Reflection of Personal Practice in Review of John Dewey

EDAE 520: Dewey Personal Reflection Paper
Reflection of Personal Practice in Review of

John Dewey
Paula J. Johnson
Adult Education and Training
Colorado State University
11/15/2014
How shall the young become acquainted with the past in
such a way that the acquaintance is a potent agent in
appreciation of the living present (Dewey 1938, p.23)?
My
undergraduate experience did not provide me with an appreciation

for the educational theories I was learning about.
In fact,
most of my time was devoted to memorizing facts for the purpose

of upcoming exams and subsequently forgetting anything I
learned.
It wasnt until I began my personal quest for
excellence to maintain my job position that I was able to take

the information and apply it with any sense of enthusiasm or
drive.
That drive was found when my husband was diagnosed with
a rare neuromuscular disease only a year after our son was born.
My entire perspective on life, love, and survival changed.
Suddenly I had to make a successful living above that of a
Paramedic if I had any hopes of taking care of my family as the
primary breadwinner.
I had already landed a job as an assistant
instructor for a paramedic program, and I had a passion for

teaching.
However, at that time it was based on the lack-luster

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experiences I had gained in my education.
Now I had to be the
best EMS educator out there if I had any hope of making my way
for my family.
My understanding of instructional style began with the
traditional lecture.
During those lectures, students would
periodically interject with comments like: Hey, I remember this

patient that or Would that be similar to
These types of
inquiries were all I knew, in those early years, to get students

engaged into learning based on their individual experiences.
It
wasnt until I taught a different course that bridged

individuals with advanced training in pre-hospital care up to
the level of paramedic that I came to advance those skills that
utilized experiences for personal growth.
In that bridge course, students already knew what it took
to do the job of an advanced level provider.
It was my job to
make sure that they increased the depth of understanding on the

objectives in order to think critically, and problem solve
autonomously under pressure.
Traditional lecture did not work
with these individuals; they were bored.
I had to find a new
approach with purposeful learning experiences (Brookfield,

1987) to get them involved in the education.
I completely revised my lessons.
I implemented the use of
case studies as a lead-in to the lectures and blended the

classroom with online support for assignments that pushed
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students toward critical thinking through detailed follow-up

case studies.
Scenarios became a hallmark of my didactic
sessions as a means to create deeper connections to the

information disseminated.
I have, through my graduate studies
so far, constructed a profound understanding of John Deweys

(1938) organic connection between education and personal
experience (p.25). There is significant power in the informal
learning that occurs through embodying the experience [that] can
then be applied to the actual situation as well as similar
scenarios (Boucouvalas & Lawrence, 2010, p.37).
Dewey speaks of progressivism as humane in comparison to
the rigidity of the traditional school.
I have a tough time
balancing the pure desire to be kind and responsive to each

learners needs and preferences with the time constraints and
rigidity dictated by the national certifying agency and the
accrediting body.
As a result, I am always seeking new methods
to approach my facilitation style and limit the transactional

distance symbolized by Michael Grahame Moore.
The graduate classes at Colorado State University have
epitomized what it is to be humane with flexibility and
understanding at its core.
It has forced me to critically
reflect upon my ideals and look to the perspectives of my

classmates and professors. I search for the validation of my
methods or those needed improvements to adapt my style for
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student success.
For example, when completing the Icebreakers,
Openers, & Energizers assignment in EDAE 620, I received

excellent direction.
Not only from fellow students on ideas I
had not thought of before but I also gained the validation of my

professor.
My ultimate goal, for all of my hard work for the
next four semesters, is to procure a transformation of

perspective described by Mezirow (1991).
Dewey creates a framework of what components are necessary
to make the theory of progressivism successful.
Those formal
elements include, at a minimum: materials, methods, and social

relationships that are developed, introduced, evaluated, and
reformed to enhance future student encounters. He also reminds
us that while traditional schools have experiences just as
anything else, it is imperative to create quality educational
activities that lead to experiences that can transform future
practices.
I was pleased during the review of the CDL Driving Program
that while the program is incredibly structured, the students
were given ample opportunities to exercise knowledge and
application of skills for achievement.
However, I have also
been a spectator of educational courses that did not produce any

worthwhile experience for participants.
This course was given
by an instructor with an incredibly hands-off approach.
He
would give the students a reading assignment, then break into

