Learning in the context of life course and life experience

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Learning in the context of life course and life
experience

• Larissa Jõgi
• Katrin Karu
• Tallinn University
• Faculty of Educational Sciences
• Chair of Adult Education

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• If we believe in learning from our own
  experience and that of others
• we have to learn to listen with critical patience
• Stefen Brookfield

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Life course, learning and life experience

• Learning takes place in the context of life
  course and is discussed as personal development
  process (Jameison, Miller Stafford 1998)
• Life is seen as a journey across time (Jarvis
  1998), as life-span or as life trajectory that
  unites different life periods and life events
  (Tulva 1998)
• Human life is connected with time. Development
  and learning occurs throughout life and time is
  perceived as past, present and future. In
  different stages of life uniqueness of a person
  appears (Jarvis 1998)

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Research

• Presentation is based on research Andragogical,
  social and psychological factors co-influence on
  learning readiness and training activeness in the
  context of lifelong learning, which originates
  from expectancy that
• Adult learning is socially determined by taking
  place in interaction between the individuals and
  social context.
• Learning always takes place in social environment
  or social situation.
• The essence of learning is life-wide and
  life-long but also social including
  socialization, internalisation externalisation
  throughout all life course.

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Life course and learning

• Life course is connected to learning and
  affected by social environment, cultural and
  social background, prior life experiences, life
  knowledge and changes in personal and social life
• Alheit 1996, Alheit Dausien 2002, Alheit 2005,
  Bauman 2000

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Life course and learning

• Learning in life course context is treated as
  lifelong, biographical, influencing individual as
  a whole in interpreting and widenening ones
  meaning perspectives
• Alheit 1996, Jameison, Miller Stafford 1998

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• The aim of our presentation is to construct a
  possible interpretation of the nature of personal
  conceptions of learning, learning experience in
  the life course context.

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• In time perspective every person is influenced
  by social environment, social roles of the
  generation, social position, age, life course and
  events related to life-span but also processes in
  society which in turn influences formation of
  learning conceptions.

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• Subjective learning conceptions, comprehensions
  of learning are formed in socio-cultural
  environment. Analyses of these comprehensions
  makes possible to analyse the essence of adult
  learning and formation of learning conceptions in
  the context of life course of different
  generations.
• Alheit 1996, Alheit Dausien 2002, Alheit 2005,
  Bauman 2000 Jarvis 1992, 1998, Jõgi 2004, Jõgi
  Karu 2004, Merriam Caffarella 1999, Säljo 2003.
  

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• In the presentation we will compare Datum
• (M. van Manen), which is based on three
  interviews (Heleri, Marika, Arno). We were
  looking for structurally significant differencies
  (Diltney)/ structural nexus (Denzin), which is
  individual, unique and particular.

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Research questions
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• Empirical data were collected by 55 in-depth
  interviews during 2004
• Sample
• Generations representatives of Estonians.
• 20 -30 y., 31-40 y., 41-50 y.,51-60 y., 61 -70
  y., 71-80 y., 81 90 y.)

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• Interpretation of empirical data is based on
  hermeneutical-phenomenographical approach and
  inductive analyses (holistical aspect)
• (Alheit, 1994, Marton Booth 1997)

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Inductive analyseMax van Manen, 2001
Meanings - categories
Reconstructing
Describing Confronting What does it mean? What
was/is important in social context, situations,
in relations, in time, in place?
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Research goal

• Comparative analyse of learning conceptions
  amongst generations

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• Research subject is adults conception of
  learning.
• Conception is a construction of thought which
  forms on the bases of thinking of some
  phenomenon. Conception is not an opinion, it is
  permanent image of something. According to
  conceptions person interprets phenomenon.
• (Alheit 1996, Kuurme 2000)

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Results

• Based on analysis of 55 interviews following can
  be pointed out
• The more educated one is
• The more is learned
• The more is wanted to be learned
• The more active one wants to be
• The more widely and deeply learning possibilities
  and learning is understood and valued
• The more diverse and life-wide the road of
  education is, the more positive learning/life
  experiences has been, the most is being learned,
  is wished to being learned and wished to being
  active, the more and deeper is understood and
  valued learning opportunities and learning.
• People learn everywhere, from everything and
  continuously.

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Heleri

• 1982
• 22 years old
• working student

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Marika

• 1967
• 37 years old
• higher education
• civil engineer

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Arno

• 190599 years oldvocational educationretired

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Life course context
Soviet time
1918 Estonian Republic
1940 -1945 World War II
1991 Estonia Republic, Restoration of
independence
ARNO 99 man 1905
MARIK A 37 woman 1967
HELERI 22 woman 1982
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• Distinction of conceptions is affected by social
  frame of different life experiences, life stages
  or life situations.

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LEARNING

• Learning is understood, defined, talked about
  and explained in life context differently.

MARIKA Mid-day
HELERI Sun-rise
ARNO Sun-set
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Learning and experience
experience
ME
L e a r n i n
g
P e r s o n a l L i f e
S o c i a l c o n t e x t
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Meanings given to learning acquisition,
implementation into practice, managing, life it
self.

