Abstract:
Explores the use of the experiential learning methodology and the concept of learner responsibility within a course for adult educators at university level. The study describes the problems and issues that arose when students on the 1982 Diploma Course for Educators of Adults at the University of Cape Town, were faced with the responsibility of designing, managing and teaching their own curriculum. For some students the required role as "curriculum constructor" contradicted their expected and preferred stance of a learner receiving mediated knowledge from a teacher. The role of assessment diminished the freedom to engage in responsibility, and the difficulties of decision making and management led ultimately to the formation of a management committee. The study examines learner responsibility and experiential learning in-depth. The students' preference for other methodologies and their own perceived ability and confidence to engage with both learner responsibility and experiential learning were hindrances. For learner responsibility the access to learning resources was a further problem. The research concludes with an attempt to address these problems. It is proposed that experiential learning and learner responsibility should be reconceptualised. Developments such as learning contracts, a learning community, new forms of assessment, learning conversations and increasing the reflective capacity of experiential learning are proposed.
