What makes us an adult?
Before we can learn about adult learning theories, we need to have a clear understanding of what we mean by the term adult.
Experientially
Adults are experientially different because they have more life experience, simply because they are older and have been alive longer than children. They have an advantage simply because of their quantity of experience.
Qualitatively
Qualitatively, adults are different from children because they have seen the benefits and outcomes of a greater variety of experiences. They have seen what happens when someone makes a bad decision, or a good one. Adults can also draw on the experiences of others, which adds an even greater variety of information to their data bank.
Physically
Neurologically, adult brains are just more physically developed. Adults can plan, judge and make decisions about their experiences in a more reflective and integrated way than children can. They can reflect on past experiences and look to the future because their brains are more mature.
Seven Distinct Differences for adult learners
Adults demand more from their learning experiences than children do. There are seven things to know about the learning experiences of adults.
Relevance
Adults are more likely to use relevance as a criterion to maintain interest in new learning. Adults are less interested in what might be fun, and more interested in how they can use the information.
Value
Adults are also more likely to be critical about the value of what they are learning and more confident in their own opinion of an issue.
Usefulness
Adults can be reluctant to learn something they don’t feel is useful or doesn’t contribute to their personal or professional goals.
Respect
One of the most significant differences between adults and children is that adults may demand respect for their opinion or status in life. Because adults have life experience, they arrive in your class with preconceived views of learning, society and others.
Application
Adults need to actively test what they are learning. They want information they can apply in their day-to-day lives.
Past Experiences
Adults draw on their past experiences to make connections. Even if it’s not conscious, we all are tying new experiences to past experiences to make meaning.
Integration
Finally, adults will integrate their new knowledge into all of the roles in their lives.
The Big Three Adult Learning Theories
Now that we have a better understanding of the differences between adults and children as they relate to learning, we can turn to some of the most relevant adult learning theories that apply directly to effectiveness in college teaching. There is no one theory that encapsulates adult learning, so here we will quickly cover the big three.
Theory of Andragogy by Malcolm Knowles
The first and most well-known adult learning theory comes from Malcolm Knowles. Knowles presented 5 assumptions in the 1980s about the characteristics of adult learners. He coined the term "andragogy" and defined it as the teaching of adults and an alternative to the term pedagogy, which refers to the teaching of children. These five assumptions are important to our understanding of adult learners.
Assumption 1
The first assumption is adults' orientation to learning. Knowles posits that as we grow older, our orientation to learning changes. We move from being okay with the postponed application of our new knowledge to the desire to apply what we are learning more immediately. As a result, we shift from a preference for subject-centered learning to a preference for learning that solves a problem.
Assumption 2
Knowles' second assumption is the adult's readiness to learn. Knowles' research also tells us that as we mature, our readiness to learn becomes increasingly more oriented toward the tasks of our social roles. For example, as we get older, we are more willing to learn how to use a software tool that helps us do our job than we are to learn about an interpretation of a poem.
Assumption 3
The third assumption is an adult's life experience. As we mature, we increasingly accumulate knowledge from our individual experiences. This reservoir of knowledge provides adult learners with a perspective different from that of a child.
Assumption 4
Knowles' next assumption is an adult's self-concept. As we grow older, we move from dependency to self-direction. When we are young, our teachers and parents direct us toward what we need to know. As we mature, we take on an ever-increasing responsibility for our own learning.
Assumption 5
Our final assumption, which Knowles added several years after the creation of his original four assumptions, is an adult's motivation to learn. Adults are more internally motivated to learn than children. They are mature and generally have specific reasons for learning something new.
Principle 1
Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction. You need to get their buy-in and they need to know how they will be measured. Ownership of their learning is important.
Principle 2
Hands-on practice and experience are important for the adult learner. This includes the opportunity for creativity and provides a low-stakes environment that allows for failure and additional practice.
Principle 3
Immediate relevance to a job or aspect of their personal life is important to the adult learner. Adults learn best when they can see the relevance and personal application.
Principle 4
Adult learning should be based on problem solving and not just content.
For more on Knowles and andragogy, watch Introduction to Malcolm Knowles' Andragogy Theory on LinkedIn Learning.
Transformational Learning by Jack Mezirow
Transformational learning is a theory rooted in the belief that learning takes place when new knowledge is connected to an earlier experience or when old knowledge is reinterpreted. Some call this the "aha" moment. Jack Mezirow identified three stages of learning that lead to the "aha" moment.
Stage 1: Identification of a Dilemma or Crisis
We can be just rolling along in life and suddenly are presented with the realization that we have had incorrect information or the wrong idea about something. This is often a trigger for us to look for answers by digging deeper into information or reflecting on ourselves and our beliefs.
Stage 2: Establishment of Personal Relevance
You may have heard of this as WIIFM...What’s in it for me? Finding relevance is one of the catalysts for new learning. Whether professional, social, or personal, we are motivated to learn when we can see results for our efforts.
Stage 3: Critical Thinking
Transformational learning can only occur through reflective thinking. When we re-examine our beliefs and attitudes and listen to our feelings and thoughts, we learn about ourselves and open ourselves to a deeper level of learning.
For more on Mezirow and transformational learning, read An Update on Transformational Learning by Lisa Baumgartner.
Theory of Experiential Learning by David Kolb
The essence of learning is making sense of our experiences, and humans learn much more from experiencing than from memorizing. For an adult, textbook learning cannot take the place of the knowledge, clarity and wisdom that comes from experience. David Kolb explains how experiential learning occurs in four stages.
Stage 1: Concrete Experience
Adults learn best when they have concrete, hands-on experience with the topic. Learning that requires physical action or evokes strong emotional response is not easily forgotten.
Stage 2: Reflective Observation
Adults learn best when they have time to reflect on their experiences and connect the new knowledge to their current knowledge. Analyzing and critiquing problems and situations leads to stronger learning in adults.
Stage 3: Abstract Conceptualization
Adults need the space and tools to decode and break down abstract concepts and generalize their ideas so they can create meaning and relevance to their own lives.
Stage 4: Active Experimentation
Hands-on tasks where learners apply what they learn to real-life situations leads to learning by doing. This active experimentation leads to concrete experiences, and thus the cycle repeats.
For more on Kolb and experiential learning, visit the Experiential Learning Institute and watch "This is Experiential Learning".
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