Kelsy Lohr
College of Education, Michigan State University
EAD 861: Adult Learning
Dr. A. Emiko Blalock
December 8, 2024
Abstract
The Blue Knight Learning Network is dedicated to strengthening partnerships between families and Oak Park Preparatory Academy (OPPA) in Oak Park, Michigan. Recognizing the challenges low-income families face during the middle school transition, the program uses situative learning theory to create a supportive and engaging learning environment. The network prioritizes family input, collaboration, personalized support, and the value of adult learners’ experiences. The program empowers families to actively participate in their children’s education through workshops, conferences, projects, online resources, and learning circles. By developing authentic learning experiences and engaging families in social interaction, the network seeks to improve student outcomes, enhance school culture, and build a stronger sense of community.
Last year, I started teaching sixth grade English Language Arts at Oak Park Preparatory Academy after spending my first year teaching within Ann Arbor Public Schools. Oak Park Preparatory Academy (OPPA) is located in Oak Park, Michigan, a large suburb of Detroit that Michigan’s school of choice policies have impacted. While aware of the potential challenges, I was committed to providing quality education to all students.
Because I teach sixth-grade students and work closely with many families, it has become apparent that the transition from elementary school to middle school can be challenging for many families, especially in low-income communities. Schools emphasize parents in the context of a Parent-Teacher Outreach (PTO) or similar Parent Association, which is inherently a problem within the proposed school community due to the variable family dynamics of students. Many families in this community are non-college-educated adults who struggle with reading and literacy skills. Families are expected to support students in the transition from elementary to middle school, which includes helping them through increased academic demands, social pressures and bullying, and a larger school environment. Students often face academic difficulties when they come to middle school, leading to decreased motivation and behavioral issues, and families do not always have the resources to support their children.
To address these challenges, the Blue Knight Learning Network aims to foster a supportive community of practice for families to create a more positive and supportive school culture. The program will empower families to actively engage in their children’s education and help them navigate the complexities of middle school by providing tools, resources, and knowledge.
Learning Objectives
The Blue Knight Learning Network aims to meet the following objectives:
- Increased understanding of middle school expectations and curriculum: Families can articulate expectations for their child’s academic performance in sixth grade, including core subject requirements and digital learning systems.
- Improved communication and collaboration with school staff: Families will feel comfortable contacting teachers, counselors, and administrators to discuss their child’s progress, concerns, and needs.
- Improved ability to support their child’s social-emotional well-being: Families can articulate expectations for their child’s academic performance in sixth grade, including core subject requirements and digital learning systems.
Philosophy of Learning
Adult learners benefit from learner-centered, collaborative, and individualized instruction that is culturally responsive and contextually relevant. To effectively apply this philosophy, the Blue Knight Learning Network will:
Prioritize Family Input and Partnerships
Engage with families to understand their concerns for their children and their needs and goals. Engage in authentic dialogue and foster open and honest communication with families to understand their backgrounds, values, and goals for their children. The program will co-create learning experiences by collaborating with families to develop learning activities and resources relevant to their children’s interests and needs. Create space to cultivate trusting relationships with families, recognizing the importance of social and emotional support in the learning process (Merriam & Bierema, 2014, p. 138).
Create Collaborative and Inclusive Spaces
Encourage cooperative and respectful interaction between families, teachers, support staff, administration, and students. Create a welcoming and inclusive environment where families feel valued and respected to foster a sense of belonging. Encourage families to collaborate with teachers and other parents to share knowledge and experiences to promote a collaborative learning environment. Recognize and celebrate the diverse cultural backgrounds and perspectives of all participants to incorporate diverse perspectives.
Offer Personalized Support and Guidance
Identify each family’s specific needs and challenges to tailor support accordingly. Provide culturally responsive support by offering assistance sensitive to their cultural background. Equip families with the knowledge, skills, and resources to advocate for their children’s education to empower them. Offer individual guidance and mentorship based on families’ unique needs and challenges.
