Running head: ADULT LEARNERS ESSAY 1

Adult Learners Essay: Delivering Instruction to Adult Learners

Briana Fonseca

Grand Canyon University: EDU-586

November 6th, 2019

ADULT LEARNERS ESSAY: DELIVERING INSTRUCTION TO ADULT LEARNERS 2

Adult Learners Essay: Delivering Instruction to Adult Learners

The environment in which learning takes place is crucial to the growth individual’s make

in their learning journey. In any type of learning situation, it is necessary that the delivery of

information is done in an engaging and beneficial manner. This is especially true when it comes

to educating adult learners. Professional development sessions are a time for individuals in

education to learn information that they can apply in their practices, so should be done held in an

effective and beneficial manner; learners should be eager to attend professional development

sessions.

Overview of Andragogy

Andragogy is the science and practice behind adult learning. In the same way that

pedagogy is the study behind teaching children, andragogy focuses on adult education. The term

is most well-known in relation to Malcolm Knowles, who brought awareness to adult education

and spent his life informing others of the subject. In the nineteen eighties, Knowles created five

assumptions that would help guide andragogy practices. The first is self-concept; as people grow

older they become less dependent of others and begin to develop self-motives and intrinsic

motivations. They see value in their own self and use their abilities to fulfill their purpose. The

second is adult learner experience; with age comes experience. Adult learners use what they go

through to learn from and better their skills. The third is readiness to learn; with maturity comes

an eagerness to learn so as to be successful in their career and life. The fourth is orientation to

learning; with growth and maturity comes a willingness to apply new knowledge immediately

rather than prolonging when new skills are applied. Adult learners address problems and learn

how to comfortably solve them, rather than avoiding them. The last assumption is motivation to
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learn. Knowles states, “as a person matures the motivation to learn is internal” (Knowles, 1984,

pg. 12). Adults have a desire to learn, and extrinsic motivations are unnecessary.

Understanding Knowle’s five assumptions leads to successful professional development

sessions. Developers are able to see how adult learning occurs differently than children, and plan

sessions based off of the qualities of adult learning. Andragogy encourages self-led learning and

promotes the treatment of adults as individuals who want to learn. Understanding andragogical

principals and implanting them in professional development sessions, makes adult learning

meaningful.

Rationale for Applying Andragogical Principles

The andragogical principles developed by Knowles encompass the importance in

differentiating instruction from children and adults. Instruction must be relative to the audience

receiving it; when teaching adults, we must consider life-experience and the purpose they find in

their career. The four principles that Knowles created emphasize the inclusion of involvement,

challenge and relatability when developing professional development. In trainings, members

need to feel like there is a purpose to what they are doing; if it is taking them away from their

careers or personal lives, it must have meaning. Involving adults in the planning of their sessions

and creating a time with engagement and collaboration among staff, is crucial to a successful

learning experience. Choosing topics that will help them evolve in their practice and feeding

information in a way that they will respect and benefit from, is key. If andragogical practices

were not implemented in the development of professional development, the sessions would not

positively impact the learner; the purpose of professional development would not be fulfilled.
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Practices for Creating and Delivering Effective Presentations

Educating ourselves on the principles of adult education, allows us to implement

practices that will help us to effectively deliver information to adult learners. Ensuring that the

presentations are not excessively long and structured in a timely manner, is one practice that is

good to follow. Teachers see time as a valuable asset; they want to know that their time is being

respected. Professional development sessions should not be long but structured to be effective. If

slideshows are used, the slides should be created in an appealing and professional manner. In an

article addressing strategies to create effective powerpoint presentations, the author states, “the

key to success is to make certain your slideshow is a visual aid and not a visual distraction”

(National Conference of State Legislatures, 2017, par. 2). Any visuals used should aid in the

topic and information being given, rather than take away from the learning in the session. It is

also important to have teachers guide their own learning in sessions. Rather than leading sessions

and presenting information for the full-time, having teachers engage with each other models

successful teaching practices, and keeps the session active. Knowles’s principles teach us that

adults want learning to be effective and purposeful. Creating presentations following these

practices allows for that.

Resources to Support Adult Learners

Supplemental resources are important to aid learning of any type. Adult learners value the

time that they spend educating their-selves and do it to fulfill the purpose of their career. One

resource that can aid in their on-going learning is involvement as a member of a community

organization. If a teacher wants more experience and awareness of what is going on in their

school, they can join a school organization such as Site Council; involvement in organizations

leads to further learning and reflection. It is also important to subscribe to different websites that
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offer information and news on different topics that are relative to the learning taking place for the

adult. For teachers, education.com offers lesson ideas and links to teaching tools that can

supplement their current stage of teaching. For teachers of different levels, this site is useful for

content support and lesson analysis. Providing resources to adult learners is essential in

supporting their learning process.

Considering bias in Presentation Delivery

Taking into consideration the members present in different profession development

sessions and the topic being covered, allows us to present information in a non-bias manner.

Adult learners want to know that information is being presented to them in a professional

manner, with the purpose of educating them for success. In an essay exploring the importance of

correctly applying andragogy theory to adult multicultural audiences, the author states, “the

digital age and information society require a certain mindset and strong logical and analytical

thinking capability from its learners” (Bashir, 2016, pg. 2). Every message we present at

professional development sessions must be done so in a way that considers who our audience is.

Keeping our audience in mind and focusing on presenting information in a professional and

engaging manner that keeps our individual opinions and adults out of our delivering, helps to

eliminate bias that takes away from the focus on the presentation.
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References

Bashir, G. M., Khan, H. U., & Fournier-Bonilla, S. D. (2016). Applying Andragogy Theory to an

Adult Multicultural Audience: How Cultural Factors Influence the Capacity for Adults to

Learn Information Technology Concepts in a Classroom Environment. Proceedings for

the Northeast Region Decision Sciences Institute (NEDSI), 1–15. Retrieved from

https://search-ebscohost-com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=bth&AN=116211857&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Knowles, M. (1984). The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species (3rd Ed.) Houston, TX: Gulf

Publishing.

National Conference of State Legislatures. (2017). Tips for Making Effective PowerPoint

Presentations. Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/legislators-staff/legislative-

staff/legislative-staff-coordinating-committee/tips-for-making-effective-powerpoint-

presentations.aspx