2. Out lines:
1. Definition of adult learning
2. Characteristics of Adult Learners
3. 4 Principles for Teaching Adults
4. Differences Between Children and Adults as Learners
5. 8 tips that improve your odds for success as a trainer…
6. ELEMENTS THAT INFLUENCE ADULT LEARNING
7. Why is adult learning important?
8. Barriers to Learning
9. Adult Learning Topics
10.Learning Styles?
11.Why it is important to select the appropriate learning
styles?
3. General objectives:
BY the end of this lecture ;the participant will
gain the necessary concepts about Adult
learning
4. Specific objectives:
At the end of this lecture ; the student Will be able to:
1. Define the adult learning
2. identify Characteristics of Adult Learners
3. List Characteristics of Adult Learners
4. Differentiate Between Children and Adults as Learners
5. Identify 8 tips that improve your odds for success as a trainer
6. Explain elements that influence adult learning
7. Explain importance of adult learning
8. Identify barriers to adult learning
9. List adult learning topics
10. Enumerate learning styles
11. Describe Why it is important to select the appropriate learning styles?
5. Definition of Adult Learning
Adult learning is defined as 'the entire range of
formal, non-formal and informal learning,
activities which are undertaken by adults after a
break since leaving initial education and
training, which results in the acquisition of new
knowledge and skills'.
6. Characteristics of Adult Learners
Because the adult learner is primarily in charge of his or her own
learning, the teacher of adults has a different job from the one who
teaches children. Since the 1970’s, adult learning theory has offered
a framework for educators and trainers. Malcolm S. Knowles (1973),
a pioneer in adult learning, based his work on the concept of
“andragogy” (the art and science of how adults learn).
7. He noted the following characteristics:
Need to know why they are learning something
Learn through doing
Are problem solvers
Learn best when the subject is of immediate use
Prefer social interaction
Want to use their life experiences in the classroom
Want to integrate new ideas with existing knowledge
9. Principal 1: Make Sure Your Adult Students
Understand “Why”
Motivate
This principle is not only about having
participants see the relevance of the training,
but about why each thing you teach them is an
important part of the learning. Adult learners
are motivated to learn when they have a need
to know.
10. Tell participants explicitly how the training
and individual activities will be useful to them
on the job. And early in the training, share
the clearly defined goals, objectives and
agenda for the training
11. They want to know how the instruction will help them
and often ask themselves the following questions:
What’s in it for me?
Why do I need this information?
How will I benefit from it?
How can I make use of it in a practical, real way on
the job?
How will it make me a better worker or
professional?
12. Principle 2: Adults Need to Learn in Their Own
Way (Inform)
There are three general learning styles for providing
information: visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic or tactile.
1)Visual learners rely on pictures. “Show me,” is their motto.
You can best communicate with them by providing hand-outs,
graphs, diagrams, illustrations, and writing on the white board.
13. 2)Auditory learners listen carefully. “Tell me,” is
their motto. They will pay attention to the sound
of your voice and actively participate in
discussions.
14. You can best communicate with them by using
stories, examples, case studies, pneumonic
devices to help them remember information,
discussion and oral reports of working groups.
15. 3)Kinaesthetic or Tactile learners need to physically do
something to understand it. Their motto is “Let me do
it.” They trust their feelings and emotions about what
they’re learning.
They prefer activities, role playing, simulation games,
and allowing them to practice what they’re learning.
16. Principle 3: Participants Feel Respected
and Encouraged
Trainer can help foster a comfortable, productive learning
climate through the attitude he or she projects:
Show respect for the learner’s individuality and experience
Be sensitive to the language you use so that learners are not
inadvertently offended
Be open to different perspectives
Adopt a caring attitude and show it
17. Ingrid Bens (2012) shares a framework of six types of questions to
get people thinking about issues from a different perspective: fact-
finding, feeling-finding, telling more, best/least, third party, and
brainstorming ideas.
18. Principle 4: Use Experiential Learning
The word “experiential” holds two meanings for the teacher of adult
learners:
1) honouring the life experiences and knowledge an individual brings,
2) active participation in activities during the session.
- The first aspect of this principle is to tap into the wealth of wisdom and
experience of the participants whenever it’s appropriate. This is done
with asking participants to share stories, using case studies and
problem solving
19. - The second aspect can take many forms. Any activity that gets your students
involved makes the learning experiential. This includes small group
discussions, experiments, role playing, skits, building something at their table
or desk, writing or drawing something specific – activity of any kind.
21. ADULTSCHILDREN
Decide for themselves what is
important to be learned.
