Adult Learning in Non-formal Institutions :: Education Learn Essays

Adult Learning in Non-formal Institutions Museums, zoos, nature centers, science centers, aquariums, and other similar institutions provide a tremendous opportunity for lifelong learning in a relatively nonthreatening setting for most adults (Schroeder 1970). Many of these attractions and museums include education as a part of their missions (see, for example, Allmon 1994; Chizar, Murphy, and Illiff 1990; Conway 1982) and the popularity of these places as providers of both recreation and education is well established (Chobot 1989). This Digest explores some of the central concepts of adult learning in these settings. A brief discussion of nonformal learning and the adult visitor lays the foundation for the examination of ideas in the literature on (1) what is educational in attractions, (2) opportunities and challenges to education in these settings, and (3) the application of adult learning theory to zoo, museum, center, and attraction education. Adult Visitors and Nonformal Learning Nonformal learning is often defined by activities outside the formal learning setting, characterized by voluntary as opposed to mandatory participation (Crane et al., 1994). Mocker and Spear (1982) offer a taxonomy of adult learning wherein nonformal learning is identified as learners holding the objectives for learning with the means controlled by the educator or organization. Maarschalk (1988) contrasts nonformal learning (i.e., outside formal settings--such as field trips and museum visits) with informal learning (i.e., that which grows out of spontaneous situations). In zoos, museums, nature centers, and attractions, adult learning can range from formal through nonformal to informal. Workshops, lectures, classes, and educational "shows" are some of the common formal adult learning programs; tours, informational signage, exhibits/interactive displays, and demonstrations are often considered nonformal learning constructed by the education staff; the individual visitor and the setting create informal learning situations (Diem 1994). For whom are these opportunities constructed? In a study of zoo visitors, Conway (1982) found that between 55-70% of all zoo visitors are adults. Hundreds of millions of people visit museums, zoos, nature centers, science centers, and other attractions (Falk and Dierking 1992). In North America, for example, over 100 million people visit zoos and aquariums each year (Eaton 1981; Howard 1989; Marshall 1994), and over 500 million visit museums (Naisbitt and Aburdene 1990). This translates to a tremendous population of learners. Adults more often than children suggest the visit (Cheek, Field, and Burdge 1976) and are also the societal decision makers whose actions directly affect the attraction, whether the decision is simply to visit or to support funding for expansion or renovation (Diem 1994).

