Adult learning

Adult learning
Learning :is the process whereby individuals acquire knowledge, skills& attitudes through experience reflection study or instruction. Adult : is someone who has achieved the self concept of being responsible for their own life.

Knowles' - concept
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As they mature, adults tend to prefer self-direction. The role of the instructor is to engage in a process of inquiry, analysis, and decisionmaking with adult learners, rather than to transmit knowledge. Adults' experiences are a rich resource for learning. Active participation in planned experiencessuch as discussions or problem solving exercises, an analysis of those experiences, and their application to work or life situationsshould be the core methodology for training adults. Adults learn and retain information more easily if they can relate it to their reservoir of past experiences. Adults are aware of specific learning needs generated by real-life events. Adult learners' needs and interests are the starting points and serve as guideposts for training activities. Adults are competency-based learners, meaning that they want to learn a skill or acquire knowledge that they can apply pragmatically to their immediate circumstances.

Principles and issues of adult learning

1. Reinforcement: learnt material that leads to some kind of reward or reinforcement is more likely to be retained than material which leads to punishment or no reward. 2. Motivation: greater efficiency in learning occurs when the learner is motivated to learn i.e. learning satisfies some needs of the individual participant undergoing training. 3. Knowledge of results: providing information to the learners about the effectiveness of their learning is to provide knowledge of results. It is fundamental principle of learning that one correct response leads to increased effort expended on the next repetition. 4. Active practice: learning requires opportunity for repetition & practice. Repetition of mistake can lead to permanent negative learning. New concepts require repetition if they have to become a permanent part. 5. Whole verses part learning: this principles suggest that learning large selfcontains units of a task is preferable to learning small segmented parts. 6. Transfer of training: material learnt during the training experience should have relevance for the job situation. Role playing is an effective procedure from the stand point of training what is learnt in training to actual job behavior. None of these principles of learning are implied to be applicable to all situation circumstances. The basic issues underlying these principles could be better understood with the help of the hierarchy of human learning from simple to the most complex.

Hierarchy of learning
1 signal learning Individual learns to make a general diffuse response to signal (Pavlov's conditioned response). Person acquires a precise response to discriminated stimulus. Learner acquires a chain of 2 or more s-r connections Individual learns chains that are verbal.

2 stimulus-response (s-r) learning 3 chaining 4 verbal association

5 multiple discrimination

persona learns to make a variety of identifying response to as many different stimulti,which resemble each other. Learner acquires the ability to make a common response to class of stimuli differing from each other. Person chains together 2 or more concepts to establish a process

6 concept learning

7 principle learning

8 problem solving

Individual chains principles together in a kind of learning requiring the internal events usually called learning.

Adult Learning Theory

How do adults learn?
Adults observe, think about what they have done (or about their experience) and how they reacted to it

Adults need to do something concrete or have an experience

Tests and applies to actual work or life situations. If he can his learning is long-lasting. If he cannot, his learning is short-lived

He absorbs what he has felt and observed, comes up with a conceptual framework and relates it to his past knowledge/experience

Adult Learning Theory

Learning experience
Observe and reflect Experiment and integrate Generalize and conceptualize

People learn faster and better when:

When they want to learn and know it is imp. to learn Believe that learning will help in real ways Are in supportive environment free from threat Are provided information in several different ways Learn by doing the task Have a chance to practice what they learned Given feedback on their performance Are praised when they do well Adult learning involves the ego so they need peer support and to reduce fear of judgment during learning

Summary of principles of adult learning

1. Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction 2. Experience, incl. mistakes, provide the basis for learning activities 3. Adults are more interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or personal life 4. Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented

Andragogy vs. Pedagogy

Pedagogy ( Greek word Ped : child & agogus : Leader ) is teacher-centered and subjectcentered. Andragogy (Greek word andr meaning man, not boy.) is student-centered. Malcolm Knowles (1968). The concept of andragogy implies selfdirectedness and an active student role, as well as solution-centered activities.

Whoever adults are, they need to be taught by methods which acknowledge and respect the fact that they are adults and not children.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHILDREN AND ADULTS AS LEARNERS CHILDREN

Rely on others to decide what is important to be learned.
Accept the important being presented at face value.

ADULTS
Decide for themselves what important to be learned.
Need to validate the information based on their beliefs and experience.

Expect what they are learning to be useful in their long-term future.

Have little or no experience upon which to draw are relatively clean slates.

Expect what they are learning to be immediately useful

Have much experience upon which to draw may have fixed viewpoints.

Little ability to serve as a Significant ability to serve a knowledgeable resource to teacher or knowledgeable resource to trainer and fellow classmates. fellow learners

Andragogy vs. Pedagogy

What Is Andragogy? Andragogy consists of learning strategies focused on teaching adults. It is often interpreted as the process of engaging adult learners in the structure of the learning experience.

 Andragogy, initially defined as "the art and science of helping adults learn," The andragogic model asserts that five issues be considered and addressed in formal learning.
(1) letting learners know why something is important to learn, (2) showing learners how to direct themselves through information, and (3) relating the topic to the learners' experiences. In addition, (4) people will not learn until they are ready and motivated to learn. Often this (5) requires helping them overcome inhibitions, behaviors, and beliefs about learning.

