This is dedicated to all adult learners out there

I am just about to finish my very first German exams, and I’m ready to admit that the process has been a kind of emotional roller-coaster of fear, panic, relief, surprise, shock, anger, disappointment… No one has to go through this intensity of feeling without pills. Anyway, as I was fighting my ambivalence towards my innocent notes, I ran into this passage that spoke to me, and which I’m sure many adult learners will identify with.

What is the problem?

“The evaluator carries the power in the learning situation. Learners know it, and their relationshiü to the instructor is influenced by this dynamic. Two implications are worth noting here. First, if adult learners are used to wielding control and enjoying autonomy, they may resent being thrust into a situation where someone else has power and authority over them. This resentment may be acted out in questioning the instructor’s expertise and resisting directives, or it may be expressed in learner satisfaction forms commonly filled out after a learning experience. The situation becomes more complicated when learners are asked to engage in activities that make them uncomfortable or are confronted with ideas that challenge their values and beliefs.”

What adult learners need to do in order to breathe easy…

“Learners must surrender their own knowledge structures and sometimes their sense of self to enter an unknown realm of learning – and they must trust the instructor or mentor who leads them there. Such learning can be threatening, and it reinforces the power position of the instructor.”

And don’t worry, it’s not all you

“The second issue of power is that evaluators sometimes take their own authority so much for granted that they may forget to examine their own assumptions and choices. They need to ask themselves: Who says this performance or project is better than that one? Why is this concept more important than that one? Who am I to judge – And who do I allow to be my judge?”

I don’t know if I can influence the evaluator’s attitudes, but I’m determined to change my own. I’m going to be such a good student now.

Quoted from Fenwick, Tara J. / Parsons, Jim (2009): The Art of Evaluation. A Resource for Educators and Trainers. 2^nd edition, pp. 10-11. Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing.

In Bruges

The most beautiful city I visited this year is Bruges. I wanted to go to Italy, but running low on my student’s allowance, it seemed I would have to postpone that plan. Then one of my classmates suggested, “Why don’t you go to Bruges? It is regarded as the Venice of the North”. My mind went back to the movie In Bruges with Colin Farrell, and I thought it would be a good enough compromise. So off I went, on a four hour train ride with four friends.

As soon as you arrive, the saying that old is gold comes to mind. You get off the train, cross the highway, walk a few metres and it already feels as if you just stepped into a past era: You walk on cobbled streets, the echo of your footsteps and those of other tourists reverberating through the narrow streets. You cross water canals that meander through picturesque buildings, and on the horizon, your eyes follow the spire of a church. And as if this is not enough, horse-drawn carriages pass you by on the streets, side by side with bicycles and cars.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Bruges is located in the northwest, Flemish region of Belgium. The historic city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Its medieval architecture has been lovingly maintained: Old brick buildings, narrow cobbled streets, monuments and numerous museums are a testament to the city’s rich history. Judging from the crowds of tourists streaming in everyday, it’s obvious what the main livelihood of the city residents is.

We stayed at a small family run hotel (breakfast included), and I swear there was so much delicious bread and coffee every morning, that I couldn’t believe that I still had space for hot chocolate and waffles… but I did. We squeezed in a day trip to nearby Gent as well. I know I will go back. You see, I did not take a boat ride, and I imagine how heavenly that would feel like on a nice summer day. Furthermore, if the city centre is that beautiful, I imagine a tour of the countryside will be as well, and I just have to find out.