MacKeracher, D. (2004). Making sense of adult learning. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
In the seventh chapter of this book, MacKeracher refers to relationship as: the way new information relates to prior knowledge, the learner’s need to belong in the learning environment, and the relationship between the learner and the instructor in the classroom. Her discussion leads to more information about how humans develop as well as the self-system concepts of autonomy and independence. It was interesting to note that the self-systems are gender-related, but not gender specific.
According to Lyons (quoted in MacKeracher, 2004, p. 154), “in most men autonomous components are more likely to dominate, while in most women relational components are more likely to dominate.” Conversational style also shows gender-related aspects, as men use “report talk” (public talk for the purpose of preserving independence, negotiating, and maintaining social status) and women use “rapport talk” (private talk involving sharing and comparing of experiences and power) (Tannen, as quoted in MacKeracher, 2004, p. 155).
A discussion and critical review of Women’s Ways of Knowing reinforced the reading from the class textbook. The author has found that men experience some of the same ways of knowing that were identified in the original work. Reference to the work of Baxter Magolda showed that men and women did not differ in what they learned as much as they showed differences in how they preferred to go about learning. Goldberger and associates conducted an attitude survey that measured how individual’s use connected and separate procedural knowing. Interesting findings were that: a) the two types of learning are independent of each other, but can coexist within the same person; b) women scored higher on connected learning, while men received higher scores on separate knowing; and c) the type of learner (connected or separate) described their ideal teachers in totally different ways (MacKeracher, 2004, p. 167-9).
I am not really surprised by the gender differences, having done some previous research on the differences in learning between boys and girls. It is a fascinating topic and one that I have readily observed in the classroom.
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