Edgar Sia II biography Essay

Down south in Iloilo city, he was once an obscure, down-to-earth businessman eking out a living. He’s nicknamed â€Å"lnJap,† the combined first syllables of his parents’ ethnic origins – father is â€Å"intsik† (Chinese), while mother is Japanese, both entrepreneurs. Instead of pursuing a business degree in college as desired by his parents, Sia took a course in architecture in college, but only to drop out later. Yes, he’s a school dropout. Apparently bored by the daily routine of going to and from school, Sia tried his luck in business, a decision that proved to be the turning point of his life and career path. At 20, he tried his hand in running various businesses, ranging from family-owned hotel to the ubiquitous laundry and photo developing shops. Parking lot Like any typical Ilonggo, Sia liked to dine out. His favorite food was the fried chicken served by fastfood chains Jollibee and McDonald’s. But then, something was missing – the fried chicken looked and tasted too foreign, westernized. It didn’t suit the taste buds of typical Ilonggos or Pinoys. Wanting to be different, Sia struck the idea of a homespun food outlet serving Filipino-style street fare in a restaurant-type setting. He found an unoccupied 250 square meter spot in the parking lot of a popular mall in Iloilo city. That space became the birth place of the now popular Mang ‘nasal serving charcoal- broiled chicken with unlimited rice. It has since become a modern icon of the Ilonggo culinary culture. Parents To set his plans in motion, Sia spared no time and effort to borrow P2. 4 million as a start-up capital from his parents. Soon, Mang ‘nasal caught fire in the local food scene. It opened to business on Dec. 12, 2003. Long queues of food habitu ©s flocked to the resto, despite the ushrooming of similar establishment all over Iloilo city. With popularity of Mang ‘nasal surging not only in the city, but also in the neighboring regions, it was not surprising that many knocked on Sia’s doors applying for a franchise. But he was adamant in acceding to franchising. To Sia, it’s not unusual to witness huge crowds trying out a new resto in its first three months of operations. â€Å"After six months, you have a 50-50 chance of sustaining that crowd. If after a year, they still keep going to you, you probably have a hit,† he recalls. It was an understatement. Franchising What drew the crowds of foodies to Mang ‘nasal was its charcoal-grilled chicken served with rice wrapped in a banana leaf. It was unique in the sense that it wasnt like anything on the menus of rivals McDonald, KFC or even Jollibee. The flavor was distinctively Filipino, as was the earthy d ©cor with wooden tables, handmade paper lamps and walls painted in orange, green and yellow. So popular that Mang ‘nasal soon ate up the market share of Jollibee and McDonald’s in the fried chicken segment. From that lone nook and cranny in a mall, Mang ‘nasal soon branched out to nearby ities and provinces largely aided by Sla’s decision to allow franchisees starting in 2005. Menus and sales In March 2012, Mang ‘nasal grew to a network of 433 restaurants all over the country, chalking up gross sales of close to PIO billion since it opened to business in 2003. To date, it has about 14,200 workers and a market value of P7 Billion. Each store employs an average of 40 people. Despite the stiff competition in the grilled food business, Mang ‘nasal still blazed new trails in the fastfood market. Its secret recipe is the use local herbs and spices. Grilled chicken isn’t the only fare that Mang ‘nasal offers. In response to the fast- pork sinigang, batchoy, etc. Sensing that Mang ‘nasal was giving its competitors a run for their money, Jollibee owner Tony Tan Cak Tiong Just couldn’t bear seeing his flagship’s market dominance eroded by a new kid on the block. Jollibee Rather than resort to the futility of beating Mang ‘nasal in the fastfood business, Jollibee instead took Sia’s company into its fold. Tan Cak Tiong shelled out a hefty Php2. 8 billion to acquire 70 percent equity in Sla’s flagship in 2010. Somehow, the deal cut short what could have been Mang ‘nasal’s long Journey to topple Jollibee from its position as the countrys number one fastfood chain. In no time, Mang ‘nasal has emerged as the second largest chain next to Jollibee, beating American multinational McDonald’s. Apparently sentimental, Sia admitted that his sale of a majority stake in ‘nasal to Jollibee was â€Å"painful. † In a letter to his â€Å"Mang ‘nasal Family,† expressed â€Å"deep sadness† like a â€Å"father parting with his child† as he handed over the care of the restaurant to the giant conglomerate. Though relegated as a minority shareholder, Sia still exercises a certain degree of managing Mang ‘nasal as part of the Jollibee’s overall management group. The youthful entrepreneur is not one who rests on his laurels. With Mang Inasal safely entrenched in its niche in the highly competitive fastfood market, Sia has begun nurturing the growth of his new fastfood firm Deco’s, considered as the original batchoy resto. Never dreamed of From initial outlets in Iloilo city, Deco’s has already branched out to other parts of the country, including Metro Manila. Like the trailblazing Mang ‘nasal, Sia is bullish his latest venture will reach the zenith of success, given his tried, tested and proven recipe of entrepreneurship. In 2011, the young Sia was recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines for Entrepreneurship. No less than President Aquino handed the prestigious award in ceremonies at Malacanang Palace. Sia is also a recipient of the Urban Leadership Award from the Canadian Urban Institute for Entrepreneurship in 2010 and his â€Å"outstanding contributions† to the nhancement of the public realm and the quality of life in the Metro Iloilo-Guimaras For two years, from 2011 to 2012, Sia made it to the elite list of Us-based Forbes magazine as one of the 40 richest Filipinos. With sales of Mang ‘nasal booming over the past years, his net worth has zoomed steadily, amounting to a mind-boggling P5. 8 billion as of last June. At age 35, Sia has earned the distinction as the Philippines’ youngest billionaire he never dreamed of. Mr. Edgar J. Sia, lnJap, II is the Founder of the Mang ‘nasal food chain. Mr. Sia serves as Chief Executive Officer of lnJap Investments, Inc. lnJap Land Corporation (DoubleDragon Properties Corp)and People’s Hotel Corporation. Mr. Sia has been Board Advisor of Philippine Bank of Communications Inc. since August 29, 2012 and served as its Director from July 26, 2011 to August 29, 2012. He serves as Chairman of lnJap Investments, Inc. , lnJap Land Corporation and People’s Hotel Corporation. He serves as Director of Jollibee. He was awarded the Small Business Entrepreneur award in 2010 by the Ernst & Young for best demonstrating management excellence in a business with assets less than Php100 million.