4
groups to create questions they think would be on the test.
My
grave concern with his approach is that these students have

never been exposed to Emergency Medical Services and do not know
how medical examinations are developed or delivered.
How can
any student be successful when they arent told what the

objectives are?
The students were always left to their own
devices while the instructor was unapproachable and extremely

unprofessional on the rare occasions that a student could speak
with him.
It was of no surprise to me that this teacher had
poor outcomes on the National Registry Exam.
Instead of
directly addressing the problem, the management team turned a

blind eye and instead, chose to lobby the State Legislature to
lower the standard and offer a state level examination.
This
entire act did nothing but negatively impact the pre-hospital

care of the communities I serve.
on this particular case.
I was unable to make an impact
However, I at least ensure that those
individuals who choose to continue their education into my arena

receive a thorough review of the basic life support skills to
reinforce proper patient care modalities.
Dewey takes great care to describe how situations involve
the interaction of people and projects to create an experience.
I have established this concept as an integral part of the
Paramedic program.
I have, over time, designed scenarios for
students that are introduced after the completion of the

5
didactic lectures which allow the students an opportunity for

real world application of the information learned. While the
simulations require only two students, the remaining classmates
are present and involved in the post-call critique.
The aim is
that all individuals gain insight from the exercise and can
share their perspectives and ideas to build off of the
experience together as a team.
Finally, the college purchased a high fidelity simulation
manikin outfitted with a video camera system.
The setup allows
me to deliver their final scenario training in an even more

realistic environment where they are interacting with the
manikin and deprived of the interruptions or distractions that
either I or the classmates may cause.
This evaluation
(Assessment Based Management) is the final step to verify their

complete understanding in the diagnosis and treatment of all
patients and disease pathologies.
If deficiencies are found at
this point, then the students will gain the final corrections
and preparation necessary for the job as an advanced life
support professional.
The purpose for this design follows Deweys (1938)
devotion to the conditions which give each present experience a
worthwhile meaning (p.49).
My understanding of experiential
learning as described by Tennant and Pogson (1995) was

encouraged during my agency visit.
6
Mr. Collins described the
strong interactions and collateral learning that evolves as the

result of the driving practical.
The online programs here at
Colorado State have offered me the same types of opportunities.

Obviously it does not include physical conditions, but it is an
opportunity to discover material and concepts together as a
team.
Just as Archer & Garrison (2010) noted online learning is
the result of the convergence of constructivist ideas and the

enormous potential of new and emerging technologies to bring
people together (p.324). This strong social presence has given
me confidence in my knowledge but has also expanded my view to
consider the opinions of others.
For example, over the course
of the semester, I have learned more about social inequality

than I ever realized.
The opinions I had have changed.
Not
only as the result of the reading, but as the result of the

discussion threads and the experiences of others. I have come to
find that there is concern for social justice and maintaining
equality for all.
John Dewey describes the classroom as a community where
individuals are a part of the whole, and that the social control
resides within each individual.
Choices or opportunities to
speak out should be done for the best interest of the whole as
both just and fair. I have seen both positive communities and
repressive communities.
the bad experience.
To begin, I would like to talk about
I have seen employees involved in

7
continuing education programs whose voices are stifled for fear

of their jobs.
These students have no real voice in this very
oppressive agency.
There is an extreme battle between the
management team and the education department to maintain a

separation and allow both instructional and learner freedom.
Management wants to dictate additional requirements and methods
that are outside of the educational institutions policies and
procedures.
The team would even go so far as to pull students
out of the classroom to run ambulance calls, thus impacting

their education even further.
Monaghan (2010) says this best
when she speaks of the grave concern for employees who are not
being heard while the stakeholders add increased stressors and
workload while reaping the benefits.
On the other hand, I have been a part of that same
continuing education program as a student when the company was
under a different management team.
At that time, as students we
were given a voice and an opportunity to be heard.
For example,
we were assigned to write responses to every objective found

within each chapter of the study over the course of the year.
We, as a class, found that this process was reducing our ability
to focus on the content as a whole when we were forced to meet
the deadlines.
In addition, several students felt as though the
activity did not meet their personal learning styles.
As a
result of our discussion with the education department, they

removed the assignment per our request.
As an educator of thirteen years, I have been aware of the
cultural and social aspects of my field but I have also been
forced to acknowledge the political aspects as well.
I have a
responsibility to answer to the college, the Programs Advisory