• ... Im acquiring knowledge...then Im able to
  compete. Im not more dumb than others...but if
  theres too much I get tired...(Heleri)
• ... Acquiring new skills and knowledge that can
  be practically used...to broaden the mind, to
  understand things better...acquiring experience.
  To manage in life...(Marika)
• ... You learn something more nearly until
  death...all life you learn for living...(Arno)

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Self-cognition/attitude towards one self

• ...I have bad memory...lately I cant remember
  things very well...It happens that I forget
  (Heleri)
• ...in that sense it is never too late to
  study...you have to be interested in it
  yourself..(Marika)
• ... obstacles for learning I dont really
  have...(Arno)

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Life as learning opportunity experience,
adaptation

• ... Im kind of curious, if there is something
  more interesting than learning then I instantly
  depart from the topic...Id terribly want to
  escape from this and I fight with
  myself...(Heleri)
• ... this is learning, isnt it, when you go
  around open minded...situation, that you hear
  something from somewhere...hear some kind of news
  from radio...(Marika)
• ... I learned a lot in prison camp...attitude to
  other people I learned in there...that violence
  can not be defeated with violence...(Arno)

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What is valued in learning?

• ... if I have to pass an exam...I like when I
  know the answers (Heleri)
• ... You are capable to do something, you can be
  useful to someone with something, not just for
  yourself...to be useful for the society (Marika)
• ... still remember when I was working and going
  to places...things achieved at those times.
• What I was able to do things and that was useful
  for me and for others and there are quite a lot
  of those things done not too few in life at
  all...(Arno)

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Responsibility and control over life and studies

• ... now I have to survive the last year, then
  Ill have a little break...for a year Id like to
  rest...all life long you have to study but if it
  comes with high concentration then its not
  good...(Heleri)
• ... a person has a mind. You have to make it
  clear to yourself in your head that you have to
  do it and then you have to make it delightful for
  yourself...(Marika)
• ... (in prison camp)...then I started to wonder,
  that I dont know how to get to work, what kind
  is the work and now I need to decide...(work) I
  went to the blacksmiths shop and I had my own
  room and own decisions...(Arno)

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Relations,others,people

• ...Ive learned that bosses are also human. You
  neednt fear them. If there is something then you
  can just go and talk...(Heleri)
• ...tolerance...that you just understand that
  there are so many opinions. I wouldnt say that
  it is conformation, it is more understanding,
  experience that makes you understand and count on
  other person...(Marika)
• ... getting to know people...more thorough
  knowing takes time...have to be attentive...(Arno)

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Work environment, work itself as learning

• ...I dont know how to express myself in
  connection with this work and I have to learn new
  things all the time...(Heleri)
• ...Here there are new things daily that you have
  to learn....every kind...demands..(Marika)
• ...as a brigade leader...a lot needed to be
  learnt and understood that its difficult with
  people...two sides were formed...had to learn how
  to manage. Across time it disappeared and it was
  seen that it wont take you far...(Arno)

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Expectations, norms from social environment

• ...after high school I didnt have a break
  straight to the university as its common in here
  (Heleri)
• ...if you werent fallen on a head at
  school...off you go to the university. There
  wasnt such a thought that you wouldnt go. At
  least not in our family...(Marika)
• ..I didnt have enough time for studying...father
  said that a Im a grown man already and must
  start working as there was no one else left in
  the farm..(Arno)

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Heleri
Recognising that you dont need to fear people
Knowing and answering

• The resources for learning, socialisation are
  limited
• Normative beliefs
• Learning values knowledge-based
• Self-confusion

Memorising Remembering-forgeting
Knowledge
Fighting with myself
Surviving
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MARIKA
Practical knowledge
Knowledge for managing in life

• Interested in herself
• Opening mind
• Personal learning expectations

I have to learn daily
Being useful for someone, for others
with something
Understanding other people/experiences makes you
understand others
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Arno
There are no obstacles for learning
Learning from people and situations

• Life is learning
• Learning is life
• Learning values life-based
• Learning takes LIFETIME

Ability to do things for me and others
Ability to decide and be responsible
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• Learning is integrated to everyday life,
  learning is biographical, learning is life it
  self, learning is way of life which influences
  conceptions, life course, path of education, work
  and subjective career.

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• Interviewees (ages 21-40 y.) see learning mostly
  in connection with something practical, knowledge
  and skills, significant connections are with
  teaching and with acquisition of something,
  studing in school, succeeding and capability in
  life and work.

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• What has been learnt has to be interesting and
  practical.
• Reflective learning (self-analysing) is mainly
  not recognized and only few talk about it even
  though it has been pointed out that conception of
  learning is changing across life.

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• Conceptions and comprehensions of learning
• are not clearly conceptualised by younger
• interviewees (21-30 y) but in the background of
• all interviews it can be stated that conceptions
  
• change across life.

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• Learning is seen as development, personal growth
  and opportunity
• (40-51 y and older)
• The oldest people are the more learning
  opportunities are recognised and valued in
  non-formal situation, without defining self as a
  learner.

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• The older is the interviewee, the more positive
  are learning opportunities, the richer, diverse
  and deeper are conceptions of learning, the more
  learning is valued, the more different learning
  opportunities are recognised and the more desire
  for learning is noticed.