Adult Learning

1
Adult Learning

• Mart Laanpere
• Tallinn Pedagogical University

2
Is there really a big difference?

• Do the adults learn on significantly different
  way, if compared with children?
• What is different in case of adults?

3
Research says...

• Liquid and crystallized intelligence
• Memory constraints
• Different kind of motivation
• Self-directed learning

4
Self-directed learning

• Learners can be empowered to take more
  responsibility
• Self-direction exists in every person and
  learning situation to some extent
• Self-directed learning does not necessarily take
  place in isolation from others
• Self-directed learners appear able to transfer
  learning to another situation
• Various activities self-guided reading,
  internship, electronic dialogues, reflective
  writing
• Teachers still have a role
• In practice mostly found in open learning or
  non-credit programs

5
A Study by Houle (1961)

• Categories of learners
• goal-oriented learners
• activity-oriented learners
• learning-oriented learners
• The latter group was addressed then as
  self-directed learners

6
Knowles Andragogy

• SDL assumes that humans grow in capacity and need
  to be self-directing
• learners experience are rich resources for
  learning
• individuals are learning what is required to
  perform their evolving life tasks
• an adults natural orientation is task- or
  problem-oriented learning
• self-directed learners are motivated by various
  internal incentives

7
Tutoring self-directed learners
Self-directed
Involved
Interested
Dependent
Authority
Facilitator
Motivator
Consultant
8
Towards the theory of SDL

• Personal Responsibility Orientation (PRO) model
  by Brockett and Hiemstra (1991)
• Personal Responsibility
• Characteristics of the teaching-learning
  transaction
• Characteristics of the learner
• Factors within the social context

9
Group assignment

• Conduct the initial target group analysis using
  the framework by L.Burge
• What are the learning needs?
• Who is expected to participate?
• Resources (time, computer)?
• How will the learners know what to do?
• How will I know if things are working well?
• ...

10
Links

• Stages of Self-Directed Learning (SSDL) model
  http//www.longleaf.net/ggrow/SSDL/Model.html
• Myths of SDL - http//www.sit.edu/lcc/sd_learn.htm
  l