The idea of cultures is fascinating to me. The way that they are formed and exist with
in society as a whole and in smaller groups is intriguing. The fact that
multiple subcultures can be formed with in one company makes it essential for
leaders to recognize these subcultures.
The subcultures can have completely different identities even though
they are a part of the same macro culture, which is the company. The fact that these sub cultures hold
different beliefs can lead to competition and division within the company. It is the leader’s job to make sure that all
the sub cultures are directed toward the same common goal of improving the
company.
The book mentions that organizational cultures exist in a
larger macro culture of ethnic groups and larger cultural units. The interesting thing is that these macro
cultures impact and influence the growth and change of an organizational
culture. The things that characterize a
culture include a set of assumptions that characterize the sub units of the
organization.
Self-directed learning is a thing with almost all adults. A self-directed
learner is impacted by their willingness to learn, motivation to learn, and
life circumstances. The three types of
self-directed learning include synergistic, voluntary, and scanning. Synergistic learning is inspired by
opportunity, voluntary is when someone is consciously competent, and scanning is
the ongoing process of searching and learning.
Other types of self-directed learners include self-managers, self-monitors,
and self-modifiers with each taking on
different qualities and traits in their pursuit of gaining knowledge.
My role this week is of Responder
ReplyDeleteBlake, now that you mentioned cultures, I found very interesting to see your point in relation to how the small groups or sub-cultures with in an organizational macro culture can impact because these sub-cultures, as you said, hold different beliefs that can lead to division, affecting the growth and change of that macro culture.
I can see that this idea applies to the critique in regards of Self-Directed Learning in the sense that, as it is brought in the book, Brookfield (1984) affirms that SDL describes how the dominant majority in the Western cultures learn and may ignore important aspects of culture and context of other Easter cultures like the Indian, Chinese, or Middle Eastern, and sub-cultures, like indigenous groups with in the macro Eastern and Western cultures. So, different ethnic groups that have their own context of beliefs and traditions can have different teaching/learning techniques.
In this regard, the example of the Chinese culture that is more teacher-centered, information-based, test-driven and instructional format, mentioned on page 77, brings into account how different the educational style can be from what the Western conceives as student-centered, project-based, or self-directed and independent. As a result, when students from cultures from, let's say, the East countries like China come to Western universities, they need to adjust to a new way of learning, especially if you are an adult learner. That is why Brookfield points out that the educators need to be sensitive to the learners from non-Western cultures and allow these students to acculturate to this new educational context, so that the learner of any age receive the support to the new learning process to adapt and be successful!
My role this week is of Searcher
ReplyDeleteBlake,
Online courses and self-directed learning classes present a different set of challenges than the traditional classroom setting. Your final paragraph addresses motivation with self-directed learners.
I understand that motivation plays a key role in SDL. Our text expresses four goals to motivate learners and encourage people to partake in SDL. First, individuals must want to either gain knowledge or develop a skill. Second, after learners engage in the subject, they begin to self-direct themselves in pursuing new knowledge. Third, SDL may inspire transformational learning, which is a change in how she views a subject or idea. Lastly, SDL can cause an individual to change their behavior so much that they act emancipatory. This is where learners make choices to defend or promote what they see as a worthy cause (Merriam & Bierema, p. 66). The following video briefly discusses SDL and is worth a watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6TbDQMB-NU
The video above shows how self-directed learning benefits people who are interested in learning through SDL. It discusses not only how SDL students benefit but also how teachers/professors can also use SDL to benefit students. This, to your point, Blake, does allow workers in companies to gain new and valuable skills while on the job. If employees are motivated eager to pursue a new set of skills, SDL allows non-traditional students the opportunity to do so without forcing them to sacrifice their entire way of life. In fact, SDL is surging in continuing education for working professionals in the medical field, dental field, the realm of education and even in library sciences (Merriam & Bierema, p. 72). With SDL becoming an invaluable tool for students and professionals, it is easy to see why it has taken off and maintained successful progress amongst a variety of learners.
Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2014). Adult learning: Linking theory and practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.