It is time to review the schedule for the placement of your session in the AAACE Agenda. This is the final draft of the Schedule. When you look up your name, use the detail listing to check what days/times you asked to be placed. This is a huge program and we can accommodate necessary changes in day and time now, but may not be able to do so after September 1, 2013 except in emergencies. Please carefully check your placement and send any requests to Ginger Phillips, AAACE Conference Planner with AAACE Session Change Request in the subject line. We will respond to your email, but it may take us up to a week to do so. Thanks for your help in "fine tuning" this agenda!
Understanding Learning Networks as Tools of Survival for Rural Small Business Owners and their Communities
Type of Presentation
Shared
Session Abstract
This session explores learning networks as tools for adaptation, resiliency, and survival of rural small business owners and their communities. Includes literature review and preliminary findings from ethnographic case study.
Target Audience
You should attend this session if you are interested in understanding learning network theory as a tool for adult learning. And, more specifically how a learning network can create synergies between rural small business owners and their communities allowing both to learn and grow, adapt to unforeseen events, be resilient when facing adversity, and survive. The U.S. small business success rates have not changed significantly over the past two decades, and small business success is critical for economic growth of any nation. This is particularly important in the rural context. Further contributions from adult learning educators and researchers are needed.
Learning Outcomes
Learners will understand learning network theory as an adult learning tool. They will understand the "rural problem" in America and how researchers are exploring learning networks and other types of social learning as a way to facilitate collaboration between rural small business owner/managers, their communities, and other actors in the learning environment. And, they will understand why this problem area is important and how adult learning educators and researchers can contribute further.
Session Description
There is a need for additional understanding of the learning process of entrepreneurs/small business owners. Most entrepreneurs decide to start a company as an adult, not as a new college graduate who has limited experience of the "real world." Adult educators have an important voice in this issue, especially in the rural community context where both businesses and their communities are fighting for their existence. It is relatively easy for prospective or existing business owners to find technical skills training, but relatively difficult to find critical thinking, leadership, and people management training. Not only has the business success curve not moved over the last two decades, the trend in the number of new business starts is falling. We should not only educate adults to "get a better job," we also should provide them with sufficient knowledge to explore "creating several good jobs."
Efforts are made to try to schedule sessions on the day preferred by the Primary Presenter, though this cannot be guaranteed. Please check your preference.
Thursday November 7
Primary Presenter
Gloria Ferguson Pobst, University of Georgia
Work Title
PhD Student - Adult Education