MEDORN METHODS IN

ADULT EDUCATION

We are going to cover:

1. Duo-Dimensional List of Methods
2. Some Specific Methods
3. Effective Implementation

MODERN METHODS IN ADULT EDUCATION

Giving learners some degree of ownership
Adults want to invest their previous experience
in the learning process

I. Duo Dimensional Chart

Developed by Dugan Laird
It is a duo-dimensional schematic
diagram that considers the activity levels
and the content controls of both the
learners and the facilitators.

Lecture
Popular during the Middle Ages when tabula
rasa theory of education prevailed
Spoken words by the instructor
Needs plenty of interesting and colorful
examples
Should be accompanied by feed back activity

Reading
Supply reading handouts
Instructors should announce discussions
Reading that does not permit further growth is a
questionable investment

Demonstration
Illustrated lectures
Suitable for psychomotor objectives
Close integration of the spoken and visual
stimulus are the key to a successful
demonstration

Field trips
Permit learners to experience sensory
impressions which could never occur in the
classrooms or conference rooms

Note-taking
Necessary to imprint data
Others think that note taking may be a distraction
People may take control of what they write causing
them to misinterpret the information

Programmed Instructions
Requires active involvement of the learners
Provides immediate feedback about the quality
of the learners response

Structured Discussion
Conversations between trainees
Objective should be clearly announced in
advance
Instructor-supplied agenda may be totally
inconsistent with the climate needed for adult
learning

Panel Discussion
Variation discussion format
Sometimes called: colloquies; symposiums
Short lectures by variety of people
For learners very low participation
* question-answer participation
* post-panel structured discussion

Open-forum Discussion
Learners should take full responsibility for the
content of the discussion
Only the topic is announced
Any member may speak to any member
Moderator should be there

Performance try-out
Used for measurement and evaluation
Valid demonstration
Practical application
Learning is acquired through doing.
-Carl Rogers

Brain storming
Specialized form of discussion
Real-problem situation
Train people to listen positively to the ideas of
others
Groups can generate more ideas that many
people doing it individually

II. Case study

Popular way to induce involvement
an intensive analysis of an individual unit
Participants receive a printed description of the
problem situation containing details of the
problem
Control of the discussion is through a
description of the desired output, such as:
recommendation, decision, action plan, and
justification

CASE STUDY
Incident Process

Specialized form of case study

Insufficient data are given so that a decision
cannot be reached
The data are available to the instructor and doles
theses out in response to specific questions by
the learners.

CASE STUDY
Action mazes

Programmed case study

Printed description of the case with enough
details to take them to the first decision point
Leader supplies the next frame which will
explain the consequences of their decision
Effective way to let people discover the value of
dissent, debate, confrontation, compromise

Role plays
Allows learners to reenact situations
Through reenactment, learners can reexamine
previous behaviors, tryout behaviors they have
just acquired or experiment on behavior which
strike them as potentially useful
To make the role play totally relevant and
realistic, instructors sometimes ask participants
to write their own role plays.

Doubling role plays

Observers of the role plays get into the action
when they feel moved to do so
They step behind the current player and become
another body and voice for that character.
Doubling role play is an enacted brain storm

Rotation role plays

Variation of doubling role plays
One learner replaces another participant in the
role play.
Learners are in greater control of the content
and processes
Can also be managed by the instructor

Hot role plays

Used to resolve issues that arise spontaneously
in the classroom dynamics
No instructions are given to the learners
Can become psychodrama
alter-egoing
magic shop
magic wand

Simulations
Somewhat like action mazes being role played
Operation of a real-world process or system over
time.
To mimic or simulate a real system so that we
can explore it, perform experiments on it and
understand it before implementing it in the real
world

Baskets
Form of simulation
Gets the realities of the job through the paper
symptoms of that job
limited period of time to set priorities, organize
their working schedule accordingly and respond
to mails and phone calls

Games
Simulation made competitive
For therapeutic training, games can be sued for
self-actualization and self-fulfillment
Develop listening skills
Greater involvement
Some behavior may be indentified as
contributive or counter productive

Clinics
Learners devote their energy in solving a given
problem
Discussion format
Helpful in developing problem-solving, decisionmaking or team membership skills
Real-world situation

T-groups
sensitivity training
form of group psychotherapy where participants
themselves learn about themselves through their
interaction with each other.
use feedback, problem solving, and role play to
gain insights into themselves, others, and
groups.

OD data gathering
Organization development data gathering
involves the process of diagnosis aimed at
deciding which one or what combination of
specific methods may be useful to achieve
development objectives as a group or as an
organization

Asking what method to use for an adult training

program is like asking a physician what
instrument to use for surgery. It all depends on
the nature of the operation.