the educational process. Some might think teachers who
work with Pedagogy are more prone to face resistance in the classroom but, as a matter of fact, it is
present in the Andragogy context as well. Personally, I believe that learners who consistently exhibit
signs of resistance might be struggling within themselves, and pessimism is dictating their attitudes.
Without a doubt, this issue might be one of the hardest for teachers/instructors to try to tackle, once
responsibility does not rely on only one of the parties involved, but it is a double way road.
In a more subtle context, promoting motivation and engagement might have good results but it
is crucial to remember that the extent of resistance is very subjective. Still considering the fear of
change, Brookfield adds "Learning is framed as a quest for certainty, for a system of beliefs or structure
that they can commit to for life. Consequently, any teacher who invites people into learning by
emphasizing its power to change them is unwittingly strengthening their resistance." (p 219). The
discomfort caused by this example of approach in dealing with resistance is probably what causes it to
backfire. Some individuals might be simply trying to protect their belief system, no matter where they
might be. Aligning teaching styles that offer ways to deal with resistance is a critical decision to be
made and the teacher/instructor knows this means having to loosen the influence we have over those
individuals.
In a personal level, I must confess I feel like I have a long way to go before feeling confident on
my abilities to deal with resistance properly. Some of my past experiences have shown to be
ineffective, such as a feeling of guilt for not having tried something else. Nonetheless, reading chapters
16 and 17 have opened my eyes to different rationale in relation to identifying potential causes of
resistance and this knowledge will certainly help me find ways to obtain better outcomes when working
with resistant learners. I truly believe that one of the best strategies in this case would be to build a
closer rapport, which will hopefully evolve into trust.
 References
Brookfield, S. (2015). The skillful teacher: On technique, trust, and responsiveness in the
classroom (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.