Dialogue and reflection – perspectives from two adult educators

ABSTRACT

In this paper, two adult educator professors share reflections on their dialogues, spanning 15 years, focusing on their journey of work and learning at a research-intensive university. Authors refer to intrinsic principles, values, and a shared commitment to contributing to a community shaped and influenced by an intentional focus on ‘relationality’ in support of individual and collective well-being. By reflecting on dialogues, past and ongoing, an enduring commitment to co-creating learning spaces sustained by care, compassion, and positive regard for colleagues and students is realized. Authors advance a commitment to community as essential to support work and learning spaces that thrive. This discourse is located in the current neoliberal milieu where a focus on performance germane to teaching, securing research funding, scholarship productivity, and compliance pervades.

KEYWORDS:

• Reflection
• dialogue
• adult education
• higher education
• reflective practice

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Colleen Kawalilak

Dr. Colleen Kawalilak is a Professor and Associate Dean International in the Werklund School of Education. Her research and teaching focuses on adult education and adult learning (formal and informal) in diverse work and learning contexts that support diversity, intercultural capacity, knowledge acquisition and sharing, and transcending beyond cultural differences to a place of common ground.

Janet Groen

Dr. Janet Groen is a Professor and Associate Dean Graduate Programs in the Werklund School of Education. Her research focuses on transformational learning and learning opportunities for marginalized non-traditional adult learners. Other areas of research include the link between spirituality and adult learning within various contexts such as the workplace, the university, and in adult environmental education.