Adult Learning: Quick Tip #2
February 5, 2007 – 18:44 pm
This is the second segment in a series of Quick Tips covering a wide range of adult learning principles. So if you are an inexperienced instructor, you may want to read these tips carefully and think about how you can incorporate them into your curriculum. If you are an experienced instructor, you may find yourself thinking “Oh, I forgot about that.” Of course, if you are a really experienced instructor . . . well, they are short tips so it will only take a minute or so to read them. Well let’s get started.
Studies have shown that, on average, the ability to learn does not decrease significantly until around age 70. However, many adults do experience some difficulty with the skills that enhance their ability to learn. In other words, their study skills may be a little rusty and they may perform certain psychomotor activities (typing, hand-eye coordination activities, etc.) a little slower than their younger counterparts. However, adults tend to compensate for being slower in some psychomotor learning tasks by being more accurate thus reducing the number of trial-and-error attempts that are required to successfully complete a task.
Instructors should also keep in mind that adults tend to take errors personally and are more likely to let them affect self-esteem. A pat on the back and a word of encouragement will go a long way with an adult learner who is struggling with a new skill. You may also have to push the adult learner to take risks since they tend to apply tried-and-true solutions in order to avoid the embarrassment of making an error.
Things also get even more risky when you are conducting values-based training courses such as cultural diversity. It is very important that the curriculum designer know whether the concepts or ideas that are going to be presented will be in concert or in conflict with the learner.
This is not to say that some instruction might not be intentionally designed to be in conflict with the learner in order to effect change in belief and value systems. Programs simply need to be designed to accept viewpoints from people in different life stages and with different value “sets.” However, concepts that challenge students’ value systems needs to be “anchored” or explained from more than one value set and appeal to more than one developmental life stage. Here again, if an instructor chooses to “jump into the deep end of the pool” and conduct values-based training that challenges the students’ belief systems, he better be prepared for a spirited discussion.
Check Out Adult Learning: Quick Tip #1
Check Out Adult Learning: Quick Tip #3
Check Out Adult Learning: Quick Tip #4
Check Out Adult Learning: Quick Tip #5