Exploring_the_Adult_Learner

Exploring the Adult Learner Thesis Statement: Part of being an effective instructor involves understanding how adults learn best, recognizing the psychology of the adult learner is an essential part of achieving the best outcomes for the learner. Introduction: When you think of the personification of a student, one often thinks of the young learner, a child or a vision of youth that is sitting in front of a teacher whom has vastly more knowledge than the learners sitting in front of them. But, with the growing number of adult learners who need to continue education in order to remain competitive in the current work environment this vision is slowly becoming flawed. Within this research paper I will explore Andragogy, the theory that explains how the adult learns. Also, this paper will examine how to use the principals of andragogy to actually teach and motivate this ever expanding student base. What is an adult learner' Malcolm Knowles spent many years and a great deal of energy answering this question. According to Wlodkowski, Knowles identified adults by two criteria: an individual who performs roles associated by our culture with adults (worker, spouse, parent, soldier, responsible citizen) and an individual who perceives himself or herself to be responsible for his/her own life (1993, p. 5). Andragogy and pedagogy refer to the study of teaching, “andra” meaning “man, adult,” while “peda” meaning “child.” Although pedagogy originated with early monks who recorded common characteristics among children who were learning basic facts, it was not until the middle of the 20th century that instructors realized their assumptions about how children learn did not apply to the adults they were teaching. Andragogy, the term first used in 1833 by a teacher in Germany, was reintroduced by a German social scientist in the 1920s, next adapted by adult educators in Europe in 1957, and finally brought to the United States (O’Connor, Bronner, and Delaney, 2002, p. 129). Knowles first used the term “andragogy” in America in the 1960s to reflect how adults learn. Andragogy recognizes the maturity of the learner, as discussed in Laird (1985, pp. 125-26) and:  Is problem-centered rather than content-centered.  Permits and encourages active participation.  Encourages past experiences.  Is collaborative between instructor-student and student-student.  Is based on planning between the teacher and the learner.  Is based on an evaluation agreement.  Prompts redesign and new learning activities based on evaluation.  Incorporates experiential activities. The comparison of andragogy and pedagogy has shown us that early activities need to allow maximum participation by learners so they can invest their experience and values in the learning process (Laird, p. 125). Laird also points out that andragogic instructors use more questions simply because adult learners do know a great deal. Laird (p. 126) points out that the primary function of the instructor of adults is to manage, or guide, andragogic processes, not to manage the content, which is the traditional approach in pedagogy. The andragogical model as conceived by Knowles is predicated on four basic assumptions about learners, all of which have some relationship to our notions about a learner's ability, need, and desire to take responsibility for learning: Knowles’ Principles of Andragogy (1977, p. 39): 1. His self-concept moves from one of being a dependent personality toward one of being a self-directed human being. 2. He accumulates a growing reservoir of experience that becomes an increasing resource for learning. 3. His readiness to learn becomes oriented increasingly to the development tasks of his social roles. 4. His time perspective changes from one of postponed application of knowledge to immediacy of application, and accordingly his orientation toward learning shifts from one of subject-centeredness to one of problem-centeredness The strength of Andragogy is that these core principles work best when the context of the training environment is considered, and the learning environment is tailored to allow these principles to work for learning acquisition by the learner. In the Andragogical view of adult education, the focus is not on educating, which is more educator centered, but on the learning, which is learner centered. This change in focus is at the heart of a learning culture. The teacher’s role is a more collaborative effort as both the teachers and adult-students “are searchers after wisdom and not oracles:” (Knowles, 2005, p. 38). Characteristics of Adult Learners: Part of being an effective instructor involves understanding how adults learn best. Compared to children and teens, adults have special needs and requirements as learners. So, what makes these adults so different from K-12 students, thus requiring trainers, instructional designers, and teachers to move from pedagogic to andragogic teaching/learning strategies when working with them' The following composite list is arranged in no particular order. They do, however, describe many adult learners. Thus, characteristics of adult learners include some of the following attributes:  Have first-hand experience.  Have set habits and strong tastes.  Have a great deal of pride, but their ways of “showing it” varies.  Have tangible things to lose so are very cautious in the educational environment.  Have preoccupations outside the learning environment.  Have established a rational framework (values, attitudes, etc.)  Respond to reinforcement, especially positive reinforcement.  In most cases can (and want to) change to better themselves.  May have prejudices which are detrimental to the learning environment or to the institution.  Have a strong need to apply what is learned — and apply it now!  Want to be competent in their application of knowledge and skill.  Want a choice in what they learn.  Like their “creature comforts” in room, furniture, equipment, HVAC, and refreshments. Most adult learners bring a great deal of first-hand experience to the classroom; this can be a real asset during discussion times, or it can be a hindrance, and the effective instructor must know how to encourage as well as to curb “This is how we did it . . . .” discussions. Many adult learners also have set habits and strong tastes, which may be beneficial if the habit supports a strong work ethic or may be a hindrance during a required diversity training workshop. O’Connor et al (pp. 131-32) carry the adult learning theories into the training arena. They define six implications for developing effective training programs, based on an understanding of adult learning. Learning is not its own reward. Children and adults learn for different reasons. Adults are not impressed or motivated by gold stars and good report cards. Instead, they want a learning outcome which can be put to use immediately, in concrete, practical, and self-benefiting terms. Adult learners want practical, hands-on training sessions over general, theory-oriented classes. For example, the best way to motivate adults to learn a spreadsheet software package is to show them how they can use it in their own environment. Adult learning is integrative. The adult learner brings a breadth of knowledge and a vast array of experiences to the learning situation. Adults learn best when they use what they already know and integrate new knowledge and skills into this bank of knowledge. In the event this new knowledge or skill is in direct opposition to what the learner already knows or believes, there is a possibility of conflict, which must be addressed