The Looking Glass Self By Charles Horton Cooley

People always judge! A clichà © statement demonstrating of how the people’s perceptions vary throughout one’s entire life. We humans usually tend to influence our actions, our behaviours and attitudes according to what our friends, relatives or family thinks. And hence this is the very basic of the human sociological nature, where we tend to live by what the people think and say about us. Such a theory was introduced in the field of sociology by Charles Horton Cooley, an American sociologist in the early 1900s, famously known as the ‘looking-glass self’. The name of the theory itself gives ideas of a person looking through glass to determine their inner self. Whereas, this glass is a mere reflection of the person in the eyes of the people. The basic looking glass theory lays the foundation of how a person self grows in life based on the social interaction of that person, i.e. the influence a certain group on the mind-set of that person. Cooley lays emphasis of how situations involving people will sometimes put us in self-doubt or a feeling of insecurity. Hence how one perceives themselves as a person; character and personality wise, really comes from the perception of others, rather than the person himself/herself. This is a general notion that many would agree to. Take a normal family for example; our parents brought up to meet certain expectation will o nly make us perceive our self as how they see us. If they deem as a certain figure, we would look at ourselves in a similarShow MoreRelatedCharles Horton Cooley s Concept Of The Looking Glass Self870 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1902, Charles Horton Cooley fashioned the concept of the looking-glass ‘self,’ this concept was researched to learn how identity is shaped. The authors concluded that people shape their identity based on the perception of how they think others view them. Three ideas comprise the looking-glass ‘self’: First, we see in our mind’s eye how we appear to others, second we imagine their judgment of how we appear to them, and third we develop our ‘self’ (our own identity) receiving the judgments fromRead MoreCharles Horton Cooley and the Symbolic Interactionism Theory1303 Words   |  6 PagesCharles Horton Cooley and the Symbolic Interactionism Theory Should we associate the abandonment of ‘self’ with symbolic interactionism? Do you feel the need to ‘change your stripes’ to fit in with society? ‘An individual is an abstraction unknown to experience, and so likewise is society when regarded as something apart from individuals.... Society and individuals do not denote separable phenomena, but are simply collective and distributive aspects of the same thing†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Thomas Francis O Dea)Read MoreWhat I Have Learned From A Social Theory Class1240 Words   |  5 PagesMead Cooley In this sociology paper I will present what I have learned from this social theory class. We learned about many miraculous theorists such as Karl Marx, Auguste Comete, Herb Spencer, Emile Durkheim and many more theorists. I will present what I have learned by comparing and contrasting George Herbert Mead and Charles Horton Cooley. This paper will examine what both of these great theorists studied, some of their background info and theory. George Herbert Mead George Herbert MeadRead MoreMy Social Science Requirement For My Associate Degree923 Words   |  4 PagesSchaefer, and I became interested in the theories that sociologist came up with. When I started reading the modern development theorists, Charles Horton Cooley, it was so fascinating because he focused on social interaction. Cooley came up with the concept called â€Å"looking glass self†, and I will explain it and show my view about it in this essay. Charles Horton Cooley was born during the 18’s. He grew up in wealthy life where his father and mother had professional jobs in the industry. He was lonelyRead MoreThe Looking Glass Self863 Words   |  4 PagesLooking Glass Self Reflection Activity 10/10 Good observation!!! What is acceptable in one group is not always acceptable in another. Therefore, you change your appearance based on what you what others to think about you. The others’ perceived judgment about your style makes you change your style depending upon the group. Directions: Answer the Pre-Reading questions using Chapter 5 Section 2 Guided Reading Notes. When finished, read the article The Looking Glass Self: Who Holds Our ReflectionsRead MoreCooley And Mead s Theories1287 Words   |  6 Pagescommunication. Socialization becomes an important key in understanding society and individuals while also getting a glimpse into evolution and progression. Articles by Mead and Cooley provide different perspectives on the human advancement of the â€Å"self’† by looking at early stages of development and maturation. The idea of social self and socialization allows for individuals to build their identity and connect with society. The importance of social relations is seen in various cultures and communities,Read MoreSymbolic Interactionism2313 Words   |  10 Pagesmajor contributors to the theory of Symbolic Interactionism include Charles Horton Cooley, Jane Addams and George Herbert Mead. Charles Horton Cooleys single idea of the deve lopment of ones sense of self alone provided the foundation for symbolic interactionism. Cooley was intrigued by the idea of self and how this sense of self is developed throughout life and which factors contribute to that development. In his own works, Cooley sought to highlight the connection between society and the individualRead MoreThe Publisher Of Our Sociology Textbook861 Words   |  4 Pageswhose lives I have explored are Charles Horton Cooley, Jane Addams, and Harriet Martineau. I chose to look up Charles Horton Cooley because I liked that he preferred to look at smaller units first when using the sociological perspective. I was surprised to learn that he was quite introverted and insecure, but glad to know that he did step out of his father’s shadow. Cooley’s belief that an individual’s self grows from their relations with others, the looking glass self, was intriguing. I chose to readRead MoreThe Looking Glass Self1648 Words   |  7 PagesThe Look ing-Glass Self by Charles H. Cooley I will be talking about the looking glass self, made famous by famed American sociologist Charles Horton Cooley. This concept stems from our interpersonal perception of what another individual’s impression is on us and how we form ourselves towards that initial perception. Out of all the theories that are at our disposal in sociology, this is the theory that interested me the most and here is why. To me the looking glass self is not just a concept orRead MoreThe Self Essay532 Words   |  3 PagesThe Self Every situation that an individual is exposed to throughout life, helps mold our â€Å"self.† As humans we have the ability to see ourselves from the outside, and all through life we try to see what others see and our â€Å"self† revolves around the generalized other. We observe how others perceive us and we make conclusions depending on our observations. How we act