| Did you know that adults have special needs as | | | | discusses relevancy in her work as a teacher with |
| learners? | | | | Maori children. She recalls trying to teach them to |
| When we were kids, we went to school, and we sat | | | | read out of European textbooks with images and |
| through class every day, and our teachers taught | | | | language that mean nothing to them. When she |
| everyone pretty much the same way. It didn't really | | | | starts working within their own language, culture and |
| matter if you were a visual learner, an auditory | | | | experiences to teach them reading, they blossom. |
| learner, or a kinesthetic learner. The teacher pretty | | | | Relevancy is one of the major keys to learning for |
| much did whatever s/he felt most comfortable doing. | | | | people of all ages. |
| Times have changed, and teachers are more aware | | | | 4. Adults are motivated to learn by both external and |
| of learning styles now, and other issues that affect | | | | internal factors |
| children's learning. | | | | When we were kids, many of us were not |
| But the principles of adult learning are still pretty new | | | | motivated to learn by anything other than our |
| to most people. If you're a speaker, and you're doing | | | | parents' and teachers' rewards and punishments. |
| any kind of education or training with the groups | | | | As adults, we have many reasons for pursuing |
| you're speaking to, this applies to you. | | | | learning: |
| First, a little history. Malcolm Knowles is considered | | | | * it's a requirement of a job |
| the "father of adult learning", although the topic had | | | | * we want to make new friends and connections |
| been discussed and researched over a century earlier. | | | | * for professional development and to advance our |
| Knowles' assumptions were that adults: | | | | careers |
| 1) move from dependency to self-directedness; | | | | * to relieve boredom |
| 2) draw upon their reservoir of experience for | | | | * because we're interested in a particular topic and |
| learning; | | | | want to learn for fun |
| 3) are ready to learn when they assume new roles; | | | | * to create a better environment for our children and |
| and | | | | families |
| 4) want to solve problems and apply new knowledge | | | | . . . and the list goes on. |
| immediately. | | | | As an instructor/speaker, it's important to understand |
| In his book, "The Modern Practice of Adult Education: | | | | the many reasons why your attendees are in your |
| From Pedagogy to Andragogy," Knowles opposes | | | | seminar. They may not be there by choice, for |
| the view that adults are unable to learn: "...the rapidly | | | | example. Ask them why they've come and what |
| accelerating pace of change in our society has | | | | they hope to gain from the experience. |
| proved this doctrine to be no longer valued. Facts | | | | As it is important to understand what motivates your |
| learned in youth have become insufficient and in | | | | participants to learn, it's also important to understand |
| many instances actually untrue; and skills learned in | | | | what might be barriers to their learning: |
| youth have become outmoded by new technologies." | | | | * worry about finances |
| The term "andragogy" has come to mean | | | | * time constraints |
| self-directed learning for people of all ages, as | | | | * childcare issues |
| opposed to the term "pedagogy" which defines | | | | * relationship issues (one partner feels threatened by |
| teacher-directed learning. In practical terms, it means | | | | advancement of the other) |
| that when educating or training adults, process | | | | * lack of confidence in ability to learn (some people |
| comes before content. | | | | grew to believe they were not good in school, and |
| Knowles may not have invented these terms or | | | | they carry that with them forever) |
| concepts, but he was the first to put them together | | | | * insecurity about intelligence |
| into an organized theory. Additional theories of adult | | | | * concern about practicality and relevance |
| learning have been developed since Knowles' time, as | | | | . . . and the list goes on! |
| well. Here is an overview of adult learning principles | | | | Understanding the motivations and barriers your |
| that will greatly improve your understanding of how | | | | participants face can help you as an instructor |
| and why adults learn. This will allow you to tailor your | | | | pinpoint how best to serve them, by increasing their |
| presentations and training more effectively to the | | | | motivation for learning. |
| groups you serve. | | | | 5. Adult learners have sensitive egos |
| 1. Adults are autonomous and self-directed | | | | Many of us, over the course of a lifetime, have |
| Adults want to decide for themselves what, when, | | | | developed a fear of appearing stupid or incompetent. |
| how and why to learn. Speakers/instructors should | | | | As children, we were encouraged to explore, ask |
