Principles of Adult Learning

1. Principles of Adult Learning

2. Overview • Introduction • Assumptions • Context • Content • Process • Learning Styles • Double Loop Learning • Summary

3. Assumptions about adult learners • Are autonomous and self directed • Have life experiences and knowledge • Are goal oriented • Are relevancy oriented • Are practical • Require respectful dialogue

4. Some motivations for adult learners • Social relationships • External expectations from formal authority • Social good • Personal achievement • Escape or seek stimulation • Cognitive interest (learn for the sake of learning)

5. Barriers against participating in adult learning • Lack of information about opportunities to learn • Red tape • Lack of child care • Lack of transport • Lack of time • Lack of money • Lack of confidence • Lack of interest

6. Varying Contexts for adult learning • Social, Political, Economic, Environmental, Cultural and Historical aspects • Individual, Organizational and Community • Acknowledge the links between Local, National Regional and Global interconnections • Reinforce a vision of where we want to go – a society where there is equitable distribution of resources; where power is shared towards social transformation

7. Content of Adult Education – Collective Knowledge • Recognition of different knowledge systems (that we need to work with) • Acknowledge the need to work across traditional disciplinary boundaries • Intergenerational/co-production of knowledge • Sharing and ownership of knowledge

8. Method/Process of Adult learning - learner centered • Intentions of learning (accidental, informal, non-formal, and formal) • Domains of learning (knowledge, skills, attitude and understanding) • Kinds of learning (instrumental, communicative, emancipatory) • Learning styles (no single way of learning)

9. Method/Process of Adult learning - learner centered… • Modes of learning (input and action learning) • Begins with learners’ experiences • Engages learners as whole persons (thinking, feeling, caring, doing) • Collaborative or participatory learning • Praxis (Action, Reflection and Theory)

10. Four Pillars of EducationThe Treasure Within, Dlor’s report (1996) • Learning to know • Learning to do • Learning to live together • Learning to be

11. Learning Styles • Activist • (I will try anything once) • Theorist • (It worked before, it will work again) • Experimenter • (There is always a better way …let us try this) • Observer • (Hmm…let us wait and see)

12. Single loop learning • Concrete experience • Critical reflection/Reflexive observation • Abstract conceptualization/Generalization • Action/Experimentation

13. Double loop learning • New Understanding • Emergent Knowledge • Paradigm Shift • Learn on …Act on

14. Summary • Introduction • Assumptions • Context • Content • Process • Learning Styles • Double Loop Learning • Summary