Figure 1 - uploaded by Natalia Balyasnikova
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This image is an illustration created by one of the learners for the collection of stories produced in the Seniors Storytelling Club.
Source publication
This article examines the role of storytelling as an arts-based educational approach in an older-adult immigrant language-learning program. As a special group within the adult language-learner population, immigrant seniors benefit from educational strategies that emphasize recognition of life experience over knowledge accumulation, which is a commo...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... the class was coming to an end, the stories written by the seniors were published in an illustrated booklet (Figure 1). Gaining permission was an important part of the process, given that learners were the ones who needed to formally consent to have their story printed and shared beyond the classroom. ...
Citations
... We intentionally included videos of the CSs sharing their motivation, personal experiences and how those aspects influenced their interest in cancer-related research. The CS spotlight videos create authenticity and relevance for the learners and can instill in them a sense of belonging within the learning community (Balyasnikova & Gillard, 2018;Delmas, 2017). Similar to the approach used for the supplemental and instructional videos, the instructional design team met with each CS featured in the "Spotlight on Citizen Scientists" videos. ...
The purpose of this design and development case study is to provide an in-depth account of the needs analysis (through surveys and interviews), design, development and formative evaluation of the Citizen Science Cancer Curriculum (CSCC). The curriculum was developed as an online, self-paced educational program distributed as an Open Educational Resource using Creative Commons licensing. The instructional approach described in this design and development case study was informed by the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) framework. The case reflects a new frontier in the development of community stakeholder engagement models and describes how evidence-based instructional design practices and approaches (e.g., storytelling) can be used to support Citizen Scientists’ interests, learning and motivation to engage in cancer-related research. Results from quantitative and qualitative analyses indicate that the CSCC supported Citizen Scientists’ learning performance and motivation. More specifically, the use of storytelling as an instructional approach supported Citizen Scientists’ psychological needs, especially relatedness and competence, which translated into their behavioral intentions to contribute to cancer-related research. We share context-specific challenges and opportunities in working with Citizen Scientists as well as with cancer researchers and clinicians during the design and development of the curriculum.
... Perhaps this is because what counts as participation and action is contextual. For example, among studies that adopted Freirean (1970/2018) liberatory pedagogical orientations, Balyasnikova and Gillard (2018) wrote about a language-learning program for Chinese seniors where they invited participants to tell their own stories and create curriculum materials based on these stories as authors. The result was new curricula for learners upon which others could build; where this would take them was unknown, but it was clear that the process was also the outcome. ...
Informed by critical feminisms, we undertook a cartography of publications in the Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education (CJSAE) from 2009 to 2019. We focused on two sets of publications: those that reported on community-based research (CBR) methods and those that aimed to address marginalization as a mode of oppression, with a particular interest in those articles in which CBR and marginalization intersect. Our explorations led us to reflect on important shifts in CBR reported in CJSAE in the decade of study, as well as persistent tensions surrounding the recognition of this research within mainstream academia. We also observed that the theorization of marginalization, and how this concept is taken up with respect to researcher positionality and the politics of research, requires more attention in adult education research. We interpret adult education research as an institution, a regime of truth (Smith, 1987) that opens and/or forecloses possibilities for social transformation, with implications for academic practices and the democratization of knowledge.
... Perhaps this is because what counts as participation and action is contextual. For example, among studies that adopted Freirean (1970/2018) liberatory pedagogical orientations, Balyasnikova and Gillard (2018) wrote about a language-learning program for Chinese seniors where they invited participants to tell their own stories and create curriculum materials based on these stories as authors. The result was new curricula for learners upon which others could build; where this would take them was unknown, but it was clear that the process was also the outcome. ...
The Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education/ La revue canadienne pour l’étude de l’éducation des adultes
This article explores how learning contributes to healthy ageing, and it reinforces learning as an important aspect of the sustainable ageing process. It begins with an analysis of the framework established by the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing, pinpointing the notable absence of learning as a crucial element of well-being in the later stages of life. Then, it explores the research in educational gerontology, specifically focusing on how learning has been conceptualised as a lifelong endeavour. Subsequently, the article presents three illustrative cases: a language learning programme designed for older immigrants in Canada, an intergenerational somatic co-creation workshop in the UK, and a UK public educational campaign tailored to the multifaceted needs of ageing populations. The article places the three multidisciplinary learning initiatives against the backdrop of the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing. The discussion reveals how each case contributes to the redefinition of healthy ageing, increased knowledge of age-related processes, older peoples’ confidence in self-management and a wider range of lifestyle choices for healthy ageing. By integrating the concept of well-being into thinking about learning in later life, the article showcases how the inclusive, participatory approach and co-production of tailored learning initiatives can powerfully contribute to healthy ageing across diverse groups. To conclude, the authors argue for expanding policy frameworks to include different learning contexts that reflect the diverse needs and experiences of older adults.
This content analysis aims to explore how community development has been conceived in Canadian adult education based on publications of the Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education from 2009 to 2019. This article is motivated by the understanding that community development is an intrinsic part of the Canadian adult education history and is also a way to celebrate the 40th anniversary of CJSAE. I suggest that there are five ways to conceive community development within Canadian adult education in the period analyzed: classroom-based and research-based community development, transnational feminist radical community-led development, feminist empowerment focused community development, film festivals as community development, and queer activism and community development. I conclude by saying that despite community development being a terminology seldom explored in the articles, the commitment to building communities to liberate and transform society is still the driving force that moves us forward in our field.
This scoping review aims to describe the range of research studies using arts-based data collection methods with immigrant and racialized older adults. A secondary aim is to identify challenges and strengths of using these approaches with this population. This review uses Arksey and O'Malley’s five-stage scoping review framework with a final number of 16 references included for the study. Enhanced social connectedness, increased transparency and quality of findings, and self-empowerment were key strengths of using arts-based approaches for data collection. Challenges identified included resource limitations, cultural and language barriers, and barriers to meaningful engagement. Only a small number of studies have utilized arts-based methods with immigrant and racialized older adults. Arts-based approaches require unique methodological adaptations with this population but have the potential to increase engagement in research activities, authenticity of research findings and empowerment of older adults.
This content analysis aims to explore how community development has been conceived in Canadian adult education based on publications of the Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education from 2009 to 2019. This article is motivated by the understanding that community development is an intrinsic part of the Canadian adult education history and is also a way to celebrate the 40th anniversary of CJSAE. I suggest that there are five ways to conceive community development within Canadian adult education in the period analyzed: classroom-based and research-based community development, transnational feminist radical community-led development, feminist empowerment focused community development, film festivals as community development, and queer activism and community development. I conclude by saying that despite community development being a terminology seldom explored in the articles, the commitment to building communities to liberate and transform society is still the driving force that moves us forward in our field.