Andragogy vs. Pedagogy

Theory of Adult Education The term Andragogy was originally used by Alexander Kapp (a German educator) in 1833, and was developed into a theory of adult education by the American educator, Malcolm Knowles.

Malcolm Knowles
Theory of Adult Education Knowles' theory can be stated as four simple postulates:
Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction. Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for learning activities.

Malcolm Knowles
Theory of Adult Education
Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or personal life. Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented (Orientation to learning).

Andragogy is based on four crucial assumptions about the characteristics of adult learners that are different from the assumptions about child learners.

As persons mature, their self concept moves from being a dependent personality toward one of being a self-directing human being they accumulate a growing reservoir of experience that becomes an increasing resource for learning their readiness to learn becomes oriented increasingly to the developmental tasks of their social roles, and their time perspective changes from one of postponed application of knowledge to immediacy of application.

Andorgogy can be defined as an organized effort to assist adults to learn in a way that enhances their capacity to function as self directed learners. To do this the trainer should; - Assist the learners to define their learning needs - Design learning events to suit an individual learners entry behaviour - Help the learner to understand how to use learning resources - Emphasize experimental & participative training methods - Facilitate problem posing, solving & participative training methods - Progressively decrees the learners dependency on the trainer - Assist learners to assume increasing responsibility for planning their own learning - Reinforce the self-concept of the learner to encourage achievements of objectives - Encourage the use of formative assessment techniques including free exchange of feedback

Leaning curve
The learning curve can represent a short training session to enable person to achieve a modest increase in performance or it can represent a long period for professional development. In all except the most simple learning situations ,it is useful to consider design through several building blocks or learning units, each providing opportunities for progressive learning towards a satisfactory standard performance.

An illustration shows two learning units, training course and on the job training. A course has been designed to meet the general needs of people. The course can be run at a training institution over a fixed period. A course is unlikely to help people achieve a high standard of performance. Due to limited skills there is risk that the performance will deteriorate thereby negating the value of the training. So, instead of the learning curve continuing to rise to show an increasing standard of performance, it might falls as trainees forget of information & lose their skills.

Figure shows that a second learning unit is designed to ensure that a trainees performance can be maintained or improved. That this is by means of on the job training. This will done under the supervision to ensure effective of learning. The learning curve continues beyond the unit designed for on the job training. This is because many tasks are highly productive & a person will probably continue to learn & gain more experience long after their formal training is completed.

Adult learning principles

1 learning can be described as a relatively permanent
change in behaviour resulting from instruction or stimulation from external sources. Learning takes place as a result of perception which is the ability to observe the outside world through the senses. We perceive when we -recognize objects,sounds,etc., -discriminate b/w facts, right & wrong, success & failures -relate similar objects with one another, parts to the whole etc., -select what is of interest to us

2 designing and implementing the training programme: it is worthwhile to examine the basic principles of learning & see how these principles could be out into practice while designing the course. For better understanding of the principles of learning we shall enumerate them under the following heads: -the learning process -the training process -requirements on the part of trainer -the environment of learning & training -the environment of the work org.

3 learning process
the training should meet the training needs of the learner. He should be convinced that after training he will be in position to apply the lessons learn to his practical work situations. Then alone he will be motivated to make the best use of the programme.

4 The training process The learning must be sequential. Appropriate training material must be prepared & arranged in proper sequence & order. Presentation & demonstrations help in this process. Repetition fixes what has been learnt. Time must be provided for practicing the learning. Variety of training methods must be used to suit the material Suitable feedback must be given to the trainees

5 Requirements on the part of the trainee Acceptance on the part of the trainee that all persons can learn. The trainee must be aware of present inadequacies. There must be mental readiness or set towards learning. The trainee should have mental & physical capacity & intelligence. Trainee must be motivated to learn. Intrinsic motivation: interest or challenge in the learning own expectations to succeed in learning & achieving in the field o f work. Extrinsic motivation: reward or punishment scheme.

6 Characteristics of the adult learner Learner has the self concept of a self directing person. The trainer must accept it. Life experiences are important to an adult. There is no decline in intelligence with increasing years but older people make a more errors. 7 requirements on the part of the trainer The trainer must accept all persons irrespective of their age can learn. The trainer should know his audience & learn more about the learners. He should motivate his trainees. He should help the trainee to learn from daily experiences.

8 the environment of learning & training The basics physiological needs of trainees must be attended to. Seating arrangements of chairs & tables should be comfortable. Chalkboard, charts etc., must be ensured for all participants. An informal & friendly climate should be developed in the classroom. The training situations must not be different from the organizational setting. The learning, atmosphere etc., should be relevant to the work setting. The dynamics of group behaviors must be attended to.

9 Environment of the work organization The work org. should be supportive to implement the ideas of the returning trainees. Resistance on the part of colleagues & subordinates to change is a barrier to learn.

