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Holistic Adult Learning & Professional Development

Background

From 1993 until 1999, Karl-Heinz Finke and Coenraad van Houten conducted several Adult Education and Social Development courses, mainly in Berlin. Coenraad’s approach, based on NPI and Centre for Social Development work, became the teaching methodology used in Courses and Trainings offered by Holistic Biography Work. At the core are the 7-Learning Processes and Experiential Learning, engaging head, hard and hand. Holistic Adult Learning can be applied in designing and running workshops, courses, trainings and even one-to-one client work. Children and young people start learning by imitation. For adult learners, individualisation is paramount, and learning processes must be designed accordingly.

3 Online Courses in Holistic Adult Learning

The courses are available either as Learning Packs only, or with online facilitated group-work sessions in small groups of 3 to 5 participants.

Each year a different course is offered –

  • Awakening the Will to Learn: Holistic Adult Learning (2024)
  • Designing Integrated Programs: Learning for Head, Heart & Hands (2025)
  • Guiding Groups: Creating and Holding an Open Space (2026)

Each Holistic Adult Learning course comes with a comprehensive Learning Pack:
Study Guide, video Lectures, suggested Reading and activities.
Supported by optional online sessions over 4 days: Thursday to Sunday.

ADL-70 (Core Skills, Practices and Principles) is part of each of these 3 modules

The 3 modules explore the underlying theory and methodology for educators to work with adult learners.
Each module is self-contained. They may be completed in any order.

Trainers   Karl-Heinz Finke, assisted by Laura Summerfield and colleagues in Holistic Biography Work.

Read more ... ADL-70 Core Skills, Practices and Principles

All 3 Holistic Adult Learning modules start with ADL-70:

Core Skills and Practices
  • Self-reflective work on the part of the learner – Learning Journals
  • Daily Review – insights, challenges and takeaways in a learning process
  • Night Echoes – tuning in to ongoing imagination, inspiration and intuition
  • Non-reactive listening – maintaining an open mind and heart
  • Collegial Inter-vision process – building supportive networks for learning
Core Principles of Adult Learning
  • How do adults learn? Supporting self-reflection. Building on existing knowledge and experience. Applying the 7 learning processes.
  • Growth and development of the individual learner. How is adult learning different from that of children and young people? How do we develop from Reactor to Learner to Researcher in our life journey?
  • Qualities of the self-guided learner. Maintaining inner motivation and a sense of personal life mission. Relationship with the True-I during the learning process. Examining individual expectations – what to develop and what to let go.

Read more ... ADL-71 Awakening the Will to Learn - Holistic Adult Learning

  • The 3 ways of learning
  • Triangular relationships – learners/educators/staff
  • Introducing Phenomenology via observation processes
  • The 4-level observation process
  • Working with 7 life and learning processes
  • 3 levels in the Learner/Educator relationship
  • Individualisation of content in learning

Read more ... ADL-72 Guiding Groups - Creating and Holding an Open Space

  • Essential elements of communication
  • Different styles of facilitation
  • An exploration of group dynamics
  • Recognising Thinking/Feeling/Willing statements
  • Enabling a helpful conversation
  • The mystery of encounter
  • Creating an open space for sharing
  • Maintaining a healthy group-work process
  • Designing and assessing group-work processes

Read more ... ADL-73 Designing Integrated Programs - Learning for Head, Heart and Hand

  • Creating an Integrated program with an integrated team
  • Understanding Horizontal and Vertical Integration in learning program designs
  • 4 levels of educating and learning
  • 4 level observation processes related to education
  • Applying understanding of 7 life and learning processes in program design
  • Integrating 7 planetary qualities
  • Assessing learning outcomes

Professional Development

All of our training modules are available online as stand-alone courses for personal and professional development.

Learning Packs are available at any time – see our Shop. Optional online sessions are scheduled each year.
Check Course Dates for dates and fees.
We recommend our Biography Log-book and our Foundation Course for prior reading and study. They provide background to Biography Work and its underlying philosophy.

Contact   mail@holisticbiographywork.com
Enrolment Form

Enrolment & Fees

Learning Pack only   90 AUD
Order your Learning Pack (Study Guide, video Lectures, suggested Reading and creative activities) at any time.

With Online Group-work   470 AUD total
20 hours of online real-time facilitated group-work in groups of 3 to 5
Enrol   4 to 6 weeks before the group-work session

Enrolment Form   Download before filling in
Contact   holisticbiographywork.com