CONFERENCES — PAST AND PRESENT
Adult Learning Conference
February 19-20, 2009
The
theme for the next Adult Learning Conference will be determined this fall. Check back for more details.
Past Conferences
Middle Tennessee State University has sponsored a statewide conference on adult learning for 11 years now. We have served as the mid-south regional ANTSHE conference for the past 7 years as well.
Our first conference in 1994 was modest -- basically just sharing of ideas and learning from the other educators working with adult learners across the state of Tennessee. One person who had conducted a survey of adult learning in the state of Tennessee presented those results. Our keynote speaker was a Tennessee man who was self educated into his thirties, completed his undergraduate degree, Masters and Doctorate and is now a professor of English at Murray State University in Kentucky.
The 1995 conference focused on Bridging Adults into Higher Education -- articulation from GED programs, re-entry courses and groups, ways to teach adult learners, meeting the needs of adult learners, etc.
1996 — Helping Adults Handle Anxiety
This conference featured Sheila Tobias, author of Overcoming Math Anxiety. Other sessions included: orientation, developmental studies for adults, test-taking anxiety, overcoming anxiety in writing, and using humor to take anxiety away. This was the first conference targeted to students as well as the professionals who work with them. We have a student track of breakout sessions and an administrator/faculty track at each conference.
1997 — Adult Learning Isn't a Cookie Cutter World
This conference focused on helping adult learners succeed with different learning styles and different learning abilities -- Keynote was by Christopher Lee, a dyslexic student who had graduated from the University of Georgia with the help of their Learning Disabilities Center, and author of Faking It. Other sessions included: support groups for students with ADHD and Learning Disabilities, training tutors,
putting learning styles to work for you, reading program for adults with disabilities, multisensory methods to teach algebra, techniques to help students with written language skills
1998 — Coping with Change
The keynote speaker was Cara DiMarco, author of Life Transitions: Finding your way over, around, and through life's challenges. Several sessions on humor as a way to deal with change, plus sessions on learning to use technology, CALM -- Coaching Adult Learners in Mathematics, student panels sharing their concerns, dealing with divorce while in college, etc.
1999 — From Backpack to Briefcase
Keynote again was Cara DiMarco, author of a new book on Career Transitions: A Journey of Survival & Growth. Sessions included student work as a career training ground, using multiple intelligences to guide student career choices, cooperative education as a career tool, using technology, writing a resume, interviewing, etc.
2000 — Increase Resilience to Increase Retention
This conference focused on the factor of resilience and how to nurture it in the students. Other sessions include: A student panel on "Sticking it out", sessions on orientation programs, student success seminars, developmental studies and advising.
2001 — Teaching Adults to Juggle Their Lives and Their Learning
Dr. Vanda North, founder of the international Tony Buzan Center, presented the keynote with an introduction to create techniques to help students juggle many tasks including Mind Mapping and the Learning How to Learn Formula. Other sessions included: effective science teaching strategies, getting involved, How the OWLs (MTSU's student organization) learned to fly, Advanced work on Mind Mapping, and Advising Adult Learners.
2002 — Mentoring Adult Learners: Relationships for Retention
Keynote speaker was Dr. Susan Ford Wiltshire, professor of classics at Vanderbilt University and author of Athena's Disguises, a book on the many forms of mentors first suggested by Homer's Odyssey. Other sessions included: Finding a academic "soulmate", training peer mentors, Finding a mentor, Saturday Specials, a program at Univ. of Memphis to build a group relationship during
Saturday morning workshops.
2003 — Reaching and Serving our Distance Learning Students
Renée Weiss, asst. professor of Instructional Technology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and author of Principles of Effective Teaching in the Online Classroom, presented the keynote on Rethinking the nature of serving students in online environments. Other sessions included a panel to present the three faces of distance education -- student, faculty, and administrator, advising for distance learning, virtual library, services for the distance learners, career resources for the distance learners.
2004 — Shining a Light on Adult Learners
Cara DiMarco again prepared a keynote on how administrators and faculty can shine a light on the strengths and gifts of adult learners we encounter by telling them what we see that they may not recognize within themselves. Other sessions included: Finding your Passions, Nurturing Resilience, Teaching "Go for it!" techniques, Using multiple intelligences to help students develop strategies for learning, and
Shining a light on yourself.
2005 — Adult Learners: A Style of Their Own
Dee Doochin, a Professional Certified Coach, and Holly Hamilton, a Master Certified Coach, trained AD/HD coaches and co-owners of ADD-UP, LLC (Attention Difference Dilemma - Unlimited Potential), will discuss varied Learning Modalities. They will explain what they are and why adult learners need to know about them. They will present brief definitions of each of the learning styles identified in a new inventory they have created. Participants will discover their own personal learning styles by taking the Learning Modalities Inventory. Breakout sessions will allow for small group discussions and answering questions as well as developing strategies to use the different learning styles in the classroom.
2006 — Faculty and Adult Learners – Together Improving the Learning Experience
Terry Weeks, Professor, Educational Leadership and a former National Teacher of the Year, will present the keynote.
2007 — From Student Poverty to Financial Security: Planning to Get From Here to There
Dallas Ruddell, MTSU alumna, who recruits and trains insurance agents in California, will share her story of going from student family housing and food stamps to financial independence and the lessons she learned along the way.
2008 — Choosing
to Thrive, No Matter What!
Dr.
Cara DiMarco, licensed psychologist in private practice and
lead faculty in the 20 year old Transitions for Success program
at Lane Community College in Oregon, will present the keynote
address for this conference.
