APP 5

Interview #3 With a Professional Adult Educator Theme: Effective Group Work

Use the guidelines and questions that follow as you conduct your third interview with a professional adult educator. Although the focus of this interview is planning effective group work, use the interview to learn as much as possible about the educator’s setting. This interview informs your Application Assignment for Week 5 and Part 1 of the Course Project in Week 7.

Adult Educator’s Name: ________________________________________________________

Setting or Settings in Which the Adult Educator Is Currently Working With Adult Learners: ________________________________________________________

Adult Educator’s Role: ___________________________________________________________

Conducting Your Interview

· Take notes on this sheet and/or additional pages and/or record the interview with the adult educator’s permission

· Use these questions as a guide

Interview Questions

· Please tell me about your professional background and how long you have been working with adult learners.

· Tell me about the professional life of an adult educator in the setting or settings in which you work with adult learners.

· From your experience, what are advantages of working in this setting? The disadvantages?

· How has your work changed during the time in which you have been involved? How do you see the field of working with adults in the early childhood field changing in the future—such as trends that may impact it?

· Tell me about the adult learners with whom you work.

· My coursework this week has focused on planning effective group work with adult learners. I have examined strategies and techniques for inquiry-based learning, project-based learning, problem-based learning, case studies, and experiential learning through role-play and simulations. Please describe the types of small-group learning formats you use in your program, including those I have mentioned or other formats.

· What do you see as the advantages of group work for adult learners? For the adult educator? The disadvantages?

· What are the most important considerations when planning effective group work with adult learners? What practices, strategies, and/or advice would you recommend for planning effective group work to achieve optimal cooperation and collaboration among the group members?

· What advice can you give me regarding group work?

· What has helped you to grow the most as an adult educator in your field? What preparation and practices would you recommend to help me do the same?

Additional Questions:

NOTE: Do not submit this interview sheet with your completed assignment. Save your interview notes and/or recording. You will need them as reference for completing the Course Project.