Rely on others to decide what is important to
be learned.
Need to validate the information
based on their beliefs.
Accept the information being presented at face
value.
Expect what they are learning to be
immediately useful.
Expect what they are learning to be useful in
their long-term future.
22. Children and Adults
Have much experience upon
which to draw – may have fixed
view-points.
Have little or no experience upon which to
draw– are relatively “clean slates.”
Significant ability to serve as a
knowledgeable resource to trainer and
fellow learners.
Little ability to serve as a knowledgeable
resource to teacher or fellow classmates.
23. 8 tips that improve your odds for success as a
trainer…
1. Credibility
2. Accurate
3. Relevant
4. Current
5. Practical
6. Usefulness
7. Involve
8. Affirmation
24. ELEMENTS THAT INFLUENCE ADULT
LEARNING
Preparing the learners
Climate setting
Mutual planning
Identification of learning needs
Formulation of learning objectives
Learning plan execution
Evaluation
25. Why is adult learning important?
Make our economy grow & develop
Ensure that their children develop a love of
learning
take full advantage of education.
Actively participate in their own communities &
civil society
26. Barriers to Learning
Adult learners may feel they lack
The time to devote to learning
The money for training
The ability to use what they learn
27. These are the some of the barriers that prevent
adults from either participating in or gaining
from training:
We are busy and don’t feel we have the time to
do
We are told there is no budget and can’t
purchase training or pay for travel
28. Often relevancy must be demonstrated
before Learning can begin. A lot of adult
skills are information literacy skills, they do
not have to know every bit of information but
they need to know how to find what they
need and use it to get the desired results.
29. We think what we have been shown
is not useful
We RECEIVE the training, but do not
actually LEARN because we don’t
think it is relevant
31. These are the two most important things that
adult learners need to know in order to develop
buy-in for training.
What are some of the reasons you have received
training in the past? Some examples could be:
32. Adults want to know how they will benefit by
giving their time and attention to a training.
For example, knowing the changes to the
software program will help you complete
your work more quickly might make it
worthwhile to you.
33. What are your personal motivations for training? Is it to not get hassled
by your boss for not having done it? To use it as a resume booster? These may
seem silly but if it motivates you, it is valid!
When it comes to adults, additional often training offers:
Career upward mobility, in both position and pay
Respect from peers
Ability to handle issues in new and innovative ways
A sense of personal accomplishment - everyone feels better when they learn a
new skill.
34. What do you expect from training? In a perfect world, what would you get out of
it and how would it be organized and conducted?
Adults typically expect to learn something that they can use. If it something they
can use, often they will be greatly motivated to receive even more training.
Adults expect the instructor to be prepared, to tell them what they are about to
cover, and how it relates to their work.
Adults expect to be treated with respect and to waste as little time as possible.
“Productive” is the expected goal!
35. How do you prefer to receive training? Face-to-
face? Using video conferencing equipment? Online? By participating in group
activities? There are as many answers as people to give them.
Although everyone has their own preferences, with adults it often comes
down to convenience. If the training really needs to be done face-to-face,
that is what they expect. Adults may not want to travel for a week to take
a class that is the equivalent to a 30 min course online, because they may
feel the benefit does not outweigh the cost (this includes financially, as
well as indirect costs and inconveniences like arranging for child care).
36. What Are Learning Styles?
Auditory
Visual
Read/Write
Hands-On
37. Auditory Learning
Auditory learners want to hear it. They retain more
information when it is presented to them through sound.
These learners benefit from books on tape, reading aloud,
group discussions, etc.
Practical Application: Asking learners in a course on
car maintenance to identify this sound (click the icon
below to listen)
38. Visual Learning
Visual learners want to see it. They retain more information when it is
expressed to them through images. These learners benefit from
photographs and illustrations, charts, watching videos, etc.
Practical Application: Viewing photos of equipment utilizing cameras
on MSHA’s Accident Prevention Program site
39. Read/Write Learning
Read/Write learners want it on paper. They retain
more information when it is presented to them in
writing. These learners benefit from lists, handouts,
taking notes, etc.
Practical Application: Writing notes in the
margin of your copy of the 30 CFR during a
lecture
40. Hands-On Learning
Hands-On learners want to do it. They retain more information
when it is provided in a tactile manner. These learners benefit from
simulations, role playing, field trips, etc.
Practical Application: Inspecting a piece of
equipment in a training lab
41. Why is This Important to You?
Remember the benefits?
Eliminate wasted effort
Increase retention
Generate more interest
Faster results
Understanding learning styles will help you
develop training that reaches your entire
audience.