Learning styles
Learning styles refer to the preferred way individual processes information. Unlike individuals differ in abilities, styles describe a persons mode of thinking, remembering, problem solving etc., some of the styles are

1 Field independence vs. field dependence: a field independent person approaches the environment in an analytical way & able to distinguish figures as discrete from their backgrounds. A filed dependent person approaches the environment in a global way & experiences the events in an undifferentiated way.

2 Leveling vs. sharpening: individual variations in remembering that pertain to the distinctiveness of memories. 3 Reflection vs. impulsivity: individual consistencies in the speed & adequacy with which alternative hypothesis are formed. 4 Serialist vs. holist: serialist prefer to learn in a sequential fashion, whereas holist prefer to learn in a hierarchical manner. (top down)

Learning Styles:
Are simple but different approaches or ways of learning. Types of learning styles: 1.Visual learners 2.Auditory learners 3.Tactile/ Kinetics - moving, doing & touching

Kolb's experiential learning theory (learning styles) model

Kolb's learning theory sets out four distinct learning styles (or preferences), which are based on a four-stage learning cycle. since it offers both a way to understand individual people's different learning styles, and also an explanation of a cycle of experiential learning that applies to us all.

Kolb's model t works on two levels - a four-stage cycle: Concrete Experience - (CE) Reflective Observation - (RO) Abstract Conceptualization - (AC) Active Experimentation - (AE)

 Kolb provides one of the most useful (but contestable)

descriptive models available of the adult learning process, inspired by the work of Kurt Lewin.

This suggests that there are four stages in learning which follow from each other: Concrete Experience is followed by Reflection on that experience on a personal basis. This may then be followed by the derivation of general rules describing the experience, or the application of known theories to it (Abstract Conceptualization), and hence to the construction of ways of modifying the next occurrence of the experience (Active Experimentation), leading in turn to the next Concrete Experience. All this may happen in a flash, or over days, weeks or months, depending on the topic, and there may be a "wheels within wheels" process at the same time.

 Kolb includes this 'cycle of learning' as a central principle his experiential learning theory, typically expressed as four-stage cycle of learning, in which 'immediate or concrete experiences' provide a basis for 'observations and reflections'. These 'observations and reflections' are assimilated and distilled into 'abstract concepts' producing new implications for action which can be 'actively tested' in turn creating new experiences.

Experiential Learning Styles

 Honey and Mumford (1982) have built a typology of Learning Styles around this sequence, identifying individual preferences for each stage (Activist, Reflector, Theorist, Pragmatist respectively), Kolb also has a test instrument (the Learning Style Inventory) but has carried it further by relating the process also to forms of knowledge.

 Learning styles mean that:

At a minor level there is a need for adjustment between learner and teacher: sometimes their preferences are complementary, sometimes antagonistic, (aggressive) and of course sometimes collusive if they both tend to go for the same stages in the cycle. At a major level, neglect of some stages can prove to be a major obstacle to learning.

Forms of Knowledge and the Learning Cycle

The four quadrants of the cycle are associated with four different forms of knowledge, in Kolb's view. Each of these forms is paired with its diagonal opposite.

four-type of learning styles

Diverging (CE/RO) Assimilating (AC/RO) Converging (AC/AE) Accommodating (CE/AE)

 convergent knowledge brings to bear a number of facts or principles on a single topic: problems have "right" and "wrong" answers convergent learners tended to be more highly valued in school, because most assessment approaches focus on convergent skills. Examples

include applied maths, engineering.

Divergent knowledge on the other hand, is (very broadly) more about creativity it is about the generation of a number of accounts of experience. It is generated between Concrete Experience and Reflective Observation.

 Kolb Learning Style theory 4 learning styles: Diverging: perceive info concretely and process it reflectively Use both interpersonal interaction and info gathering Can view a situation from many divergent perspectives and brainstorm alternatives Ask why questions, like working in groups Often found in humanities, arts, service careers
Assimilating: perceive info abstractly and process it reflectively (analytical learners) Can assimilate data into a meaningful unit Ask what if questions (what if I change this) Prefer readings, lectures, traditional classrooms In math, basic science, educational research

 Converging: perceive info abstractly and process it actively Combine analytical thinking with doing Ask how questions (how does this work?) Like lab work, simulations, instructor as a coach, prefer to work alone In applied science, technology careers

Accommodating: perceive info concretely and process it actively Use both interpersonal interaction with doing Ask what if (what happens if I change this?) Like to learn hands on, but prefer to work in a group Marketing, sales, business management, some teachers

diagrams of Kolb's learning styles

 Kolb explains that different people naturally prefer a certain single different learning style. Various factors influence a person's preferred style: notably in his experiential learning theory model (ELT) Kolb defined three stages of a person's development, and suggests that our propensity to reconcile and successfully integrate the four different learning styles improves as we mature through our development stages. The development stages that Kolb identified are:

Acquisition - birth to adolescence development of basic abilities and 'cognitive structures' Specialization - schooling, early work and personal experiences of adulthood - the development of a particular 'specialized learning style' shaped by 'social, educational, and organizational socialization' Integration - mid-career through to later life expression of non-dominant learning style in work and personal life.