Board, the stakeholders, students, and accrediting body. By
participating in the graduate studies courses, I am hoping to
actively learning how to attend to politics and power (Cervero
& Wilson, 2006) as an integral part of what I do every day.
endeavor to be a reflective practitioner who continues to learn

and engage with the various levels of power and interest that
occur (Monaghan 2010, p.184).
I have mentioned previously that John Dewey places great
importance on the planning and implementation of appropriate
materials, objectives, and experiences.
I have had numerous
opportunities over the years to draw from my personal education

experience and practice to improve those areas of my
instructional performances.
When I was enrolled in my paramedic
course, we were required to buy a total of nine textbooks.
Of
those materials, I only actively worked out of three of them.

decided when I became a director that there was a great need to
reduce student cost and control the materials presented to the
student to encourage the best use.
9
We were also required to
complete drug profile cards during the pharmacology section.
By
the end of those lectures, I had personally created over 30

medication profiles. Yet, I had no knowledge of the situations
in which those medications would be implemented in patient care,
making the memorization of the facts found on those cards nearly
impossible.
As a result, I chose to approach this project
differently when I began instructing.
I assign only those drug
profile cards related to the disease pathologies as they are

introduced for treatment.
In this way, the students can
associate their use in a more therapeutic manner.
Over time, I
have begun incorporating these drug profile cards into questions

embedded within the case studies supplied to the students on the
Learning Management System.
In the CDL program, the instructors are not able to make
adjustments to the materials.
Nevertheless, the instructor saw
the need after reflection on student progress, to include

smaller tests prior to the module exams in order to verify that
students are completing the reading assignments and
comprehending the content.
After analysis of the student experiences, I found that the
inclusion of the scenarios throughout the year long program was
not enough.
I have since restructured those simulations to have
more clearly written expectations and goals that tightly link

the experience back to the didactic component of the program.
10
The intention is to guarantee that the program is derivedfrom

present experience and [will] enable the learner to cope with
the problems of the present and future (Dewey 1938, p.77).
Chapter 7 of John Dewey: Experience & Education (1938)
focuses on this organization of subject matter and correlating
it to the scientific method.
Creating a hypothesis, observing
the consequences of those actions and reflecting upon the

activities to verify a net meaning for further experiences.
In
my personal experience, my paramedic instructor had what was

commonly referred to as Hell Week toward the completion of the
year-long course.
While that Hell Week was valuable in some
ways, it was not entirely ethical.
There was an apparent lack
of analysis on the students and their distinct personalities and

learning styles.
The week long ordeal consisted of scenario
simulations that encompassed all the skills learned throughout

the year to treat a variety of patient presentations.
The goal
was to expose any deficiencies noted for student improvement.

This experience turned out to be more of a hazing practice.
Facilitators would throw great curve balls to the situations
that would never occur in real life so that they could see the
students squirm.
There were no prescribed scenarios with pre-
established outcomes, everything was off-the-cuff and in some

cases for certain personalities incredibly embarrassing and a
complete confidence destroyer.
I learned through the

11
miseducation of others that improvisation is, in fact, a danger

to the field of progressivism.
I chose to change this.
I do not use the term Hell week.
Our week is referred to as Assessment Based Management or what

the students commonly refer to as the Final Competency
Evaluations.
We follow an established script through the use
of the high fidelity simulation manikin and students work

through their delivery of patient care in a realistic situation.
The goal is still to either confirm their abilities or discover
flaws, but the encounter and critique are handled one-on-one
with a review of the videotaping as needed.
In every case, I
witness one of two very particular responses from their

experiences.
I have seen the Ah Ha moment, when a student
realizes they have a solid grasp on the disease and treatment.