| allow adults to direct some of their own learning. | | | | questions and learn about the world, but somewhere |
| Here are some ways to facilitate this: | | | | along the way, that was taken away from us. Many |
| * Ask your participants what they already know | | | | adults have mixed feelings about teachers, school, |
| about your topic and what they're interested in | | | | and structured learning. |
| learning. Find out what their goals are for being there. | | | | Some people go to great lengths to hide their inability |
| * Share your agenda and ask for input. This might | | | | to read, for example, or their lack of understanding |
| lead to switching around the order of your workshop | | | | of the duties of their job. |
| to better serve the group's needs. You might find | | | | An instructor/speaker must be aware of these issues |
| you spend more time on certain subjects than you | | | | and build trust by treating learners respectfully, |
| had planned, and less on others. Be flexible. | | | | sensitively, and without judgment. |
| * Act as a facilitator, guiding the group and | | | | * Allow participants to build confidence by practicing |
| encouraging them to reach their own conclusions, | | | | what is learned in small groups before facing the large |
| rather than force-feeding information in a lecture | | | | group |
| format. Allow them to be responsible for their own | | | | * Use positive reinforcement to encourage |
| learning. | | | | participants |
| * Do your research on the group and organizational | | | | * If sensitive issues are to be discussed, create a |
| needs beforehand, so you can provide a combination | | | | safe space by enforcing confidentiality and allowing |
| of information that meets their perceived needs and | | | | participants to "pass" if there's something they're not |
| their actual needs. | | | | comfortable talking about |
| 2. Adults have a lifetime of knowledge and | | | | * Provide activities that are low-risk before moving |
| experience that informs their learning | | | | on to activities featuring higher risk or greater trust |
| Adult learners can be a valuable resource for you as | | | | * Acknowledge participants' previous life experience |
| an instructor/speaker. It's also important for them to | | | | and knowledge and allow them to voice opinions and |
| connect learning to those previous life experiences. | | | | share in class leadership |
| Here's how to make the most of your audience's | | | | A speaker who believes she/he knows more than |
| experience and knowledge. | | | | anyone else in the room is asking for trouble, and |
| * Don't assume that your participants are "blank | | | | creating an environment that will discourage learning. |
| slates" and know nothing about your topic. Nothing is | | | | 6. Adults are practical and problem-oriented, and want |
| more insulting than a speaker who launches into a | | | | to apply what they've learned |
| lecture without first finding out the needs and | | | | Probably the most important result for adult learners |
| knowledge level of the audience. Do your research | | | | is to be able to apply their learning to their work or |
| and ask first to find out what they already know. | | | | personal life - immediately. Help facilitate this by doing |
| * When appropriate, ask your audience to share their | | | | the following: |
| experiences, and create activities that call on them to | | | | * Use examples to help them see the connection |
| use their experiences, for example, in small group | | | | between classroom theories and practical application |
| discussions. | | | | * Use problem-solving activities as part of learning |
| * Prepare activities that involve choice, so the | | | | * Create action items or task lists together with |
| learning process can better fit the individual levels of | | | | participants |
| your participants. | | | | * Help learners transfer learning to daily practice by |
| 3. Adults need relevancy in learning | | | | offering follow-up coaching or mentoring |
| It's important to adults that they are learning | | | | * Create an experiential learning environment that |
| something relevant and applicable to real life, whether | | | | follows an experiential learning cycle |
| it's work-related or personal. Here's how to make | | | | This has been just a brief overview of adult learning |
| learning relevant to your audience. | | | | principles. I hope you've found some of the tips in |
| * Identify learning objectives and ask participants to | | | | these articles to be helpful. |
| share their goals. | | | | At its most basic level, adult learning tends to be |
| * Discuss and ask for sharing of real-world | | | | self-directed and based on the person's individual |
| applications of your topic. | | | | needs and life experiences. Follow these tips when |
| * Avoid giving a workshop or presentation that's too | | | | working with adults, and you will be on your way to |
| theoretical. | | | | creating a truly effective learning experience. |
| In the book "Teacher", Sylvia Ashton-Warner | | | | |