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Product Review: Narrative and the Practice of Adult Education

Product Review: Narrative and the Practice of Adult Education RESOURCES approach as characterized in practice REVIEW REVIEW by three elements: the use of stories Narrative and the Practice of Adult Building Online Learning Comm- in teaching and learning; storying Education, by Marsha Rossiter and unities, by R. M. Palloff and K. Pratt. the curriculum; and making autobio- M. Carolyn Clark. Malabar, FL: San Francisco, CA: JosseyBass, 2007. graphical connections with the course Krieger Publishing, 2007. ISBN ISBN 0787988251. Soft cover, 292 content" (p. 71). In chapters five 1-57524-222-2. Hardcover, 187 pages. through nine they address in detail its pages. use in the classroom, text-based nar- In the 1990s education began to ratives or those that are written down, embrace online learning for students Marsha Rossiter and Carolyn narrative possibilities in program who sought to participate from off- Clark maintain that in order to under- development, how narrative relates to campus locations. According to Palloff stand narrative, one must first grasp self-understanding, and finally how two central ideas. "The first is that and Pratt, students were motivated it is situated within the field of adult narrative is a fundamental structure of by the need to increase their value in education. the knowledge-based economy, and human meaning making. That is, we Storytelling, story sharing, and education responded by adapting face- think and perceive in narrative struc- autobiographical writing are cited as to-face courses to the online format. tures, and we understand the meaning narrative strategies that are appropri- of our lived experience through a While the authors acknowledge that ate for the adult classroom. A par- process of 'storying' it" (p. 13). The distance learning is not expected to ticularly important section deals with eliminate the traditional classroom, second central idea is that "narrative four issues that the authors believe they assert that online learning describes a way of knowing that is must be considered in using these provides a valuable alternative for distinct from scientific knowing, in teaching and learning approaches. which the focus in on meaning rather students who are limited in terms of They include structuring a safe and than fact, verisimilitude rather than time and geographic location. Palloff supportive environment through the and Pratt also describe online learning logic" (p. 13). With this as the founda- use of appropriate ground rules and as the great equalizer in that it is free tion, the authors make a strong case for climate setting, advice on dealing from gender, age, and ethnic bias. the power of narrative and its proper with strong emotional reactions, tips role in adult pedagogy. However, they Building Online Learning on maintaining an appropriate level do so without ever formally defining Communities begins with a discussion of self disclosure for the classroom narrative. One can glean from the of the context of distance education. and advice on how the instructor discussion that narrative is storytell- It progresses through a description frames the invitation to share stories ing based on experience but it would of the online learning process and in class. They wisely suggest that have been helpful to have this stated culminates in instruction and advice adult educators should be aware of in the beginning of the book. on creating successful electroni- "the power asymmetry inherent in The authors present the theo- cally mediated courses. For example, our relations and interactions with retical underpinnings of narrative as a Palloff and Pratt recommend that students" (p. 95). instructors "relinquish their role of way of knowing by citing Bruner and Rossiter and Clark have written power within and over the educational acknowledge that "it is a connected, an interesting book on narrative that process in order to afford learners the relational, and constructivist ori- should be useful to the adult education entation to knowledge" (p. 16). opportunity to take on a process man- practitioner. However, although the Throughout the book, they effectively agement role" (p. 123). They suggest problems and pitfalls that may be en- that content discussion replace lecture draw on their own experiences and on countered when using such personal to allow "learners [to] actively create stories by adult learners to exemplify and emotionally laden strategies are knowledge and meaning through the points they are making. addressed, I would like to have seen Midway throughthebook , Rossiter experimentation, exploration, and them given more attention. and Clark transition to the practical the manipulation and testing of ideas in reality" (p. 16). From the authors' application of narrative learning in Dr. Kathleen Β. Rager perspective, learning communities adult education. They include formal, Associate Professor not only create a sense of belonging nonformal, and informal settings. The University of Oklahoma authors state, "We see the narrative for students but also offer a safe haven A 32 Adult Learning http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Adult Learning SAGE

