Adult learning theories and practices

Adult Learning/Training and Development

This paper presents an examination of two chosen articles in the field of adult learning. The writer explores each article, discussing its key points and then compares them to each other. Finally, the writer discusses the impact of each article in the field of training and development. There were three sources used to complete this paper.

Andragogy is the term used for the theory of adult learning. The theory was developed because experts in the field of learning recognized that educating young students produces an entirely different set of circumstances and needs, than educating adults brings forth. Students who are not yet adults bring very little to the table by way of life experiences and the education path is significantly more instructor driven than adult learning situations can create (Noe, 2004). For this reason the adult learning theory was created. The theory provides several assumptions that differ from the majority of educational theories including the belief that adults have a need to understand why they need to learn the material presented to them, adults have a need and desire to self-direct in the learning process, adults often bring work related experience to the table in the learning environment and both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation come into play with regard to adult learning (Noe, 2004).

The importance of understanding the adult learning theory cannot be overstated with regard to training and development as this understanding helps educators develop programs conducive to the adult learning process.

In the article, Adults as Learners, by Stephen Lieb, the reader is taken on a discussion about how adults seem to learn most effectively. Lieb provides characteristics of adult learners that he attributes to one of the pioneers of adult learning theories, Malcom Knowles. Included in these characteristics are:

Adults are autonomous and self-directed.

They need to be free to direct themselves.

Their teachers must actively involve adult participants in the learning process and serve as facilitators for them (Lieb, Stephen (1991) Principles of Adult Learning (http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/adults-2.htm).

Specifically, they must get participants' perspectives about what topics to cover and let them work on projects that reflect their interests (Lieb, Stephen (1991) Principles of Adult Learning (http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/adults-2.htm).

They should allow the participants to assume responsibility for presentations and group leadership (Lieb, Stephen (1991) Principles of Adult Learning (http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/adults-2.htm).

They have to be sure to act as facilitators, guiding participants to their own knowledge rather than supplying them with facts (Lieb, Stephen (1991) Principles of Adult Learning (http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/adults-2.htm).

Finally, they must show participants how the class will help them reach their goals (e.g., via a personal goals sheet) (Lieb, Stephen (1991) Principles of Adult Learning (http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/adults-2.htm)."

Lieb points out the fact that adults have had a lifetime of experiences to help mold who they are today and that the experiences are often varied to include work related situations, family issues and responsibilities and former educational achievements.

Lieb believes that because of the many and varied experiences that adults bring to the learning table it is important for them to be able to connect new learning back to previous experiences and understand how new learning will impact future experiences.

Lieb believes that research has proven that adults are goal oriented, relevancy oriented and practical as compared to younger learners.

He states that motivation for learning is a key factor in adult learning theories with six different factors used as motivation sources. They include: external expectations, social welfare, personal advancement, escape or stimulation and cognitive interests.

While children have a single minded obligation to learn what they are being taught, in contrast according to Lieb adults are bombarded with outside issues and responsibilities that constantly compete for the adult's attention and can interfere with the learning path.

The best way to motivate adult learners is simply to enhance their reasons for enrolling and decrease the barriers. Instructors must learn why their students are enrolled (the motivators); they have to discover what is keeping them from learning. Then the instructors must plan their motivating strategies. A successful strategy includes showing adult learners the relationship between training and an expected promotion (Lieb, Stephen (1991) Principles of Adult Learning (http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/adults-2.htm)."

Lieb also provides tips for instructors of adults including motivation, retention and other things that will assist the learners in retaining the new information.

Another important concept with regard to adult learning according to Lieb is transference.

Transfer of learning is the result of training -- it is the ability to use the information taught in the course but in a new setting. As with reinforcement, there are two types of transfer: positive and negative (Lieb, Stephen (1991) Principles of Adult Learning (http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/adults-2.htm)."

Experts believe that one of the key differences between adult learning and other types of learning is in adult learning the students and teachers work together to develop the learning style and methods, however there are other experts that disagree.

In his article, Issues in Understanding Adult Learning, Stephen Brookfield challenges the concept that adults have a radically different pattern, style and willingness to learn from the way children and adolescents learn.

Brookfield argues that believing there is such a significant difference in learning between adults and children is a "grave" error on the part of the field of education and that the experts will be better served to understand individual learning styles, cultures and personalities (Brookfield, Issues in Understanding Adult Learning http://www.nl.edu/academics/cas/ace/facultypapers/StephenBrookfield_AdultLearning).

Brookfield provides evidence that there was a time when self-directed learning as an adult preference was being advanced without criticism which dilutes its credibility as a science-based fact. Eventually it was separated from the overall pedagogy discussions with reference to adult learning theory development.

Brookfield cautions: "More longitudinal and life history research is needed to understand how periods of self-directedness alternate with more traditional forms of educational participation in adults' autobiographies as learners. The extent to which a disposition to self-directedness is culturally learned, or is tied to personality, is an open issue (Brookfield, Issues in Understanding Adult Learning http://www.nl.edu/academics/cas/ace/facultypapers/StephenBrookfield_AdultLearning)."

Brookfield also sarcastically targets the buzz term, critical reflection as it pertains to adult learning calling it the "idea of the decade" in his article. He accuses educators of coming up with this term so that there could be a specific form or learning attributed to being adult for the purpose of providing a reason for a separate adult learning theory.

He states that "many tasks remain for researchers of critical reflection as a dimension of adult learning. A language needs to be found to describe this process to educators which is more accessible than the psychoanalytic and critical theory terminology currently employed (Brookfield, Issues in Understanding Adult Learning http://www.nl.edu/academics/cas/ace/facultypapers/StephenBrookfield_AdultLearning)."

Brookfield also addresses the notion that experiential learning that evolves into music, games and other methods for adults to be taught curriculum. He points out the theories belief that the longer one is alive the more experiences one has and the more that experience can be applied to learning, but he reminds the reader that one experience can be every bit as valuable as 30 experiences when it comes to the application of the experience to learning new material (Brookfield, Issues in Understanding Adult Learning http://www.nl.edu/academics/cas/ace/facultypapers/StephenBrookfield_AdultLearning).