Value Adult Learners’ Experiences and Knowledge
Acknowledge and build upon the prior knowledge and experiences that families bring to the learning process. Facilitate discussions and workshops where families can share their insights and expertise by creating a space for sharing. Work collaboratively with families to develop new knowledge and understanding.
By adopting a learner-centered, collaborative, and individualized approach that is culturally responsive and contextually relevant, the Blue Knight Learning Network can empower families to participate actively in their children’s education and support their successful transition to middle school. This approach will foster a strong foundation for students’ and families’ academic success and lifelong learning.
Theoretical Framework: Situative Learning
Situative learning theory, as formalized by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger (1991), has its roots in the work of Lev Vygotsky. “According to Vygotsky, human development relies on social interaction and, therefore, can differ among cultures” (Cherry, 2024). Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory emphasizes the social nature of learning, proposing that cognitive development in children is shaped by cultural and social interactions with more knowledgeable others, such as parents and teachers.
Vygotsky (1978) referred to this as the Zone of Proximal Development and believed that fostering development within this zone leads to the most rapid learning. Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) concept is crucial to understanding situated learning. The ZPD refers to the gap between what a learner can do independently and what they can achieve with guidance from a more experienced individual, which leads to the most rapid learning (Merriam & Bierema, 2014, p. 113 ). Learning occurs as learners engage in activities within their ZPD with the assistance of others.
Situative learning theory builds upon Vygotsky’s ideas by focusing on learning as a social practice. “[L]earning as increasing participation in communities of practice concerns the whole person acting in the world” (Lave & Wenger, 1991, p. 49). Lave and Wenger suggest that learning occurs within authentic contexts and communities of practice. Learners become skilled by participating in real-world activities, observing more experienced practitioners, and receiving feedback and support from others.
Further, situated learning theory asserts that learning is deeply rooted in specific contexts and social interactions. Learning is situated within specific contexts, such as workplaces, schools, or communities. The context of the learning provides the meaning and relevance for the actual learning. Knowledge and skills are not solely located within individuals but are distributed across people, tools, and the environment through collaboration. Through social interaction, learners can share ideas, problem-solve, and better understand the subject matter.
Situative learning is an appropriate framework for the Blue Knight Learning Network, given the program’s focus on family involvement and community support. “[T]he move of learners toward full participation in a community of practice does not take place in a static context. The practice itself is in motion” (Lave & Wenger, 1991, p. 116). The program is expected to provide authentic and collaborative learning experiences for the school and families.
How Situative Learning Highlights Learners
Situative learning maintains the importance of understanding learners within their specific social and cultural contexts. The Blue Knight Learning Network intends to highlight the unique perspectives that families may bring to the community. With that in mind, it is critical to consider that families may be unable to attend a physical community space due to family life, work schedules, or inconsistent transportation. Because of this, the Blue Knight Learning Network cannot exist solely in the physical space. A community of practice must be designed thoughtfully for the digital and physical spaces.
The digital community is intended to foster interaction and collaboration among families using a platform familiar and consistent with their existing knowledge, such as Google Classroom, which student learners already utilize. Families can attend network meetings virtually, engage through the digital classroom stream, and collaborate on projects. The network will partner with the school media specialist and public libraries to ensure equitable access to technology and digital literacy for families.
In this community of practice, knowledge among all members will be shared. Knowledge is not solely located within individuals but is distributed across individuals, artifacts, and the environment. “People who use tools actively rather than just acquire them, by contrast, build an increasingly rich implicit understanding of the world in which they use the tools and of the tools themselves” (Brown et al., 1989, p. 33). The Blue Knight Learning Network aims to use artifacts and digital tools with families to increase their understanding of students’ digital technologies and deepen families’ knowledge of these tools.