Product Review: Narrative and the Practice of Adult Education

Rager, Kathleen B.
Adult Learning , Volume 19 (1-2): 1 – Jan 1, 2008
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Publisher
SAGE
Copyright
© 2008 American Association for Adult and Continuing Education
ISSN
1045-1595
eISSN
2162-4070
DOI
10.1177/104515950801900108
Publisher site
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Abstract

RESOURCES approach as characterized in practice REVIEW REVIEW by three elements: the use of stories Narrative and the Practice of Adult Building Online Learning Comm- in teaching and learning; storying Education, by Marsha Rossiter and unities, by R. M. Palloff and K. Pratt. the curriculum; and making autobio- M. Carolyn Clark. Malabar, FL: San Francisco, CA: JosseyBass, 2007. graphical connections with the course Krieger Publishing, 2007. ISBN ISBN 0787988251. Soft cover, 292 content" (p. 71). In chapters five 1-57524-222-2. Hardcover, 187 pages. through nine they address in detail its pages. use in the classroom, text-based nar- In the 1990s education began to ratives or those that are written down, embrace online learning for students Marsha Rossiter and Carolyn narrative possibilities in program who sought to participate from off- Clark maintain that in order to under- development, how narrative relates to campus locations. According to Palloff stand narrative, one must first grasp self-understanding, and finally how two central ideas. "The first is that and Pratt, students were motivated it is situated within the field of adult narrative is a fundamental structure of by the need to increase their value in education. the knowledge-based economy, and human meaning making. That is, we Storytelling, story sharing, and education responded by adapting face- think and perceive in narrative struc- autobiographical writing are cited as to-face courses to the online format. tures, and we understand the meaning narrative strategies that are appropri- of our lived experience through a While the authors acknowledge that ate for the adult classroom. A par- process of 'storying' it" (p. 13). The distance learning is not expected to ticularly important section deals with eliminate the traditional classroom, second central idea is that "narrative four issues that the authors believe they assert that online learning describes a way of knowing that is must be considered in using these provides a valuable alternative for distinct from scientific knowing, in teaching and learning approaches. which the focus in on meaning rather students who are limited in terms of They include structuring a safe and than fact, verisimilitude rather than time and geographic location. Palloff supportive environment through the and Pratt also describe online learning logic" (p. 13). With this as the founda- use of appropriate ground rules and as the great equalizer in that it is free tion, the authors make a strong case for climate setting, advice on dealing from gender, age, and ethnic bias. the power of narrative and its proper with strong emotional reactions, tips role in adult pedagogy. However, they Building Online Learning on maintaining an appropriate level do so without ever formally defining Communities begins with a discussion of self disclosure for the classroom narrative. One can glean from the of the context of distance education. and advice on how the instructor discussion that narrative is storytell- It progresses through a description frames the invitation to share stories ing based on experience but it would of the online learning process and in class. They wisely suggest that have been helpful to have this stated culminates in instruction and advice adult educators should be aware of in the beginning of the book. on creating successful electroni- "the power asymmetry inherent in The authors present the theo- cally mediated courses. For example, our relations and interactions with retical underpinnings of narrative as a Palloff and Pratt recommend that students" (p. 95). instructors "relinquish their role of way of knowing by citing Bruner and Rossiter and Clark have written power within and over the educational acknowledge that "it is a connected, an interesting book on narrative that process in order to afford learners the relational, and constructivist ori- should be useful to the adult education entation to knowledge" (p. 16). opportunity to take on a process man- practitioner. However, although the Throughout the book, they effectively agement role" (p. 123). They suggest problems and pitfalls that may be en- that content discussion replace lecture draw on their own experiences and on countered when using such personal to allow "learners [to] actively create stories by adult learners to exemplify and emotionally laden strategies are knowledge and meaning through the points they are making. addressed, I would like to have seen Midway throughthebook , Rossiter experimentation, exploration, and them given more attention. and Clark transition to the practical the manipulation and testing of ideas in reality" (p. 16). From the authors' application of narrative learning in Dr. Kathleen Β. Rager perspective, learning communities adult education. They include formal, Associate Professor not only create a sense of belonging nonformal, and informal settings. The University of Oklahoma authors state, "We see the narrative for students but also offer a safe haven A 32 Adult Learning

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Adult Learning – SAGE

Published: Jan 1, 2008

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