immediately. Value Adjustment. Because training changes how work is processed, the adult learner must understand why the learning is useful and why these new skills must be mastered. Value adjustment means understanding why work that has been done a particular way in the past will not be performed in the same way in the future. Adult learners must be convinced this change is for the betterment of the organization. Control. Adult learners want control over their learning experiences. In K-12 learning, the teacher tells the students what to do, being very specific about assignments and expectations. Adult learning encourages collaboration with trainees about the pace and the content of the training curriculum. Adult learners in a college classroom can frequently be given more flexibility in determining their assignments, with the understanding that the basic criteria for the assignment must be met. Practice must be meaningful. Repetition for the sake of repetition just does not “cut it” with adult learners, and it is unlikely that learning will take place. If repetition, however, does have meaningful results, then learning will take place. Adults frequently tend to be slower in some physical, psychomotor tasks than children. The adults are also less willing to make mistakes (someone might see them make this mistake), and they often compensate by being more exact. In other words, they may take less “chances” with trial-and-error activities, thus making few mistakes. Self-pacing. Because adult learners acquire psychomotor skills more slowly than younger students, adults should be given the opportunity to proceed at their own pace, often in a self-paced learning package. Can self-paced activities always be integrated into the curriculum' No, and this is definitely a challenge to an instructor where there is a mix of adult and traditional learners. Strategies to Help Motivate Adult Learners Although what and how people learn is beyond guarantee or total prediction, we can make suggestions which might be effective strategies and guidelines to use with adult learners. The suggestions include the following:  Put materials into “bite-size chunks” which people are able to understand.  Use the whole-part-whole concept, showing the overall picture followed by the details and then a refresher with the overall picture.  Make the material relevant, as close to the actual requirements of that person’s job.  Explain why certain assignments are made and their relevance to the overall course or training sessions.  Provide plenty of documentation for the learner, usually in the form of hands-on experience and paper documentation.  Let the students work in groups, since they would rather ask other students for assistance rather than ask the course instructor.  Add a little “spice to their life” by giving them some degree of options and flexibility in their assignments.  Create a climate of “exploration” rather than one of “prove it.”  Keep the course requirements in perspective to the amount of time for the course (credit hours, for example).  Make certain the student is equipped with enough knowledge and skill to complete the assignment, rather than setting the person up for failure.  Bend the rules, if necessary and appropriate, so that the adult learner can “push the envelope” and try new things. By being flexible and willing to adapt to the needs of the adult learners, the instructor can be a motivating force in the classroom — rather than a hindrance and demotivation. Characteristics/Skills of a Motivating Instructor Most of us have had at least one motivating instructor who helped us want to learn the material which was presented. Although motivating instructors give us that special desire to learn and they have their own personal strengths and style, there are some common characteristics which can be learned, controlled, and planned for by anyone who instructs adults. Wlodkowski (p. 17) identifies these four cornerstones as expertise, empathy, enthusiasm, and clarity. These skills can be learned and they can be improved upon through practice and effort. Offers expertise - This is the power of knowledge and preparation, although it is also known as competence, substance, content, or experience. Just because the instructor knows the content doesn’t necessary mean that person is an effective teacher' Being well prepared is vital, but instructors must also be familiar and comfortable with the wide variety of instructional strategies they have at their disposal. Has empathy - Which includes understanding and consideration. Empathy involves the human factor associated with learning; it is separate from the computers, the software programs, the attendance requirements, the late fees for late assignments, etc. Empathy does include flexibility, an understanding that babies do come early and miss the spring break by four days (thus the student misses a week of class). Naturally, our adult learners often have more complex situations with which to deal than do our more traditional learners. Shows enthusiasm - For the course, the content, the students, and the profession of teaching. An enthusiastic instructor is a person who cares about and values their subject matter and teaches it in a manner that expresses those feelings with the intent to encourage similar feelings in the learner. Emotion, energy, and animation are outwardly visible in this person’s instruction. Demonstrates clarity - Demonstrating clarity is really the power of language and organization. It can also be defined as “thinking on your feet” or articulating well. This final cornerstone is absolutely critical in teaching adult learners. Certain words such as “um” or “ah” spoken a couple of times in an answer to a question leave serious doubts in the adult learner’s mind regarding the competence of the instructor. The instructor would probably be wise to stop for just a minute, phrase the answer clearly mentally, and then answer the question or give a response. Conclusion It is clear that andragogy and Malcolm Knowles have brought considerable attention to the adult education field as a separate field during the past three decades. Applied correctly, the andragogical approach to teaching and learning in the hands of a skilled and dedicated facilitator can make a positive impact on the adult learner. Although adult learning is relatively new as field of study, it is just as substantial as traditional education and carries and potential for greater success. Of course, the heightened success requires a greater responsibility on the part of the teacher. Additionally, the learners come to the course with precisely defined expectations. Unfortunately, there are barriers to their learning. The best motivators for adult learners are interest and selfish benefit. If they can be shown that the course benefits them pragmatically, they will perform better, and the benefits will be longer lasting. References Knowles, M. S. (1977). The Modern Practice of Adult Education: Andragogy Versus Pedagogy (Eighth ed.). New York: Association Press. Knowles, Malcolm; Holton, E. F., III; Swanson, R. A. (2005). The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development (6th ed.). Burlington, MA: Elsevier. Laird, D. (19985) Approaches to Training and Development (2nd). Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. O’Connor, B., M. Bronner, & C. Delaney. (2002) Cincinnati: Delmar/South-Western Thomson Learning. Wlodkowski, R. (1993) Enhancing Adult Motivation to Learn: A Guide to Improving Instruction and Increasing Learner Achievement. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.