2019 Annual Conference

Informal Learning

Concurrent Session (45 minutes)

The mother daughter dyad is a unique social setting where vauable informal learning occurs. Middle-aged daughter's and mother's reflections, significant experiences, actions, learning from others, and their haphazard nature of informal learning is identified. Informal learning is examined through the daughter's meaning making from experience, memory, and conversations.

This presentation is designed for those interested in informal learning within unique social context of the mother-daughter relationship. Adult learning Professors, graduate students and anyone interested furthering their understanding of informal learning between women will enjoy this presentation.

Participants will recognize the unique social context of the mother-daughter relationship
Participants will examine informal learning within the mother-daughter dyad.
Participants will defend the importance of refection in meaning-making.

Informal learning is included in adult learning research but has mainly been focused on the social settings of the workplace, places of instruction, or the computer or internet. The family and specifically the mother-daughter dyad is a unique social setting where valuable informal learning occurs. This relationship is considered important to the self-definition of women and the connection is generally deemed positive and the significance of the relationship continues to grow as both mother and daughter age. This qualitative research has a feminist perspective-a woman interrogating women about their understanding of informal learning- it examines informal learning within the mother-daughter dyad through narrative inquiry. The voice of the participants leading to recognizing the characteristics of informal learning and adding to the understanding of how experiences, memories, and discussions between mothers and daughters shape the daughters' expectations of aging.

This is an interactive session discussing my qualitative dissertation: I'm Becoming my Mother - informal learning within the mother-daughter dyad. In keeping with the narrative inquiry, participants will engage and discuss the characteristics of informal learning.