Adult Learning Theory

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Adult Learning Theory

• EDU 545
• Instructional Design
• Designed by Qiuli Wang
• Instructor Dr. Jim Chiavacci
• 12/17/2003

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Table of contents

• Introduction
• The Adult Learner Characteristics
• Learning Principles
• Assumption About the Adult Learning
• Assumption About the Adult learner
• Worksheet
• Traditional View of Adult Development
• Conclusion

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Introduction

• Cross (1981) presents the Characteristics of
  Adults as Learners (CAL) model in the context of
  her analysis of lifelong learning programs.
• The CAL model consists of two classes of
  variables personal characteristics and
  situational characteristics. Personal
  characteristics include aging, life phases, and
  developmental stages. Life phases and
  developmental stages (e.g., marriage, job
  changes, retirement).Situation characteristic
  involves a series of plateaus and transitions
  which may or may not be directly related to age.

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The Adult Learner Characteristic

• The learner's self-concept
• The role of the learner's experience
• Readiness to learn
• Orientation to learning
• Need to know
• Motivation

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The learner's self-concept

• Once adults have arrived at the stage where they
  take responsibility for their own lives, they
  develop a deep psychological need to be seen and
  treated by others as being capable of
  self-direction.

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The role of the learner's experience

• Adults enter a learning experience with both a
  greater volume and wider diversity of experience
  over children

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Readiness to learn

• Adults are ready to learn what they need to know
  and be able to do in order to cope effectively
  with their real-life contexts.

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Orientation to learning

• Adults are problem-centered, or life-centered,
  in their learning orientation. They are motivated
  to learn to the extent that learning will help
  them perform tasks or deal with real-life
  problems.

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Need to know

• Adults need to know why they should learn
  something before devoting the energy to it.

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Motivation

• The best motivators are internal, such as
  self-esteem, quality of life, or increased job
  satisfaction.

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Learning Principle

• 1. Adults both desire and enact a tendency toward
• self-directedness as they mature.
• 2. Adults learn more effectively through
  experiential techniques of education such as
  discussion or problem solving.
• 3. Adults are aware of specific learning
  needs generated by real life tasks or problems.
  
• 4. Adults are competency based learners in
  that they wish to apply newly acquired skills
  or knowledge to their immediate circumstances.

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Assumption about the adult learner

• Adult learners are diverse, bringing a wealth of
  life experiences to the learning situation
• Adult learners want to be able to relate content
  to specific contexts in their lives
• Adult learners prefer to have some degree of
  control over their learning.
• The adults sense of self has a significant
  influence on the meaning of the learning
  situation for that person

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Assumption about the adult Learning

• Learning is an active process of construction of
  meaning.
• A fundamental aim of education is the
  development.
• A fundamental aim of instruction is to facilitate
  growth in critical thinking, problem solving, and
  learning to learn.
• Adults learn best when they have an opportunity
  to apply theory to practical situations in their
  own lives.

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Worksheet

• We separate three groups, based on the age and
  work experience.
• Each group has two questions.
• Summary each persons answers.
• Sharing opinion of each group

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Traditional View of Adult Development

• Pre-Adulthood(17-22)
• Early Adulthood
• Entering the adult world (22-28)
• Age thirty transition (28-33)
• Settling down (33-40)
• Middle Adulthood
• Mid-Life Transition (40-45)
• Entering middle adulthood (45-50)
• Age fifty transition (50-60)
• Late Adulthood
• Late adult transition (60-65)

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conclusion

• As educators, we should understand the unique
  characteristics. Then we meet the adult learner
  need.
• As adult learner, we should know ourselves
  special need. Then we obtain the knowledge and
  skill which our life need.