ADULT LEARNING

Adult Learning

Adult learning is also referred as Andragogy which defines the role of teacher as facilitator and helper by offering opportunities to their students to learn by themselves and gain new knowledge from the resources provided by the helper and from their background knowledge.

The Principles of Adult Learning

(a) Self-direction: The value of professional growth and learning is inevitable in any classroom environment. The educational institutions provide diverse experiences to students which range from academics to co-curricular activities. The decision of educational institute to implement a self-directed learning program enhances the skills and knowledge of students.

(b) Experience and Knowledge: Imagine a school that grants admissions to new students regularly. To enhance their learning experiences, the school never underestimates the importance of tapping into the diverse experiences and knowledge that students acquired in the previous course of learning exposure ultimately contributes to future outcomes.

(c) Goal Oriented: Educational institute must recognize that the students have diverse educational goals and varying skill levels. The objective is to implement a professional development program perfectly aligned with individuals’ goals for an overall contributive experience.

(d) Relevancy Oriented: The focus is to ensure goal based relevant, focused and directed academic experience in the classroom to assist self-direction which sets on the foundation of experience.

(e) Being Practical: Imagine a student targets to enhance management skills. The school is to ensure the practicality of the academic transaction including a balanced amalgamation of theory and practice augmenting overall practicality.

(f) Being Respected: Give respect and have respect – as simple as ABC. Inclusive learning encourages to foster respect for diverse backgrounds which ensures cultural inclusion and broad acceptability.

Implementing Strategies

The following are few implementation strategies to incorporate principles of adult learning in a classroom environment.

(a) Now the question is how we can implement these principles in a classroom environment. It is pertinent to mention here that adults are more likely to engage in learning activities when they perceive it as relevant to their goals and needs. So before designing the desired learning objectives teachers must put themselves into the shoes of learners and think deeply that what's for them in these objectives. If we our self positively answer this question, then it predicts that the activity will also be fruitful for the adult learners. Since the learners have past experiences so it is the responsibility of a teacher to relate their experiences and expertise to a related experience or a skill to broader their vision and perspective.

(b) In the actual classroom scenario perspective if we take the example of the workshop on development of leadership qualities in our youth. The teacher presents a conjectural leadership situation for promoting discussion. The participants then present a challenging quality of leader as they observe in their bosses at their work places.

(c) Since adults are ready to learn so they can pick and choose the knowledge what they want to gain so there have to be no boundaries or limitations to mastering and adults should be prepared to research. This plays the role of situational trigger. At the same time facilities like internet etc. should be available to facilitate the learner

(d) Adults wants to solve problems, maybe it’s a problem in a work place or maybe it’s a specific problem the action step at teacher side is to include scenarios and make group of peoples to talk and think in their way to finds the potential solutions. So, when designing such activities ensure that they resolve and express, real-existence problem. For example, teacher may give the problem to define the ways that how we can get rid of energy crises situation, present the ways which are affordable for the community and can be easily manageable in future. So, everyone will present its own ideas to solve the problem.

(e) Since the learners are intrinsically motivated so we must develop trust and respect. As in an organizational environment the employer is more creative and energetic if the employer trusts their employee. It should be the strategy of teacher to set learning goals and connect their work to a higher cause.

(f) After the motivation another strategy for the teacher is to connect the learning if their students with a value. Means a reward system. Automatically this plays a role of booster in the learning of an adult. Like offering a good package by a company after getting necessary skills, getting trophy after winning a match dependable on perfect practicing etc. if teacher adopt this strategy of providing such type of booster these will automatically enhance the learning of adult student.

By implementing these principles, we can enhance learning among adults.