| As a leader in any organization or business, one of | | | | they will learn. |
| your greatest challenges is figuring out how to help | | | | 4. Individualized and self directed: people have their |
| your people learn and grow so that they will be more | | | | own strengths and their own preferred ways of |
| effective and add to your bottom line. The problem | | | | learning and you need to find ways to tap into that |
| is that our own experience and education does not | | | | individuality and let them work at their own pace. If |
| prepare us for the modern world of adult learning. | | | | you can do that they'll take care of most of the |
| The examples we saw in high school and maybe | | | | learning themselves. |
| even in college don't really apply integral world where | | | | 5. Integrates learning and living: you need to be |
| we have to compete with the job, stress, families, | | | | sensitive to the competing demands your students |
| leisure time in order to make a difference in our | | | | have. By accommodating their needs and working |
| people's lives. What can a manager do to solve this | | | | with them you'll find that this will increase their |
| problem? | | | | commitment to the education you offer an improved |
| Fortunately, there is plenty of excellent research in | | | | their chances for success. |
| the area of adult learning that can be put to | | | | 6.Application: book learning will only carry you so far. |
| immediate use by practical manager. Although they're | | | | What you're adult students are looking for are |
| a many different theories there is some common | | | | practical ways to solve hands-on problems and so |
| principles upon which they all agree, by focusing on | | | | each of your educational sessions should include |
| these core principles you will definitely be able to help | | | | technical problems and give them a chance to work |
| yourself and your people learn and grow and move | | | | out their solutions in a controlled, supportive setting. |
| along the path to success. | | | | By finding creative ways to leverage these principles, |
| The mainstream theory tells us that adult learning is | | | | you will be able to develop education and training |
| based on the following principles: | | | | programs that are well-suited for your adult workers |
| 1.Reciprocity: this means that there's a direct link | | | | and learners to develop themselves with your |
| between the learning and the students goals. | | | | support. As a manager your people will be |
| 2.Experience: adults look for practical evidence that | | | | immediately more productive and loyal to you and |
| what you're teaching has real value in their world. | | | | your business. This will add directly to your bottom |
| 3.Problem-solving orientation: let's face it, most of our | | | | line. As an individual adult learner yourself, you can |
| work in the real world involves solving practical, | | | | evaluate different programs using these principles to |
| difficult problems. To be successful we need to know | | | | determine which one is best suited for you and your |
| how to solve these. If you can show them the way | | | | needs. |
| that all you have to do is get out of their way and | | | | |