The Adult Learner

By Abhishek Jaguessar

"The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery."

- Mark Van Doren

What is Learning?
Learning involves change. It is concerned with the acquisition of habits, knowledge, and attitudes.

It enables the individual to make both personal and social adjustments.

What is Learning?
Learning is a change in the individual, due to the interaction of that individual, and his environment, which fills a need and makes him more capable of dealing adequately with his environment. Learning is a change in human disposition or capability, which can be retained and applied.

Key Assumptions about Adult Learners:

1. 2. 3. 4. Adults are motivated to learn as they experience needs and interests that learning will satisfy. Adults orientation to learning is life-centered. Experience is the richest source for adults learning. Adults have a need to be self-directing.

Deweys Key Concepts of Teaching:

All genuine education comes about through experience. Democracy/Participation - promotes quality human experience Continuity - builds upon experiences that are worth while Interaction/Participative- its a social process

What Adults Need to Know Prior to Learning:

Need to know how learning will be conducted Need to know what will be learned Need to know why it will be valuable

"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young."
- Henry Ford

Breakdown of the Principals of Adult Learning

Learning is enhanced when it can immediately be applied in a reallife context.

Learning is enhanced when adult learners have control or influence over their educational experiences.

Learning depends on past and current experiences.

Learning is enhanced when people are active participants.

Learning requires an environment of comfort and respect.

Learning is enhanced when learning is self-directed.

Adult learning is enhanced when participants experience success.

KWL Format
What do we know about What do we want to know about What did we learn about (after)