Carl Rogers and Experiential Learning http://adulted.about.com/cs/adultlearningthe/a/carl_rogers.htm Site Reviews(0)
Carl Rogers is best known as an American psychologist and the founder of 'client-centered' or 'non-directed' psychotherapy, a widely influential, humanistic approach. Rogers also made significant contributions to the field of adult education, with his experiential theory of learning.
Rogers maintained that all human beings have a natural desire to learn. He defined two categories of learning: meaningless, or cognitive learning (e.g., memorizing multiplication tables) and significant, or experiential (applied knowledge which addresses the needs and wants of the learner, eg., performing first aid on one's child).
According to Rogers, the role of the teacher is to facilitate experiential learning by:
1. setting a positive climate for learning
2. clarifying the purposes of the learner(s)
3. organizing and making available learning resources
4. balancing intellectual and emotional components of learning and
5. sharing feelings and thoughts with learners but not dominating.
As for the personal growth and development of the student, Rogers suggests that:
1. Significant learning takes place when the subject matter is relevant to the personal interests of the student.
2. Learning which is threatening to the self (e.g., new attitudes or perspectives) are more easily assimilated when external threats are at a minimum.
3. Learning proceeds faster when the threat to the self is low.
4. Self-initiated learning is the most lasting and pervasive.
Added: Nov 30, 1999 Last Update: Nov 30, 1999 Category: R Hits Out: 17 |
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