JOURNAL SECTION

This is where my journal Assignment #5 will begin, this is going to be a following of my journey from being an equipment operator to becoming an Instructor of heavy equipment operation.So far I have learned alot about myself and the knowledge I have stored up over the 32 years working in the logging Industry. This journal will continue over my entire journey in this course.

TRENDS AND ROLES-REFLECTIONS

This is where I will answer the three questions, the first one is what new insights have I gained in terms of the variety of roles that adult educators play? Well so far I have learned that there are many roles one must play as an adult educator and here are a few, communication ,direction ,motivation ,knowledge of subject, leadership, ability to engage in classroom activity as well as on site training. As for myself I have worked from a young age and time where there was not much learning done except on the job from experience both unsuccessful and successful, but it was almost always hands on learning.So for me I have to learn how to retrieve and share the 32 years of hands on experience I have stowed away in my brain and use it as an Instructor, that's a big task! Well I have now picked my two articles and I am in the process of reviewing the roles as a constructivist learner and teacher.  http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/w/x/wxh139/construct.htmacher.  this website is very interesting. I enjoyed the reading where it explains how bringing together Cognitive Constructivism and Sociocultural Constructivist this is where the knowledge and experience meet, which again is the learning I know best.

Trends and Roles - Article 2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivist_teaching_methods  This article I  just love, It has it all from classroom examples to in the field experiences and again the thing that catches me is the hands-on and group work and discussions because i,m in the heavy equipment and logging industry i have found myself many times standing in a group of men with lets say,  a broke down machine that no one man in the group knows how to fix but with the input of many of the group found an answer and were able to fix the machine. And at the same time everyone standing there just got a lesson in constructivist learning.

Trends and Roles - Article 1

http://www.teach-nology.com/currenttrends/constructivism/    As part of my assignment I am to pick two articles, which I have done. I will touch on a few topics in constructivist learning and teaching. Here are four characteristics of a constructivist classroom according to Audrey Grey. #1 the learners are activity involved  #2 the enviroment is democratic #3 the activity's are interactive and student centered  #4 the teacher facilitates a process of learning in which students are encouraged to be responsible and autonomous. I find constructivist learning activity's interesting because it has applied to me in my learning process. Such as experimentation, ie, trying something new and discussing as a class the results. Working in groups to find answers and knowledge from each other. Watching films to get the visual context and a learning sense. There are many more examples, but for me it,s the hands on experience that i can learn best from.

Learning at 52 .....

This sure has been a journey for me, not having finished high school and learning on the Internet
has truly been a challenge.  I am up for this challenge and I am learning so much . The more I look and read the more I learn. I,m kinda like a sponge just trying to absorb it all. So far it,s been exciting and interesting. Wow I just finished my 3100 course and what a learning experience this was ! I am now prepping for my next course with no fear in sight. Finding out what kind of instructor I will be has been interesting and surprising.  The more I learn the more interesting this all gets.

Gotta Start Somewhere ....

Holy Smoke!  Took me a bit to get this thing figure out, but here I am! I am looking forward to one day looking back at this experience with a smile on my face, because right now I am feeling fairly overwhelmed. 

I was born in the beautiful Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island and relocated to Prince George 8 years to work in the logging industry. Above, is a picture of a piece of equipment that I can run.  This is a log processor in action.