But I have also seen students respond at the moment when they
realize where they went wrong and how they would correct it in
the future.
John Dewey also outlines several responsibilities of the
teacher in his text.
Dewey (1938) charges that educators must
be able to judge what attitudes are actually conducive to

continued growth and what are detrimental (p.39).
In my
educational experience, my instructor developed a respectable

connection with each of his students so that he could remain
supportive of each students journey.
12
As an educator, I
continue to follow his lead and develop that personal

relationship with each student and have begun to follow
Holmbergs (2007) theory of teaching-learning conversations
(p.323).
I have had, as I am sure all instructors have, those
difficult students that influenced my approach to them as
individuals as well as the approach to the group.
For example,
I had one individual that failed his National Registry Exam the
maximum amount of times and was required to retake the entire
program.
When he returned, he was humbled by his failure, but
very disgruntled at the same time.
I was able to avert his
behavior by assigning him to guide fellow students with the

skill components of the course that he was already able to
perform successfully.
In essence, he became a mentor to those
he was with in class.
This significantly impacted his attitude.
He became a positive role model and appeared to work harder to

improve his image.
There will always be concepts within the program that will
be a struggle for some.
As those individuals open up to me and
admit their shortcomings, I am able to assign them a tutor and

develop an individual education plan to see them through those
areas that they find difficult.
For example, a student this
semester was not able to grasp the anatomy and physiology course
within the program.
He was not an active participant within

13
lecture or lab, and he did not score well on his tests.
After
speaking with him, I found out that he was not organizing his
days to best suit his ability to study.
As a result, we worked
together to rearrange his weekly schedule for better

opportunities to study, and I was able to get him the
specialized tutoring with the resources available within the
Colleges support system.
Deweys emphasis is also placed on the educators
mannerisms, tone of voice, materials and overall social set-up
of the classroom.
In my graduate studies so far, I struggled
with a group project in another class because I was unclear on

the instructions.
The professor was willing to answer any
questions and responded back within 24 hours.
The educators
have been supportive and have provided timely positive and

negative feedback regarding assignments, etc. During my visit
with the CDL Program, I was able to witness the instructors
interactions with his students.
While he was extremely
knowledgeable, friendly, and receptive to his students, I also

noticed that he was incredibly soft-spoken which did not seem to
draw or captivate the attention of his class.
It is not known
at this time if this is part of the reason for the lower scores
on the module exams or not.
Another facet that I begin working on the very first day of
class is to develop a sense of internal support amongst all
14
those enrolled in the course.

will.
A family support network if you
After all, these individuals will be working side by side
with each other, 16 hours a week for the next 16 months.
I have
witnessed Bales and Strodtbecks (1951) group development

theory.
The students have religiously attended to each others
individual needs, inviting the socially quiet or awkward

students to be a part of group projects and encourage each other
to succeed and persevere.
It is phenomenal to be a part of a
give and take relationship with the students where I can support
their individuality and overall growth.
I relish those
discussions that lead to an exciting banter of ideas and

expressions, and I use it as a springboard to arouse the
students into a deeper quest for understanding.
Ultimately, I work diligently within my programs to develop
and implement projects, lectures, and simulations that will
provide the quality experience every student deserves.
analyze my products and look for ways to improve myself to meet

the needs of the individual student.
I will continuously morph
to serve those students better, whether that analysis be

structured in terms of data analysis or if it is an informal
exchange of suggestions by students or self-assessment surveys.
Several years ago, I was referred to as a chameleon because
I seek change.
I feel as though I am continuing that path. I
perceive each of my educational opportunities here at Colorado

15
State University as a means to find something new. Boucouvalas &

Lawrence (2010) states learning is a holistic process involving
the body, heart, and spirit, as well as mind (p.36). I
enthusiastically want to weave every holistic experience back to
stable course objectives and outcomes within the Programs
curriculum.
As Dewey (1938) surmised, A genuine purpose always starts
with an impulse [that] impulse converts it into a desire
(p.67), and foresight of the consequences can lead to a purpose
through their interaction.
My original impulse was to be that
breadwinner and support my family.
My desire is to continue to
teach those interested individuals about what it takes to become

a paramedic.
Through their interactions, I hope to make a
positive impact into the lives of those who live within my

community.
I strive to provide them with competent and
confident Advanced Life Support Providers and at the same time,

solidify my position within my institution and remain the
breadwinner for my family.
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References:
Dewey, J. (1997). Experience and education (1st ed.).
New York: Touchstone.
Kasworm, C. (2010). Handbook of adult and continuing education
(2010 ed.). Los Angeles: SAGE.
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EDAE 520: Dewey Personal Reflection Paper