June 17, 2020
Story by Joe Vinduska
Courtesy photo submitted
Barton English Instructor Michael Vick recently had an article published in “Innovation Abstracts” magazine by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD). NISOD is a membership organization committed to promoting and celebrating excellence in teaching, learning, and leadership at community and technical colleges.
Vick’s article “The Tailored and Balanced Approach” discusses the teachings of adult education pioneer Malcolm Knowles and the idea that teaching adults should be different than approaches at teaching younger students and must also acknowledge how students’ diverse backgrounds can affect learning.
Vick said he chose this topic to increase awareness about adult education in more specific ways.
“Adult education has been my passion for many years alongside military affairs, and I chose the topic because I care deeply about educating our young adults in a way that opens their minds to new possibilities,” he said. “Moreover, the theme of the article emphasizes equality and diversity in the classroom. It also stresses the importance of understanding the identity of your students to allow you to tailor your teaching approach to accommodate all students in the classroom and to include those in a marginalized status or those students that might be in the majority group population that have minimal exposure to people from the marginalized population.”
Dean of Academics Brian Howe said the administration and college as a whole are excited about the article and Vick’s commitment to extending his efforts beyond the classroom.
“It’s very encouraging to see Mike take it upon himself to write this piece and create more awareness for adult education,” he said. “We are very proud of him and very glad that he is a part of this institution.”
The article can be found here: The Tailored and Balanced Approach.
For more information, contact Vick at vickm@bartonccc.edu or (785) 317-5518