Clark B. Montgomery M.Ed. Extension Cohort Project Learning Task #4 May 12, 1999

WHAT ARE MY CO-WORKERS SEEKING?

As previously reported (Learning Task #1), I am involved with a cohort group engaged in designing and delivering professional development training for employees new to this organization. The involvement of field staff (cohort group) is a new approach designed to improve upon the effectiveness/transfer of information regarding new staff orientation. Traditionally, new employee training had been conducted in a more academic manner and taught by the organization's professional development staff. Hopefully, incorporation of lay (field) staff in the design and delivery of the program would create: 1) a better learning environment; 2) present information more relevant to employee needs; and 3) make use of the diverse experience and "savvy" field staff possess in dealing with non-traditional education. Without recognizing it at the beginning, this has been an attempt in creating a transformational learning experience.

This year, two professional development sessions for new staff were conducted. The first was in February and the second just completed last week. Following the first session, all the cohort members were well pleased with the effort and felt that we had met all three objectives as listed above. The program was well designed, the topics pertinent, the delivery brief and interesting, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere prevailed. The "students" reaction was as enthusiastic as the cohort group's. The cohort group felt they understood that response and why. I'm not so sure that's true.

The second session was not as easy to design and deliver. It almost seemed as if we had consumed all the easy, interesting and pertinent topics in the February session. As a cohort group, we had discussions regarding reservations over program content, organization, presenters and delivery methods. Now that the program has been completed, it would appear that some of our concerns were valid. Although the program evaluation is not yet tabulated, discussion among participants indicate less satisfaction with program content/construction than at the earlier session. However, their satisfaction with the event, in terms of benefit to themselves, was rated very high. How could that be? In conventional terms, the participant's response appears to be a contradiction.

Discussion among members of the cohort group took place to rationalize these contradictory responses. The conclusion was that although subject matter and construction of the program seemed less effective, the program's positive atmosphere (motivation, camaraderie, open discussion, empathy, stimulation) carried the day. It appears that a cooperative environment may be more important to learning than is subject matter. Now doesn't that idea throw a monkey wrench into the ideology of conventional education? As I am beginning to learn, these observations appear supportive of the less conventional transformational learning concept.

So what do my cohort colleagues seek in terms of professional development? The cohort group, as Extension Educators, would like to better understand the phenomena they observed. We are professional educators and strive to be more effective in that role.

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-- Anonymous, May 12, 1999

Answers

As I responded on email, you've hit right at the heart of some of the biggest issues in education....WHO decides what is learned and HOW is it learned...and yes, it does throw a monkey wrench in conventional education! I hope we can get better at it!

-- Anonymous, May 14, 1999

Clark, am I going nuts? Didn't I already answer this? Maybe it was on email. Maybe I've been just thinking so much about these new transformational learning directions so much, I keep going back to your comments (and those of your other thinking colleagues) and I read and maybe I've been talking to myself!

Anyway, this is very, very thoughtful work. It is very exciting for me to see you getting in to it! AND we heard about you all today (from Kia, Kari, and Joyce!) even though you weren't with us in person! Keep it up!!

-- Anonymous, May 21, 1999