Learn, find meaning and move forward
Long ago, and by means of finding order, people naturally organized and curved behaviors towards a systemic and interactive form of education.
It is said that since the great teachers of ancient times, people lived a togetherness that allowed them to find collective meaning. This was a form of education that took shape in storytelling, dialogue, and experience sharing. This collective behavior built on a communal social structure brought the act of imparting knowledge, by engaging and challenging adults into discussion and allowing them participatory environments. Since the beginning of time, adults learned through the understanding of the impact of their experiences and learned about life, social behavior and found answers to their personal needs through means of formal and non-formal education (Ozuah, 2005).
What is different for us adults today? Well, I can observe that many factors have changed for us. We are living in an exponentially changed society drenched in technology, we live an individualistic life pattern, we receive and impart knowledge about life less from each other, but rather from organized answers dictated to us by search engines and social media, ect. In a nutshell, we have been conditioned to move away from searching for deep collective meaning-making. We have many questions and want answers now. Yet, if we look at life before the pandemic, we see clearly that in the last couple of decades, as modern societies changed, modern structured learning took over and adult learning took on a new intricate language. This remind us of our ancestral need for collective meaning-making. Eduard Lindemen and Malcolm Knowles, shed light on this. As adult learners we more than ever are inclined:
- to want to know what and why we are learning;
- to develop a balanced self-concept;
- to be capable of self-directing;
- to be acknowledged for our past and present experiences;
- to learn in order to cope with life's demands;
- to learn through real-life situation;
- to be motivated ultimately by attaining a healthy self-esteem, a non-egoistic one and clearly follow a goal to achieve.
(Spencer & Lange, 2014).
When it comes to our needs and collective meaning-making, nothing really changed. Adults learn for a purpose, from each other. They learn from experience. They are self-directed learners that can develop plans for changing themselves and their environment (Nesbit, 2013).
As adults, you and I are always learning. I confess that having a particular curiosity about life and people is fascinating! I find it important to pay attention to patterns and events, to go deeper in understanding the meaning of things. Making meaning in life is an everyday attempt without which I am lost. Making meaning allows me to be directed through a trusted compass. I reflect to understand. To me the answer does not come through noise and clutter. Most times it is in the stillness that I can find my purpose, focus my objectives, and make them realistic.
I think; I listen; I question; I listen; I struggle; I collaborate; I listen; I try; I experience; I share; I reflect; I listen; I learn
…And every time I listen, it is you who talks.
There is rich history and steady proof that, when facing challenges - that do not get resolved by corporate institutions, governments and big money - we adults can learn to find our solutions collectively.
Are you like me? Do you want to be a life long learner, to find meaning and move forward?
If yes, the question we must reflect on is:
Other than formal education, how will we collectively learn and move forward?
1- I support the idea of innovation and change. I better subscribe to the fact that building on “what works” is better than inventing “what is missing”. The truth is one. Learning it is like scaffolding, one experience, one step at a time. Examining what was, is and can be, while revisiting one’s experience, critical thinking and insight.
This is the tool that adults can develop to build their capacity to act. In my opinion, this is where we can find sustainable resolutions and build on developing coexistence. I think this is the way to shape an environment that allows formal and informal expressions to flourish.
People x Resources x education = Progress (MacKeracher, 2010). What our ancestors built before us cannot be ignored and discarded. We make abundant mistakes by removing their monument of resilience and fortitude. We cannot discount their genuine effort, experiential knowledge and historical imprint. I look at my ancestors and I am amazed! those people were loaded with meaning and held profound truths. They were part of the scaffold I climb on, building one truth after the other, one experience after the next. Yes ,they created the story, our story. With the tools they had, they responsibly carved a road map for those ahead.
2- Unleashing collaboration, agency and authorship of one’s life. The power of collectivity when in the spotlight, equipped with the tools it needs to flourish, allows the people to be the masters of their own destiny. Today, seeing beyond the “problems” of the times promises a key towards resolution, instead leading WITH the people is an amazing analogy that as a nurse I nourish in my work. I know often times that I cannot erase illness, fix ailments in my patients, but if I equip them with the necessary knowledge and allow their decision to be made concrete, they can thrive and find their well-being even if still ill. For me as a nurse, Empowering people and giving them agency is a duty and an honor.
3- This last point needs extensive attention to dress DIALOGUE at the center stage of our ability to move forward and learn.
Dialogue as an important practice to develop critical consciousness (Nesbit, 2013). To me it is the ultimate form of freedom.
In recent years and through extensive community involvement, I became more and more certain and affirmed in the thought that there is a fundamental need for us adults to live a togetherness that enables each one of us to engage in our world. Practicing the art of dialogue, exercising the curiosity in the gift of the other, challenging ourselves and others with respect displays our innate desire to collectively seek truth, find meaning and move forward. Dialogue, different than discussion (and the distinction of words matter) offers a speech that is humble, open and focused on collaborative learning (Freire 1970).
As the fundamental practice of freedom, dialogue comes to connect the opposite poles and finds home in the practical positioning between the two parties in order not to necessarily find solutions, but to engage in the action of change. (C: courage; H: hope; A: and; N: new; G: growing; E: experiences). Dialogue nurtures confidence and allows us to contest our ideas, welcome healthy debate, have balanced critique, be curious about each others differences, question things, challenge others but mostly be open in spirit, listen and foster the respect of personal and mutual choices.
This is personal, communal and societal change. This is moving forward responsibly.
How about practicing dialogue without inflicting emotional riots? (visible or invisible)
For my part, I will work harder at listening and mature into openness.
Let us not miss the one ingredient that can feed our world with peace.
Let us remember that as dialogue can be destructive when immature, it has the ability to build critical consciousness in adults.
Isn’t this a good ingredient for moving forward?
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Ozuah, P. O. (2005). First, there was pedagogy and then came andragogy. Einstein Journal of Biology & Medicine, 21(2), 83-87.
Spencer, B. & Lange, E. (2014). The purposes of adult education: A short introduction (3rd edition). Toronto: Thompson Educational Pub.
Nesbit, T., Brigham, S.M., Taber, N. & Gibb, T. (Eds.) (2013) Building on critical traditions: Adult education and learning in Canada. Toronto: Thompson Educational Pub.
MacKeracher, D. (2010) Social change in historical perspective. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 124, 25-35.