Michael

Journey Travelled

Reflecting on the experiences and circumstances of my friends and colleagues gives me cause to think deeply-particularly as I see some who have or are retiring, or have taken other life directions. All this as I recently embarked on a new (academic) career, far from my origins (philosophically and physically) and later in life thanContinue reading “Journey Travelled”

Home sweet home…this morning.

Adult education <> Adult learning

I have just spent some time interrogating ChatGPT about the connections between adult education, teaching and learning. This inquiry builds on earlier work I undertook more than a decade ago by using NGRAM Viewer-where I looked at the changing use of terms like adult learning and adult education. My thought at the time was thatContinue reading “Adult education <> Adult learning”

Genealogy and Choice Making

Earlier this month we (Elizabeth, Eski-the-dog and I) travelled to northern Victoria (Aus) to explore the contexts within which my ancestors made emigration choices (and to visit interesting places). This project is very much a beginning-and the trip helped me identify potential sources for future data collection. To understand this trip and intention, an explanationContinue reading “Genealogy and Choice Making”

New Year and New Beginnings – Smart Goals

We are already into the second month of a calendar new year (and right in the Lunar New Year period) and given that the first semester is about to begin, this remains a “New Year” by multiple measures. For me professionally and academically however this is a new beginning in several important ways. As anContinue reading “New Year and New Beginnings – Smart Goals”

Experiences of ageing with dementia

Today I spoke with an older friend. They are now living in residential aged care and they have dementia. Sometimes they know that they have dementia and remember earlier experiences of interacting with others in that situation. They express frustration-but then their focus moves to a problem-often one that arose and subsided many years ago.Continue reading “Experiences of ageing with dementia”

Hope

Why can I write? What can I say? What is it that stands in my way? Today I connect in a stilted play With the words that I see and I hear on this day But still, I feel challenged I dont know what to do To address the things I need To see theContinue reading “Hope”

Why does ontology matter in my research?

Why does ontology matter? Well; what is ontology? If we draw on the Oxford dictionary, the meaning is “the branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being” (oxforddictionaries.com..ontology, 2016). The definition for ontology shows us that this is a branch of philosophy that deals with the “first principles of things” (oxforddictionaries.com..metaphysics, 2016). In thatContinue reading “Why does ontology matter in my research?”

Is technology the problem rather than solution to learning choice making?

There is extensive literature that promotes digital technology as a saviour of adult learning, just as there is literature that points to the problems with and raises concerns about the same technologies. Historically, technology has provided learning opportunities for people that otherwise would have been disadvantaged, such as the School of the Air. However, theContinue reading “Is technology the problem rather than solution to learning choice making?”

Meditation and Positive Learning Choices

I was impressed to see in the news (18 Dec 2015) that even in primary schools, the practice of mindfulness is gaining serious attention (Mindfulness relaxation trial). By beginning the day with a relaxed and positive frame of mind, the students and the teacher would potentially be primed to make positive choices through the day that lead to moreContinue reading “Meditation and Positive Learning Choices”