I ran a session for the Broadband for Seniors volunteer network in May 2012, on Adult Learning principles. Not wanting to be didactic about it, i tried to draw in the audience perspective whenever possible. Basically, we started with a classic version of 'adult learning principles' and attempted to connect these abstract ideas with people's daily experiences in the kiosks. This presentation has the audience input on many slides (except one where i was concerned about time.) Overall i found it an amazing session, because of this group participation. There is a recording of the actual session - i'll see if i can link to it from here.

1. Learning for Life
Principles of Adult Learning
Michael Chalk and Catherine Devlin,
Photo: (creative commons at flickr)
Adult Learning Australia (ALA). Paul Bica, http://flic.kr/p/85S1FU

2. When do people learn best?

3. Photo: Helico, http://flic.kr/p/CMopX
What is andragogy?
Malcolm Knowles an American
educator defined andragogy as:
„..the art and science of
helping adults learn.‟
Photo: Dunechaser, http://flic.kr/p/SaTg9

4. Principles of adult learning
1.The need to know
2.Learner’s self-concept
3.Role of the learner’s experience
4.Readiness to learn
5.Orientation to learning
6.Motivation
Photo: geoftheref, http://flic.kr/p/oLMak

5. How do adult people learn?
1.What do your learners need to know?
2.How well do they know themselves?
3.What do they already know from experience?
4.What do they want next?
5.How is the learning connected to their lives?
6.What motivates your learners?

7. 1. Need to know
Adults want their learning to:
• meet their needs
• be relevant
• help them achieve their
goals.
Photo: Carlos62, http://flic.kr/p/xoKBT

9. 2. “Self-concept”
Adult learners:
 are self-motivated and
self-directed
 are independent
 like to find their own
way
 can make their own
decisions
 want to manage their
own learning.
Photo: minifig, http://flic.kr/p/zcYeK

10. What do they already know from experience?

11. 3. Role of experience
Adult learners:
• have diverse experience and
knowledge
• may have ingrained ideas
about things
• apply their life experience
and knowledge to new
learning
• use their problem-solving,
reflecting and reasoning
skills.
Photo: yewenyi, http://flic.kr/p/cAQEr

13. 4. Readiness to learn
Adult learners:
• are goal focused
• want timely and
meaningful learning
experiences
• need clear learning goals.
Photo: ΞSSΞ®®Ξ, http://flic.kr/p/btHZ5u

14. How is the learning connected to their lives?
How can you make the connection more real?

15. 5. Orientation to learning
Adult learners:
 are practical – their
learning should apply to
their lives, job, etc.
 want to be involved in
planning their learning
 focus on the aspects
that are most useful to
them.
Photo: ntr23, http://flic.kr/p/85eRne

16. What motivates your learners?

17. 6. Motivation
For adult learners, the best
motivators are:
• Internal, for example:
» increased job satisfaction
» heightened self-esteem
» better quality of life
• personal growth and
development.
Photo: Erica Marshall, http://flic.kr/p/5p1oZw

18. What can you do to help people learn?
Photo: YoungEinstein, http://flic.kr/p/7xLFt

19. How to help adults learn
• Encourage active participation
• Offer meaningful, relevant and holistic learning
• Ensure multi-sensory learning (using the 5 senses)
• Give learners time to practice and reflect on learning
• Give regular and useful feedback
• Motivate further learning with recognition and rewards

20. Photo: blmiers, http://flic.kr/p/bncGr3