How Situative Learning Supports the Purpose of Learning
The Blue Knight Learning Network aims to create a more positive and supportive school culture through engaging families. Situative learning focuses on creating learning experiences that are meaningful and relevant to learners’ lives. “[F]or adult educators who plan and teach, it is understanding how to plan and design programs for adult learners that will profoundly shape learning” (Hansman, 2001, p. 44). Implementing situative learning in this program will ensure that families are motivated to participate and find the learning experiences valuable. Some components of the Blue Knight Learning Network include:
- Family workshops are related to real-world situations that families may encounter. For example, a seminar on time management strategies can help families support students in balancing school work, extracurriculars, and household responsibilities.
- Family-teacher conferences involve families in setting academic and social-emotional goals for their children. These conferences promote shared ownership of the learning process.
- Family-student projects, including community-based learning, connect projects to real-world issues and community needs. Projects help families and students see the relevance of their learning.
- Family support groups are available in person and digitally, facilitating online discussions among families to share strategies and support one another.
- Online resources, such as a Blue Knight Learning Network digital Google Classroom, to host discussions, participate in surveys, and offer personalized recommendations based on families’ specific needs and interests.
By incorporating these elements, the Blue Knight Learning Network can create a rich and supportive learning environment that empowers families to participate actively in their children’s education. To assess the effectiveness of these initiatives, the Blue Knight Learning Network can implement a variety of evaluation methods, such as workshop surveys to measure changes in family knowledge and attitudes; focus groups to provide qualitative data on family experiences perceptions, and needs; observations from school support staff, such as counselors or administrators, to provide insights into the quality of interactions and effectiveness; and family end-of-year surveys to measure overall satisfaction with the program. By continuously evaluating the program and making data-driven adjustments, the Blue Knight Learning Network can ensure its ongoing effectiveness and relevance to the needs of families and students.
Program Facilitation Methods
Project-Based Learning
The Blue Knight Learning Network will implement project-based learning (PBL) to engage families in collaborative projects that connect to real-world issues and promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills (Buck Institute for Education). Through PBL, families can connect with their community, identify pressing needs, and take action to make a difference. As noted by Merriam and Bierema (2014), “Critical thinking causes learners to begin questioning their assumptions, which in turn allows them to see injustice in the world” (p. 208). Families will work together to identify a problem or need within their community. The Blue Knight Learning Network will provide guidance and resources to assist in this process, ensuring that families can effectively research potential solutions and develop a plan to address the issue.
Our school staff, including counselors, social workers, teachers, and administrators, will be crucial in guiding and supporting these projects. The Blue Knight Learning Network is committed to ensuring that families can effectively research potential solutions and develop a plan to address the issue. Project-based learning is a practical approach for adult learners, as it aligns with their natural desire to apply knowledge and skills to real-world situations. Families can develop a strong sense of ownership and purpose by working collaboratively on projects, increasing motivation and engagement. Additionally, PBL provides opportunities for families to learn from each other, share expertise, and build strong relationships, fostering a deep sense of engagement and commitment.
Project-based learning is rooted in situative learning theory, which emphasizes learning through authentic and collaborative projects. By engaging in such projects, families can learn through practice and develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Pierre Walter’s (2009) research on a community-based ecological project in southern Thailand supports this theoretical link:
The use and production of local ecological, cultural and political knowledge is the foundation of the Koh Yao Noi ecotourism project. This knowledge not only comprises the ’ecological and cultural curriculum’ of environmental education for ecotourist visitors, but is also an important factor in promoting local self-determination and proprietary rights over the Koh Yao Noi community’s environmental and economic resources. (p. 528).
The Koh Yao Noi project shows the empowering potential of community-based learning. Similarly, family-based PBL can cultivate a shared purpose and collective learning. The social aspect of PBL enables families to learn from each other, share knowledge, and construct meaning together. These projects provide a context for learning as families apply their knowledge and skills to real-world challenges, fostering a strong sense of community and belonging.
