Learning is all about the journey, and it is good to consider the activities or subjects that are going to help me get to my intended destination.

Almost every teacher I know wants to take pride in their work, and that means giving the absolute best instruction that they can in the class. However, how good can that instruction be unless as teachers, we are also taking care of ourselves?

Even though we are teaching other people what we know, do we ever reach the end of our own learning journey?

Teachers are leaders, models and professionals, but we are also human. It can be cathartic to take a moment and share an honest expression of frustration over a cup of tea with another teacher.

Today’s discussion considers my vision of where I would like to be in the next 5 years as an instructor. I identify 3 professional goals to get me closer to that vision and provide some ideas to flush those out.

Yikes. That's like…adult stuff.

I think we can all relate at one time or another with the embarrassment that can come with feeling like a fool. The question is, do we let that fear govern what we do, or is there a way that we can turn that fear into an advantage for ourselves as teachers and for our students?

Communication in the classroom means the teacher speaking, students talking between themselves, asking questions for everyone to hear, and audible discussions…right?

Or is there a way that we can effectively communicate in the classroom that does not speak out loud?

I believe that we all want teachers to challenge students to think critically, which includes good morals and values. The challenge is, who gets to choose what morals and values are good, and when is it OK to use ethical coercion to teach them?

In discussing the most important truths on teaching that he has established for himself, Stephen Brookfield writes…”I will always feel like an imposter and will never lose the sense of amazement I feel when people treat me as if I have something valuable to offer.”

Wow. How many people can relate?

There are so many new ideas and innovations available designed to improve the classroom for us as teachers and for our students, and it feels like more are coming out every day. That sounds great, but is it, really?

Well here is a little about me and my teaching as we start up in the PIDP 3260 course.

On-line instructors need to create on-line content, and that includes making our own videos. I am no influencer or videographer, but I do have some skills in photography. So, this would be a good time to review some of the basics, and take a moment to share with each other some tricks and tips to make better, more engaging videos for our students.

In what is likely my final blog post for PIDP 3100, I explore a bit on connecting with my fellow students in the program.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being embraced everywhere - and hence it is pervasive in education. It is a given fact that AI can produce accurate research results well beyond human capacity, and that AI can assist in unbiased decision making. Or does it? Are we rushing our headlong insertion of AI processes into every aspect of education, and are we applying sufficient critical analysis of the output being provided by AI along the way? This is especially true when it comes to bias and ethics in AI products.

Trends and Roles in our Industries and Adult Education.

Teresa is a leader and educator in the electrician trade. I am a leader and recruiting specialist in the military. We have a lot in common, including our respective futures in adult education. Teresa was SO easy to talk with, and we spent an enjoyable evening exchanging thoughts about trends in our respective trades as well as in adult education.

Well, let’s go from an article that provides some pretty large global reviews of trends in adult education to my more localized analysis of trends gathered from a variety of resources. I finish with a podcast from one of my favourite researchers and storytellers that describes how I feel in our current world of fast-paced change.

As a long time member, some thoughts about trends in Canadian Armed Forces Recruiting, and what impacts that may have on me for future teaching efforts. And because being an employer of choice attracts new applicants, this goes hand in hand with trends in CAF Retention.

I take a moment to consider what went into setting up my blog as a school exercise and explore why it might be considered useful as a tool in Adult Education.

Jennifer Hillman - my introduction as a student in the Foundations of Adult Education class of the Vancouver Community College (VCC) Provincial Instructor Diploma Program (PIDP 3100).