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Principles of Adult Education E-2

An experienced person does the best work.

Adult learners are normally considered to be those who have completed their schooling (at least temporarily) and desire to learn something outside the school system. Adult learners fit more into nonformal education than formal education (see modules E-1 and E-3). While college students are adults, they are part of the formal education system. Traditionally, therefore, they are considered a part of formal education rather than nonformal education.

How do adults learn? What does this mean for educators? Below is a list of principles of adult education. After each principle the implications for the learners and for the educators are noted.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of this module you should be able to:

1. Describe adult learners in terms of learning style preferences.
2. Tell how adult learners are similar and different than students in school classrooms.

EIGHT PRINCIPLES

1. The teaching/learning process is dynamic, interactive, and cooperative. A two-way interaction between learner and educator is necessary. The educator does not simply "fill up" the passive learner with "education." Both the learner and the educator must accept responsibility for the learning. The learner must participate actively and willingly. The educator must also be a learner. Sometimes the learner, due to previous experience, teaches the educator. The adult educator is responsible for teaching the learner how to learn. Sometimes this is more important that what to learn. The learner has a right to know what is expected by the educator who must make this very clear to the learner. In addition to using strong skills in verbal communication, the educator must be an effective listener. The educator must provide facts and resources that are relevant to the learner. The learner must relate these facts and resources to previous experience in such a way that meaningful learning occurs.

2. Persons are more important than the subject being taught or the teaching/learning technique being used. Factual information is useless unless it is of value to the learner. When the learner decides to accept the learning that means a lifestyle change. The key to learning is what happens to the learner. This means that the educator must know the learner. Likewise the learner just open up to the educator and help that educator to know the learner. The educator must strive to make the learning relevant to the learner. The learner must accept equal responsibility with the teacher in making the learning relevant. The educator must be patient. The pace of the teaching depends on the pace of the learner. The learner must make an effort to learn; must try to stay with the educator and must signal the educator when the pace is too fast or too slow. The educator must begin where the learner is ready to begin and must strive to create maturity in the learner. Maturity is the ability and willingness to take responsibility for the learning. The learner must accept the need to mature. Both educator and learner must be flexible for this relationship to be effective.

3. Responsibility for teaching and learning is shared by both the educator and the learner. Both the educator and learner must b-e cooperative and helpful. Although learning is an individual decision by the learner to change his/her lifestyle, learning often occurs in social settings where others can assist in the learning. The educator never does anything for the learner that the learner can do. The learner does not depend on the educator unless absolutely necessary. The educator must be sensitive to learner readiness. Some motivation may be necessary. The learner accepts some of the responsibility for readiness and self-motivation. The learner must make decisions about the learning and not leave these decisions to others. The educator must assist the learner in making decisions and avoid making decisions for the learner. The educator must not ask the learner to do anything that s/he, the educator, would not do.

4. The procedures used for teaching/learning must be determined by the learner's goals. The educator must involve the learner in setting goals for the learning. Then the educator must help make to learner aware of learning resources to meet those goals. The learner must learn how to select resources and take responsibility to use those resources to meet the goals that have been set.

5. Ideally learning involves not just information but also skills and attitudes. Learning implies change. Sometimes change means recognizing attitudes that inhibit learning. The educator must help the learner to identify attitudes that need to be changed. The learner must recognize that changes of attitudes can be beneficial. Both must move from the cognitive (informational) aspects of learning to emphasize skills and attitudes. They must identify skills and attitudes that are important and work together to learn these. All information should be judged by the criteria, "what will the learner do with this information that has been learned... what difference will it make to the learner's lifestyle?"

6. Both learners and educators must be willing to progress from a supportive climate to a climate of direct challenge. Both educators and learners must recognize that the adult learner has had many experiences which have formed a body of knowledge, strong feelings, prejudices, and probably some misconceptions. Both must create an open supportive environment where the learners accept themselves and understand why they behave as they do. Then they must challenge those experiences and beliefs to move beyond those that no longer serve ones lifestyle. This process must be gradual with great sensitivity on both sides. An abrupt challenge to an insecure adult may end the learning process and even ruin the relationship. The educator must try to never put the learner on the defensive. The learner must recognize when s/he is defensive. Both must interact openly, in good faith, and creatively resolve any conflict which arises. Both learner and educator must view the educator as a guide. At times the learner may reject the guidance and this position may be positive. The educator must be sensitive to the learner's needs and readiness to accept guidance. Both must build strong rapport based on honesty and empathy. Then both must be open to challenge, by the other person, in order to consider new ideas, new options, and new relationships.

7. Evaluation should take place continuously in the teaching/learning process. An evaluative climate in which both the educator and the learner are receptive to new perspectives on themselves and willing to evaluate themselves, is important. The learner needs feedback from the educator in order to make progress. Both need to evaluate the learning climate as well as learning outcomes. Both must be flexible and cooperative in making adjustments to the learning climate whether it deals with information, skills, attitudes, or a combination of these three aspects.

8. Learning takes place when learners interact positively with each other. When learners create a positive learning climate in a group of learners, progress can be more rapid and more significant. Trust, security, and mutual confidence must exist to support learning in groups. Competitive aspects of learning (getting the highest grade) should be eliminated. The same relationships between educator and learner, discussed above, must be developed among the learners in the learning group.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. How is an adult learner different from a student in primary school? From a student in high school? From a university student?

2. How are they similar (in each case)?

EXERCISE:

Look (again) at a community group that you wish to teach. If possible use a group of adults. Write down a list of guidelines to help you use principles of adult education with this group. For example, "I will take more time at the beginning to get to know each member of the group that I am teaching." Share your list of guidelines with a partner or with the members of your learning group to get their response. Discuss how you are going to put these guidelines into practice. Incorporate your guidelines into your lesson plan (if you are not familiar with lesson plans, look a modules C-8 on using teaching/learning techniques or module LT-1 on organizing workshops.)