Collaborative Learning Circles
The Blue Knight Learning Network is committed to facilitating small, collaborative learning circles where families can discuss school and community concerns, share experiences, and support each other. School staff, such as counselors, social workers, teachers, and administrators, will guide discussions, encourage active participation, and provide support. This initiative is part of our school’s commitment to providing a supportive and inclusive learning environment for all families.
Collaborative learning circles provide a safe and supportive space for families to connect, share their thoughts and feelings, and learn from each other’s experiences. As Merriam and Bierema (2014) suggest, exploring issues of power and privilege can foster a sense of community and belonging: “[A] community-building strategy is to learn about, discuss, and explore how issues related to our social positions, power, and privilege affect our experiences as learners and educators” (p. 206). Families can develop a sense of community and belonging by working together through challenging conversations, enhancing their overall well-being and motivation. Additionally, these circles help to build trust and respect among families, fostering a positive and supportive learning environment.
MacKeracher (2004) argues that learners need opportunities to express themselves and share their perspectives. “Learners who feel silenced, or who use silence as a way of knowing, need opportunities to share their feelings and perceptions with others; to share how they perceive themselves and their learning environment and how that environment is silencing them” (p.169). Collaborative learning circles align with the principles of situative learning theory by emphasizing the importance of social interaction and shared experiences. Through participation in these circles, families can learn from each other, construct meaning together, and develop a deeper understanding of the discussed topics. The social nature of these circles also provides opportunities for families to learn through observation and imitation as they observe how other families approach challenges and solve problems.
Family-Led Workshops
The Blue Knight Learning Network will empower families to share their expertise and knowledge by leading workshops on topics relevant to middle school success. These workshops can cover various issues families may face, such as study skills to help their children and students, time management, or extracurriculars. The network will provide support and resources to families to prepare and deliver their workshops.
Family-led workshops offer several benefits, including fostering community, promoting active participation, and using families’ diverse experiences and knowledge. Merriam and Bierema (2014) argue that practicing democracy, such as family-led workshops, is “at the core of critical theory, the ultimate goal of which is to emancipate the oppressed and transform society. Creating a democratic classroom is a first step where learners have authority and participate in decision making” (p. 205). Families can inspire and motivate other families by sharing their expertise and creating a positive and supportive learning environment. Additionally, leading workshops can boost families’ self-confidence and empower them to participate actively in their children’s education, fostering a sense of confidence and capability.
Family-led workshops align with the principles of situative learning theory by providing opportunities for families to learn through practice and social interaction. By sharing their knowledge and experiences, families can construct meaning together and develop a deeper understanding of the discussed topics. The collaborative nature of these workshops fosters a sense of community and belonging, creating a supportive learning environment where families can learn from each other.
The Blue Knight Learning Network is a comprehensive program designed to address the unique challenges families face during the transition to middle school. By focusing on the principles of situative learning theory, the program aims to create a supportive and engaging learning environment for families.
The program will empower families to actively participate in their children’s education through in-person and online initiatives, such as workshops, conferences, support groups, and digital resources. The Blue Knight Learning Network seeks to improve student outcomes and create a more positive school culture by fostering strong partnerships between families and school staff.
References
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Gemini. (2024). Gemini (1.5 Flash) [Large language model].
Contribution from Google Gemini: Prompted Google Gemini to assess the quality of this report given rubric criteria. Gemini provided questions to extend further sections, such as How Situative Learning Supports the Purpose of Learning. I responded to these questions and embedded them within the writing. Prompted Google Gemini to help write a title for the report
Grammarly. (2024). Generative AI Assistance.
Contirbution from Grammarly: Grammarly has a feature that “increases the impact” of your text. I used several of Grammarly’s suggested improvements in sentence structure and clarity. This tool helped to strengthen the impact of the writing.
Hansman, C. A. (2001). Context-based adult learning. New directions for adult & continuing education, 2001(89), 43.
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Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Walter, P. (2009). Local knowledge and adult learning in environmental adult education: Community‐based ecotourism in southern Thailand. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 28(4), 513-532.
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press.