Adult Learning Theories

In week one, I wrote about a personal association to behavioral and constructivist learning theories.  The path of that reasoning arrived from my fond memories as an adolescent completing the daunting task of behavioral learning methods such as spelling and math drills.  As I progressed through my educational studies along with a military career, emphasis was more cognitive and constructivist respectfully.  Cognitive learning style was key as I was concentrating on knowledge and recalling information and constructivist during my apprenticeship style learning during my career.

Progression through our course and reading the volumes of excellent literature on adult learning theories my mind has expanded causing me to be more observant to the array of learning environments with respect to adults.

My principles for developing instruction are to adjust learning strategies and content to accommodate diverse audiences. We need to ask the critical question “Which theory is the most effective in fostering mastery of specific tasks by specific learners?” (Ertmer & Newby, 1993).  By grasping a good understanding of learning theories, I think we will have the ability to connect with our audience not only on an informative level but a psychological level too.

Nevertheless, Knowles five factors of andragogy resonated throughout my mind as I observed adults learning in my profession as a training manager. Although I read some critic’s views that all learning styles are applicable to adults and children, my daily observations, although not scientific in nature, Knowles’ five factors are right on track for adults.  Such as:

- The need to know:  Adult learners need to know why they need to learn something before undertaking to learn it.

- Learner self-concept: Adults need to be responsible for their own decisions and to be treated as capable of self-direction.

- Role of learners' experience:  Adult learners have a variety of experiences of life, which represent the richest resource for learning.

- Readiness to learn:  Adults are ready to learn those things they need to know in order to cope effectively with life situations.

- Orientation to learning —Adults are motivated to learn to the extent that they perceive that it will help them perform tasks they confront in their life situations (Atherton, 2011).

Davis, Edmunds & Kelly-Bateman (2008) argue that everything else that involves human experience or interaction, the act of learning does not happen in a vacuum.  They describe learning as the intersection of prior knowledge, experience, perception, reality, comprehension, and flexibility that learning occurs (Davis, Edmunds & Kelly-Bateman, 2008).

When we add technology to the mix, adults are learning in my ways I never fathomed prior to our course.  Siemens' Connectivism theory is a good example of how incorporating 21^st century technology has changed the way we learn in the professional setting.   With the establishment of LinkedIn, self-paced learning modules, multimedia case studies, simulations, video tutorials, I am reminded of the array of learning tools that fit they way adults prefer to learn.

Adjusting learning strategies for diverse audiences is prevalent in my mind; in spite of this, Knowles’ five factors along with new exciting ways to reach our audiences such as Connectivism, has lend a hand in my personal learning development and provides a good starting point in preparing our intellect for adult instruction.

References

Atherton, J. S. (2011). Learning and Teaching. Retrieved August 11, 2012, from http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/about.htm

Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology. Retrieved August 1, 2012, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Ertmer, P.A. & Newby, T. J. (1993).  Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing Critical Features from an Instructional Design Perspective. Journal of Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6(4), 50-72.